Rock n Roll High School

Thoughts Before: I've seen a lot of "youth" movies but Rock n Roll High School was one I always missed. Seeing the wonderful Ramones featured so heavily in the soundtrack and also acting appealed to me a lot.

Review: So I got this and Death Race 2000 from E-Bay from the same seller and both arrived and found their ways into my DVDs player on the same day, both have a things in common- both are 70's Roger Corman, arguably the best Corman era and Paul Bartel's involvement.

Rock n Roll High School absolutely rocks- unusual, funny, kick ass soundtrack, likeable performances, P.J Soles in the lead role as never been cuter (same goes for Dey Young), a memorable villianous turn from Mary Woronov, while the film belongs to Paul Bartel as the music teacher who is absolutely hilarious and scene after scene that lingers on the memory, It's fair to say the music of Ramones is better then the acting but they have a memorable prescene in the movi and the movie is succesful in creating it's own reality (a giant rat doesn't seem out of place). Allan Arkush's finest directorial moment.

Stand Out Moment: P.J Soles singing Rock n Roll High School in gym, sang with such ferocious enegry.

Conclusion: Like Death Race 2000 it's not a perfectly made movie, but it's such unquestionable fun the movie sticks with, if your a fan of the earlier batch of teen comedies you'll certainly love this.

*****

Death Race 2000 Thoughts Before: I remember owning the video back in the early 90s and even then knowing it was a cheaply made movie. I though honestly can't believe it took me nearly 5 years to own the title on DVD. Review: Death Race 2000, yes you can tell it didn't have a massive budget- but that only adds to the wonderful appeal, with Roger Corman producing you know what your getting for your money. Coming in at around 80 minutes the movie never outstays it's welcome, the movie from a slew of Corman produced 70s racing films as auto racing has the concept, it's not only how fast you drive, but how many pedestrians you hit with David Carradine as Frankenstein taking on (among others) Sly Stallone's Machine Gun Joe in the brutally bloody, funny race. With the underrated (as a director and actor) Paul Bartel directing the film with a cast on top from (aswell as gratious nudity!!!) the film is the very defintion of the perfect B-Movie. Stand out Moment: Euthensia future style- nurse's leaving dying pensiors in the middle road to be killed only for Frankenstein in a sick twist of humour sort of way mow down the nurses. Conclusion: Death Race 2000 is a fantastic relic of the 1970s, anybody who likes there films a bit cultish will absolutely adore.

*****