High School High
High School High is a 1996 American comedy film directed by Hart Bochner, written by David Zucker, Pat Proft, and Robert LoCash, and starring Jon Lovitz in the lead role as Richard Clark, an idealistic history teacher who leaves a prestigious private academy to take a position at the troubled inner-city Marion Barry High School.[1][2] Released theatrically by TriStar Pictures on October 25, 1996, the film runs 86 minutes and parodies inspirational teacher dramas such as Dangerous Minds (1995) and Stand and Deliver (1988) by exaggerating tropes of urban education reform, gang violence, and personal redemption through absurd humor.[2][1] In the story, Clark arrives at Marion Barry High—a dilapidated school rife with truancy, drug dealing, and administrative incompetence led by Principal Evelyn Doyle (Louise Fletcher)—determined to motivate his underachieving students using unconventional methods.[1] He develops a romance with Victoria Chappell (Tia Carrere), the principal's assistant, and becomes entangled in a gang conflict while mentoring promising but troubled student Griff McReynolds (Mekhi Phifer), ultimately leading to a chaotic climax.[2] The supporting cast includes Guillermo Díaz as Paco, a streetwise student.[2] Produced by David Zucker and Gil Netter under Zucker Productions, High School High draws from the spoof comedy tradition of Zucker's earlier hits like Airplane! (1980) and The Naked Gun series, aiming to lampoon the earnestness of films about educators transforming at-risk youth.[2] Filmed primarily in Los Angeles, California, it incorporates elements of crime and romance alongside comedy, though critics noted its uneven pacing.[3] The soundtrack, featuring hip-hop and R&B tracks from various 1990s artists, was released by Big Beat Records and became one of the film's more praised aspects despite its modest box office performance grossing $21.3 million worldwide.)[4] Upon release, High School High received mixed to negative reviews, earning a 20% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 15 critic scores, with the consensus criticizing its lack of fresh humor in tackling educational themes.[1] Roger Ebert awarded it 1.5 out of 4 stars, faulting its failure to fully commit to parody by veering into sentimental resolution, while audiences gave it a 37% score, appreciating Lovitz's performance but finding the gags inconsistent.[3][1] Despite its critical shortcomings, the film has garnered a cult following for its over-the-top send-up of 1990s cultural tropes around urban education and has been referenced in discussions of parody cinema from the era.[2]Background
Genre and influences
High School High is a satirical comedy film that parodies the tropes of 1980s and 1990s inner-city teacher dramas, particularly those depicting idealistic educators transforming underachieving students in challenging urban schools.[2] It spoofs films such as Dangerous Minds (1995), Stand and Deliver (1988), and Lean on Me (1989), exaggerating their dramatic elements for comedic effect.[5] The movie targets the genre's conventions, including the rapid redemption of delinquent youth through unconventional teaching methods and inspirational monologues.[6] Central to its parody are over-the-top portrayals of student transformations, where apathetic or criminal teens suddenly excel academically; romantic entanglements between teachers and school administrators; and hyperbolic arcs of institutional reform, all delivered with sight gags and absurd humor typical of spoof comedies.[3] These elements mock the earnest sentimentality of the source material while maintaining an affectionate tone toward the inspirational teacher archetype.[6] The screenplay was written by David Zucker, Robert LoCash, and Pat Proft, all veterans of the spoof genre. Zucker, a co-creator of the Airplane! (1980) and Naked Gun series, brought his signature rapid-fire gags and visual puns to the project, continuing his tradition of lampooning dramatic narratives.[5] Proft, who co-wrote multiple Naked Gun entries, contributed to the film's escalating absurdity, while LoCash added to the ensemble's experience in comedic scripting.[7] Directed by Hart Bochner in his second feature film as a director, High School High marked a continuation of his transition from a prolific acting career— including roles in films like Die Hard (1988)—to behind-the-camera work, following his debut directorial effort PCU (1994).[8] Bochner's involvement helped blend the writers' parody style with a straightforward comedic execution suited to the genre's satirical aims.[9]Development
The screenplay for High School High was written by David Zucker, Robert LoCash, and Pat Proft, focusing on a satirical take on inspirational teacher narratives set in an urban high school environment.[1] The project originated from Zucker's comedic style, building on his prior work in parody films, and adapted themes of inner-city educational challenges in Los Angeles for humorous effect.[2] Production was led by TriStar Pictures and Zucker Brothers Productions, with the film greenlit as a mid-1990s comedy targeting the inspirational school drama genre.[10] Hart Bochner was brought on as director, selected for his recent experience helming the 1994 college comedy PCU and his transition from acting to directing lighter fare.[8] Pre-production activities, including script finalization and planning, occurred in the lead-up to principal photography, which commenced on October 2, 1995.[11] The development phase emphasized rapid-fire gags and exaggerated stereotypes to lampoon real-world issues like underfunded schools and student disengagement in Los Angeles' urban districts, transforming them into comedic tropes.[5]Production
Casting
The principal role of Richard Clark, the idealistic teacher thrust into chaos, was given to Jon Lovitz for his established comedic timing honed on Saturday Night Live and in films like A League of Their Own, allowing him to anchor the film's parody of earnest educator tropes.[12] Lovitz's selection stemmed from his prior admiration for producer and co-writer David Zucker, known for spoof comedies such as Airplane! and The Naked Gun series, marking this as their first collaboration and enabling a blend of physical humor and deadpan delivery that amplified the satirical edge.[13] Tia Carrere was cast as Victoria Chapell, the school's vice principal and love interest, drawing on her experience in comedic roles that mixed glamour with sharp wit, as seen in Wayne's World and True Lies, to parody the archetype of the alluring yet authoritative figure in high school dramas.[14] In supporting roles, Mekhi Phifer portrayed Griff McReynolds, a street-smart student, in what was his first major comedy outing following his dramatic debut as a drug dealer in Spike Lee's Clockers (1995), bringing authentic urban edge to the ensemble's rebellious dynamic. Louise Fletcher played Principal Evelyn Doyle, the tyrannical administrator, capitalizing on her iconic portrayal of the cold Nurse Ratched in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) to heighten the film's mockery of institutional authority figures.[3] The ensemble included Malinda Williams as Natalie Thompson, Griff's girlfriend who becomes involved in the gang conflicts providing emotional grounding amid the absurdity, and Brian Hooks as Anferny Jefferson, a dim-witted gang member whose exaggerated pop culture references underscored the parody of inner-city stereotypes.[14] These choices collectively infused the production with a mix of established comedy veterans and emerging talents, ensuring the satirical tone balanced broad laughs with pointed cultural commentary without veering into caricature.[5]Filming
Principal photography for High School High commenced on October 2, 1995, and wrapped on December 22, 1995, taking place entirely in Los Angeles, California.[11] To evoke the gritty atmosphere of an inner-city high school, production utilized real locations in South Central Los Angeles for authenticity, including exteriors along S Central Ave & 7th St.[11] Additional school scenes were captured at Le Conte Middle School (standing in for Marion Barry High) at 1316 N. Bronson Avenue in Hollywood, as well as Dorris Elementary School at 2225 Dorris Place for sequences like the Career Day assembly.[15] Other notable sites included the opulent Greystone Park & Mansion at 905 Loma Vista Drive in Beverly Hills for contrasting upscale sequences.[11] The film's visual style was handled by cinematographer Vernon Layton, who employed dynamic camera work to underscore the parody's satirical tone amid the urban settings.[16] Editing duties fell to James R. Symons, whose precise cuts maintained the rapid comedic pacing essential to the Zucker-style humor, resulting in a tight 86-minute runtime.[16] Post-production wrapped in early 1996, allowing for the film's theatrical debut on October 25, 1996.[17]Plot
Richard Clark, an idealistic but naive history teacher at the prestigious Wellington Academy, decides to leave his comfortable position to teach at the troubled inner-city Marion Barry High School in Los Angeles, hoping to inspire underprivileged students.[18] Upon arrival, he is shocked by the school's chaotic environment, including metal detectors at the entrance, rampant truancy, drug dealing, and gang violence. The institution is overseen by the strict but overwhelmed Principal Evelyn Doyle.[1] Clark's class consists of disinterested students with poor academic records, such as the street-smart gang leader Paco and the talented but rebellious Griff McReynolds, who dreams of escaping his circumstances. Undeterred, Clark employs unconventional and humorous teaching methods, including staging classroom chicken races and delivering over-the-top motivational speeches, to engage his pupils.[18] He also develops a romantic interest in Victoria Chapell, the principal's sympathetic assistant. As Clark mentors Griff and attempts to improve the students' performance, he becomes unwittingly entangled in a local gang turf war. Paco, resentful of Clark's influence, sabotages the class's progress by tampering with their test scores, leading to accusations of cheating and Clark's temporary dismissal. With Victoria's support, Clark uncovers the truth behind the sabotage and rallies the students for a school talent show that spirals into a confrontation with criminal elements.[18] Ultimately, Clark's persistence leads to personal growth for the students and a resolution to the school's crises, parodying the tropes of inspirational teacher films.[1]Cast
- Jon Lovitz as Richard Clark, a naive history teacher; also as Clark's mother
- Tia Carrere as Victoria Chappell, the principal's assistant
- Louise Fletcher as Principal Evelyn Doyle
- Mekhi Phifer as Griff McReynolds, a student and former gang member
- Malinda Williams as Natalie Thompson, Griff's girlfriend
- Guillermo Díaz as Paco de la Vega al Camino Cordoba Jose Cuervo Sanchez Rodriguez Jr., Griff's former gang partner
- Brian Hooks as Anferny Jefferson, a student
- Natasha Gregson Wagner as Julie Rubels, a student and teenage mother
- Marco Rodríguez as Mr. DeMarco, a gangster
- John Neville as Thaddeus Clark, Richard's father
- Lexie Bigham as "Two-Bags", a gang member
- Gil Espinoza as Alonzo, a gang member
- Baoan Coleman as Mou Mou Bartender
- Lu Elrod as Miss Bernie Wells
- Eve Sigall as Miss Foley
- Michael D. Nye as Vice Principal Mr. Arnott
- Nicholas Worth as "Rhino"
- Eric Allan Kramer as "Hulk"
- Jeannie Pepper as Mrs. McReynolds[14]