A new teacher at a troubled inner-city high school soon ends up clashing with a delinquent punk posse who run the institute with an iron fist.A new teacher at a troubled inner-city high school soon ends up clashing with a delinquent punk posse who run the institute with an iron fist.A new teacher at a troubled inner-city high school soon ends up clashing with a delinquent punk posse who run the institute with an iron fist.
- Awards
- 2 nominations
Michael J. Fox
- Arthur
- (as Michael Fox)
Erin Noble
- Deneen
- (as Erin Flannery)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaTimothy Van Patten wrote the concerto that Stegman (Van Patten) plays.
- GoofsIn the scene where Stegman and his gang go to the punk band club, the punk band Teenage Head are playing. The song that the band is playing is called "Got No Sense". Before Stegman gets on stage to stage dive, he gives a two fingered gesture to the crowd. The singer of the band onstage is next to Stegman singing the song, but his lips are not matching to the words of the song being played by the band.
- Quotes
Peter Stegman: Life... is pain. Pain... is everything. You... you will learn!
- Alternate versionsThe original UK cinema release featured the R-rated U.S print (minus scenes of nudity) which was then cut by 4 minutes 14 secs by the BBFC to heavily edit the gang fight, the rape scene, Fallon's arm being sliced off with a buzzsaw, a shot of Stegman slashing Diane's chest on the rooftop, and Norris hitting Barnyard with a hand wrench - and this version was later rejected completely for a UK video certificate in 1987. The full unedited version was finally passed uncut by the BBFC in 2005.
- SoundtracksI Am the Future
Music by Lalo Schifrin
Lyrics by Gary Osborne
Performed by Alice Cooper
Produced by Steve Tyrell
Featured review
One of the greatest exploitation movies of all time
Rape, gory violence, great villains, a killer signature song from Alice Cooper ("I Am The Future"), and solid performances from genre vets such as Perry King ("Mandingo", "Search and Destroy") and Roddy McDowell equal one of the greatest exploitation films of all time. King starts work at a crime-ridden school and is targeted by a nasty gang led by the disturbed, spoiled, vicious, gifted youth Stegman (Timothy Van Patten). Not able to ignore the non-stop assaults and abuse of other teachers and students, King wages a nasty war with Stegman and his goons and, in the process, endangers both his own life and the life of his wife. Director Mark Lester, who was handed the "Commando" gig after the surprise international success of this pic, never made another movie as tight, violent and dramatically coherent. It is a textbook example of how to do exploitation right. In addition to the mean-spirited mayhem, there are other special treats such as a moving scene in which the arrogant Stegman sits at a piano and plays like a maestro in front of his stunned class and teacher. Actor Van Patten, who gives a believable, knock-out performance, actually composed and played the piece himself. Michael J. Fox plays a nerdy student ally of King's, and McDowell, always reliable, is great as a teaching veteran pummeled into submission by decades of classroom violence. The film carried a prophetic message back in the early 80's when it was made, and it's a message that is even more appropriate today in our politically correct times where teachers have no power to discipline students and students have every right at their disposal and know it. The film's climax is explosive and Lester never lets a gory opportunity pass him by. A classic in every sense.
helpful•4920
- fertilecelluloid
- Feb 8, 2006
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $3,000,000 (estimated)
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