Hey ho, Let’s Go!

Why I waited so long to watch this movie I will never know, now do I not only know where a lot of the ideas from the (most excellent Corey Feldman featuring) sequel came from, but I also have a new movie to add to my favourites list! Well worth the $1.00 I spent on my VHS copy and you can be sure that I’ll be picking up the DVD also. I used to think that P.J. Soles was REALLY annoying, (totally from Halloween! totally…) but watching this movie and seeing her portrayal of Riff Randall has pretty much changed that entirely! Hey! Ho! Let’s Go!

Vince Lombardi High School has the reputation of being the most rockin’ high school around, that is until straight laced Principal Togar takes over. Togar threatens to destroy everything that remains sacred to this rock and roll high school with her rules and regulations, so it’s up to the students to take back what is rightfully theirs!

Riff Randall is the coolest girl in school and the biggest Ramones fan on earth, and along with her plain, yet cute friend Kate Rambeau, she plans to take Togar down in the name of Rock and Roll! Riff has dreamed of writing songs for the Ramones for just about forever, and when they come to town she takes three days off school to make sure she’s first in line for tickets. But not only will she have to deal with the likes of Principal Togar to get to the show, but also The Ramones “No. 1 Fan”, groupie extraordinaire – the conniving Angel Dust. Will Riff ever get her songs to The Ramones?

While all this is going on, Tom Howard, the dorky captain of the school football team, has no idea what to do about his huge crush on Riff, so he organises a contract with Eagle Bauer industries to take her out on a date. Riff however is in love with Joey Ramone but her friend Kate is nuts about Tom. Out of desperation, Kate goes to see Eagle Bauer who sees a way to use the situation to his advantage and uses Kate as training to teach socially inept Tom how to act on a date in preparation for his “big night” with Riff.

When Kate and Riff lose their Ramones tickets after an altercation with Principal Togar, Tom sees this as his perfect chance to ask Riff out. But as luck has it, Kate and Riff win two more tickets in a radio contest! Not wanting to take no for an answer Tom and Eagle Bauer plan to go to the concert to find the girls.

Enraged that the girls have made it to the concert even though she confiscated their tickets – Principal Togar has called an emergency assembly to rid the school of the problem that is The Ramones. But what she didn’t expect was for Riff to take control of the school and The Ramones to crash the party!

There is a lot to keep you occupied in this movie, with hilarious characters like the Hall Monitors and their body searches, Eagle Bauer the school entrepreneur supplying the students with test scores, fake ID’s and setting up dates from his office in the Men’s lavatory and the poor Freshman guy who cops all sorts of punishment throughout the film. Many characters that appeared in the sequel originated from the first film. Eagle Bauer, Mr McGree, Screamin’ Steve and even Mary Woronov’s Principal Togar character bears stark resemblances to her Dr. Vadar character in the sequel.

This film is fantastic and manages to maintain its fun, high energy feel throughout the duration. Surprisingly enough I think that even thought it was made in 1979 it has aged rather well. The music of the Ramones is timeless and well, maybe it’s got something to do with my quirky fashion sense, but I thought Riff Randall’s choice of attire was sensational! An awesome way to spend 90 minutes and how every school should be run!

IMAGES

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SOUNDTRACK

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1. Rock and Roll High School – The Ramones
2. I Want You Around – The Ramones
3. Come on Let’s Go – The Ramones
4. Blitzkrieg Bop/Teenage Lobotomy/California Sun/Pinhead/She’s the One – The Ramones
5. So It Goes – Nick Lowe
6. Energy Fools the Magician – Brian Eno
7. Rock ‘N’ Roll High School
8. Come Back Jonee – Devo
9. Teenage Depression – Eddie and the Hot Rods
10. Smokin’ in the Boys’ Room – Brownsville Station
11. School Days – Chuck Berry
12. Dream Goes on Forever – Todd Rundgren
13. School’s Out – Alice Cooper

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