Summer School (film)
Encyclopedia
Summer School is a 1987
film directed by Carl Reiner
about the travails of a high school
gym
teacher who is forced to teach a remedial English class for a bunch of maladjusted goof-off students. It stars Mark Harmon
, Kirstie Alley
, and Courtney Thorne-Smith
. The original music score was composed by Danny Elfman
.
), could not care less about his job and is ready to vacation in Hawaii with his young girlfriend, Kim.
The Vice Principal, Phil Gills (Robin Thomas
), calls a number of students to the office. They include easily distracted Pam (Courtney Thorne-Smith
); "nocturnal" Larry, who happens to be a male stripper
(Ken Olandt
); football jock Kevin (Patrick Labyorteaux
); pregnant Rhonda (Shawnee Smith
); geeky Alan (Richard Steven Horvitz
), whose siblings are all straight-A students ("There must have been a baby mix-up at the hospital"); dyslexic Denise (Kelly Jo Minter
) and two horror-film-obsessed underachievers, Dave (Gary Riley
) and Francis, a.k.a. 'Chainsaw' (Dean Cameron
). They all failed and have to go to summer school
for remedial English.
The original remedial English teacher (Carl Reiner
) wins the lottery and immediately quits work. Gills has no choice but to give the job to Shoop. Gills implies that not taking the job could keep him from getting tenure, and Kim goes off to Hawaii
without him.
On the first day, Shoop meets Robin Bishop (Kirstie Alley
), who is teaching next door. Shoop falls head over heels for her, but she is already dating Gills. Shoop's first day is a disaster. Most of the students ditch
and one, Jerome (Duane Davis
), goes to the lavatory and doesn't return.
Gills brings in a beautiful Italian transfer student, Anna-Maria (Fabiana Udenio
), who will be learning English as well, much to the delight of Dave and Chainsaw. After the leftover students attempt to ditch as well, Shoop admits he has no idea how to teach. They spend their first few days having fun and going to the beach, a theme park and the petting zoo until Gills finds out.
Gills threatens to fire Shoop unless his students pass the end-of-term test. Shoop promises each kid a favor if they study. The kids agree, so Shoop gives Denise driving lessons, accompanies Rhonda to Lamaze
classes, gives Kevin football
lessons, allows Dave to throw a party in his house (destroying his couch in the process), gives Larry a bed in the classroom, lets Chainsaw arrange a screening of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
in his class and allows Pam to move in with him.
He has no idea how to teach. Robin tells him to make teaching fun. Shoop begins to grow closer to his kids. They study hard to write their English basic skills exam, still worried that Gills is going to fire Shoop unless all his students pass.
Shoop is sent to jail when he covers for Chainsaw and Dave after they are found in possession of alcohol. Robin and Gills bail him out. Gills then inadvertently exposes his true self to Robin when he states that he cares nothing for Shoop or his students and she overhears him. She storms off angrily.
Larry is fired from his stripper job when he is found out first by his aunt (who kisses him...with tongue) and then by his mother (after she puts five dollars in his g-string
). The students make more demands on Shoop and he quits his job in anger. He is then convinced to come back when his students start feeling guilty about what they did and they scare off Shoop's replacement with a series of stunts eerily reminiscent of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.
Shoop and his students then begin preparing for the test in earnest. The student who "went to the lavatory" finally returns, with his only explanation being, "My zipper got stuck." He ends up getting the highest score in the class with a 91.
The exam goes smoothly despite Rhonda going into labor near the end (at least now she has grounds for a makeup). Not all pass, so Gills is ready to follow through with his firing threat. However, the parents of the students come to Shoop's defense. Because of the students' great improvement, Principal Kelban (Francis X. McCarthy) grants Shoop tenure for his positive effect. Shoop and Robin end up happily together; a la From Here to Eternity
, they kiss in the surf.
, consists of 80s rock and dance songs with performers like Paul Engemann
who is best known for his popular 1983 hit, "Scarface (Push It to the Limit)
", Deborah Harry
from Blondie
, Elizabeth Daily
(credited as E. G. Daily on the soundtrack) with her popular hits that had reached the Billboard charts
, The Fabulous Thunderbirds
, Vinnie Vincent
, Billy Burnette
, and the young Elisa Fiorillo
. Three of these performers were on the soundtrack from the popular 1983 gangster movie Scarface
and did those songs with rock and roll
producer Giorgio Moroder
. But on this soundtrack they did these songs with Danny Elfman
, another famous film scorer.
Some songs that appear on the film, including James Brown
's, "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" and Eddie Murphy
's, "Party All the Time
" do not appear on the soundtrack. This is also notable as the only Danny Elfman
film score to date that hasn't had any of its cues released.
gave the film ½ out of four stars, calling it "listless, leisurely and unspirited."
Along with the special edition DVD release commemorating the twentieth anniversary of Summer School, many of the original cast were present for a reunion party. During an audience Q&A, Dean Cameron suggested that he would be open to a sequel or possibly even a remake of the original. When asked who he would cast as “Chainsaw” Grimp, he suggested Shia LaBeouf
or Zach Braff
. No such project is in the works at this time.
1987 in film
-Events:*January 31 - The Cure for Insomnia premieres at The School of the Art Institute in Chicago, Illinois, to officially become the world's longest film according to Guinness World Records....
film directed by Carl Reiner
Carl Reiner
Carl Reiner is an American actor, film director, producer, writer and comedian. He has won nine Emmy Awards and one Grammy Award during this career...
about the travails of a high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
gym
Physical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
teacher who is forced to teach a remedial English class for a bunch of maladjusted goof-off students. It stars Mark Harmon
Mark Harmon
Mark Harmon is an American actor who has been starring in American television programs and films since the mid-1970s, after a career as a collegiate football player with the UCLA Bruins. Since 2003, Harmon has starred as Leroy Jethro Gibbs in the CBS series NCIS.-Early life:Harmon was born Thomas...
, Kirstie Alley
Kirstie Alley
Kirstie Louise Alley is an American actress known for her role in the TV show Cheers, in which she played Rebecca Howe from 1987–1993, winning an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award as the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 1991...
, and Courtney Thorne-Smith
Courtney Thorne-Smith
Courtney Thorne-Smith is an American actress. She is best known for her roles as Alison Parker on Melrose Place, Georgia Thomas on Ally McBeal, and Cheryl Mabel in According to Jim, as well as her recurring role in Two and a Half Men as Lyndsey McElroy.-Early life:She was born in San Francisco,...
. The original music score was composed by Danny Elfman
Danny Elfman
Daniel Robert "Danny" Elfman is an American composer, best known for scoring music for television and film. Up until 1995, he was the lead singer and songwriter in the rock band Oingo Boingo, a group he formed in 1976...
.
Plot
It is the last day of school before summer vacation. The gym teacher, Mr. Freddy Shoop (Mark HarmonMark Harmon
Mark Harmon is an American actor who has been starring in American television programs and films since the mid-1970s, after a career as a collegiate football player with the UCLA Bruins. Since 2003, Harmon has starred as Leroy Jethro Gibbs in the CBS series NCIS.-Early life:Harmon was born Thomas...
), could not care less about his job and is ready to vacation in Hawaii with his young girlfriend, Kim.
The Vice Principal, Phil Gills (Robin Thomas
Robin Thomas
Robin Thomas is an American film and television actor.He was born Robin Thomas Grossman in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. His best-known television roles are as Mark Singleton in the soap opera Another World , and as Geoffrey Wells on the 1980s series Who's the Boss?...
), calls a number of students to the office. They include easily distracted Pam (Courtney Thorne-Smith
Courtney Thorne-Smith
Courtney Thorne-Smith is an American actress. She is best known for her roles as Alison Parker on Melrose Place, Georgia Thomas on Ally McBeal, and Cheryl Mabel in According to Jim, as well as her recurring role in Two and a Half Men as Lyndsey McElroy.-Early life:She was born in San Francisco,...
); "nocturnal" Larry, who happens to be a male stripper
Male stripper
Until the 1970s, strippers in Western cultures were almost invariably female, performing to male audiences. Since then, male strippers, performing to female audiences, have also become common. Male and female strippers also perform for gay and lesbian audiences respectively, as well as for both...
(Ken Olandt
Ken Olandt
Kenneth Andrew "Ken" Olandt is an American actor, producer, and executive producer. He has starred in many feature films and television shows....
); football jock Kevin (Patrick Labyorteaux
Patrick Labyorteaux
Patrick Labyorteaux is an American actor. He is best known for his roles of Andrew Garvey on the NBC series Little House on the Prairie as well as Bud Roberts on the hit CBS series JAG.-Life and career:...
); pregnant Rhonda (Shawnee Smith
Shawnee Smith
Shawnee Smith is an American film and television actress and singer. Smith is best known for her roles as Amanda Young in the Saw films and Linda in the CBS sitcom Becker....
); geeky Alan (Richard Steven Horvitz
Richard Steven Horvitz
Richard Steven Horvitz, sometimes credited as Richard S. Horvitz, Richard Horvitz, or Richard Wood, is an American actor and voice actor best known for his work as the voice of the original Alpha 5 in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Power Rangers Zeo, and Power Rangers Turbo, as Raz in Psychonauts,...
), whose siblings are all straight-A students ("There must have been a baby mix-up at the hospital"); dyslexic Denise (Kelly Jo Minter
Kelly Jo Minter
Kelly Jo Minter is an American actress who has starred in many feature films. Her first feature role was in the 1985 hit drama film Mask...
) and two horror-film-obsessed underachievers, Dave (Gary Riley
Gary Riley
Gary Riley is a former American character actor with about thirty credits encompassing theatrical and made-for-TV films as well as episodes of TV series.A native of St...
) and Francis, a.k.a. 'Chainsaw' (Dean Cameron
Dean Cameron
Dean Cameron is an American television and film actor. He is best known for his role as Francis "Chainsaw" Gremp in the 1987 Mark Harmon comedy Summer School....
). They all failed and have to go to summer school
Summer school
Summer school is a school, or a program generally sponsored by a school or a school district, that teaches students during the summer vacation....
for remedial English.
The original remedial English teacher (Carl Reiner
Carl Reiner
Carl Reiner is an American actor, film director, producer, writer and comedian. He has won nine Emmy Awards and one Grammy Award during this career...
) wins the lottery and immediately quits work. Gills has no choice but to give the job to Shoop. Gills implies that not taking the job could keep him from getting tenure, and Kim goes off to Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
without him.
On the first day, Shoop meets Robin Bishop (Kirstie Alley
Kirstie Alley
Kirstie Louise Alley is an American actress known for her role in the TV show Cheers, in which she played Rebecca Howe from 1987–1993, winning an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award as the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 1991...
), who is teaching next door. Shoop falls head over heels for her, but she is already dating Gills. Shoop's first day is a disaster. Most of the students ditch
Truancy
Truancy is any intentional unauthorized absence from compulsory schooling. The term typically describes absences caused by students of their own free will, and usually does not refer to legitimate "excused" absences, such as ones related to medical conditions...
and one, Jerome (Duane Davis
Duane Davis
Duane Davis, the son of NFL Hall of Fame defensive end Willie Davis, is an American actor who has been in such films as Ghosts of Mars and Paparazzi. He played Joe Louis in a made-for-TV movie about Rocky Marciano, James "Buster" Douglas in the HBO original movie Tyson and as ESU football star...
), goes to the lavatory and doesn't return.
Gills brings in a beautiful Italian transfer student, Anna-Maria (Fabiana Udenio
Fabiana Udenio
Fabiana Udenio is an Argentine/Italian character actress and sex symbol who has appeared in film and on television. She is best known for her role as "Alotta Fagina", a Bond girl parody in Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery.Udenio was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina and moved to Italy ...
), who will be learning English as well, much to the delight of Dave and Chainsaw. After the leftover students attempt to ditch as well, Shoop admits he has no idea how to teach. They spend their first few days having fun and going to the beach, a theme park and the petting zoo until Gills finds out.
Gills threatens to fire Shoop unless his students pass the end-of-term test. Shoop promises each kid a favor if they study. The kids agree, so Shoop gives Denise driving lessons, accompanies Rhonda to Lamaze
Lamaze
The Lamaze Technique, often referred to as Lamaze, is a prepared childbirth technique developed in the 1940s by French obstetrician Dr. Fernand Lamaze as an alternative to the use of medical intervention during childbirth...
classes, gives Kevin football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
lessons, allows Dave to throw a party in his house (destroying his couch in the process), gives Larry a bed in the classroom, lets Chainsaw arrange a screening of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is a 1974 American independent horror film directed and produced by Tobe Hooper, who cowrote it with Kim Henkel. It stars Marilyn Burns, Paul A. Partain, Edwin Neal, Jim Siedow, and Gunnar Hansen, who respectively portray Sally Hardesty, Franklin Hardesty, the...
in his class and allows Pam to move in with him.
He has no idea how to teach. Robin tells him to make teaching fun. Shoop begins to grow closer to his kids. They study hard to write their English basic skills exam, still worried that Gills is going to fire Shoop unless all his students pass.
Shoop is sent to jail when he covers for Chainsaw and Dave after they are found in possession of alcohol. Robin and Gills bail him out. Gills then inadvertently exposes his true self to Robin when he states that he cares nothing for Shoop or his students and she overhears him. She storms off angrily.
Larry is fired from his stripper job when he is found out first by his aunt (who kisses him...with tongue) and then by his mother (after she puts five dollars in his g-string
G-string
A G-string is a type of thong underwear or swimsuit, a narrow piece of cloth, leather, or plastic, that covers or holds the genitals, passes between the buttocks, and is attached to a band around the hips, worn as swimwear or underwear by women and men...
). The students make more demands on Shoop and he quits his job in anger. He is then convinced to come back when his students start feeling guilty about what they did and they scare off Shoop's replacement with a series of stunts eerily reminiscent of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.
Shoop and his students then begin preparing for the test in earnest. The student who "went to the lavatory" finally returns, with his only explanation being, "My zipper got stuck." He ends up getting the highest score in the class with a 91.
The exam goes smoothly despite Rhonda going into labor near the end (at least now she has grounds for a makeup). Not all pass, so Gills is ready to follow through with his firing threat. However, the parents of the students come to Shoop's defense. Because of the students' great improvement, Principal Kelban (Francis X. McCarthy) grants Shoop tenure for his positive effect. Shoop and Robin end up happily together; a la From Here to Eternity
From Here to Eternity
From Here to Eternity is a 1953 drama film directed by Fred Zinnemann and based on the novel of the same name by James Jones. It deals with the troubles of soldiers, played by Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Clift, Frank Sinatra and Ernest Borgnine stationed on Hawaii in the months leading up to the...
, they kiss in the surf.
Soundtrack
The Summer School soundtrack, on ChrysalisChrysalis Records
Chrysalis Records was a British record label that was created in 1969. The name was both a reference to the pupal stage of a butterfly and a combination of its founders names, Chris Wright and Terry Ellis...
, consists of 80s rock and dance songs with performers like Paul Engemann
Paul Engemann
Paul Robert Engemann is a 1980s pop musician best known for his 1983 song "Scarface ". The song featured prominently in the film Scarface, which was released in the same year....
who is best known for his popular 1983 hit, "Scarface (Push It to the Limit)
Scarface (Push it to the Limit)
"Scarface " is the title of a song written by Italian record producers Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte, and recorded by American musician Paul Engemann. It appeared on the soundtrack for the 1983 motion picture Scarface...
", Deborah Harry
Debbie Harry
Deborah Ann "Debbie" Harry is an American singer-songwriter and actress, best known for being the lead singer of the punk rock and new wave band Blondie. She has also had success as a solo artist, and in the mid-1990s she performed and recorded as part of The Jazz Passengers...
from Blondie
Blondie (band)
Blondie is an American rock band, founded by singer Deborah Harry and guitarist Chris Stein. The band was a pioneer in the early American New Wave and punk scenes of the mid-1970s...
, Elizabeth Daily
Elizabeth Daily
Elizabeth Ann Guttman , better known by her stage names of Elizabeth Daily and E.G. Daily, is an American voice actress, actress, singer-songwriter, and musician...
(credited as E. G. Daily on the soundtrack) with her popular hits that had reached the Billboard charts
Billboard charts
The Billboard charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs or albums in the United States. The results are published in Billboard magazine...
, The Fabulous Thunderbirds
The Fabulous Thunderbirds
The Fabulous Thunderbirds are an American, Grammy-nominated Blues rock band, formed in 1974.-Career:After performing for several years in the Austin, Texas blues scene, the band won a recording contract with Takoma/Chrysalis Records, and later on signed with Epic Records.Their first two albums,...
, Vinnie Vincent
Vinnie Vincent
Vincent John Cusano, better known as Vinnie Vincent, is an American guitarist from Bridgeport, Connecticut and songwriter known for his brief membership in the band Kiss.-Replacing Ace Frehley in Kiss:...
, Billy Burnette
Billy Burnette
William Beau "Billy" Burnette III is an American guitarist, singer and songwriter who was part of the band Fleetwood Mac from 1987 to 1995. Burnette also had a brief career in acting.-Family background:...
, and the young Elisa Fiorillo
Elisa Fiorillo
Elisa Fiorillo is an American singer.-Career:Her father was a classical pianist, who was under the guidance of Vladimir Horowitz. Her ancestry is vast as it includes German, Italian, Irish and Cherokee...
. Three of these performers were on the soundtrack from the popular 1983 gangster movie Scarface
Scarface (1983 film)
Scarface is a 1983 American epic crime drama movie directed by Brian De Palma, written by Oliver Stone, produced by Martin Bregman and starring Al Pacino as Tony Montana...
and did those songs with rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
producer Giorgio Moroder
Giorgio Moroder
Hansjörg "Giorgio" Moroder is an Italian record producer, songwriter and performer based in Los Angeles. When in Munich in the 1970s, he started his own record label called Oasis Records, which several years later became a subdivision of Casablanca Records...
. But on this soundtrack they did these songs with Danny Elfman
Danny Elfman
Daniel Robert "Danny" Elfman is an American composer, best known for scoring music for television and film. Up until 1995, he was the lead singer and songwriter in the rock band Oingo Boingo, a group he formed in 1976...
, another famous film scorer.
Some songs that appear on the film, including James Brown
James Brown
James Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr...
's, "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" and Eddie Murphy
Eddie Murphy
Edward Regan "Eddie" Murphy is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, singer, director, and musician....
's, "Party All the Time
Party All the Time
"Party All the Time" was a single originally recorded by comic actor Eddie Murphy in 1985, written and produced by Rick James and Kevin Johnston at James home studio in Buffalo, New York. The single reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, kept off the top by Lionel Richie's "Say You, Say Me"...
" do not appear on the soundtrack. This is also notable as the only Danny Elfman
Danny Elfman
Daniel Robert "Danny" Elfman is an American composer, best known for scoring music for television and film. Up until 1995, he was the lead singer and songwriter in the rock band Oingo Boingo, a group he formed in 1976...
film score to date that hasn't had any of its cues released.
Track listing
- "Happy" – Danny ElfmanDanny ElfmanDaniel Robert "Danny" Elfman is an American composer, best known for scoring music for television and film. Up until 1995, he was the lead singer and songwriter in the rock band Oingo Boingo, a group he formed in 1976...
(3:57) - "Mind Over Matter" – E.G. DailyElizabeth DailyElizabeth Ann Guttman , better known by her stage names of Elizabeth Daily and E.G. Daily, is an American voice actress, actress, singer-songwriter, and musician...
(4:21) - "Jackie" – Elisa FiorilloElisa FiorilloElisa Fiorillo is an American singer.-Career:Her father was a classical pianist, who was under the guidance of Vladimir Horowitz. Her ancestry is vast as it includes German, Italian, Irish and Cherokee...
(3:41) - "I'm Supposed to Have Sex with You" – Tonio KTonio KTonio K. is an American singer/songwriter who has released eight albums. His songs have been recorded by Al Green, Aaron Neville, Burt Bacharach, Bonnie Raitt, Chicago, Wynonna Judd and Vanessa Williams...
(5:00) - "Seduction" – E.G. Daily (3:41)
- "Brain Power" – Paul EngemannPaul EngemannPaul Robert Engemann is a 1980s pop musician best known for his 1983 song "Scarface ". The song featured prominently in the film Scarface, which was released in the same year....
(4:09) - "All I Want from You" – Tami Show (5:09)
- "Second Language" – Tone Norum (3:40)
- "My Babe" – The Fabulous ThunderbirdsThe Fabulous ThunderbirdsThe Fabulous Thunderbirds are an American, Grammy-nominated Blues rock band, formed in 1974.-Career:After performing for several years in the Austin, Texas blues scene, the band won a recording contract with Takoma/Chrysalis Records, and later on signed with Epic Records.Their first two albums,...
(2:36) - "Get an Education" – Billy BurnetteBilly BurnetteWilliam Beau "Billy" Burnette III is an American guitarist, singer and songwriter who was part of the band Fleetwood Mac from 1987 to 1995. Burnette also had a brief career in acting.-Family background:...
(3:45)
Cast
- Mark HarmonMark HarmonMark Harmon is an American actor who has been starring in American television programs and films since the mid-1970s, after a career as a collegiate football player with the UCLA Bruins. Since 2003, Harmon has starred as Leroy Jethro Gibbs in the CBS series NCIS.-Early life:Harmon was born Thomas...
– Mr. Freddy Shoop - Kirstie AlleyKirstie AlleyKirstie Louise Alley is an American actress known for her role in the TV show Cheers, in which she played Rebecca Howe from 1987–1993, winning an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award as the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 1991...
– Ms. Robin Bishop - Robin ThomasRobin ThomasRobin Thomas is an American film and television actor.He was born Robin Thomas Grossman in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. His best-known television roles are as Mark Singleton in the soap opera Another World , and as Geoffrey Wells on the 1980s series Who's the Boss?...
– Vice Principal Phil Gills - Patrick LabyorteauxPatrick LabyorteauxPatrick Labyorteaux is an American actor. He is best known for his roles of Andrew Garvey on the NBC series Little House on the Prairie as well as Bud Roberts on the hit CBS series JAG.-Life and career:...
– Kevin Winchester - Courtney Thorne-SmithCourtney Thorne-SmithCourtney Thorne-Smith is an American actress. She is best known for her roles as Alison Parker on Melrose Place, Georgia Thomas on Ally McBeal, and Cheryl Mabel in According to Jim, as well as her recurring role in Two and a Half Men as Lyndsey McElroy.-Early life:She was born in San Francisco,...
– Pam House - Dean CameronDean CameronDean Cameron is an American television and film actor. He is best known for his role as Francis "Chainsaw" Gremp in the 1987 Mark Harmon comedy Summer School....
– Francis "Chainsaw" Gremp - Gary RileyGary RileyGary Riley is a former American character actor with about thirty credits encompassing theatrical and made-for-TV films as well as episodes of TV series.A native of St...
– Dave Frazier - Richard Steven HorvitzRichard Steven HorvitzRichard Steven Horvitz, sometimes credited as Richard S. Horvitz, Richard Horvitz, or Richard Wood, is an American actor and voice actor best known for his work as the voice of the original Alpha 5 in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Power Rangers Zeo, and Power Rangers Turbo, as Raz in Psychonauts,...
– Alan Eakian - Kelly Jo MinterKelly Jo MinterKelly Jo Minter is an American actress who has starred in many feature films. Her first feature role was in the 1985 hit drama film Mask...
– Denise Green - Shawnee SmithShawnee SmithShawnee Smith is an American film and television actress and singer. Smith is best known for her roles as Amanda Young in the Saw films and Linda in the CBS sitcom Becker....
– Rhonda Altobello - Ken OlandtKen OlandtKenneth Andrew "Ken" Olandt is an American actor, producer, and executive producer. He has starred in many feature films and television shows....
– Larry Kazamias - Fabiana UdenioFabiana UdenioFabiana Udenio is an Argentine/Italian character actress and sex symbol who has appeared in film and on television. She is best known for her role as "Alotta Fagina", a Bond girl parody in Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery.Udenio was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina and moved to Italy ...
– Anna-Maria Mazarelli - Duane DavisDuane DavisDuane Davis, the son of NFL Hall of Fame defensive end Willie Davis, is an American actor who has been in such films as Ghosts of Mars and Paparazzi. He played Joe Louis in a made-for-TV movie about Rocky Marciano, James "Buster" Douglas in the HBO original movie Tyson and as ESU football star...
- Jerome Watkins (Bathroom Guy) - Beau StarrBeau StarrBeau Starr is an American actor who has starred in movies and on television. He is known for his film role as Sheriff Ben Meeker in the 1988 hit horror movie Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers; he reprised his role in the 1989 sequel Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers.Starr was born...
– Mr. Gremp - Laura Waterbury – Mrs. Gremp
- Tom TroupeTom TroupeTom Troupe is an American actor and writer.Tom Troupe was born in North Kansas City Missouri and studied with Uta Hagen at Herbert Berghof Studios in Manhattan during the early 1950s...
– Judge - Francis X. McCarthy – Principal Kelban (credited as Frank McCarthy)
- Amy Stock-Poynton – Kim
- Andrea HowardAndrea HowardAndrea Howard is an American actress who worked mostly on television in the 1970s and 80s, most notably in the films The Nude Bomb as Agent 22 , and Thank God It's Friday as Sue . She also appeared in the American daytime soap opera Santa Barbara as Veronica Gayley in and the comedy series Holmes...
– Woman at strip joint - Dee Dee RescherDee Dee RescherDee Dee Rescher is an American actress known for her voice-over work, and small roles in both TV and film. She is the daughter of cinematographer Gayne Rescher and actress Jean Tolley.-Filmography:*Good Luck Charlie … Shirley...
– Woman at strip joint
Reception
Roger EbertRoger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
gave the film ½ out of four stars, calling it "listless, leisurely and unspirited."
Special Edition DVD
A special edition of Summer School was released on DVD on May 22, 2007.Along with the special edition DVD release commemorating the twentieth anniversary of Summer School, many of the original cast were present for a reunion party. During an audience Q&A, Dean Cameron suggested that he would be open to a sequel or possibly even a remake of the original. When asked who he would cast as “Chainsaw” Grimp, he suggested Shia LaBeouf
Shia LaBeouf
Shia Saide LaBeouf is an American actor who became known among younger audiences for his part in the Disney Channel series Even Stevens and made his film debut in Holes . In 2007, he starred as the leads in Disturbia and Transformers...
or Zach Braff
Zach Braff
Zachary Israel "Zach" Braff is an American actor, screenwriter, producer, comedian, and director. Braff first became known in 2001 for his role as Dr. John Dorian on the television series Scrubs, for which he was nominated for an Emmy Award and three Golden Globe Awards.In 2004, Braff made his...
. No such project is in the works at this time.