Film Review: THE PRINCIPAL (1987, Christopher Cain)

Stars: 4 of 5.
Running Time: 109 minutes.
Notable Cast or Crew: Directed by Christopher Cain (YOUNG GUNS, THE NEXT KARATE KID). Starring James Belushi, Michael Wright (STREAMERS, THE WANDERERS), Lou Gossett, Jr. (FIREWALKER, IRON EAGLE, JAWS 3-D), Rae Dawn Chong (TALES FROM THE DARKSIDE, HIGHBALL), Esai Morales (FREEJACK, LA BAMBA).
Tag-line: "Rick Latimer had nothing to lose...until he was given the one job nobody else dared take."
Best one-liner: "Lighten up! Have some courage. Brave it through a little bit. Knives only hurt if they go through you. Urine only smells if you don't clean it up. Come on!"

Once there was this guy, this teacher (James Belushi), who possessed a steadfast resolve, an ironclad constitution, and a giant ball bat. Sometimes he would get so worked up about the state of things that he would destroy a Porsche or go to a bar before it opened, stack a bunch of rocks glasses into a pyramid, and knock 'em down in frustration.

He's also the kind of guy who'd ride a motorcycle down a school hallway if the situation called for it.

Anyway, this teacher screwed up one time too many, so the the smartass powers that be decided to promote him to principal at Brandel High.

For those not familiar, Brandel is that high school where the faculty (including gutsy waif Rae Dawn Chong)

is held in the grip of terror by a gang of 30-year old kids with fringe jackets and Lionel Ritchie mullets. Belushi's retort: "NO MORE."

He commences to whip the students into a frenzy, say things like "They're gonna like you in prison, Victor, you might even get a surprise up that wise little ass of yours," and breaks up a drug deal by driving by on his motorcycle with his ball bat and smashing their Coors Lights and their crack baggies (in that order). He teams up with the head of security, Lou Gossett, Jr.

(who had tempered the hubris of an Oscar win with the embarrassment of JAWS 3-D and FIREWALKER), and they raise holy hell in the name of literacy, straight-talk, and NO MORE. In short, this movie is terrific.

Now, there are a few nagging questions here:

#1. If the students are not afraid of committing rape, robbery, and murder, then why do they show up to class? (See: CLASS OF 1984, THE SUBSTITUTE, et al.)

#2. How is it possible that Golan and Globus had nothing to do with this production?

Perhaps a villainous Jheri curl link between Michael Wright here and Mario van Peebles in EXTERMINATOR 2?

And #3. Why isn't this movie called "El Principal?" (The name the Cholo mechanics respectfully airbrush on Belushi's hawg and helmet). Well, THE PRINCIPAL doesn't care. And by extension, I don't either. My only regret is that they never made one of these flicks starring Bob Mitchum. But this is a solid (and surprisingly serious, at times) entry in the genre. Four stars.

-Sean Gill

Film Review: THE WANDERERS (1979, Philip Kaufman)

Stars: 5 of 5.
Running Time: 117 minutes.
Notable Cast or Crew: Karen Allen, Olympia Dukakis, Linda Manz (DAYS OF HEAVEN, GUMMO), Val Avery (FACES, THE ANDERSON TAPES, SHARKY'S MACHINE), Erland van Lidth (Dynamo in THE RUNNING MAN and Fatty in ALONE IN THE DARK), Ken Wahl (FORT APACHE THE BRONX), Ken Foree (the lead black cop in the original DAWN OF THE DEAD).
Tag-lines: "It's 1963. Meet The Wanderers... They were the hottest guys in town."
Best one-liner(s): "It's a shame to see kids beatin' each other's brains out, especially when there's no financial advantage."

THE WANDERERS is quite an achievement. It continually combines disparate elements and moods with an epic, exquisitely flowing narrative: it's a gang movie, it's a coming-of-age drama, it's a sentimental comedy, and it's a serious art film.

It owes most of its success to Philip Kaufman's direction and adaptation (the screenplay was co-written with his wife, Rose). Like Oliver Stone, all of Kaufman's films deal with pivotal historical moments in one way or another, but he chooses to focus on the emotional and mystical ramifications of these events: Eastern European turmoil in THE UNBEARABLE LIGHTNESS OF BEING, an intimate look at the Marquis de Sade in QUILLS, the human face of the space program in THE RIGHT STUFF, post-Civil War frustration in THE OUTLAW JOSEY WALES (which he adapted), or the hamfisted, lopsided-grinned righteousness the specter of Nazi evil inspires in RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (which he co-wrote). THE WANDERERS gets billed as sort of a 1960's-set WARRIORS, lulls you into complacency as an AMERICAN GRAFFITI-esque nostalgia comedy/drama, leaps headfirst into actual gang brutality, and ultimately ends with a reflective air of melancholy. As awesome as they are, the film's not about the endless, red-haired legions of murderous Irish toughs named 'The Ducky Boys.'

It's not about the fantastic, comprehensive soundtrack featuring music from 'The Shirelles,' 'The Four Seasons,' 'The Surfaris,' and a slew of others. It's not about the Baldies, the Wongs, gang brawls, football games, strip poker, or fishing for babes. It's about a mistake made by our hero before the the opening credits even roll, an error that cements his status in a culture of stagnancy, anchoring him to a world in decline, condemning him only to be a spectator and not a participant in the exciting and tumultuous youth movement of the 60's that is just beginning to raise its free-spirited head at the film's close. Five sobering stars.

-Sean Gill