Hollywood High

'Hollywood High' is an unjustly overlooked early work from the 70s heyday of American drive-in sex comedies. Beginning with the free-and-easy charms of 'The Cheerleaders', in 1973, to 'The Pom Pom Girls', and 'The Van', in 1977, this film is a worthy yet obscure addition.

Despite its qualities, Hollywood High has never enjoyed any kind of DVD release, and the only way to watch it now is through the ravaged print currently available on Amazon Prime video. And this is a genuine pity, because anyone who appreciates these movies as both fascinating time capsule of a now much-changed landscape (central Los Angeles, and coastal LA), and as an effervescent offering from a more innocent time, would want this in their collection.

The film's dream-like quality, floating airily from sensual beach escapades, to a spooky movie-star mansion in the hills, gives its carefree cast - bikini girls intent on a good time, and their bad-boy biker boyfriends - an often surreal landscape to revel in, free from the cares of the more buttoned-up world of their elders who patrol it.

Made during the peak of 70s nostalgia for Golden-Age Hollywood, Hollywood High includes a series of nods to the old days of the movies, from silent-comedy style interludes, to a hilarious turn from a Mae West infused one-time silent film actress, who now resides in champagne-and-beefcake splendor in her faded mansion where the beach girls hope to frolic.

There are a few significant talents behind this movie. The producer, Peter Perry, was by that point a 20-year veteran of classic exploitation cinema, beginning with The Flesh Merchant in 1956. Working under various pseudonyms, he went on to produce and direct a string of films which now form a key part of the Something Weird Video range, and was most notably associated with drive-in kings David F. Friedman and Harry Novak: 'Kiss Me Quick', the legendary 1964 monster mash-up, 'Mondo Mod', from 1967, and 'The Joys of Jezebel' (1970) are just three of his titles spanning the golden age of exploitation cinema.

The breezy score, perfectly complimenting the serene and summery mood, is by Scott Gale, who went on to great success as music coordinater for such notable television series as The Golden Girls, Benson, Empty Nest and Soap. Among the leads is the truly lovely Susanne Severeid, the definition of the California blonde, who next appeared in fan favorite, 'Van Nuys Blvd' (1979), as well as making numerous television appearances in shows such as 'CHiPS', 'TJ Hooker', and 'The Fall Guy'.

All in all, there are many reasons to enjoy this forgotten gem, and to hope for its first-ever release in a quality print on blu ray, before the existing film stock rots to the point of no return.

in the tradition of drive-in teen flicks, Hollywood High hits bullseye. If you enjoy corny plots, or no plots, like Gas Pump Girls and The Cheerleaders, then you should search this one out at your local Mom & Pop video store. The four lead girls are hot. And w/ bikinis or less 80% of the time. They have four beach bums/gang members(yeah right)with the girls and all they do is frolic and practice the joys of love, in a van, in a tent, and always together, forget about privacy. There's an old movie startle thrown in the story, just so she could enjoy the young bucks AT THE THE SAME TIME. This is a true masterpiece of sexual taboo mixed with an innocence that could only come from the 70's.

The only redeeming part of this film is watching rae sperling uncorking those huge breasts and showing them off both bare and clad ... she gives new meaning to the term ogling and she puts out at the drop of a hat ... now that's the real teenage fantasy this film is based on

"Hollywood High" has a great ingredient for a solid movie: a bunch of dreamy girls in various stages of undress. Unfortunately, the rest of the ingredients are terrible. This kind of movie doesn't need a strong plot but it needs some plot. The jokes don't all have to be funny but some of them should be. As far as the male cast members go, you need a couple of them to be mildly interesting. "Hollywood High" is a not so hot "one and done" watch. Honorable mention: a dreamy Rae Sperling.

Wow, as in I can't believe how bad it is. I last saw this about 1976 at a drive-in. It's the typical drive-in movie from that era where we didn't even really get, or care, how bad it was. It was a sex driven excuse to get us in the drive-in with cases of beer to meet up with other friends (girls). Since I was only 16 at the time, that meant I was sometimes in the trunk with the beer. Watching this movie now just isn't the same because all that stands out is how terrible it is and memories of the fun at the drive-in which didn't involve watching the movie very much. I can't believe someone could rate this movie a 10. And no, none of the girls (Susanne Severeid is Jan and credited in the movie as only "Susanne") have an "eerie resemblance to Eve Plumb." at best it's a similarity, definitely not eerie. Even on a scale of bad movies it doesn't rate that good because it's just bad and not creative bad. Example, how creative is it to have a Mae West type with the name of June East? I gave it one star each for the bounce of Bebe (Marcy Albrecht) and Monica's (Rae Sperling) Mounds shirt ;) as well as the SoCal scenery of the times.