Detention: The Siege at Johnson High
Encyclopedia
Detention: The Siege at Johnson High (a.k.a. Hostage High and Target for Rage) is a 1997 drama
thriller film based on the Lindhurst High School shooting
which was a high school shooting and siege on May 1, 1992. The film stars Rick Schroder
, Freddie Prinze, Jr.
, Katie Wright
, Alexis Cruz
, and Henry Winkler
. The script was written by Larry Golin and directed by Michael W. Watkins
. The film was released on May 19, 1997.
On the other line of the phone is Skip Fine, the only hostage negotiator in their town, despite being generally regarded as less than the brightest penny on the local police force. He attempts to convince Jason to release his hostages and is almost successful, until Jason suddenly hears a noise from the halls. Frankie is set out to locate the remaining persons in school and he finds a filled class room, but only takes back one pupil. Jason soon notices this, when he hears an FBI agent trying to break into that room. He ends up shooting him and taking the remaining students hostage.
Meanwhile, Skip decides to quit, feeling he is not prepared enough to be involved with such a responsible job. Jason, however, refuses to talk to the FBI and insists on speaking to Skip only. From this point, Jason softens up, allowing the hostages to order food. Not realizing the seriousness of the situation, most hostages still think Jason is only using the weapons as a threat, and most of them do not realize he has already fatally hit people, including Mr. Kroft. Aaron, meanwhile, wins Jason's trust and is able to deliver local cop Matt Eckert a list with the names of all 62 hostages. Matt is shocked to find out that among them is his daughter Samantha. On his way back, Aaron and Frankie find the body of Travis McGill, one of the few students killed, and they finally realize how dangerous Jason really is.
After being back in the room where the people are taken hostage, Aaron is allowed to let 15 people go. He offers Samantha to be one of them, but she insists on staying. When Jason finds out six students have already been rumored to be killed, he loses his temper and puts a gun to Samantha's head. Skip, however, is able to talk him out of shooting her. Afterwards, he loses his attention for a moment, during which Aaron and Samantha help several people escape. A sniper is ready to shoot Jason, but Skip insists on convincing Jason to give himself up instead. Soon, another 20 students are released and Jason signs a contract in which he agrees on letting go the remaining hostages if he is sent to jail for under five years.
Despite an attempted attack on Jason by Frankie, for killing Travis, every student is eventually released. Jason thanks Aaron for his help and gives himself in to the police afterwards. Aaron and Samantha are embraced as the heroes of the tragedy and Jason is sent to death row
for killing four people.
Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
thriller film based on the Lindhurst High School shooting
Lindhurst High School shooting
The Lindhurst High School shooting was a school shooting and subsequent siege that occurred on May 1, 1992 at Lindhurst High School in Olivehurst, California, United States. The gunman, 22-year-old Eric Houston, was a former student at Lindhurst High School. Houston killed three students and one...
which was a high school shooting and siege on May 1, 1992. The film stars Rick Schroder
Rick Schroder
Richard Bartlett "Rick" Schroder, Jr. is an American actor and film director.He debuted in the 1979 hit film The Champ, going on to become a child star on the sitcom Silver Spoons...
, Freddie Prinze, Jr.
Freddie Prinze, Jr.
Freddie James Prinze, Jr. is an American actor. He rose to fame during the late 1990s and early 2000s, after starring in several Hollywood films aimed at teenage audiences, I Know What You Did Last Summer and its sequel, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer , as well as She's All That , Summer...
, Katie Wright
Katie Wright
Katie Wright is a former American actress. She was born Katherine Wright in Kansas City, Missouri, and grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.-Biography:...
, Alexis Cruz
Alexis Cruz
Alexis Cruz is an American actor, known for his performances as Rafael in Touched by an Angel and as Skaara in Stargate and Stargate SG-1. Cruz was born in The Bronx, New York of Puerto Rican descent. His mother, Julia, was a songwriter. He currently resides in Los Angeles. He went to Boston...
, and Henry Winkler
Henry Winkler
Henry Franklin Winkler, OBE is an American actor, director, producer, and author.Winkler is best known for his role as Fonzie on the 1970s American sitcom Happy Days...
. The script was written by Larry Golin and directed by Michael W. Watkins
Michael W. Watkins
Michael W. Watkins is an American television and film director producer and cinematographer. He has worked on Smallville, The X-Files, and Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Monk, Law & Order, Boomtown, No Ordinary Family and several other film and television series.Watkins has won two...
. The film was released on May 19, 1997.
Plot
The film takes place in the fictional Johnson High School. Years ago, Jason Copeland, now 24, failed his final exams and did not graduate, for which he still holds his History teacher, Mr. Kroft responsible. He decides to take revenge and enters the same school with a 12-gauge shotgun, a revolver, and a massive supply of ammunition. He first starts shooting around, hitting several students. After shooting Mr. Kroft, he decides to take as many hostages as possible. Among them is Aaron Sullivan, a gifted but lazy student who is assigned to answer the phone. Meanwhile, Frankie Rodriguez, the class clown, is ordered to be the message boy, picking up and delivering information and other stuff from the FBI - including the phone - to Jason.On the other line of the phone is Skip Fine, the only hostage negotiator in their town, despite being generally regarded as less than the brightest penny on the local police force. He attempts to convince Jason to release his hostages and is almost successful, until Jason suddenly hears a noise from the halls. Frankie is set out to locate the remaining persons in school and he finds a filled class room, but only takes back one pupil. Jason soon notices this, when he hears an FBI agent trying to break into that room. He ends up shooting him and taking the remaining students hostage.
Meanwhile, Skip decides to quit, feeling he is not prepared enough to be involved with such a responsible job. Jason, however, refuses to talk to the FBI and insists on speaking to Skip only. From this point, Jason softens up, allowing the hostages to order food. Not realizing the seriousness of the situation, most hostages still think Jason is only using the weapons as a threat, and most of them do not realize he has already fatally hit people, including Mr. Kroft. Aaron, meanwhile, wins Jason's trust and is able to deliver local cop Matt Eckert a list with the names of all 62 hostages. Matt is shocked to find out that among them is his daughter Samantha. On his way back, Aaron and Frankie find the body of Travis McGill, one of the few students killed, and they finally realize how dangerous Jason really is.
After being back in the room where the people are taken hostage, Aaron is allowed to let 15 people go. He offers Samantha to be one of them, but she insists on staying. When Jason finds out six students have already been rumored to be killed, he loses his temper and puts a gun to Samantha's head. Skip, however, is able to talk him out of shooting her. Afterwards, he loses his attention for a moment, during which Aaron and Samantha help several people escape. A sniper is ready to shoot Jason, but Skip insists on convincing Jason to give himself up instead. Soon, another 20 students are released and Jason signs a contract in which he agrees on letting go the remaining hostages if he is sent to jail for under five years.
Despite an attempted attack on Jason by Frankie, for killing Travis, every student is eventually released. Jason thanks Aaron for his help and gives himself in to the police afterwards. Aaron and Samantha are embraced as the heroes of the tragedy and Jason is sent to death row
Death row
Death row signifies the place, often a section of a prison, that houses individuals awaiting execution. The term is also used figuratively to describe the state of awaiting execution , even in places where no special facility or separate unit for condemned inmates exists.After individuals are found...
for killing four people.
Characters
- Freddie Prinze, Jr.Freddie Prinze, Jr.Freddie James Prinze, Jr. is an American actor. He rose to fame during the late 1990s and early 2000s, after starring in several Hollywood films aimed at teenage audiences, I Know What You Did Last Summer and its sequel, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer , as well as She's All That , Summer...
- Aaron Sullivan - Rick SchroderRick SchroderRichard Bartlett "Rick" Schroder, Jr. is an American actor and film director.He debuted in the 1979 hit film The Champ, going on to become a child star on the sitcom Silver Spoons...
- Jason Copeland - Katie WrightKatie WrightKatie Wright is a former American actress. She was born Katherine Wright in Kansas City, Missouri, and grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.-Biography:...
- Samantha Eckert - Alexis CruzAlexis CruzAlexis Cruz is an American actor, known for his performances as Rafael in Touched by an Angel and as Skaara in Stargate and Stargate SG-1. Cruz was born in The Bronx, New York of Puerto Rican descent. His mother, Julia, was a songwriter. He currently resides in Los Angeles. He went to Boston...
- Frankie Rodriguez - Patrick Malone - Travis McGill
- Pat FinnPat FinnPatrick Joseph "Pat" Finn is the former host of several game shows. He is the owner of the production company Rubicon Entertainment.Finn first hosted the 1990 remake of the classic Jack Barry show The Joker's Wild...
- Mr. Kroft - Troy Bryant - Matt Eckert
- Ren WoodsRen WoodsRen Woods is an American film and television actress/singer, best known for her role as Fanta in Roots, and also as the girl with flowers in her hair who sang "Aquarius" in the film version of Hair. Ren Woods began her singing career as a child and released two solo albums before returning her...
- Mrs. McGill - Henry WinklerHenry WinklerHenry Franklin Winkler, OBE is an American actor, director, producer, and author.Winkler is best known for his role as Fonzie on the 1970s American sitcom Happy Days...
- Skip Fine - Michael FlynnMichael FlynnMichael Francis Flynn is an American statistician and science fiction author.Nearly all of Flynn's work falls under the category of hard science fiction, although his treatment of it can be unusual since he has applied the rigor of hard science fiction to "softer" sciences such as sociology in...
- Sheriff Randall