Customer Reviews

High School Confidential [VHS]

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I LOVE High School Confidential. I find it to be campy, yet very well made. I think the acting is good, the action scenes are exciting and I was genuinely surprised by the plot twist. And the dialog, dripping with 1950's hep-talk, is the most daddio!

Unfortunately this dvd is very bare bones, without even the theatrical trailer which was included on the laserdisc edition. But on the plus side it's in widescreen (as a previous reviewer noted, the box incorrectly indicates that it's full screen.)

When I think of Russ Tamblyn, I don't think of West Side Story, I think of High School Confidential. (I also think of Dracula vs. Frankenstein, but that's another story.)

Drugs infiltrate a small town high school and swaggering young "stud" Tony Baker (Russ Tamblyn) makes the scene as a new student unsubtly "grazing for grass". He encounters a sympathetic teacher (Jan Sterling), "pretty kitten" Joan Staples (Diane Jergens), her pusher boyfriend with a hillbilly accent (John Drew Barrymore) and assorted other "teens" including Michael Landon as well as the infamous "Mr.A" (Jackie Coogan). These characters swirl around a delirious plot involving "weed heads" and busting a narcotics ring. There's a drag race, beat slang, switchblades, a serious lecture on the danger of "marijuana addiction", racy dialogue and hilarity to spare. And speaking of busts, there's Mamie Van Doren as Tony's "guardian aunt" with more than a healthy yen for the skinny guy. She parades around in several sexy outfits and actually delivers a funny performance. She apparently wisely knew this was anything but serious material. When you've got Jerry Lee Lewis opening the film on the back of a truck singing "High School Hop" how can you go wrong? "High School Confidential" is a deliciously trashy JD exploitation flick that makes an OK transition to DVD. It's not the best print but it's in good shape and very watchable. I'm very happy to have it. Bare Bones and all. Good deal, man.

High School Confidential is one of the quintessential 1950s JD exploitation movies, produced by veteran sleazemeister Albert Zugsmith (Touch of Evil, Girls Town, Confessions of an Opium Eater, etc.), directed by Universal monster expert Jack Arnold (in between The Incredible Shrinking Man and Monster on the Campus), and featuring a handful of Zugsmith's usual `stock company' players among the typically eclectic cast that includes Russ Tamblyn (West Side Story, Satan's Sadists, Twin Peaks), Mamie Van Doren and then-hubby band leader Ray Anthony, John Drew Barrymore (John's son and Drew's dad), Jackie Coogan (Uncle Fester, Chaplin's The Kid), William Wellman Jr. and Charlie Chaplin Jr., Michael Landon (hot off of Teenage Werewolf), Lyle Talbot, Mel Welles, Mary Wickes, and custom hot rod designer Norman "Woo Woo" Grabowski. (It's a mystery how Zugsmith, whose entire career was basically a slow descent into the cinematic gutter, persuaded the usually staid MGM studios to underwrite his muckraking scandal pictures.) Jerry Lee Lewis belts the title tune from a flatbed truck over the opening credits, then we're introduced to archetypal smart-mouthed, arrogant punk Tony Baker (Tamblyn), already maneuvering to becoming "top stud" of the local gang, the Wheelers and Dealers, on his first day at high school. New in town, he's living with his inappropriately affectionate "aunt" Gwen (Mamie Van Doren), who's constantly bothering him for `attention'. Tony trades some great "hep-talk" with J.I. (Barrymore), leader of the W&D, then flashes a huge wad of bills and sparks a reefer in the principal's office. Next, Tony mouths off to prim, proper English teacher Arlene Williams (Jan Sterling), who falls for him, naturally, and Barrymore presents an amusing jive-talk rendition of Columbus's discovery of America to the class. (". . . just tool off the deep end and dig a little infinity.") Tony, looking to "graze on some grass", has plenty of cash but no connections, while J.I.'s girlfriend Joan (Diane Jergens) is jonesing for a few "sticks" but has no bread. Tony finally connects with Joan's dealer Jukie, and later a large baggie falls out of Tony's hubcap during a bust of an illegal hot rod race at the airport. At the local watering hole, run by Mr. August (Coogan), a "beatnik" poetess recites the absolutely priceless "the future is a king-size drag" monologue backed by Coogan's jazz combo ("I had an uncle with an Ivy League heart, he had life with a belt in the back, he had a button-down brain . . . drag!"). Tony eventually sets up a deal for a "can" of "H" with "the big man." The big man turns out to be anti-alcohol ("that stuff is murder on the system") but forces Tony (who's really Mike Wilson, undercover narcotics detective!) to shoot up as a "test" before finalizing their deal.Joan, Arlene, and Gwen are all menaced by the drug-dealing hoods, Tony's cover is blown, and Landon and Chaplin lead jocks and club patrons against the ringleaders in the action-packed finish. The plot is fairly routine stuff; the real reasons to watch this flick are Tamblyn's dead-on, irritating wise-ass performance as Tony and the preponderance of hilarious late-50s slang throughout. One of my favorite moments: Tony to henchman Petey, "He's a schmo!" They both nod in unison, "From Kokomo, yeah", as if everyone knows that this is the standard response! (White Zombie used some great samples of HSC's swingin' dialogue on La Sexorcisto: Devil Music Vol. 1.)
While I'm glad to finally have one of my favorite JD/exploitation flicks on DVD, I wish Artisan had made the effort to give us a nicer transfer. The good news is that contrary to what the DVD case explicitly states, the movie is presented in 2.35:1 letterboxed widescreen, though unfortunately with no anamorphic enhancement. The blacks and midtones actually look pretty solid, and damage consists of only some light speckling, but enlarged to fit a 55-inch 16x9 screen, the highlight areas show lots of visible grain and the detail is much softer than expected for DVD. It's still watchable, but looks better unenlarged or on a smaller set. It kind of defeats the purpose of buying a projection TV when DVD manufacturers like Artisan put out transfers like this one that actually look worse when enlarged to utilize the maximum screen area. The box says only "digitally mastered", leaving room for doubt as to whether it was actually remastered for DVD. Don't get me wrong, it still looks 500% better than the Republic/Artisan videotape, with superior tonal values and much improved sharpness and detail, so it's worth the investment for fans replacing their blurry VHS, but a bit disappointing otherwise. And it's unlikely that Artisan's ever going to give this film a better restoration if they didn't this time around, so this is probably as good as it's gonna get unless somebody like Image or Criterion puts out a special edition someday. There are no extras other than chapter stops, not even a trailer. I rate the movie five stars, the DVD gets three.

... let me tell you, this is the one. High School Confidential has it all, everything you're seeking in disreputable youth-gone-wild 50's entertainment. This is juvenile delinquent movie Ground Zero, covering all but one of the categories that make this brand of escapism what it is:
1. Cars/racing;
2. Gangs/crime rings/rumbles;
3. A high school setting;
4. Rock 'n' roll;
5. Parties (pool, beach, dance, etc.);
6. "Controlled substances;
7. Leather jackets, poodle skirts, et al;
8. Dysfunctional families;
9. Outmoded acting;
10. Ridiculous dialogue;
11. Over-the-top histrionics (see #9);
12. "Messages" many will find dated;
13. Mamie Van Doren.

It lacks only a scene in a malt shop to fill out the Eisenhower-era roster. I am willing to overlook that due to the unbelievable cast. Mamie is just one of the draws, if you can believe it. See also: Russ Tamblyn; John Drew Barrymore; Jerry Lee Lewis (playing piano on a pickup truck!); Charles Chaplin, Jr.; William Wellman, Jr.; Michael Landon; and Jackie Coogan as the Drug Kingpin! Note I never said it was a *good* cast, merely an unbelievable one. And it's directed by Jack (Creature From the Black Lagoon) Arnold! Huzzah!!

MST3K skewered their share of these kind of films; perhaps with this one, like Plan 9, they saw too great a challenge in improving upon it, and passed it by. (Although it would've been great fodder, and interesting to see what they could've come up with.)

So... if you want to bask (or perhaps wallow) in all that is JD, pick this up. It will make you smile; it will also likely make you wince with discomfort. If you want a good movie, one that will make you think, get East of Eden.

P.S. The tape is not that great, but what in the sockhop do you expect?

The five stars are strictly for now what looks like a humorous approach to the high school days of the late '50s and early 60s. At the time it was taken seriously as an accurate and "hip" approach to high school. Mamie Van Doren is luscious; Jan Sterling as her own great self. Russ Tamblyn etc. When the principal disciplines his "juvenile delinquents" in his office by telling them to put out their cigarettes and sit down. they actually do so.All well worth seeing.
The VHS, by the way, is thankfully done in widescreen.

Robert Blees, who wrote this masterpiece of kitsch, had the strangest career. He was responsible for the screenplays of some of Universal's biggest hits (and biggest duds) and he did wonderful work for Douglas Sirk, including writing THE MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION and ALL I DESIRE. Among his strengths was an ability to write for women, both veterans and newcomers, in a way that showcased their greatest talents. Thus, the "aunt" played by Mamie Van Doren in HIGH SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL proves to be the best part of the film. (Blees also wrote AUTUMM LEAVES as a vehicle for Joan Crawford, and gave the young Tuesday Weld a helping hand by showcasing her in his TV version of BUS STOP--where she sings the old standard "Temptation" in an amazing sequence).

He worked for years on a screen version of Tappan's fantasy masterpiece ISLANDIA that, alas, came to nothing. But it is for films like HIGH SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL that he is best known today--lurid, over-the-top potboilers sizzling with kitsch and bad taste, probing into the sick underbelly of American society. Rather late for noir, Blees' later films are doing their best to invent a category all their own. Between this and the similarly unconventional SCREAMING MIMI, with Anita Ekberg, there was nothing really left for Quentin Tarantino to do.

And then there was WHO SLEW AUNTIE ROO . . . DR PHIBES RISES AGAIN . . . Insane!

I teach the history of pop music at the college level and I'm always looking for source material. It's hard to beat the mid to late 50s movies featuring teen angst and early rock and roll. It's interesting to me that we still have similar issues with drugs, home life, teenage behavior, etc. When I talk about the 50s in my class, I often show clips from these types of movies. This movie is not so much about the music (like "Don't Knock the Rock," or "Rock Around the Clock") but more of a period piece similar to "Blackboard Jungle." I gave it a 5 because it takes me back to that time better than most movies made in the 50s.

A GREAT bad movie! Mamie is beautiful, and Tamblyn plays a perfect punk. Twin Peaks fans should buy this movie. A bright, clean print, and unexpectedly WIDESCREEN! A real treat.

"High School Confidential" is a kind of a movie your mothers (or grandmothers) with their dates were watching (or pretending to watch) at their local driving theater. There is no plot except that Russ Tamblyn got involved with drug in his high school, and the picture goes on showing a series of car chase, students who brandish knives, and girls who love them. And some adults too who cannot understand their behaviors. But, never mind, it's nothing serious.

In short, the film was one of the major studios's way to cash in on the advent of recently born rock'n'roll age, and as if to prove it, it begins with nice Jerry Lee Lewis number "High School Confidential." His role? Of course, himself. And the cast, catching the eye of prospective audience quickly and cheaply, is the most attaractive part even now. There is Jackie Coogan (in the original "Addams Family" and Chaplin's "Kid") and talking of him, Charles Chaplin Jr. (!). There is Ray Anthony from the music industry, but most interesting thing is probably the appearance of John Drew Barrymore, real-life father of Drew Barrymore. His name might interest some fans who knew his daughter through "ET" or "Charlie's Angels."

There is a car chase scene (in which a car overturns in a very, very ridiculous way), Mamie Van Doren (who looks like much more famous MM), and ostentatious moralistic preaching about the harm of drug. But the formula itself survived and still we can find it in the hit movies like "The Fast and the Furious," which to some extent resembles "HSC." Nothing great, but still fun as a period piece.

Twenty years ago, "pothead" baby boomers flocked to midnight showings of the '30's cult movie Reefer Madness, and laughed till their sides hurt at the unintentionally riotous warnings issued therein about the dangers of becoming, well, a "pothead." It's hard to believe that there could be a better Bad Movie on the same subject, but the 1958 High School Confidential! is even funnier.

"I'm looking to graze on grass," Russ Tamblyn tells another student on his first day at a new school. She reminds him, "this is your seventh year in high school." That almost explains why Tamblyn looks too old for this role, but nothing could possibly explain the next scene: Wandering into homeroom, Tamblyn finds teacher Jan Sterling writing on the blackboard, "Derivation of slang words: chicken, doll, square, scram," prompting Tamblyn to let fly a wolf whistle, then leer at Sterling, "Why don't we cut out, go to your pad and live it up? You can call me Daddy-o." Instead, Sterling must attend a staff meeting where a Fed explains, "In the language the addicts use, marijuana is referred to as Mary Jane, pot, weed or tea," then warns, "it can happen here." It does, at a hep-cat coffeehouse where Tamblyn anxiously tried to score "some H, some coke and some goofballs" while a "doll" recites this poem: "We cough blood on this earth/Now there's a race for space/We can cough blood on the moon, soon/Tomorrow is dragsville, cats/Tomorrow is a king-sized drag."

At home, Tamblyn must fend off the advances of his amorous aunt, Mamie Van Doren, who vamps him by rolling around on his bed and takes a big, meaningful bite out of his apple. The movie goes loco when Sterling, concerned about Tamblyn, comes to call--an opportunity for Van Doren to strut her stuff and snarl, "I don't believe all that stuff the papers say about 'wild reefer parties' and 'fates worse than death in the bushes at night.' Don't tell me you never rode a hot rod, or had a late date in the second balcony!" Tamblyn, meanwhile, is off meeting the local drug lord, Jackie Coogan, who runs a jukebox empire (the evils of rock'n'roll and drug abuse being one and the same). Coogan sneers, of a high-school cutie writhing on his sofa, "I tried to tell that chick that no head ever becomes a lady." Tamblyn pleads, "I'm looking for junk!"--as if this movie were anything but.

Though there's lots more--Jerry Lee Lewis drives by, belting out a tune; the "bad" kids do drugs and (how shocking!) laze around a pool; Sterling helps teen Diane Jergens break the habit by, yes, snapping a joint in two (oh is that how it's done?)--it all ends happily, for, thankfully, Tamblyn's really an undercover FBI agent who busts Coogan. Best of all, at the film's close, a narrator tells us, "You have just seen an authentic disclosure of conditions which unfortunately exist in some of our high schools today.... The job of policemen will not be finished until this insidious menace to the schools of our country is exposed and destroyed." Go buy this movie, right now.