Teachers (1984)

One of the best films i have seen

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

I gave this film a 9 out of 10, because it was exactly what I expected it to be.

It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

I saw this movie again recently and even though it was exaggerated a little, I thought it was pretty good. I went to both public and private schools in the 70s-80s and saw many of the same sort of teachers and administration in both types of school. I had teachers who didn't care, who just couldn't teach, and those who actually did try to engage the students and do a good job, and all of those types, although exaggerated a little, are portrayed here. I've also seen clueless principals who just hid out in their offices all day and were in their car driving away 5 minutes before the final bell rang. Around the time the movie was released, I read a news story about a girl who was valedictorian of her school, in the National Honors Society, but flunked out of college due to being unable to read because of dyslexia and she ended up suing her school. This wasn't clearly the case in the film, but should a student who can't perform to a minimum academic standard or doesn't even show up for class and turn in work still pass and get a diploma? The fact the school was more concerned with with its image than with addressing the issue is something I also saw in school growing up and even now. In my area recently, a local doctor sued his son's former school over unrefunded tuition money. He claimed his son was bullied there for a couple of years and complaints and meetings with school officials didn't help, so he enrolled his son elsewhere. When he unenrolled his son, the school would only refund the unused portion of tuition if the father signed a confidentiality agreement stating he wouldn't discuss what went on there. Sound familiar?Although a bit over the top, Teachers is an example of what went on, and probably still goes on, in schools and is worth seeing.

I'm finishing up my 7th year as a an 8th grade teacher at a typical rural public junior high/high school, and I watch this movie at the end of each school year. It does a few things for me: 1. Helps me realize just how f'd up the people I work with/for really are. 2. Gives me something to laugh about to take the edge off of a long school year. 3. Motivates me to keep teaching year after year even when I've just finished teaching some rough classes.As for the movie itself, it's up and down. Nolte is his typical mid-80's drunken self. Laura Dern was outstanding as the slutty student, and the rest of the cast fills in the gaps. What I like about the movie is that the teachers, even as stereotypical as they are portrayed, are so real. I can name a fellow faculty member for each role, as most teachers probably could.

I just wanted to comment on the previous/first commenter's comments. You mentioned that you didn't think there was any point to having the teacher who doesn't teach & sleeps all day in class. You couldn't possibly be more mistaken! Of course there was a point -- his LACK of teaching/presence makes one think about who is teaching our kids. I am a teacher, in fact, and I can tell you that there are many teachers out there who are ONE step away from retirement & choose to "not" teach every day in their classrooms. What's interesting is seeing what the students do in the absence of a really good, effective teacher.This move was "over the top" and felt pretty cheesy at times, but overall, it has a good, interesting, and important message about what real teaching is about. The needs of our youth have changed in the past 20, 30, 40+ years. This movie is TWENTY-THREE years old and yet it was onto something -- kids need teachers who are REAL people. They need teachers who maintain high standards of both work habits AND personal behavior BUT who also model what being a REAL human being/adult looks like.Nolte's character definitely got himself into hot water -- and nowadays, it could have been much hotter actually -- and overstepped many, many boundaries in his attempt to help his struggling students. But, overall, what he did to inspire and connect with them definitely outweighed the mistakes.Anyway, give it a shot and watch this. I grew up in the '80s but for some reason, never caught this one. If you want to revisit the era of cheese -- typical 80s soundtrack, 80s style, actors (Ralph Macchio, Crispin Glover, Laura Dern) and actually get a little insight into what it means to be a public high school teacher, check it out.

"Teachers" is a great film that came out in 1984. The film really touched up on the things that is even today, hurting some of our schools here today in the U.S.. The apathy, red tape, the lack of concern for the kids is what is causing the schools to get bad. I love this movie for a lot of reasons, the funny and sad moments in it. The cast of the film is really excellent.The film starts out where it is a typical Monday morning at JFK High School where crazy things happen. The school psychologist loses it when the teacher nicknamed "Ditto" (Royal Dano) is hogging the ditto machine and she squirts him with ink. A stabbing has happened. A former student named Lisa Hammond (JoBeth Williams), who now is a lawyer, is representing a kid named John Calvin, a kid who is suing the school cause of the lack of education he received.Alex Jurel (Nick Nolte), is called in on that Monday morning to teach Social Studies, Alex never comes in on a Monday. Alex Jurel is a teacher who got burned out, fighting a system, which has not changed. He runs into his former student, Lisa Hammond and she sees he has given up. She helps him to reawaken his ideals and Alex helps a kid named Eddie Pilikian (Ralph Macchio), a troubled kid, help him and become friends. Eddie stole a Drivers Ed. car with his friend Danny (Crispin Glover). Danny is a kid at the school who has problems being picked on by other students. Danny gives his teacher, Mr. Rosenberg (Allen Garfield) a hard time, first he bit Rosenberg on the hand and later on steals his car, though Rosenberg does not know about Danny stealing his car.The other teachers at JFK are Stuart Van Ark (Richard Mulligan) a.k.a. Herbert Gower, an out patient at a mental hospital, who takes up the identity of the real Stuart Van Ark, and teaches his history class, and being entertaining. The kids in the class like him. "Ditto" a.k.a. Mr. Stiles, a teacher who sleeps on the job and doesn't teach at all later on dies in his sleep.Alex's friend and Vice Principal of JFK, Roger Rubell, is one of the members of the faculty, next to Superintendent Burke, don't care about the kids and are worried about the publicity of the John Calvin case. They want the teachers who are going to be asked questions at their depositions to lie, but one of the teachers, Mr. Carl Rosenberg refuses to lie and does tell Lisa Hammond why they passed John Calvin. The School board want to fire Jurel for taking a student named Dianne Warren (Laura Dern) to an abortion clinic cause she got pregnant by the Physical Education teacher, Mr. Troy (Art Metrano), but Alex knows the real reason why the want to fire is is that the board are worried about what Alex will say at his deposition, though the case ended up being settled. Alex packs his stuff and Lisa Hammond sees him packing and Alex tells her he is quitting. Lisa convinces him to stay.After Eddie Pilikian sets off the fire alarm, the people are outside and Alex tells him that he is not quitting and will sue them if they try to fire him. Alex tells Burke and Rubell about that the High School is about kids. Alex is staying to teach."Teachers" has a great cast and supporting cast like Richard Mulligan, Morgan Freeman as Al Lewis, the school board attorney, veteran actor William Schallert as Principal Horn, a clueless principal who does not know much about the school and some other things.I am so happy Teachers in out on DVD now, there is a God!,,lol.