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“ I just love the way Mike writes,” admits Black. “Not only
does he have that funny edge that suits me, but also he knows how to get into
my voice.”
Screenwriter White, who lived next door
to Black for three years, had been wanting to write a film
geared specifically to Black’s unique personality.
“ Jack is a great performer, a terrific musician and the perfect antihero,” says
White. “He’s kind of unhinged in that fun way that Willie Wonka is,
and I kept having this idea about him jamming around with a bunch of kids.”
With the genius of Black’s stellar
comedic style and White’s clever script, “School
of Rock” already exceeded the parameters of a traditional
comedy, but when the filmmakers recruited director Richard
Linklater, they knew they had someone at the helm of the
film who could take it even further. Known for such landmark
independent films as “Slacker” and “Dazed
and Confused,” Linklater also happens to have a penchant
for making movies with a heavy influence of rock ’n’ roll.
“I’m a big fan of Jack, both
as a musician and as an actor,” says Linklater. “And
Jack’s character, a struggling musician willing to
do almost anything to help realize his dreams, reminded me
of my formative years as a filmmaker.”
“Rick (Linklater) brings reality,
honesty and believability to the film,” explains Black. “He
reins me in, which is important because I’m always
going 10 miles too far over the top. So when I go a little
too crazy, he brings me back to reality.”
Not unlike the actor who portrays him,
the fiery Dewey Finn is on the verge of exploding throughout “School
of Rock.” First, he gives a volatile performance with
his band, launching into a long guitar solo and stage-diving
into the crowd with no one there to catch him. Next, while
masquerading as his roommate, substitute teacher Ned Schneebly
(Mike White), Dewey discharges lectures on the wonders of
rock and the evils of “The Man” to a wide-eyed
class of fifth graders. And finally, in the end, he ignites
his students into giving the performance of their lives at
the Battle of the Bands.
There to constantly snuff out Dewey’s
fuse is straight-laced Rosalie Mullins (Joan Cusack), the
always uptight -- unless she’s had a few beers -- principal
of the prestigious private school where Dewey is substitute
teaching.
“I’m Dewey’s nemesis,
and I could blow the whistle on him at any moment,” explains
Cusack. “It’s a great role because, down deep,
Rosalie Mullins really wants to let loose and be wild. So
in a way, I guess she sort of admires Dewey.”
Black, who appeared with Cusack and her
brother, John, in the critically acclaimed “High Fidelity,” says
working with Joan again was a blast. “She’s very
funny,” observes Black. “It was great watching
her character crack.”
“Joan is awesome,” agrees White. “She
usually plays these sort of blithe spirits, so it’s
funny to see her as the uptight, buttoned-down principal.
It’s also great to watch her and Jack go at it.”
Rounding out the principal cast with her
portrayal of Ned Schneebly’s bossy girlfriend, Patty,
is former “Saturday Night Live” writer/comedienne
Sarah Silverman, who says that while her role in the film
wasn’t comedic, she was glad to play the foil for a
change.
“Once I read Mike White’s script,
I just had to be in the film,” remembers Silverman. “I
don’t usually get to play the ‘bad guy,’ so
it was a great chance for me to do something a little different.
Besides, let’s face it: If you’re in a film with
Jack Black, right from the start you know it’s going
to be pretty damn funny.”
ABOUT THE KIDS
Once the principal cast members were in
place, the real challenge was to fill the classroom with
musically talented kids. Producer Scott Rudin, director Richard
Linklater, casting director Ilene Starger and music supervisor
Randall Poster all shared the same thoughts about authenticity.
“We cast children who could actually
play these instruments and sing,” explains Starger,
who saw several thousand children in cities that included
New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Minneapolis, San Francisco
and Seattle throughout the five-month casting process.
“In the end, we struck a great balance,
mostly choosing kids who are not the classic Hollywood actors,” says
Poster. “All of them have a fresh sweetness about them,
and each definitely brings something special to the film.”
Two members of the “School of Rock” band,
11-year-old classical guitarist Rebecca Brown (bass player
Katie) and 12-year-old classical pianist Robert Tsai (keyboard
player Lawrence), were found through “From the Top,” a
Public Radio International program featuring performances
from young classical musicians. “From the Top,” which
originates from WGBH Boston, provides information, entertainment
and education for pre-college-age musicians, their parents
and teachers, and Rebecca and Robert were real finds.
Joey Gaydos Jr., who portrays Zack, the
lead guitarist, is a resident of Belleville, Michigan. Now
12, he began playing the guitar at eight, and started his
own band in Michigan. He was found through Dayjams, a summer
program that provides the opportunity for kids between the
ages of nine and 15 to study guitar, bass, drums, keyboards
and vocals. Founded by the National Guitar Workshop (NGW),
Dayjams is the nation’s largest summer music program.
Kevin Clark who portrays Freddy, the rebellious
drummer, was discovered at an open casting call in Chicago.
He started playing drums with local community bands at the
age of three, at which time he would wander up on stage and
break into a drum solo to standing ovations. He began formal
percussion lessons in fifth grade and has been drumming ever
since.
“Many of the kids in our cast had
never auditioned before, let alone been in a movie,” says
casting director Ilene Starger. “In fact, one of the
great things about this project was watching their progress.”
For example, 10-year-old Maryam Hassan,
who plays shy Tomika, had appeared only in school plays,
but when she heard about an open call in New York through
the Internet, she and her mother drove into the city from
Long Island for the auditions. Maryam belted out her version
of Jennifer Holliday’s solo from “Dreamgirls” and
the role was hers.
Being a musician/singer himself, Jack Black
recognized the talent in his costars immediately. “These
kids were amazing musicians from the start and they took
direction really well,” says Black. “I mean,
the performances Rick [Linklater] drew from them were really
something.”
Because auditions took place in more than
10 U.S. and Canadian cities, the cast of talented kids came
from diverse locations, but soon after gathering in Manhattan
to begin working on the film, they became a tight-knit unit.
From veterans Angelo Massagli (Frankie, head of band security),
who plays Bobby Jr. in “The Sopranos,” and Aleisha
Allen (Alicia, the backup singer), who appeared in “The
Best Man” and “Finding Forrester,” to newcomers
Maryam Hassan (Tomika) and Robert Tsai (Lawrence), who had
never stepped foot on a movie set in their lives, all the
kids quickly adapted to their busy schedules of practicing
the music, filming and regulated classroom time.
In the end, they became so comfortable
with performing that, during the final weeks of filming,
two young cast members, Joey Gaydos Jr. and Kevin Clark,
actually appeared at a local club with their teacher, Amanda
Kaupousouz, a talented Irish fiddler.
Cert: 12
Running Time: TBC
Release Date: February 6
Distributor: UIP
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