Review of Class of 1984

I first saw this film about eight years ago after I read that Roger Ebert gave it a rave review. It's a pretty tense and well-acted melodrama starring Perry King as a high school teacher who is forced to take matters into his own hands when the toughest kid in school makes trouble for him. Roddy McDowall plays a fellow teacher who resorts to unorthodox learning techniques when they become necessary. Michael J. Fox, pre-stardom, has a small part as one of King's students. The movie resembles BLACKBOARD JUNGLE in many ways, but I didn't mind because it worked well on its own terms. Timothy Van Patten, who plays the tough kid, is a memorable villain. He certainly deserves his ultimate fate. The movie is violent, as it's supposed to be, but not overly so. It's much more entertaining than 187. It also offers a look into the early '80's punk scene, and features an Alice Cooper song, "I am the Future", during the opening and closing credits.