"High School Confidential" is a tale with a moral, but it doesn't wait until the end to start preaching. The topic of interest is made clear early on, and the effects are as logical as those that were outlined in "Reefer Madness" in the 1930s. But while the older movie seemed designed to inspire drug use, and somehow got remodeled to look like an attempt to sober the youth, "High School Confidential" was designed to show the dangers of dope - hocking the family's prized possessions and engaging in drag races. None of these things could happen to young people who hadn't been smoking marijuana. Teenagers are just too practical when not under the influence.
Somehow, the movie tries to get over on the young people by showing what a great feel they have for the current lingo. When Tony first arrives at his new high school, even his English teacher is teaching them about slang, explaining what some of the terms mean, as if this is how slang spreads, through the great American education system. When she steps from the room, one of the students, in his early 30s by the look of him, demonstrates the eloquence of the latest hip chatter by reciting the story of Columbus asking Isabella for financing to prove the world is round. After all, when the English teacher teaches about slang, perhaps the history teacher spreads contemporary misconceptions about history as well. In addition, there is a nice demonstration of the difference between a "normal cigarette" and a hand- rolled joint. That's education in action.
In a broader perspective, this story picks up where "On the Road" left off, continuing the story of post-war American youth into the next generation. While Kerouac's crew were among those wild ones slipping under the radar of social consciousness not yet ingrained to the need stronger values to protect their cultural ideals, the HSC crew were just indignantly rebellious in their music, their language, and especially in what they smoked.
This movie is no "Blackboard Jungle" just another movie trying to use the new trend of white- sung rock and roll to trample the seeds of iniquity before society has a chance to water them. Looking at the 60s, this movie may have fostered more drug use than it intended to hinder. They make it look fun, after all.
Somehow, the movie tries to get over on the young people by showing what a great feel they have for the current lingo. When Tony first arrives at his new high school, even his English teacher is teaching them about slang, explaining what some of the terms mean, as if this is how slang spreads, through the great American education system. When she steps from the room, one of the students, in his early 30s by the look of him, demonstrates the eloquence of the latest hip chatter by reciting the story of Columbus asking Isabella for financing to prove the world is round. After all, when the English teacher teaches about slang, perhaps the history teacher spreads contemporary misconceptions about history as well. In addition, there is a nice demonstration of the difference between a "normal cigarette" and a hand- rolled joint. That's education in action.
In a broader perspective, this story picks up where "On the Road" left off, continuing the story of post-war American youth into the next generation. While Kerouac's crew were among those wild ones slipping under the radar of social consciousness not yet ingrained to the need stronger values to protect their cultural ideals, the HSC crew were just indignantly rebellious in their music, their language, and especially in what they smoked.
This movie is no "Blackboard Jungle" just another movie trying to use the new trend of white- sung rock and roll to trample the seeds of iniquity before society has a chance to water them. Looking at the 60s, this movie may have fostered more drug use than it intended to hinder. They make it look fun, after all.