Hollywood high schools offer fun ‘memories’

Bill Knight column for 2-13, 14 or 15, 2020             

After TV decreased movie audiences, Hollywood started targeting the demographic that still made up cineplex customers: high schoolers.

This week – the 86^th anniversary of U.S. high schools’ first driver’s-ed class (in State College, Pa.) – is a fine time to reflect on motion pictures about high school life. After all, through all the memories, good and bad, Americans frequently relive those “Glory Days,” as Bruce Springsteen sang. And Hollywood has helped recreate days of crises and crying, laughter and love, and shared pasts often forgotten until reunions.

            Of course, everybody’s tempted to see themselves as heroic or tragic, identifying with Olivia Newton-John in “Grease,” the prep schoolers in “Dead Poets’ Society,” the suburban kids of “Sixteen Candles,” or schoolgirl Lulu in “To Sir with Love.” But “Hollywood high school” shows experiences few had: action heroes like Tom Berenger in “The Substitute”; exotic beauties like Sharon Stone in “Diabolique”; zany staffers like Jon Lovtiz in “High School High”; or stunning triumphs or tragedies like the athletes in “Hoosiers” or Sissy Spacek and John Travolta at the prom in “Carrie.”

Besides the “American Pie” canon, the “Back to the Future” trilogy, “Conrack,” “High School Musical,” “October Sky,” “Rebel without A Cause,” “Rock ‘n’ Roll High School,” “Teaching Mrs. Tingle,” etc., two of the strangest such films are “The Teacher” and “High School USA.” The former has a maturing Jay North (TV’s “Dennis The Menace” 1959-63) introduced to sex by Angel Tompkins while a psychopath threatens them; the latter is mostly cameos by generations of child actors: Michael J. Fox, Nancy McKeon and Todd Bridges, plus the older Bob Denver, Dwayne Hickman, Tony Dow, David Nelson, Elinor Donahue, and Angela Cartwright.

            Of all the many high school flicks, here are 10 still worth watching:

“American Graffiti” (1973): Ron Howard, Richard Dreyfuss and Charles Martin Smith star in an affectionate recollection of ’60s car culture in California. Directed by George Lucas, it features Paul Le Mat, Cindy Williams and Harrison Ford.

“The Blackboard Jungle” (1955): This juvenile-delinquent drama stars Glenn Ford as a teacher suffering a traumatic introduction to New York City’s school system. What makes it superb are filmmaker Richard Brooks’ atmosphere and a strong supporting cast: Sidney Poitier, Vic Morrow, Anne Francis, Louis Calhern, Richard Kiley, even an adolescent Jamie Farr.

“The Breakfast Club” (1985): The Brat Pack is in fine form in director John Hughes’ coming-of-age paean to ’80s teen-age angst. Emilo Estevez, All Sheedy, Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall and Judd Nelson star as five kids who finally open up and talk about themselves during Saturday detention. Funny and sad, honest and phony, profound and goofy – like a lot of teens can be.

“Cooley High” (1975): Wrongly dismissed as an inner-city knockoff of “American Graffiti,” this funny drama shows a too-rare glimpse of urban black America, circa 1964. Actors Garrett Morris, Glynn Turman, Lawrance Hilton-Jacobs are excellent.

“Fast Times at Ridgemont High” (1982): It’s amazing/amusing to see Sean Penn as Spicoli in this comedy about shallow Southern California youths. Based on Cameron Crowe’s book, the film features Judge Reinhold, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Phoebe Cates and Ray Walston.

“Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” (1986): John Hughes directed this romp starring Matthew Broderick as a likeable scamp senior ditching school to enjoy Chicago with a pal (Alan Ruck). Co-stars include Jennifer Grey and Jeffrey Jones, plus bits by Charlie Sheen and Ben Stein.

“Heathers” (1989): Winona Ryder and Cristian Slater star in this dark comedy about a high school whose social scene is dominated by a clique of girls all named Heather. Shannen Doherty is featured.

“High School Confidential” (1958): This silly rock ‘n’ roll update of “Reefer Madness” is so bad it’s hilarious. Russ Tamblyn stars as an undercover agent trying to break a ring of marijuana dealers. Occasionally known and shown as “Young Hellions,” this cult classic has a weird, wily cast: Mamie Van Doren, Jerry Lee Lewis, Jan Sterling, Jackie Coogan, John Drew Barrymore and Charlie Chaplin Jr.

“Juno” (2007): Ellen Page stars as an independent-minded teen dealing with an unplanned pregnancy. The warm-hearted drama/comedy (“dramedy”) costars Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman and J.K. Simmons.

“Stand and Deliver” (1988): Edward James Olmos is fascinating as a frumpy but effective math teacher who gives up a lucrative electronics job to take a classroom of full-bodied misfits (including Lou Diamond Phillips, who’s understated and stunning) and reach and teach them. They see the light – and calculus! Based on a true story, it co-stars Andy Garcia.