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Rock And Roll High School

The movie is just plain fun….maybe more fun for those of us who were kids and fans of “The Ramones” around the time the film was made. I’ve watched the film over and over, by myself and with friends, and it is still fresh and funny. At the risk of being too serious, the concept of being a big fan of a certain band is timeless, and high school students boredom with drudgery of some classes is just as timeless.

And, the film has some gem lines/scenes…..references to how our “permanent record” in high school will follow us through life. (Let me assure you I’ve been out of high school for, uhhh, some years and it’s not following me)…..the famous “static” line (“I’m getting some static”…..”Not as much as you’re going to get”, as Principal Togar approaches)…..the school board member who is so decrepit he’s attended by nurses….the Nazi Hall Monitors love for a “body search” ……Principal Togar announcing, “I give you the final solution”, and burning the Ramones records (note: records were what came before CD’s) ….and of course Joey Ramone noting, “Things sure have changed since we got kicked out of high school”, followed by Togar asking “Do your parents know you’re Ramones?”

Just one piece of advice…..don’t look up where the stars are now…..Joey Ramone sadly died young. Dey Young, who was a major hottie in the film, today reminds us we all age….PJ Soles career never advanced as we might have expected……… Marla Rosenfield, as one the other students, apparently appeared only in this film (one of my male friends dies over her every time we watch the film), though I submit her performance was more than adequate and should have brought her more teen film roles. And, does anyone know what happened to DJ Don Steele?