School of Rock - Collector's Edition  (2003)

Starring Jack Black, Joan Cusack, Mike White

Director: Richard Linklater

Rating: PG-13

Distributor: Paramount Home Entertainment

Release Date: March 2, 2004
Review posted: March 9, 2004

Reviewed by Dennis Landmann

SYNOPSIS

Jack Black stars as Dewey Finn, a die hard rock guitarist-turned-substitute teacher who transforms a class of fifth graders into a high-voltage rock group. His lesson: to lead the kids on to victory in the local Battle of the Bands competition.

CRITIQUE

I've never been exposed to much rock in my life, but after seeing Jack Black teach it to a classroom full of kids I want to know more about it, as well as check out some of the classics songs and bands. Directed by Richard Linklater (the experimental Waking Life), School of Rock is the most fun you'll have with a film for a long time coming; maybe three months, well I'm making that up, but you get the idea. If you want to know more, here's a quick recap of the film's idea.

Dewey Finn gets thrown out of this band and succumbs to the evils of depression; well, he sleeps all day and displays a kind of moody attitude. One day he gets a call from Rosalie Mullins (Cusack), a principal of a respected prep school, seeking a substitute teacher to start immediately. It turns out Dewey's roommate Ned Schneebly (White) is a temp, but since Dewey needs the money to pay his rent he accepts the position. Once inside the classroom, Dewey, or Ned, who he passes himself off as, tells the kids to just chill out and have recess any day of the week. But when he discovers their music talents, he comes up with the plan to turn these kids into a rock band to perform at the local Battle of the Bands competition; the winning band will receive a big check. He takes it slowly at first, casting the kids in parts of drummer, keyboards, lead guitar, back-up guitar, vocals, band security, and band manager. A lot of the film takes place inside the classroom with Black's character giving the kids pointers on how to improve their musical talents and learn to adopt certain cues (or attitudes when performing).

School of Rock is not without predictability, but I never really thought about it as the performances of both Black and the kids won me over completely. I can't say how much Jack Black improvised or added to the character, but it doesn't really matter as his performance is nothing short of fantastic. He might not be the best choice to carry a film, but he gets terrific support from the kids. Talk about chemistry. On the other side of things, the script is fairly simple, but it includes many scenes with fun dialogue and character interactions. Take, for example, the scene with Black and Frank Whaley. The band is rejected from participating in the Battle of the Bands competition as they arrive at the audition too late, but a quick lie and some good acting on the kids' part, Whaley's character reverses his decision after finding out the kids suffer from an incurable disease called "stick-it-to-da-man-niosis." The film plays to the evils of "the man" in several scenes and the results are hilarious. Moreover, the songs performed in the classroom are excellent, featuring cool lyrics and music, as well as terrific performances by both the kids and Jack Black.

Linklater's direction isn't completely solid, but works on most levels. The film is a bit too easy on contrivances, especially towards the end when Dewey's cover is blown and the kids' parents attend the band's concert without questioning their own actions. I'm not saying the film contains many contrivances, the few that appear perform under the radar without detection or distraction. In the overall sense, School of Rock is a romp of an experience. The fun doesn't let up, the laughs are cute, and the comedy's consistency turns on and off between scenes. It's without question, School of Rock was one of last year's most entertaining films, and a lot of other critics (even moviegoers) seem to agree with that assessment. With that, the film is highly recommended.

THE VIDEO

Paramount presents School of Rock in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. The print image appears in pretty good condition without any scratches or marks. Colors are pristine and well-saturated. Black levels and dark tones are deep and consistent. There is no problem with compression artifacts or edge enhancement. The only problem with the otherwise clean transfer is a bit of softness and lack of detail in the exterior shots. Other than that, a pretty good presentation.

THE AUDIO

Paramount presents School of Rock in English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. Dialogue is always clear and easy to understand, the front speakers giving it all the bass and clarity required. Stereo separation across the front channels is pretty good. Most impressive is the presentation of the songs across all channels. Rear speakers make an impact here and there, and overall the surrounds are quite active. Overall, a rockin' soundtrack presentation by Paramount. An English Dolby Surround and a French 5.1 dub track is also featured.

THE EXTRAS

It's no surprise to find a good amount of bonus material on this release since the film pulled in some $80 million at the box office, which in itself was quite a feat.

This Collector's Edition DVD starts off with the audio commentary by Jack Black and director Richard Linklater. Both guys chat it up pretty good, making jokes, explaining certain things in the film, and recalling stories from the set. This track is certainly worth checking out simply because it's a fun and (sometimes) informative listen.

The second commentary is by the kids from the film. Interestingly enough, these seven kids talk candidly about the film and their experience making the film. This track makes the perfect follow-up to the first one, as the kids are mostly funny, too.

Next is Lessons Learned in School of Rock, a fun 25-minute featurette filled with interviews, on-set footage, film clips, and neat transition cards (these list the various lessons). A lot of time is reserved for Jack Black who's the ultimate fun machine, and one specific event cracked up everyone on the set (hint: it involves a fire extinguisher). Black also interviews one of the girls in the film, and they have chemistry. Linklater's comments are good, but he shows up only four or five times, I think. The kids also get some time here when the casting process is recalled. All in all, this featurette is not really EPK stuff; it's fun while it lasts, not overly insightful, but fun.

Jack Black's Pitch to Led Zeppelin is a 3-minute clip of the actor pleading the famous rock band to let the film use their "The Immigrant Song," and judging by the result the band gave the go-ahead.

For a revealing look at the film's premiere at the Toronto Film Festival, check out the Kids' Video Diary, an 8-minute featurette following the kids attending a study session, a make-up appointment, and the eventual premiere of the film. It's fun to watch and the kids are all excited.

The funniest video-based extra on this DVD is MTV's Diary of Jack Black. At 15 minutes, it runs just long enough to cram in several inside jokes (see image below) and cool footage of Black interacting with various people, including practice with the kids and singing a song with Kyle Gass, the D's other half. Definitely a lot of fun, and Black is totally hyper.

The School of Rock Music Video is roughly 3 minutes in length and fun to watch.

Rounding out the extras is Dewey Finn's History of Rock DVD-ROM feature containing information on all sorts of bands spanning the last three decades or so. Oh, and the film's theatrical trailer and weblinks are also available. Overall, a fun selection of bonus material.

You can select to view the film with optional English subtitles. The 109-minute feature is organized into sixteen chapters. There is no paper insert.

FINAL THOUGHTS

School of Rock is a really enjoyable film and on DVD it's more impressive with a very good selection of extras. Video quality is generally pretty good, and the audio is quite terrific. Basically, you can absolutely not to go wrong with this DVD. Definitely worth a purchase.

VERDICT: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Home | Back to Top