SCHOOL OF ROCK
UIP
RELEASED 6 February 2004
“And if you want to be the teacher’s pet
Baby, you just better forget it
Rock got no reason – rock got no rhyme
You better get me to school on time...”
- Lyrics from ‘The School of Rock’
In the early noughties, ‘School of Rock’ actor Jack Black built a loyal fanbase for his mock-serious rock band ‘Tenacious D’, whose lyrics pastiche the classic 70’s greats of Led Zeppelin, ACDC, Motorhead, and others. Black is an accomplished musician, and together with bandmate Kyle, they are also very funny. The ‘gig’ is not only to have fun at rock’s pompous image, but to revel in it’s extremities at the same time. Black has been popping up mainly in supporting roles for the last ten years (Orange County, Shallow Hal, The Jackal, The Cable Guy, True Romance, and his best and most appropriate role, High Fidelity) but now he’s hooked up with director Richard Linklater (Slacker, Dazed and Confused) and has finally been given the big starring role to make his name.
Hell-raising guitar-wielder Dewey Finn (Jack Black) is anti-establishment through and through. His enemy is ‘The Man’ (basically corporate nine-to-five types) and all he holds dear in life can be said with rock and roll. Unfortunately, stage-diving and 20-minute solos are not the most hip thing to do in a band these days. So his band mates fire him.
In need of rent money, Dewey picks up a phone call intended for his roommate Ned (Mike White), and impulsively accepts a job as a substitute teacher at the prestigious Horace Green Elementary School. While Dewey might not have a clue how to teach, he does know how to inspire confidence in his young fifth graders. And when he accidentally overhears them performing in an orchestra class, he decides to mould these young musical prodigies into a high-voltage rock band, hoping to finally get into the prestigious ‘Battle of the Bands’ competition.
‘School of Rock’ was a massive hit in the States. There is comedy for young and old alike, most of which works on different levels. Black plays his lovable rebel beautifully, a kind-of Willie Wonka of rock, while Joan Cusack’s Rosalie Mullins is a finely-judged repressed, starchy headmistress. But ‘School of Rock’s real stars are the kids, who can all actually play their instruments and sing. Two members of the “School of Rock” band, eleven-year-old classical guitarist Rebecca Brown (bass player Katie) and twelve-year-old classical pianist Robert Tsai (keyboard player Lawrence), were found through an American radio program featuring performances from young classical musicians. Joey Gaydos Jr., who portrays Zack, the lead guitarist, began playing the guitar at eight, and started his own band in Michigan. Kevin Clark, who portrays Freddy, the rebellious drummer, was discovered at an open casting call in Chicago. He started playing drums with local community bands at the age of three. Ten-year-old Maryam Hassan, who plays shy Tomika, had previously appeared only in school plays. All the kids here may one day go to become stars in their own right.
One year later, Black blew a lot of his fanbase support with the disappointing ‘Tenacious D: The Pick of Destiny’.
FOUR OUT OF FIVE