Best movie of this year hands down!

If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

Good movie but grossly overrated

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

When I first watched this film I was quite amazed at the level of disobedience and violence in the film. But upon finishing it I realized that this film was a masterpiece. Perry King does a great job as Mr.Norris while Timothy Van Patten does his role great as stegman. The film captures the early 80s atmosphere quite well.The beginning intro done by Alice cooper gives a glimpse into the darkness of the punk scene that is present in the film. I have to say that the scene where Mr.Norris wreckes Stegamans car never gets old as it shows a man willing to go to extremes to even out with his enemies despite putting his and his wife's life on the line. When Mr.Norris finally gets rid of stegman and his crew it was one of the moments I cheered for him as he had enough of their control over the school. I would highly recommend to anyone who has the time to spare for this masterpiece.

Back when people were shocked at what went on in school in The Blackboard Jungle, they hardly knew what to expect next. In the Sixties it was Up The Down Staircase. But wait till you see Class Of 1984. Makes those previous films look like the little red school house.Perry King and expecting wife Merrie Lynn Ross are new to the city and the school where King has got a new job as the music teacher. The school he teaches in is terrorized by a drug gang whose head is the psychopathic Timothy Van Patten.Whatever you want to say about Van Patten plainly he's a person with no redeemable qualities not even the fact he's a piano virtuoso. I've said about many characters in the movies and in real life, some in this world are no damn good. Evil is a concept that people have trouble recognizing or grasping, but Van Patten is both terrifying and mesmerizing in what he does with the part.Michael J. Fox before he hit stardom with Family Ties plays one of the younger kids who Van Patten and his bunch terrorize. Roddy McDowell is also here as a burned out teacher who cracks up under the strain.Class Of 1984 is not for the squeamish in school.

Here's a high school, that's really shocking and scary. That's how I looked at it, when first seeing it, when nearing 14, due to a lot of hearsay. Now a lot of the shock has gone, though still it has some moments that still stay with me, like when last seeing it back in 2010. For teens this would have a more shocking effect on em' as to films like 187. Class of 1984 has a real ugliness about it, directed by a guy who has made his share of low budget, addicted action pics. Violence is high, I repeat, violence is high, some quite disturbing scenes like a arm being sawed off, or more so the mutilation of various animals in a chemistry lab, that drives a devoted and trying teacher (a wonderfully fantastic performance, by Roddy Mcdowell) beyond the edge. Another great performance, noteworthy, is Van Pattern, as the frightening psychotic, head thug Peter Stegman, where beside his ugly and despicable traits, lies a gifted pianist. The movie has a lot of fire and kinetic energy, and goes for continuous shock and pull no punches violence, which really takes place over the heart of the story that really should of be told instead of stringing a lot of ugly scenes together. Basically it's Perry King who isn't bad, as the new music teacher, against Stegman, where the two keep hitting back, making for an absorbing and revenge cheering the good guy on pic, but nothing more. Mark L Lester's films are guilty pleasures, and this is just another guilty delight, by a guy who knows how to make larger than life pics, this indeed, is no exception. Class Of 1984 does a rape scene to, and hats off to the Lisa Langois as the female villainess, and Merrie Lynn Ross, very good, and does us solid as King's raped wife, while also watch for a younger Michael J Fox, so so, as a stabbing victim, whose friend high on drugs, climbed one too many flagpoles. If it's action and violence you want, ala Lester, you'll get it here in this popular 82 vehicle, Van Pattern's brilliant psychotic performance, lingering in your memory for many nights to come.

(Plot) Andy (Perry King) arrives at an inner city high school to take over the music class. What he doesn't realize is that it's filled with violence and peculiar characters. A kid named Peter Stegman runs things and is more trouble than Andy could ever imagineAlong with Savage Streets (which is quite similar in its approach in ways) this is one of my favorite exploitation films of the 80's, and in all honesty. I'd have to rank it a notch above Savage Streets, even though I adore that film as well. Class of 1984 will never be considered classic cinema, but the people that trash this film? You guys are seriously moronic. This is much more than just an exploitation film. It has a message to it, and it's also based partially on a true story. I really don't think you'd see a movie like this made today. Its subject matter is far too controversial to warrant being remade, but you never know. I wouldn't be shocked to see this get remade and receive the dreaded P.G treatment. It helps that our hero Andy (Perry King) is a likable guy for the most part. Despite a couple of questionable deeds (commandeering a student's car unauthorized and driving it into a brick wall just to get some revenge isn't exactly rational behavior, but they made it work with proper logic) I was on his side the whole way. His relentless attitude to shape the school into something worthwhile was a hoot to watch. I dug him a lot, and felt for him. Timothy Van Patten gives a chilling performance as Peter Stagmen, and one you won't soon forget. His psychotic performance will be forever entrenched in my mind. It's one of my favorite performances for a villain. Roddy McDowall adds class and emotional vulnerability to a potentially throwaway part, but he made sure that wasn't the case. Michael J. Fox has an early role in this film and I dug him. He wasn't nearly as established as he would become, though. Final Thoughts: This is a powerful film, and one of the best exploitation films around. The people that trash this film simply don't get it. Or they are appalled by the violence. I say screw them, and check it out. It's a very good movie, and worth adding to your collection.7.5/10