Class 1984

At Lincoln High School, new music teacher Andrew Norris (Perry King) eagerly approaches his new position while being warned to keep his expectations in check by biology teacher and new friend Terry Corrigan (Roddy McDowall). Andrew's path eventually crosses with Peter Stegman (Timothy Van Patten) a psychotic and manipulative delinquent who also operates various criminal enterprises using his status as a minor to avoid consequences. As Andrew tries to teach his students and create a good learning environment, Stegman and his gang engage Andrew in an escalating feud.

Class of 1984 is a 1982 revenge thriller made by noted drive-in director Mark Lester and marked something of a transitioning point between Lester's grindhouse work to more mainstream fare like Firestarter and Commando. Inspired by the 1955 film Blackboard Jungle as well as the decay that had overtaken his former high school. Lester collaborated with Tom Holland and John Saxton on the screenplay. While the film only performed modestly upon initial release, it received decent critical reception from many who appreciated the film's satire of decay of educational institutions as well as the performances. Class of 1984 follows a familiar template, but it does so with intelligence, humor, and a certain level of tradecraft that you just have to appreciate.

Perry King makes a likable hero as Andrew and you really buy him as someone who's dedicated to teaching and who values education and his students. King has some great moments with Roddy McDowall's Terry Corrigan who gets to exhibit a wide range of talents including subtle humor, heartbreaking tragedy, and over the top anger that it's little wonder McDowall would go onto another project with Holland leading to his iconic performance as Peter Vincent in Fright Night. But stealing every scene he's in is Timothy Van Patten as Peter Stegman who is an effortlessly hateful antagonist who has the brains and the charisma to make it look easy and really makes us want to see him knocked down a peg. Van Patten is just fantastic in this film and with both his performance and the way his character is written, he's like a James Cagney type hood filtered by way of James Dean's image and he walks that line between being legitimately threatening and also darkly humorous.

Class of 1984 is a fantastic exploitation film and it's everything you want to expect from a movie of this ilk but with that extra something that really makes it stand out.

wonderful and amusing punk rock version of the teen gang movie. when new teacher andy norris (perry king) arrives at lincoln high, he unwittingly pits himself against a gang of punks led by the legendary timothy van patton (who shocks the audience with a beautiful self-written piano solo). as norris continues to investigate the punks' behavior, he finds himself and his wife caught up in violent world of high school brutality. some of the best and worst moments in video history are caught within the action-packed 93 minutes. absolutely fantastic cult film, deserves many, many viewings...

Class of 1984 (1982) is an entertaining and thought-provoking combination of the Vigilante and High School Drama flick. The film describes the punks as the next generation of important people. It was done as a reworking of Blackboard Jungle (it is much better than Cruel Intentions and more gutsy). Class of 1984 (1982) is an errie movie because the depiction of unsafe Urban high schools, metal detectors at schools, and security guards would be a reality eight years later in many high school cities. It is a courageous movie that isn't afraid to deal with important issues. Class of 1984 (1982) will be noted for the appearance of Michael J. Fox known in the credits as Michael Fox.

On the arrival as a replacement music teacher in a dangerous high school, Andrew Norris (Perry King) befriends his colleague Terry Corrigan (Roddy McDowall). The veteran teacher advises Andrew to overlook what the students do, but Andrew clashes with the seventeen year-old delinquent Peter Stegman (Timothy Van Patten), who is the leader of a violent gang that deals with drugs and prostitution and intimidate the other students. While trying to get evidence to arrest Stegman, Andrew organizes an orchestra with talented students. But the reaction of Stegman and his gangsters put in danger Andrew and his pregnant wife Diane Norris (Merrie Lynn Ross).

"Class of 1984" is a 1982 film that foresees the situation of many schools in the present day. The violence in the early 80´s seemed to be exaggerated but unfortunately has become reality. The performances are believable and the conclusion is satisfactory. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Os Donos do Amanhã" ("The Owners of Tomorrow")

I kinda hated this film when it first came out, thinking that it was unrealistic and ultra-violent, what with the metal detectors at the entrances to the high schools and depictions of punks, etc...little did I know. This film, a kind of update of "Blackboard Jungle" by way of "Clockwork Orange" and "Death Wish" is a fascinating look at an urban high school controlled by punk gang leader Stegman (Timothy Van Patten). Perry King plays the new music teacher, and he gives a decent performance. Roddy McDowell steals the show as the biology instructor. His best scene -- pointing a gun at his students and threatening to kill them if they get the wrong answer to a science question! This film is extremely well made, a classic b-movie that is first rate compared to junk like "The Faculty" or any of the other awful "I Know What you Did Last Summer" type of teen flicks out these days...