Shout Factory | 1983 | 89 min | Rated R | Oct 29, 2019
Private-school student Christine (Phoebe Cates) loves Jim (Matthew Modine). But her classmate, Jordan (Betsy Russell), is also vying for Jim’s attention and trying to end his relationship with Christine. Meanwhile, Jim’s friend Bubba (Michael Zorek) embarks on a series of sexual escapades, including dressing up as a woman to access the girls’ locker room. Despite Jim and Christine’s efforts to spend some time alone, various shenanigans and schemes interfere.
Video
Codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Audio
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
Subtitles
English SDH
$29.99
In stock
Shout Factory | 1983 | 89 min | Rated R | Oct 29, 2019
Private-school student Christine (Phoebe Cates) loves Jim (Matthew Modine). But her classmate, Jordan (Betsy Russell), is also vying for Jim’s attention and trying to end his relationship with Christine. Meanwhile, Jim’s friend Bubba (Michael Zorek) embarks on a series of sexual escapades, including dressing up as a woman to access the girls’ locker room. Despite Jim and Christine’s efforts to spend some time alone, various shenanigans and schemes interfere.
Video
Codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Audio
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
Subtitles
English SDH
John Anderson –
“Private School,” released on Blu-ray by Shout Factory in 2019, offers a nostalgic dive back into the early ’80s teen comedy genre. The movie itself, coming from the wake of “Private Lessons” (1981) but standing apart as its own entity, immerses viewers in the typical raunchy, coming-of-age narrative that defined much of the era’s teen-centric cinema.
Set against the backdrop of Cherryvale Academy, the film revolves around the high school life of Chris (played by Phoebe Cates), her roommate Betsy (Kathleen Wilhoite), and their encounters with the boys from Freemount Academy, including Chris’s boyfriend Jim (Matthew Modine). The plot, if one can call it that, is less about coherent storytelling and more a vehicle for a series of sexual escapades, pranks, and the pursuit of romantic conquests, embodying the teen “horn dog” subgenre with a generous dose of titillation.
The Blu-ray release presents the film with a MPEG-4 AVC video codec and a 1080p resolution, maintaining the original 1.85:1 aspect ratio. While the transfer is based on an older scan, it offers a decent visual upgrade, capturing the ’80s aesthetic with a certain softness and a palette that emphasizes skintones and the vibrant hues of the era’s fashion.
Audio is delivered through a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono track, keeping the dialogue clear and the era-specific soundtrack lively, contributing to the overall nostalgic atmosphere of the film.
Special features on this release are notably generous, especially for a film of this calibre. They include two commentary tracks, one featuring actor Michael Zorek and another with authors Mike McPadden and Aaron Lee, providing insights into the making of the film and its place in the genre. Additionally, interviews with Matthew Modine and Betsy Russell offer personal reflections on their experiences during filming, with Modine discussing the audition process and his interactions with the cast and crew, and Russell sharing her thoughts on her character and her approach to the infamous nude scenes.
The inclusion of the VHS version of the film is a thoughtful touch, appealing to those with a fondness for the original viewing experience, while the image gallery and radio spots add further depth to the package.
Overall, the Blu-ray release of “Private School” scores well in terms of video and audio quality, and particularly excels with its extras, providing a comprehensive look at a film that, while not critically acclaimed, holds a special place in the hearts of its fans for its unabashed embrace of ’80s teen comedy tropes. It’s a product very much of its time, offering a light, if not somewhat shallow, entertainment experience that resonates with those looking for a dose of nostalgia.