Dir.
Don Argott, US, 2005, 93 mins
Cast:
Paul Green, Napoleon Murphy-Brown, Will O'Connor
Arriving too late to trade effectively off the back of the fictional School of Rock, Rock School is the documentary account of an after hours academy where youngsters learn to play serious, complex rock and roll music under the tutelage of their obsessive, aggressive but ultimately passionate teacher, Paul Green.
The film opens with great promise as a blistering guitar riff, which seems to go on and on, sets the agenda for what the film is all about. When we finally see the performer, it is not a grizzled Keith Richards type as one might expect but rather an obscenely talented young lad, C.J., who is only slightly taller than his guitar. Throughout the film kids are seen playing ridiculously heavy and notoriously difficult pieces of music while Paul Green screams and rants like a spoilt child. The curious thing is that there is never any doubt that Green wants the very best for the kids, even when he is nose to nose with them yelping four letter obscenities in their faces. Green, an accomplished player himself, is refreshingly honest with the kids, leaving no doubt when their playing fails to make the grade, however the kids often give as good as they get and many of the best moments come when a snarling Green is matched by an equally aggressive nine year old.
Not all the humour comes from Green's unique approach to teaching. An encounter with Quaker rap outfit, The Friendly Gangstas is wonderfully bizarre (they almost merit a documentary of their own) as they entertain their community by persuading the elderly to hit the dance floor.
There are also the twin girls, Asa and Tucker who appear to be the very picture of calm, well adjusted 9 year olds who turn wild when called upon to perform, with their mother in charge of make up ("no, I'm not drawing a pentangle on your cheek") and hair (which predictably ends up in extreme punk styles). A scene where one of the girls suffers a crisis of confidence on stage is moving and hilarious. The girl's pieces to camera helps to underline just how young they are and what amazing things they are capable of in the unlikeliest of situations.
The film's only major flaw is its lack of a sense of progression. We don't see any of the kids go from bad to good. By the time the documentary cameras are on them they are highly skilled musicians with only the desperately sad Will providing a contrast to all the obvious talent involved. Perhaps it is commendable that Will's story doesn't take the obvious route of untalented musician becoming virtuoso but there is a terrible sense of an intelligent and perceptive young man whose story is worth further investigation.
The climax takes place at a German Frank Zappa festival, Zappandale, at which the kids are due to perform the classic Zappa song 'Inca Roads' with Zappa's band member Napoleon Murphy-Brock who acknowledges himself how difficult Zappa's works are to perform and how tough Zappa's audiences are to please.
Due to its brief length Rock School occasionally feels inconsequential and at times like a bonus documentary that should be attached to a Special Edition release of School of Rock. However, Rock School 's message is effectively conveyed with Green's passion providing the kids with a wonderful focus and the sense that seemingly impossible feats can be accomplished. The campaign for an English Rock School starts here.
Jonathan Wilkins
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