ROCK ‘N’ ROLL HIGH SCOOL FOREVER (1991) *
This review is coming from a fan of Corey Feldman. As a kid, he was my favorite actor. I mean anyone who could fight Jason, Gremlins, Lost Boys AND be a member of The Goonies made him something of a legend in my household. Quite honestly, he is almost always entertaining to watch and is a better actor than many give him credit for. Even in a bad movie, he usually delivers the goods and proves himself to be at the very least, capable.
His singing career is a different animal altogether. As actors who try to sing go, he definitely is no Bruce Willis. (Then again, who can be?) Rock ‘n’ Roll High School Forever is a bad movie, all right, but since Feldman sings constantly throughout, it’s almost unwatchable.
Talk about comedowns. In the first movie, you had the greatest punk band of all time, The Ramones appearing as themselves and singing some of their best songs. In this awful sequel, you’re treated to the sight of Corey Feldman, dressed in Michael Jackson-inspired apparel and doing Michael Jackson-inspired dance moves, singing a bunch of horrible numbers with his band “The Eradicators”. Just when you think it can’t get any worse, he butchers the classics “I’m Walking” and “Tutti Frutti” in the same scene.
Ugh.
The most damning thing about the film is that it isn’t funny at all. The allegedly humorous stuff is more head-scratching than anything. Take for example the scene where Corey and his friends arrive at a woman’s house claiming to be part of a kitchen appliance cult and perform a musical number around her refrigerator. HUH?
The only returning actress from the original is Mary Woronov. She doesn’t play Ms. Togar though, but a carbon-copy version named “Dr. Vadar”. She also sports a mechanized claw for a hand because… you know… it’s funny.
They couldn’t get The Ramones back for this one, but Dee Dee Ramone did contribute one song to the soundtrack. The Ramones do show up in the form of posters on Feldman’s wall, but sadly, the posters in the background are the most interesting thing on the screen. We do get Mojo Nixon making a cameo as “The Spirit of Rock ‘n’ Roll”, although he never approaches the greatness of his role in Buttcrack: The Movie.
If anything, the title of the movie is accurate because it features Rock ‘n’ Roll, takes place at high school, and goes on FOREVER.