Goodbye, Franklin High

Wow, the gay subtext is strong is this film. All of the young actors have the whiny youthful energy of Mark Hamill in the first 10 minutes of the first Star Wars film, with not the same level of acting talent. Lane Caudell 26 in this film, could easily pass for 35, though he is playing a 17 year old. The music and dancing are vague surburban mid-70s. The marine recruiter is right out of bad 70s gay porn. Just everything is bad, bad, but very earnest. It is fascinating as a time capsule and study of Mr. Caudell and his consistent collaborator Stu Krieger career making very low budget teen oriented exploitation and seri-exploitation.

This hasn't been probably seen since the early 1980s when it was on a UHF station; a "lost" film that was never on VHS or (probably) never on DVD. It's definitely a period piece via the 1970s fashions, music, big cars, etc. However it's a thoughtful, low-key, well-scored, sometimes funny drama of a teen (Lane Caudell), about to graduate from high school, and unsure of his future. He might pursue a baseball career, go to college or join the military: his best friend (Darby Hinton) and girlfriend (Ann Dusenberry) help him. His father (the excellent William Windom) is also having severe health problems. There's a surprising, unexpected revelation toward the end regarding his mother (well-played by Julie Adams) that triggers conflict. Small budget only enhances the film's likability, young stars are nearly as good as the veteran actors. See it, if you can.

Found the majority of this film to be quite boring, especially the scenes revolving around the movie's star. The only saving grace of this film was the sub-plot of the teenager's parents, played fabulously by William Windom and Julie Adams. If that had been the main plot of the movie, it would have been a 10/10.

Solid acting, well-written story propel "Goodbye Franklin High" past most of the teen-oriented movies of the '70s, not to mention the out-and-out exploitation flicks like "The Van" or the dopey (though still engaging) "Swim Team" and "Satan's Cheerleaders" (which drove a stake through Yvonne DeCarlo's already flagging career). The earnestness of this movie is the key to its charm, and the characters have a ring of authenticity: Like the majority of real teenagers, the characters in this movie work hard, go to school, party a little bit, hook up, struggle with their parents and face their futures with a mix of hope and trepidation. If I had to sum this movie up in one word, it would be "Genuine." Or perhaps "Charming." An interesting side note: "Franklin High's" star, the hunky yet likable Lane Caudell, sang and wrote the theme song for the underrated thriller "Sasquatch: The Legend of Bigfoot," though he doesn't appear in that film, to my knowledge.

High students with minds geared for the future,not a one night stand.An appealing movie that paints an earnest picture of graduating high schoolers whose prime concern is what they will do next instead of what lady to do next.