Class of 1984

wonderful and amusing punk rock version of the teen gang movie. when new teacher andy norris (perry king) arrives at lincoln high, he unwittingly pits himself against a gang of punks led by the legendary timothy van patton (who shocks the audience with a beautiful self-written piano solo). as norris continues to investigate the punks' behavior, he finds himself and his wife caught up in violent world of high school brutality. some of the best and worst moments in video history are caught within the action-packed 93 minutes. absolutely fantastic cult film, deserves many, many viewings...

One of the great exploitation films of all time built equally off mainstream society's inherent mistrust of youth culture and a complete misunderstanding of the causes of criminality. To Sir, With Love meet Death Wish. Memorable performances by Roddy McDowell and a young Michael J. Fox add to the cult cache of this intentionally shocking, explicit and problematic classic.

The 1980s were a bit of a let down after the 1970s for exploitation fans, but there were a few gems released alongside the 'Risky Business's and 'Mr.Mom's. 'Chained Heat' and 'The Exterminator' immediately spring to mind, and 'Class Of 1984' is another. This movie has got it all - a cheesy theme sung by Alice Cooper, a high school terrorized by drug dealing punks, a classic sequence where a square student, high on something or other, decides to salute the flag... at the top of the flagpole... plus a bit with rabbits which I won't spoil. TV regular Perry King, no stranger to exploitation movies (see 'Mandingo'), plays a new and idealistic music teacher. He is befriended by another teacher, the cynical secret drinker Roddy McDowall ('Planet Of The Apes'), who tries to wise him up. Future 'Sopranos' writer/director Timothy Van Patten plays Stegman who sells drugs to his classmates, and leads a ruthless gang of hoods. When King tries to break Stegman's hold on the school he enters into a world of pain. This is a silly but hugely entertaining pile of trash. Be sure to keep an eye out for Michael J. Fox in one of his earliest roles, as a horn playing dweeb. Director Mark Lester eventually made a sequel in name only 'Class Of 1999', but it was disappointing and silly sci fi nonsense about robot teachers. I can't recommend that one but 'Class Of 1984' is classic beer'n'pizza material that will be enjoyed by any fans of nasty b-grade exploitation.

Class of 1984 (1982) is an entertaining and thought-provoking combination of the Vigilante and High School Drama flick. The film describes the punks as the next generation of important people. It was done as a reworking of Blackboard Jungle (it is much better than Cruel Intentions and more gutsy). Class of 1984 (1982) is an errie movie because the depiction of unsafe Urban high schools, metal detectors at schools, and security guards would be a reality eight years later in many high school cities. It is a courageous movie that isn't afraid to deal with important issues. Class of 1984 (1982) will be noted for the appearance of Michael J. Fox known in the credits as Michael Fox.

"Death Wish" meets "The Blackboard Jungle" in this brutal, increasingly violent thriller. If I were to judge it from a strictly objective point of view, I'd have to be very negative - it's a totally exploitative piece of work. But there is something inherently absorbing about this movie, and you simply can't take your eyes off it. Its 93 minutes pass like a breeze, and for that alone it probably deserves two stars. Has pretty good acting, too.