Some punk bands were ambivalent about mainstream success, but in the late 1970s The Ramones aggressively attempted to cross over, first by releasing an album produced by Phil Spector and next by starring in Rock ‘n’ Roll High School, directed by B-movie maestro Roger Corman. End of the Century ended, predictably, with no hits and Spector allegedly threatening them at gunpoint. The movie turned out quite a bit better. Its loose plot revolved around unlikely fan, bouncy punk cheerleader Riff Randall trying to get The Ramones to hear her song, the title track. The Ramones appeared throughout the film (including a scene where Joey serenaded Riff in her bedroom with “I Want You Around”), but it was not until the film’s climax concert and destruction of the school that the band sparked anything beyond predictable teen comedy hijinks. While The Ramones were hardly known for their acting ability (Dee Dee needed over thirty takes for his two lines of dialogue), the songs were all killer, no filler.

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Rock ‘n’ Roll High School Trailer
Rock ‘n’ Roll High School on IMDB
Classic Corman Examined
Interview with co-star PJ Soles aka “Riff Randall”