Rock 'n' Roll High School

Director: Allan Arkush
Year Released: 1979
Rating: 1.5

L.A. ninnies obsessed with the Ramones (led by super groupie P.J. Soles) go to one of the N.Y. band's concerts and feel empowered by their music, but the new school administrator (Mary Woronov, no stranger to wild times) detests both rock and roll and the kids' sense of liberation. Typical squares versus 'enlightened kids' cheapie (produced by Roger Corman) has some clever stylistic flourishes and a high-wire performance by Soles, but weak (and tacky) in the 'humor' department, not to mention tiring unless you're really, really into the Ramones (they're all right in small doses, but seeing Woronov burning Sticky Fingers and Highway 61 Revisited is just wrong). Precious information not included in the movie's conclusion: the students, the following day, were arrested for destruction of public property (and terroristic threats) and forced to work on a chain-gang for years. A teacher can dream, can't he?