John Carpenter's Halloween and Rock 'n' Roll High School
I would have never watched Rock ‘n’ Roll High School had it not been for meeting PJ Soles at Mad Monster Party in Charlotte, NC in 2023. My wife and I have a hobby of getting autographs and have been chasing the cast of the original Halloween for a long time. The opportunity to get PJ Soles’ autograph to pair with Bob’s autograph was a must. PJ Soles was one of the MOST pleasant celebrities I’ve ever met. She was very fun, kind, and as interested in meeting her fans as we were in meeting her. This has not been the case for everyone I’ve met. PJ and Elvira are the best celebs I’ve met – stand in line because they are worth it. Anyway, she recommended Rock ‘n’ Roll High School, so I gave it a watch.
Rock 'n' Roll High School was Not What I Expected
Let’s talk about my opening line first. I don’t typically watch fun, comedic films. I have been trying to expand my horizons though as you’ll see in some future blogs. PJ Soles’ recommendation was the reason for this viewing. I’ll watch PJ Soles command her boyfriend to get her a beer before she meets the business end of a butcher’s knife all day. It was this that was the strangest thing about this movie – seeing PJ Soles go from her role in Halloween to a lead role in Rock ‘n’ Roll High School really caught me off guard. I selfishly expected her to stick to the horror genre. Perhaps it’s normal for people to feel this way. I don’t know but, her role in Rock ‘n’ Roll High School was different. Although this wasn’t what I expected, I did enjoy it a lot.
Ramones. Need I Say More?
Rock ‘n’ Roll High School had some cool points. The coolest point is Ramones. I don’t care who you are, these cats were cool. I was a fan of Ramones before watching this movie but now I’m really a fan. Once Ramones arrive, the remainder of the movie is mostly a music video. The soundtrack to Rock ‘n’ Roll High School features a lot of Ramones and it opened my eyes to a lot of their music. Do you ever listen to a band on record and love them, then hear them live and question how good they really are? Me too. Ramones are just as good live as on record. From their grand arrival in a pink 1959 Cadillac Fleetwood playing live music somehow with no power to the grand finale concert, the coolness of this early punk band fills this fun, wild story.
Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Rock 'n' Roll High School
If I had to compare the feel of Rock ‘n’ Roll High School to another movie, it would have to be Fast Times at Ridgemont High from 1982. You know, it’s another goofy, fun movie where adults are playing high school kids. Rock ‘n’ Roll High School is full of silly humor. For instance, there’s a kid who has an office in the bathroom who can get you whatever you need. Freshmen getting seriously hazed is another touch of humor in this film. In the end, PJ even becomes an honorary Ramone by getting her own leather jacket. It had to have been a good time hanging out with Ramones. If I ever meet PJ Soles again, I’m going to ask here about how cool they were off-camera. You know there are stories.
A Reminder of My Youth
Rock ‘n’ Roll High School was reminiscent of my youth. Even though it was comical, there were some pieces of truth that it mocked. At one point an announcer is yelling “Mindless authority vs rebellious youth”, which sums up the theme. I remember thinking that all adults were stupid and I in my teenage wisdom was enlightened. How foolish I was. For me, it wasn’t Ramones but Nirvana who took up all my listening time. High school was 4 years of Kurt Cobain, partying, and rebellion – being a punk. That was the lens I viewed the world through, nothing mattered but rock ‘n’ roll music and bucking the system. I still find that my mind works this way today. Perhaps that comes with being an artist.
Astro Van, Chevy Van - This was a Fun Film
On a comical note, I had a friend with an Astro van in high school but in Rock ‘n’ Roll High School it’s a 1975 Chevy van complete with wizard art, wet bar, and shag carpet. In closing, I wouldn’t watch Rock ‘n’ Roll High School again but, I will watch Halloween. I have added several Ramones tracks to my playlist and will think of PJ Soles and Rock ‘n’ Roll High School every time they play. Rock ‘n’ Roll High School is a fun movie and if you like Ramones or Fast Times and Ridgemont High, you should watch it. I’ll point out another observation I made that dates this movie. In the finale, the kids blow up the high school. I can see this being frowned upon today and rightfully so. It’s unfortunate how our world has shifted in just a short amount of time.
Any Ramones fans out there? Let me know your favorite tracks in the comments. I’d love to find some more good ones to add to my playlist. If you want to read more about Rock ‘n’ Roll High School, you can do that here. Another fun link to see pictures of the vehicles is here. Want to know how to show up as Ramones in a movie? Watch a video here. You can follow PJ Soles on social media here. Speaking of Ramones, I’m going to get sedated one day and create some fan art. Keep your eyes on my social media and website to watch for it. You can follow my stuff here. Read some more of my blogs here and check out my art here.
i was there when the movie start 1978
Really? So you saw this one opening day?