Brew Views: Rock 'n' Roll High School

Subterranean blackboard jungle.

By MATTHEW SINGER

Essentially the Ramones' A Hard Day's Night, 1979's Rock 'n' Roll High School takes place in a parallel dimension to our own, a Bizarro World where preppy pretty boys pine after weirdo punk girls and Joey Ramone is a teen idol. It's self-consciously campy, but the musical numbers—particularly the band's grand entrance, performing "I Just Wanna Have Something to Do" from the back of a convertible while simultaneously gnawing on fried chicken—are legit awesome. Fun fact: Roger Corman originally wanted to name the film Disco High. After changing the script to focus on a rock band, the directors were unsure who the starring group should be. As if there was any question: Who else but the Ramones could occupy such a brilliantly stupid universe?

  1. Showing at: Bagdad, presented by Jackpot Records. 8 pm Friday-Saturday, April 20-21.
  2. Best paired with: PBR.
  3. Also showing: The Getaway (Laurelhurst). 

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