“Few films are as prophetic as Class of 1984”... That's an actual quote... from director Mark L. Lester (Commando). Now, normally I wouldn't take the praise of a director, regarding his own film, too seriously. However, in this instance, he just happens to be right. Class of 1984, while certainly more extreme and darkly violent than most moralistic films, is without question, more relevant today than when it was created (1982).

Music teacher Andy Norris (Perry King, Slaughterhouse Five) arrives at Lincoln High, a school corrupted by drugs, violence, and students who show a general disrespect for their teachers. He eventually crosses paths with the student responsible for the greater majority of the crimes being committed within the school walls- a young, violent thug named Peter Stegman. Norris's attempts to discipline the youth in the most respectful way possible are dismissed as Stegman gets more crazed and violent, instigating a chain reaction between teacher and student. As they declare a personal war on each other, the events spiral out of control to an unsettlingly violent climax.

As I'm sure was the case when the film was initially released, it's easy to dismiss Class of 1984 as just another trashy exploitation film. It has all the necessary requirements, an overabundance of violence and other distasteful material, set-pieces that seem highly exaggerated, and the seemingly all-encompassing power of the films antagonists that can only be resolved by way of violence. However, to dismiss the film as nothing more than that would simply be wrong. There is a message in here; there is valid social commentary; there is even the suggestion that violence, while sometimes not the preferred course of action, is occasionally necessary.

It's evident from the first act that the film is genuinely attempting to do something different. Norris takes his concerns to the school's principle, the local police, and even Stegman's mother, but can find resolve nowhere. As the events gradually become more personally affecting, he has nowhere else to turn but violence. Director Lester suggests that there is always an alternative to violence, but it is often the necessary by-product of an ignorant institution, or one that is unable to provide a resolution.

That being said, the violence is excessive, even by today's standards . At the time of its release, I can see it getting attention based on the intensity of its final sequence. It's certainly not as 'gory-violent' as we're used to, but when you take into the account that by the time we, as an audience, see that sequence, we are rooting whole-heartedly for Norris to exact his revenge. Those are the elements of exploitation showing themselves again...

But, once again, simply because a film is grounded within the boundaries of the exploitation film, doesn't mean that it is devoid of any societal commentary. The film opens with a (possibly exaggerated) statistic that there were (insert some ridiculous number in the near 200,000's here) acts of violence in American schools the year before it was made. That seems like a ridiculous number for the time, yet one can't deny that it has been an increasing problem, and reached its pinnacle in a number of highly publicized incidences which I will neglect to mention. It was an underestimated problem then, and it's obvious that director Lester, who often infuses his films with some sort of political or social commentary, viewed it as a legitimate future concern.

Now, if any underlying commentary is set aside, and we judge the film as just that, then what do we get? Well, at the very least, you get an enjoyable cult film, which tackles is subject matter with an ever-increasingly campy glee; A film that revels in its exploitation roots through a climax that is every bit as intense as you would expect from a true revenge picture. You even have a solid cast which includes the likes of Perry King, the immortal Roddy McDowall, and a baby-faced Michael J. Fox (before the J, even...). So, to answer my own question... it's got a lot going for it. Any film fan who grew up on the films of Abel Ferrara, Ruggero Deodato, and even early Wes Craven should be able to enjoy Class of 1984 on the most basic, brutal, and exploitative level. While Lester's forewarning to society as to the degeneration of our school systems to violence certainly didn't affect the outcome of our present day, at least he tried to imbue his film with some sort of relevant substance... That should count for something.