Dec. 10 Is The Street Date For Shout! Studios' 45th Anniversary 4K Ultra HD Edition Of Director Allan Arkush's Rock 'N Roll High School

Shout! Studios rocks out this Dec. 10 with the 45th anniversary celebration of the theatrical launch of Rock ‘n Roll High School with a new 4K Ultra HD/2 Blu-ray Combo Pack release. 

The vision of Roger Corman as the executive producer and the talents of director Allan Arkush (from the “Corman School” of filmmaking — Deathsport in 1978), filmmaker Joe Dante (a longtime associate and writing partner of Arkush … who handled some of the directing to keep the film on-budget and on-time) and a dream cast that includes “Corman School” film talents Paul Bartel and his filmmaking cohort, Mary Woronov — genius, pure genius having these two in the cast.   

But it doesn’t end there … other Dante/Arkush/Corman members of the cast include Dick Miller and Clint Howard, plus the star of the show, who was on a roll (pun intended) with scene-stealing performances in both Carrie and Halloween, P. J. Soles.

This Corman production didn’t start out as a rock ‘n roll musical, but rather something along the lines of a cheerleader movie that Dante and Arkush had sketched out.  However, according to trade reports and other sources, the film underwent as many five re-writes before finally reaching its final form.

The rest, they say is history!

Bonus goodies include (and this must be a record) five different commentary options.   There are four archival commentaries that have been produced over the years … these are: Arkush with producer Mike Finnell (The Howling, Gremlins) and re-write screenwriter Richard Whitley; Arkush with actors P.J. Soles and Clint Howard; Whitley with his co-writer Russ Dvonch and the late Roger Corman with actor Dey Young (in her film debut).  

There is also a new commentary included here with author Stephen B. Armstrong (“I Want You Around: The Ramones And The Making Of Rock ‘n’ Roll High School”).

Additional bonus goodies can found on one of the companion Blu-ray discs … these include a new video session with Ramones drummer, Marky Ramone, vintage video session with Corman (conduced by Leonard Maltin) and Arkush, audio outtakes, a vintage intro by Arkush and a trio of featurettes — “Class of ’79: 40 Years of Rock ‘n Roll High School,” “Back to School: A Retrospective” and “Staying After Class.”