Austin Film Society hosted a 10th anniversary screening of Richard Linklater’s hard-rocking crowd pleaser School of Rock.
Last night the Austin Film Society hosted a 10th anniversary screening of Richard Linklater’s hard-rocking crowd pleaser School of Rock. Mr. S. ‘s whole class came to party, from now heavy weight Nickelodeon star Miranda Cosgrove to Robert Tsai You’re a fat loser and you have body odor to the back-up singers (Maryam Hassan, Caitlin Hale, Aleisha Allen). Jack Black held court during the terrifically freewheeling Q&A after the screening. When a fan asked him for a song, Black broke into an extended verse of Legend of the Rent complete with caterwauling and high kicks.
Ten years later and all the kids turned out alright. Many had graduated from college. Some wanted back in the business. Cosgrove, the biggest star of all the kids, said that she’s seen The Rolling Stones in concert ten times. Joey Gaydos Jr. (who played the guitarist Zack) and Kevin Clark (who played the drummer Freddie) are both in bands, living in Detroit and Chicago respectively. Robert Tsai, who played the supremely lovable nerd Lawrence, and who recently graduated from Dartmouth, got the biggest applause of the whole night. (The sweet and shy 22-year-old appears to have ditched out on the above reunion photo.) He was also the only person up there on stage in full suit and tie. At the end of the evening, under much pressure to recreate the improvised handshake he shared with Lawrence in the film, Black and Tsai pulled it off and enjoyed a charmingly awkward embrace.
Black says he and screenwriter Mike White still kick around talk of a sequel. Never say never, says Black. It’s tough for me because it’s the best movie I’ve ever done. You get sensitive about the thing. But yeah it’s possible.