7.2 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Vince Lombardi High School has quite a reputation: it's the wildest, most rockin' high school around! That is, until a thug of a principal, Miss Togar, comes along and tries to make the school a totalitarian state. With the help of the Ramones, the students of Vince Lombardi battle Miss Togar's iron-fisted rule and take their battle to a truly rockin' conclusion!
Starring: P.J. Soles, Vincent Van Patten, Clint Howard, Dey Young, Mary WoronovMusical | 100% |
Teen | 75% |
Comedy | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)
BDInfo
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (locked)
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 3.0 | |
Extras | 5.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Looking to update the high school rebellion picture, director Allan Arkush tries his luck with punk rock, bringing in the Ramones for 1979’s “Rock ‘n’ Roll High School.” It’s teen antics from executive producer Roger Corman, who gives Arkush and his screenwriters (Richard Whitley, Russ Dvonch, and Joseph McBride) a chance to go crazy with this semi-satire of the subgenre, with the production team packing in as many gags as possible as they send-up educational hell features. What the helmer really has here is a scrappy, lovable ode to the freedoms and curiosities of youth, while the Ramones deliver their signature sound to support the endeavor’s sonic dominance. “Rock ‘n’ Roll High School” is a pure delight, partially because Arkush allows it to roam wherever it wants to, and his timing with the Ramones, then at their peak of their powers, couldn’t have been better.
Originally offered on Blu-ray in 2010, "Rock 'n' Roll High School" returns to disc boasting a new "4K scan from the original camera negative." The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation provides a distinct and fresh viewing experience for fans of the movie, with source issues present in the earlier BD release eliminated here, offering consistent appearance for the low-budget effort. Detail is exact, with beautiful skin surfaces and fibrous costuming, with satin and leather really coming alive here. Frame decorations are easily studied, adding crispness to all sorts of visual jokes. Locations are dimensional. Colors are vibrant, securing rich reds and blues, and clothing provides broad period outfits that retain intensity here. Delineation is secure, with deep evening blacks. Grain is fine and film-like.
Even director Allan Arkush admits "Rock 'n' Roll High School" has never sounded great, lowering expectations for the 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix offered here. Lossless sharpness is welcome, but the inherent thinness of the track is problematic during musical performances, as songs tend to trigger crackly highs. Dialogue exchanges are more comfortable, reaching original mix limitations. Hallway and concert atmospherics are present. Curiously, an obviously ADRed line from Tom (his lips aren't even moving) at 9:50, "I need to get laid," is omitted on the track, though it remains on the subtitles.
"Rock 'n' Roll High School" is stocked with wonderful performances, especially from Woronov, who delivers career-best work as Togar, making her a larger-than-life villain for the modest production. There's palpable joy coming from Soles and Dey, and Arkush offers plenty of time for the Ramones to do their thing, even extending screentime to survey their acting skills. Jokes fly fast and land everywhere in the picture, giving it an irresistible rhythm and a high comedy batting average. Arkush manages to pull together something special with "Rock 'n' Roll High School," which doesn't have much polish, but retains a huge spirit, reviving a dormant subgenre with a winning blast of hallway insurgency and musical specificity.
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