{"id":135,"date":"2006-04-19T12:58:54","date_gmt":"2006-04-19T19:58:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=135"},"modified":"2020-12-21T21:17:03","modified_gmt":"2020-12-22T04:17:03","slug":"high-school-confidential-1958","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=135","title":{"rendered":"High School Confidential (1958)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;If you flake around with the weed, you&#8217;ll end up using the harder stuff!&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/High-School-Confidential-Poster.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/High-School-Confidential-Poster-198x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"198\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-21493\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/High-School-Confidential-Poster-198x300.jpg 198w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/High-School-Confidential-Poster-84x128.jpg 84w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/High-School-Confidential-Poster-676x1024.jpg 676w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/High-School-Confidential-Poster.jpg 1880w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 198px) 100vw, 198px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nTough Tony Baker (Russ Tamblyn) arrives at a new high school and immediately tries to edge in on the drug scene &#8212; much to the consternation of his concerned teacher (Jan Sterling).<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Drug Dealers<\/li>\n<li>High School<\/li>\n<li>Jack Arnold Films<\/li>\n<li>Jan Sterling Films<\/li>\n<li>Mamie Van Doren Films<\/li>\n<li>Mistaken or Hidden Identities<\/li>\n<li>Russ Tamblyn Films<\/li>\n<li>Teenagers<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Response to Peary&#8217;s Review:<\/strong><br \/>\nPeary writes that this &#8220;fast-moving, tongue-in-cheek&#8221; film about the &#8220;fifties turbulent-youth scene&#8221; &#8212; which contains &#8220;intentionally sleazy elements&#8221; &#8212; is &#8220;great fun because of the wild dancing and action, three blonde actresses&#8230;, and hip teen lingo that will make you feel nostalgic: &#8216;flipout&#8217;, &#8216;swingingest&#8217;, &#8216;nowhere&#8217;, &#8216;square&#8217; &#8216;(fill in any word)sville'&#8221;, etc. He points out that producer Albert &#8220;Zugsmith and talented director Jack Arnold include much intentional campy humor, but the drug angle is treated cautiously&#8221; &#8212; and he adds that while it&#8217;s &#8220;a much better film than 1936&#8217;s <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=3051\"><em>Reefer Madness<\/em><\/a>&#8220;, there &#8220;are a surprising number of similarities between the two&#8221; given that both claim &#8220;problem children don&#8217;t necessarily come from problem homes,&#8221; &#8220;the major dealers set up business with pushers and are too smart to be users themselves,&#8221; and &#8220;where there is loud music there are usually drugs&#8221; (!). Peary argues that Mamie Van Doren as Tamblyn&#8217;s &#8220;nymphomaniac&#8221; aunt is particularly noteworthy, and that he believes &#8220;it&#8217;s worth the price of admission to watch her walking around in semi-obscene outfits&#8230;, biting into [Tamblyn&#8217;s] apple with thoughts of Eden in her naughty head.&#8221; Okay. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/High-School-Confidential-Van-Doren3.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/High-School-Confidential-Van-Doren3.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1189\" height=\"555\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-58934\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/High-School-Confidential-Van-Doren3.png 1189w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/High-School-Confidential-Van-Doren3-300x140.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/High-School-Confidential-Van-Doren3-1024x478.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/High-School-Confidential-Van-Doren3-128x60.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/High-School-Confidential-Van-Doren3-768x358.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/High-School-Confidential-Van-Doren3-578x270.png 578w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1189px) 100vw, 1189px\" \/><\/a> <\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Mamie Van Doren as Tamblyn&#8217;s aunt<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/High-School-Confidential-Van-Doren2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/High-School-Confidential-Van-Doren2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1214\" height=\"546\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-58936\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/High-School-Confidential-Van-Doren2.png 1214w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/High-School-Confidential-Van-Doren2-300x135.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/High-School-Confidential-Van-Doren2-1024x461.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/High-School-Confidential-Van-Doren2-128x58.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/High-School-Confidential-Van-Doren2-768x345.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/High-School-Confidential-Van-Doren2-600x270.png 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1214px) 100vw, 1214px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Jan Sterling as Tamblyn&#8217;s concerned teacher<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/High-School-Confidential-Sterling2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/High-School-Confidential-Sterling2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1215\" height=\"551\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-58937\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/High-School-Confidential-Sterling2.png 1215w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/High-School-Confidential-Sterling2-300x136.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/High-School-Confidential-Sterling2-1024x464.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/High-School-Confidential-Sterling2-128x58.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/High-School-Confidential-Sterling2-768x348.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/High-School-Confidential-Sterling2-595x270.png 595w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1215px) 100vw, 1215px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Tamblyn secretly shooting up into a ball rather than his arm when &#8220;testing out&#8221; some drugs<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/High-School-Confidential-Ball.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/High-School-Confidential-Ball.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1214\" height=\"554\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-58935\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/High-School-Confidential-Ball.png 1214w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/High-School-Confidential-Ball-300x137.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/High-School-Confidential-Ball-1024x467.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/High-School-Confidential-Ball-128x58.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/High-School-Confidential-Ball-768x350.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/High-School-Confidential-Ball-592x270.png 592w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1214px) 100vw, 1214px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nYes, as a cult movie. Discussed at length in Peary&#8217;s <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?page_id=5986\"><em>Cult Movies 2<\/em> (1983)<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Categories<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Cult Movie<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Links:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/imdb.com\/title\/tt0051724\/\">IMDg entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thespinningimage.co.uk\/cultfilms\/displaycultfilm.asp?reviewid=923&#038;aff=13\">Spinning Image review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dvdtalk.com\/dvdsavant\/s4557high.html\">DVD Savant Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2014\/08\/31\/movies\/homevideo\/8216high-school-confidential8217-on-blu-ray-and-dvd.html\">NY Times Review <\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;If you flake around with the weed, you&#8217;ll end up using the harder stuff!&#8221; Synopsis: Tough Tony Baker (Russ Tamblyn) arrives at a new high school and immediately tries to edge in on the drug scene &#8212; much to the consternation of his concerned teacher (Jan Sterling). Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Drug Dealers High School Jack Arnold Films Jan Sterling Films Mamie Van Doren Films Mistaken or Hidden Identities Russ Tamblyn Films Teenagers Response to Peary&#8217;s Review: Peary writes&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=135\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-135","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-responses-to-peary"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/135","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=135"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/135\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":58941,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/135\/revisions\/58941"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=135"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=135"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=135"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}