Rock 'n' Roll High School (1979)

Director:

Allan Arkush
(more)

Writers:

Richard Whitley (screenplay) &
Russ Dvonch (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

24 August 1979 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Music

Tagline:

Hey ho, Let's go!

Plot:

A group of rock-music-loving students, with the help of the Ramones, take over their school to combat its newly installed oppressive administration.

Plot Keywords:

Ramones | High School | Rock 'n' Roll | B Movie | Hall Monitor

Cast

P.J. Soles	...	Riff Randell
Vincent Van Patten	...	Tom Roberts
Clint Howard	...	Eaglebauer
Dey Young	...	Kate Rambeau
Mary Woronov	...	Miss Evelyn Togar
Paul Bartel	...	Mr. McGree
Dick Miller	...	Police Chief
Don Steele	...	Screamin' Steve Stevens
Alix Elias	...	Coach Steroid
Loren Lester	...	Fritz Hansel
Daniel Davies	...	Fritz Gretel
Lynn Farrell	...	Angel Dust
Herbie Braha	...	Manager
Grady Sutton	...	School Board President
Chris Somma	...	Shawn
Marla Rosenfield	...	Cheryl
Barbara Ann Grimes	...	Cafeteria Lady (as Barbara Ann Walters)
Terry Soda	...	Norma
Joe Van Sickle	...	Cop
Joey Ramone	...	Himself
Johnny Ramone	...	Himself
Dee Dee Ramone	...	Himself
Marky Ramone	...	Himself
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
David N. Barber	...	Native American scalper (uncredited)
Rob Bottin	...	Giant Mouse (uncredited)
Ann Chatterton	...	(uncredited)
Darby Crash	...	(uncredited)
Sylvia Dante	...	Nun (uncredited)
Debbie Evans	...	(uncredited)
Jack Gill	...	(uncredited)
Michael Goodwin	...	Chemistry Teacher (uncredited)
John Hateley	...	(uncredited)
Kay Kimler	...	(uncredited)
Joseph McBride	...	School board member (uncredited)
Jim Rygiel	...	Guy in line at mayan theater (uncredited)
Teri Schwartz	...	Nun (uncredited)
George Wagner	...	Man Proposing in Phone Booth (uncredited)

Directed by
Allan Arkush
Joe Dante		(uncredited)
Jerry Zucker		(uncredited)

Writing credits
Richard Whitley		(screenplay) &
Russ Dvonch		(screenplay) and
Joseph McBride		(screenplay)
Allan Arkush		(story) and
Joe Dante		(story)

Produced by
Roger Corman	....	executive producer
Michael Finnell	....	producer

Cinematography by
Dean Cundey

Film Editing by
Larry Bock
Gail Werbin

Art Direction by
Marie Kordus

Set Decoration by
Linda Pearl

Costume Design by
Jack Buehler

Makeup Department
Gigi Williams	....	hair stylist
Gigi Williams	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Mark Radcliffe	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Joe Dante	....	assistant director
Jon Davison	....	second unit director
Gerald T. Olson	....	first assistant director
Caren Singer	....	second assistant director
Jerry Zucker	....	second unit director

Art Department
Mark Toepfer	....	assistant art director

Sound Department
Rhonda Baer	....	boom operator
J.A. Markovitch	....	sound mixer: concert sound
Michael C. Moore	....	sound mixer

Special Effects by
Frank DeMarco	....	special effects
Roger George	....	special effects

Stunts
Ann Chatterton	....	stunts
Debbie Evans	....	stunts
Jack Gill	....	stunts
John Hateley	....	stunts (as John Hately)
Kay Kimler	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Carin Abramson	....	still photographer
Chris Brightman	....	grip
Clyde E. Bryan	....	camera operator: second unit (as Clyde Bryan)
Scott Buttfield	....	electrician
Steve Caldwell	....	grip
Mark Shane Davis	....	gaffer (as Mark Davis)
Tim Doughton	....	grip
Paul Elliott	....	assistant camera
Steven Fierberg	....	electrician
Steve Mathis	....	best boy
Krishna Rao	....	assistant camera
Fred Roscolene	....	key grip
Thomas Vanghele	....	assistant camera

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Linda M. Bass	....	assistant wardrobe (as Linda Bass)

Editorial Department
Kent Beyda	....	assistant editor
Mark Helfrich	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Jane Alsobrook	....	music consultant
Jonathan Brett	....	soundtrack coordinator
Joel Soifer	....	music re-mix engineer
Phil Spector	....	music re-mixer
Ed Stasium	....	musical director: Ramones
Seymour Stein	....	soundtrack coordinator

Transportation Department
Chris Brightman	....	driver

Other crew
Susan Arnold	....	extras coordinator
Rob Bottin	....	giant mouse creator
Bundy Chanock	....	set medic
Bruce Frankel	....	production assistant
Richard Graddis	....	production assistant
Ernie Guderjahn	....	extras coordinator
Siana Lee Hale	....	choreographer
Terry Hutner	....	production coordinator
Jennifer Radcliffe	....	production assistant
Jeanne Rosenberg	....	script supervisor
Michael Silvers	....	production assistant
James Cameron	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Gale Anne Hurd	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Vincent Prentice	....	co-creator: giant mouse (uncredited)

Thanks
Joe Dante	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• New World Pictures

Distributors

• New World Pictures (1979) (USA) (theatrical)
• Cinema Mondo (1990) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (BVHE) (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• BuyIndies.com Inc. (worldwide)
• Future Film (2004) (Finland) (DVD)
• New Concorde (2001) (USA) (DVD) (special edition)
• Warner Home Video (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• J's Fine Art Inc.  sound effects (as J'S Fine Art & Provision Co.)
• Jack Rabin & Associates  titles & opticals
• Ryder Sound Services  sound re-recording

Also Known As:

Disco High (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M | Iceland:12 | Iceland:L (re-rating) | Finland:S (1990) | UK:15 (cut) | USA:PG (certificate #25611) | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

El Segundo High School - 640 Main Street, El Segundo, California, USA

Company:

New World Pictures

Trivia:

The role of Eaglebauer was originally written for Eddie Deezen. However, Deezen was busy working on Steven Spielberg's 1941 (1979), so the role was handed to Clint Howard.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): When Tom calls Riff from his van, he mentions that he is listening to the "new Ramones album." The song "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend" can be heard in the background. The problem is "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend" is from the Ramones' first album "Ramones" (1976). Had Tom actually been listening to their newest album, he would have been listening to "Road to Ruin" (1978)...which does not include the song "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend".

Quotes:

Johnny Ramone: Things sure have changed since we got kicked out of high school.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Monster A-Go-Go (#5.21)" (1993)

Soundtrack:

She's The One

"Do your parents know you're Ramones?"

Marvelous cult film from 1979 in which the students of Vince Lombardi High School are confronted with a new, dictatorial principal named Miss Togar (Mary Woronov). Togar is a music hater and blames the musical tastes of the students for their transgressions. Leading the charge against her is fun-loving Riff Randell (P.J. Soles), the #1 Ramones fan who, more than anything, wants the rock group to record her songs.

Now *this* is an impossible movie to resist. First and foremost, the soundtrack is incredible, with songs by such artists as Alice Cooper and the Velvet Underground in addition to the infectious non-stop assortment of Ramones songs. "Teenage Lobotomy", "Sheena is a Punk Rocker", and "Blitzkrieg Bop" are just a few of them. Next, the cast truly gives it their all, with Soles an ideal choice for the role of Riff; she is a true delight. Vincent Van Patten and Dey Young are earnest as Tom and Kate, Woronov is well cast against type as the snooty and disdainful Togar, Clint Howard has one of his best ever parts as washroom-occupying entrepreneur Eaglebauer, and New World regulars such as Dick Miller, Paul Bartel (particularly fun as music teacher Mr. McGree) and The Real Don Steele are fun as always. And, of course, it's a treat to see The Ramones playing themselves.

The movie has true spirit. The energy level is high, with co-story author and director Allan Arkush bringing a great deal of flair to the proceedings. There's also a great sense of humor. The paper airplane gag is a superb example of this. This extends right to the "wipe" style of scene transitions. There are even hilarious giant mice created by future makeup effects notable Rob Bottin, in one of his earliest gigs.

About as good as an authority-defying, defend-one's-right-to-party film can get. "Rock 'n' Roll High School" is, quite simply, a wonderful cult film.

8/10