- Leavers at expensive London school produced hour-long epic film
- It features shoot-out scene, pupils 'cooking crystal meth' and twerking
- Headmaster defends school against claims the video is inappropriate
- He says: 'A leavers' film without controversy would be like fish and chips without the salt and vinegar'
Students at a top private school have produced a Tarantino-style leavers' video - which even features Simon Cowell.
The hour-long film produced by students at Highgate School, north London includes a member of staff walking through the playground firing at pupils with a plastic machine gun.
He wields the weapon as youngsters are seen running in horror - before another tutor pretends to be shot and drops down dead.
He wields the weapon as youngsters are seen running in horror - before another tutor pretends to be shot and drops down dead.
The Hollywood-style film the ends with a critique from Simon Cowell, who jokes the pupils should 'stick to their day jobs'.
The film gives an insight into the cultural reference points of today's school leavers, with students featured cooking crystal meth in a nod to hit series Breaking Bad and twerking like controversial pop star Miley Cyrus.
The video, which was posted on YouTube three weeks ago, also features Cowell, who gives an X Factor-style analysis of the pupils' performance.
At the end of the video, Cowell says: 'Unbelievable, I expected better from Highgate. That video was complete and utter rubbish. Kidding.
'I like it. I loved it. Good luck to all the Highgate 2014 leavers. And don't quit your day job.'
Adam Pettitt, headmaster of £18,000-a-year Highgate, says the at-times violent film was made in a spirit of fun.
He said: 'A leavers' film without controversy would be like fish and chips without the salt and vinegar, and the annual question is whether this joke or that joke is, in fact, in bad taste.'
He denied claims that it referenced school massacres, added: 'I know that my leavers in 2014 would be genuinely upset if survivors of the tragic gun massacres in the US were affected by, or took offence at, this tongue-in-cheek scene.
'[It is] modelled on an action film shoot-out where leavers, dressed as Men in Black, carry an injured and long-serving schoolmaster to the steps of the newly restored chapel where he mimes his last minutes.
'In vying with their peers in other schools for a fraction of a moment of notoriety, or in framing an affectionate portrait of their school, all leavers run a risk.
'On this occasion, I believe that the context makes it clear that this is not only tongue-in-cheek, and very British, but a reference to cinematic gun crime.
'The 2014 leavers have not, consciously or otherwise, overlooked the seminal importance to society - and young people - of getting to grips with violence of any kind, especially that violence which has led to the tragic loss of life in schools.'
A spokesman for the school added: 'Highgate's Leavers would like to apologise to Simon Cowell.
'He was asked as a personal favour by a parent of one of the leavers for a video message for this and he kindly sent this in good faith. Simon hadn't seen the film as it was unfinished at the time.'
