ROCK ‘n’ ROLL HIGH SCHOOL entered the ‘kids run wild’ fray of 1979 to the driving beat of The Ramones, infectiously wacky acting from its cast and with what seemed a surefire cinch to slamdance executive producer Roger Corman’s skinflint budget of $250,000. Yet, other than diehard fans of the Ramones, throngs were absent and box office figures are a mystery. Reviews were positive, and cult status has lasted. Other questions arise. For example, was this Clint Howard’s finest hour? More important to a sizable slice of those in-the-knew—whatever became of ‘Cheryl’?

“Since assuming office this morning, I have noticed a number of peculiar incidents among the member of the student body, all having to do with rock and roll music.”

Southern California, ‘Vince Lombardi High School.’ Discipline is not in the curriculum. New principal ‘Evelyn Togar’ (Mary Woronov) is mean enough, along with her rodent-like hall monitors ‘Hansel’ and ‘Gretel’ (done with relish by Loren Lester and Daniel Davies) to incite revolt, and rule-scoffing cheerleader ‘Riff Randell’ (P.J. Soles, 28) is pre-wired to lead one. Before the institution is wrath-razed by the student bodies (paging Riff’s backup fox ‘Cheryl’) Riff and ‘Eaglebauer’ (Clint, 29), a “fixer” who operates out of a bathroom stall, aim to put Riff’s friend ‘Kate Rambeau’ (Dey Young, 33!) together (as in “doing it”) with ‘Tom Roberts’ (Vince Van Patten, 31), game-clueless jock. Then The Ramones (“1-2-3-4!” Joey, Johnny, Dee Dee and Marky—gabba gabba) show up for a concert and the rest is punk history.

Ever keen Roger Corman wanted to do something to cash in on the contemporary rock/youth scene. The blissfully anarchic goofing was directed by Allan Arkush, until he finally collapsed from exhaustion and Joe Dante stepped in uncredited. The script was written by Richard Whitley, Russ Dvonch and Joseph McBride. *

“Listen, I’m just lying here in my new van, my beautiful waterbed, listening to the Ramones’ brand new album, on this fantastically expensive stereo, wondering if maybe you’d like to go out tonight and get drunk.”

Back in the dazed, I had hard-stoning friends who were disciples of The Ramones. Much as I liked/like to rock, that limited yet influential band didn’t crank my gears at the time (I’d just smile and cock my head to one side to indicate ‘yeah, cool’ when my pals cranked the stereo up loud enough to fell satellites) but in hindsight concede that a few of their numbers (blissfully short, usually less than two minutes) do have a quick fix primal drive appeal—we’ll take “Sheena Is A Punk Rocker” out of respect.

Fast-moving fun dumbness, and in the long history of flicks starring people who were several years past high school age, this one must take first prize. P.J. Soles is a delight. As for Cheryl (at the time the real-life Marla Rosenfield), the decades-long inquiry remains an elusive puzzle. **

93 minutes of giddy abandon, with Paul Bartel, Lynn Farrell (as ‘Angel Dust’), Don Steele, Dick Miller and Grady Sutton (73, final role).

* Power playing: waiting to break in, James Cameron, 34, and his wife at the time, Gail Anne Herd, 33, were production assistants. Phil Spector helped remix the music. While Arkush and Dante were given credit for ‘Story’, co-scripter Joseph McBride seems to have helped plant it, based on a walkout his dad’s Wisconsin high school conducted way back in The Roaring 20’s. McBride became a highly respected film historian.

** P.J. on the Ramones: “Really it stands out how shy they all were. I was amazed by that, because to me being “punk rock” meant you had to be brave, especially since they were forging new territory in the world of “rock n’ roll”, so I assumed they would be confident and cocky. But I was happily surprised that they were huge film buffs, and they couldn’t believe they were in one, especially a Roger Corman film!”

Those darn youngsters—rebels of ’79 went nostalgic (Hair, More American Graffiti, The Wanderers, Quadrophenia), modern tuff (The Warriors, Boulevard Nights), modern silly (Roller Boogie, Tilt and Skatetown, U.S.A.) and rockumentary (The Kids Are Alright). The moral? Teenagers have been upset since they were told to clean up their corner of the cave. Did a fourteen-year-old invent drums?