Teaching Mrs. Tingle

Description From the king of teen angst and horror Williamson comes this story of straight-A student Leigh Ann (Holmes) whose hopes for a scholarship are in jeopardy thanks to the tyrannical Mrs. Tingle (Mirren). When Leigh Ann and her friends confront Mrs. Tingle about their grades, a series of mishaps lead to a wicked game of cat and mouse. Product Description

"You gave me a 'B'?!!!!"

I really like the original title "Killing Mrs. Tingle" that would have put a little more pathos in the movie. It is quite an IRONY. This movie looks like a training ground for "9 to 5" (1980).

Helen Mirren is the perfect Mrs. Tingle; she has that look that can see through your sole and divulge your deepest fears. That same year she played Ayn Rand in Passion of Ayn Rand, The (1999). However most people remember her as Supt. Jane Tennison in "Prime Suspect."

Michael McKean made a perfect principal and you can tell he was sweating on his early encounter with Mrs. Tingle. Remember him in "Laverne & Shirley" (1976) TV Series as Lenny Kosnowski (1976-1982)?

Then there is the quick appearance of Molly Ringwald as Miss Banks. She brings back memories of "Sixteen Candles" (1984), when she was the teenager.

If this movie looks predictable or the people's thoughts are transparent, that is the design. Now the viewer can say don't do that or oh no will they really do that? And you can see eyes narrow as the mind is plotting!

The only real disappointment was the rather arrownious ending. It may work if this was a plot for a TV series.

Student Bodies (1981) June 13, 2008

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