Hogwarts named top on-screen school of all time
Hogwarts’ (Harry Potter) spell-binding curriculum, including Care of Magical Creatures, Quidditch and Defence Against the Dark Arts, has earned it the number one spot in the Top On-Screen Schools of all time.
To mark the start of the new school year, LOVEFiLM – Europe’s largest subscription service streaming movies and TV episodes over the Internet and sending DVDs by post – asked over 1,500 film fans to choose their favourite educational institutions from the big and small screen.
With a magical 45 per cent of the votes, it seems film fans would love to run through that brick wall, catch a train from platform 9¾ and start a new term at the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Second in the list is Rydell High (Grease), which is not only home to the bad boy T-Birds and the glamorous Pink Ladies – students that are way too cool for school – but arguably one of the most memorable sound tracks in film history (14 per cent).
If only parents had read the brochure before sending their children to Sunnydale High (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) they would have realised it was located on a ‘Hellmouth’; a portal between this reality and the next which means it is never a dull day at Sunnydale. It is lucky Buffy turned up when she did to protect everyone from some thirsty vampires (11 per cent).
With so many different cliques at school it is not hard to believe five kids can meet for the first time during Saturday detention, but it is not the usual place for secret revelations and deep self discovery – unless you go to Shermer High (The Breakfast Club) in third place with eight per cent of the votes.
Charming schemer Zack, athletic wrestler A.C Slater and high-pitched funny-man Screech made every teenage girl in the 90’s want to attend Bayside High (Saved by the Bell) winning it six per cent of the votes.
Having a teacher – and not just any teacher, but Jack Black – whose number one aim is to turn his young class into a legendary rock band is every student’s dream making Horace Green (School of Rock) the coolest school at number five (five per cent).
They say ‘your school years are the best’ but at Padua Stadium High (10 Things I Hate About You) they just seem to consist of rebellion, bad-tempered adolescents and a lot of teenage angst – but the moral of the story is it all comes good in the end (four per cent).
High School Glee Clubs have a new found respect thanks to the students at Glee’s William McKinkley High (three per cent). Students worldwide can now embrace their inner ‘gleek’ without the fear of having their head flushed down the toilet.
At number nine is Westerberg High (Heathers); ruled by a group of malicious, trend-setting girls through intimidation and sex appeal the girls provoke their fellow students into unbelievable behaviour – where on earth were the teachers while all this was going on?
A lot of children dream of being famous and that dream was no different for four students at New York City High School for the Performing Arts (Fame) who have to juggle the pressures of making it big along with everyday teenage woes (one per cent).
Top ten on-screen schools:
1. Hogwarts, Harry Potter Series (45 per cent)
2. Rydell High, Grease (14 per cent)
3. Sunnydale High, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (11 per cent)
4. Shermer High, The Breakfast Club (eight per cent)
5. Bayside High, Saved by the Bell (six per cent)
6. Horace Green, School of Rock (five per cent)
7. Padua Stadium High, 10 Things I Hate About You (four per cent)
8. William McKinkley High, Glee (three per cent)
9. Westerberg High, Heathers (two per cent)
10. New York City High School for the Performing Arts, Fame (one per cent)
Other – one per cent
Helen Cowley, Editor of LOVEFiLM, commented:
“Everyone has memories from school days; from romantic turmoil through to red-faced embarrassment and film-lovers enjoy nothing more than sitting on the comfort of their own sofas watching other people’s teenage dilemmas.
“It is great to see some nostalgia creeping into the list with schools from the 80’s and 90’s, including Bayside High and Shermer High, making the top ten. Whether you are in the middle of those school years or reliving times gone by the LOVEFiLM catalogue has over 70,000 titles available to make sure you do not miss a lesson.”
FILMCLUB member, 14-year-old Josh Etheridge from Nottingham says:
“Why would I want to attend Hogwarts and what makes it so much better than my school? First of all….Magic. Sadly at the school that I currently attend they don’t teach magic. I don’t know whether this is just mine or if it is common not to teach it but my school doesn’t.”
