BACK TO SCHOOL

US, 1986, 96 minutes, Colour.
Rodney Dangerfield, Keith Gordon, Sally Kellerman, Burt Young, Robert Downey Jr, Adrienne Barbeau, Ned Beatty, Kurt Vonnegut..
Directed by Allen Metter.

Back to School is much more enjoyable than it sounds. It is a star vehicle for comedian Rodney Dangerfield (Caddyshack, Easy Money). He is a larger than-life and boisterous character - but is made human and his slapstick and farcical humour has the humane edge.

The film is very similar to a lot of the campus comedies designed for teenage audiences of the '80s. However, with the focus on the grandfather figure, it has something to offer all generations. Often the humour is slapstick with a touch of crudity, but it is generally good-natured and often quite funny.

Rodney Dangerfield is very good in this film, more acceptable perhaps than in others. He has a very good supporting cast including Sally Kellerman as an English professor with Keith Gordon as his son and Robert Downey Jnr as his friend.

1. Enjoyable American slapstick comedy? Campus story? Teenage audiences? Older audiences? The traditional campus film?

2. The background of the credits sequence: the history of Melon's life, poor background, the '40s, his growing up, his establishing an empire, a family? His achievement? His lack of educational achievement? The presentation of his home, wealthy wife? His son's world? The background of the university and its campus? Musical score and the range of songs?

3. The title and expectations? The humour for the adult to go back to school, his handling of the studies, campus life, staff? Livening things up? The effect for the younger generation?

4. Thornton Melon as a character: his background, his experience, success and achievement? Loud and in bad taste? His visit to Jason? His decision to go to college? His enrolment, classes, assignments? His interest in Dr Turner? Studies? Dr Barbay and his hostility? His delegating his work to paid writers? The irony of his essay on Vonnegut being written by Vonnegut himself - and getting a Fail? His looking for his son, trying to help him, his diving failure? The parties and his being the centre of life? The build-up to the exams, the possibility of failure and expulsion? The clashes with Diane? The build-up to the diving competition, his successful dive? The life of the party? The more humane edge as he dealt with his son's problems, in relationship with Diane? The speaking of Dylan Thomas? 'Do not go gentle into that goodnight .... '?

5. Jason and the younger generation, the 'nerd'? His relationship with his father, not succeeding in college, intellectual success, failure in the diving team? His wanting to make an impression on Valerie? The clashes with Chas? His being the towel boy? The diving competition, his belly-flop? The clash with Chas? His helping his father with his work? Amazed at his father's behaviour? His final success? Winning Valerie? His relationship with Derek?

6. Derek and his punk style, the campus comedian? Relationship with Jason, with Thornton? With Chas and Valerie? His providing the comeuppance for the arrogant types?

7. Dr Turner and her classes, the impact of Thornton, the relationship with him, its ups and downs, her wanting to fail him. his rendition of the poem? her failing Vonnegut's essay? The reconciliation? The contrast with his first wife and her selfishness, taking him for all he had?

8. The presentation of Lou and his relationship with Thornton, helping him, doing his jobs for him? The irony of Bert Young's sloppy style with the campus atmosphere?

9. The presentation of the university staff, especially Philip Barbay and his arrogance, his relationship with Diane? The sports coaches? The Dean - and his smooth talk, hoping for the money from Thornton? Dr Barazini?

10. The presentation of the students, Chas and the jocks, Valerie as the school princess? The contrast with the nerds? The conflict and confrontations? Chas and the fight with Jason, having to pull out of the diving? One-upmanship?

11. The verbal humour, visual humour, slapstick and farce? Broad American humour? A piece of Americana?