SCHOOL OF ROCK scores big laughs even without these three scenes that star Jack Black and director Richard Linklater report didn't make the final cut. -- Steve Daly
THE BIRTHDAY PARTY introduced a brother, sister-in-law, and nephew for Black's character, Dewey. He serenades the kid Hendrix-style on a double-neck guitar -- amusing, but, says Linklater, ''it was in the way of him getting to the classroom.''
THE MAKE-OUT SCENE showed Principal Mullins (Joan Cusack) ''jumping my bones [in the van] and pushing the horn with her ass,'' says Black. Problem? Audiences got confused when there was ''zero payoff'' later on -- so no nooky.
THE COUNSELOR SCENE, cut for pacing, featured Amy Sedaris as Mrs. Haynish, who believes Dewey has abused his students. ''She has a creepy anatomical doll,'' says Linklater. ''Like, 'Where did he touch you?' We got pretty crazy with it.''
