'Hollywood High' is an unjustly overlooked early work from the 70s heyday of American drive-in sex comedies. Beginning with the free-and-easy charms of 'The Cheerleaders', in 1973, to 'The Pom Pom Girls', and 'The Van', in 1977, this film is a worthy yet obscure addition.
Despite its qualities, Hollywood High has never enjoyed any kind of DVD release, and the only way to watch it now is through the ravaged print currently available on Amazon Prime video. And this is a genuine pity, because anyone who appreciates these movies as both fascinating time capsule of a now much-changed landscape (central Los Angeles, and coastal LA), and as an effervescent offering from a more innocent time, would want this in their collection.
The film's dream-like quality, floating airily from sensual beach escapades, to a spooky movie-star mansion in the hills, gives its carefree cast - bikini girls intent on a good time, and their bad-boy biker boyfriends - an often surreal landscape to revel in, free from the cares of the more buttoned-up world of their elders who patrol it.
Made during the peak of 70s nostalgia for Golden-Age Hollywood, Hollywood High includes a series of nods to the old days of the movies, from silent-comedy style interludes, to a hilarious turn from a Mae West infused one-time silent film actress, who now resides in champagne-and-beefcake splendor in her faded mansion where the beach girls hope to frolic.
There are a few significant talents behind this movie. The producer, Peter Perry, was by that point a 20-year veteran of classic exploitation cinema, beginning with The Flesh Merchant in 1956. Working under various pseudonyms, he went on to produce and direct a string of films which now form a key part of the Something Weird Video range, and was most notably associated with drive-in kings David F. Friedman and Harry Novak: 'Kiss Me Quick', the legendary 1964 monster mash-up, 'Mondo Mod', from 1967, and 'The Joys of Jezebel' (1970) are just three of his titles spanning the golden age of exploitation cinema.
The breezy score, perfectly complimenting the serene and summery mood, is by Scott Gale, who went on to great success as music coordinater for such notable television series as The Golden Girls, Benson, Empty Nest and Soap.
Among the leads is the truly lovely Susanne Severeid, the definition of the California blonde, who next appeared in fan favorite, 'Van Nuys Blvd' (1979), as well as making numerous television appearances in shows such as 'CHiPS', 'TJ Hooker', and 'The Fall Guy'.
All in all, there are many reasons to enjoy this forgotten gem, and to hope for its first-ever release in a quality print on blu ray, before the existing film stock rots to the point of no return.
