Search - The Principal on DVD

MPAA Rating: R Content Advisory: Violence, Adult Situations, Not For Children, Adult Language Movie Release: 1987 DVD Release: 07/30/2002 Format: DVD - Pan and Scan - Closed Captioned Edition: Restored/Remastered Audio Tracks: English, French Subtitles: English, French, Spanish SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 45 mins Studio: Columbia TriStar Members Wishing: 3 Genres: Comedy Drama, Urban Drama

An impulsive but determined white principal brings order and respect to a predominantly African-American and Latino high school in this comedy-drama from the director of Young Guns and That Was Then, This Is Now. Rick Latimer (James Belushi), a high-school teacher, is in the process of a divorce when he sees his estranged wife at a bar having drinks with her attorney. Drunk and enraged, he smashes the guy's car up and receives a reprimand from the school board -- a new job as principal at rough-and-tumble Brandel High. Security guard Jake Phillips (Louis Gossett Jr.) is soon teaching his new boss the ropes, but Rick isn't willing to accept the violent and drug-ridden status quo. With a two-word motto -- "No More!" -- he sets about cleaning out the riff-raff, also taking time out to tutor students and get to know Jake. But when chief thug Victor (Michael Wright) refuses to back down, the violence escalates. Eventually, Victor's vengeance threatens the lives of steely history teacher Hilary Orozco (Rae Dawn Chong) -- and Rick himself. Kelly Minter, who plays one of Brandel High's troubled students, portrayed a dyslexic in the similarly themed Summer School the same year The Principal was released. Screenwriter Frank Deese would go on to write the Corey Haim/Corey Feldman vehicle License to Drive. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide

James Belushi - Rick Latimer
Louis Gossett, Jr. - Jake Phillips
Rae Dawn Chong - Hilary Orozco
Michael Wright - Victor Duncan
J.J. Cohen - "White Zac"
Esai Morales - Raymi Rojas

Christopher Cain's hard-hitting tale of a school under siege, The Principal, comes to DVD with a standard full-frame transfer that fails to preserve the original theatrical aspect ratio of the film. The closed-captioned English soundtrack is rendered in Dolby Digital Surround, while a French soundtrack has been recorded in Dolby Digital Stereo. English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese subtitles are accessible. Supplemental materials include trailers. This is a decent release from Columbia/TriStar that will be of interest to genre enthusiasts, but the average DVD consumer may not be interested. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide