School Disco

On the day of the school disco, the teacher approves the musical choices to be played by the DJ's and all the pupils start to arrive. Very quickly the social order is set and the students start to clique up in various corners or start to dance in their groups.

This short is rather crudely animated but not in a very basic fashion, just in the manner of an art student's first ever short film! The plot summary may not point to much potential and if I had to say what actually happened in the film, I'd be at a bit of a loss! However the material is well written to observe the real situation at so many school discos. I was listening out for sharply written dialogue and there wasn't any, but the characters and situations are well enough written that it speaks louder than words would have done.

The film sees the bullyboys gang together in the corner, with the smallest of the group doing the most talking to try and fit in. The ugly girl is the first one to get breasts and attracts all the attention; a girl fancies a boy who has no interest in girls at all, never mind her specifically! Meanwhile the teacher approved music rings out in the sports hall with most students hanging around the sides rather than just going wild. Having been to my fair share of these type of school discos, I loved this short as it got it bang on the money! The moment where the disco ends by the teacher turning on all the lights was funny as were the seconds of silence where records were switched over (mine was not a very fancy school!).

Overall this short was stunningly animated or have great writing, but if you went to school discos in secondary school in the UK then you will get a kick out of seeing much that you are now able to look back and recognise - you might even feel a little embarrassed to see yourself!

Bob mentions in his review that SCHOOL DISCO contains " Crude animation " . In many ways this is very typical of British animation and the visuals reminded me very strongly of the mid 1970s cartoon ROOBARB AND CUSTARD the way the characters pulsate , so I think the crudity is deliberate

While not being satirical the humour is somewhat well observed except for the aspect that no one is very sadistic . Come on admit it that there's often some high spirited people at school discos who perhaps have a few drinks before hand and then think it's a good idea to write libelous graffiti on the toilet walls about the sexual habits of both teachers and pupils ! That said it's very well observed that the most reactionary and puritanical teacher is in charge of the music play list who pulls the plug on records that contain innuendo like Lady by Adam And The Ants

I also noticed the soundtrack is something of a pastiche . We have something resembling I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor while the last record played is a smoochy number very similar to Chris De Burgh's Lady In Red . All in all SCHOOL DISCO is well observed without being laugh out loud