Rock School

Color, R (mature themes, language), 93 min., DVD only $24.96

DVD: director's commentary, soundtrack featurette, music video, deleted scenes

Street: Sept. 13, Prebook: Aug. 11

First Run: L, June 2005, <$1 mil.

Director: Dan Argott

At Philadelphia's Paul Green's School of Rock Music, proprietor Green uses a brand of tough love to instruct his teenage students on how to make it as musicians in the topsy-turvy world of rock music. Green, a one-time rock star wannabe, berates and ridicules his charges in hopes of making them perform better, honing their skills with Black Sabbath, Santana and Frank Zappa selections for a big showcase at a festival in Germany, where they'll play with former members of Zappa's band. Among his students are an aspiring singer-songwriter who takes heat from Green for performing in a Quaker rap band; 9-year-old twins who are heavy metal experts; a 12-year-old guitar virtuoso adept at intricate solos; and a troubled teen who finds an outlet at the school for his emotional problems. There are obvious similarities between this shot-on-video documentary and the 2003 feature School of Rock (how could the people behind the 2003 Jack Black hit not have known of Green's school?), but this one is the real deal and very entertaining. Although Green's blustery demeanor becomes a little tiresome, a recap of his life and dreams later in the movie puts everything in perspective, fueling sympathy for this devil. Rock School got terrific reviews and lots of attention at festivals and during its theatrical release (which helped Green's school expand to other cities), so expect solid response from hard rock fans, doc lovers and curiosity seekers who have the power to make it a crossover cult hit.