The Student Teachers
The Student Teachers is a 1973 film directed by Jonathan Kaplan. It was inspired by the "nurse" cycle of pictures starting with The Student Nurses (1970). Roger Corman says it was one of the best of the cycle.[3]
The Student Teachers | |
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Directed by | Jonathan Kaplan |
Produced by | Julie Corman |
Written by | Jonathan Kaplan Danny Opatoshu |
Starring | Susan Damante Brooke Mills Brenda Sutton |
Music by | David Nichtern |
Production company | |
Release date |
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Running time | 90 min. |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | under $100,000[1] |
Box office | $1,078,000 (US/ Canada rentals)[2] |
Plot
Three new high school teachers use unconventional methods to get through to their students. Rachel teaches after-school sex education; Tracey gets involved with nude photography; Jody recruits a former drop out to help with a half-way house and gets involved with a drug ring.
Cast
- Susan Damante - Rachel Burton
- Brooke Mills - Tracy Davis
- Brenda Sutton - Jody Hawkins
- Johnny Ray McGhee - Carnell Smith
- Bob Harris - Dinwiddie
- John Kramer - Alex Boslick
- Dick Miller - Coach Harris
Production
Jon Davison says a script was apparently written by Stephanie Rothman and Charles S. Swartz, but no one who worked on the film ever saw it. A draft was written by Kaplan and Danny Opatoshu, but Corman asked for it to be rewritten.[1]
It was shot in 15 days for under $100,000, including three days shooting at the Paramount Ranch. Corman removed a number of jokes from the final chase sequence so it was played straighter.[1]
Kaplan later said "When I looked at the filmographies of the directors I admired, I noticed that they made a hell of a lot of movies before they made a good one. And I made the decision consciously to make as many movies as I could in as short a period of time as I could"[4]
Casting
The lead was written for Patti Byrne who was in Kaplan's earlier Night Call Nurses but she did not commit and the role ended up being played by Susan Damante. Kaplan's sister Nora Heflin and mother Frances Heflin are in the cast and share a scene together. Chuck Norris makes a small role of a Karate advisor.[1]
See also
References
- Jon Davison on The Student Teachers at Trailers From Hell
- "Big Rental Films of 1973", Variety, 9 January 1974 p 60
- Ed. J. Philip di Franco, The Movie World of Roger Corman, Chelsea House Publishers, 1979 p 181
- Taylor, Paul (1 Feb 1989). "Keep on Truckin' - Jonathan Kaplan". Monthly Film Bulletin (56.661 ed.).