High School U.S.A. (1983) (TV)

User Rating:

4.9/10   

Director:

Rodney Amateau

Writers:

Alan Eisenstock (writer)
Larry Mintz (writer)

Release Date:

16 October 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Set in a senior high school class, J.J. (Michael J. Fox) pursues the girlfriend of a rival from a higher...

Plot Keywords:

High School | Impostor | Blindness | Preppie | Teen

Cast

Michael J. Fox	...	Jay-Jay Manners (as Michael Fox)
Nancy McKeon	...	Beth Franklin
Todd Bridges	...	Otto Lipton
Angela Cartwright	...	Miss D'Angelo
Bob Denver	...	Milton Feld
Dwayne Hickman	...	Mr. Plaza
Lauri Hendler	...	Nadine
Dana Plato	...	Cara Ames
Crystal Bernard	...	Anne-Marie Conklin
Anthony Edwards	...	Beau Middleton
Frank Bank	...	Mr. Gerardi
Elinor Donahue	...	Mrs. Franklin
Tony Dow	...	Principal Pete Kinney
Steve Franken	...	Dr. Fritz Hauptmann
David Nelson	...	Mr. Krinsky, janitor

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Excelsior High School - 15711 Pioneer Boulevard, Norwalk, California, USA

Company:

Hill/Mandelker Films

Trivia:

In a scene where Beth tells Jay-Jay that she just wants to be friends, Jay-Jay replies, "Like Wally and Lumpy... I'll pass." Tony Dow and Frank Bank, who played Wally and Lumpy in Leave it to Beaver, also appear in the film.

Quotes:

Nadine: [to Peggy] No! Look, I don't want to go into the fun house. I know we have to get Beau Middleton's picture, but I'm afraid of the dark and whenever I get scared I jump into somebody's arms. If I jump into your arms, people are gonna talk. I can't afford that. As it is my phone's got cobwebs.

Movie Connections:

Spoofs Porky's (1982)

An incredibly entertaining movie!

More people should watch this movie. I'm quite sure they won't enjoy it as much as my friends or I, but the cast is so fun that it's worth a look. Rowdy class clown J.J. (double J) Manners (Michael J. Fox) is certainly smitten after he bumps in to Beth Franklin (Nancy McKeon) in the hallway. Big problem though-she's dating Beau Middleton (Anthony Edwards) the cocky king of the preps! A class struggle ensues and it's quite wacky to watch it unfold. The supporting cast here is really interesting. You've got Todd Bridges and Dana Plato (Different Strokes), Crystal Bernard (future star of Wings) and a plethora of actors and actresses from older TV shows. Bob Denver plays Crispin Glover's pet supply selling dad. Tony Dow plays the high school's principle. There's even a scene where Anthony Edwards pulls and Eddie Haskell on Eddie Haskell himself (Ken Osmond). There's nothing too original about the plot of this baby (it is a TV movie after all), but it became really addictive for me and a couple of my friends. It's fun to throw quotes around from it. All in all, well worth a couple bucks to watch on video (although I haven't found it in too many video stores). Give it a chance with low expectations and I'm quite sure you won't be too dissatisfied.