arnold@csu-cs.UUCP (05/09/84)
I think it is high time for a new topic for this group. I've come up
with just such a topic: Teen Movies. Why don't we start with our favorites and
why or our most hated and why. I can't wait for some of the responses from
this article, I can hear the film-snobs now. Please, if you think you're
above the conversation, stop reading and move to something else.
As for my favorite, I have two. First is "Valley Girl," the second is
"The Last American Virgin." My reasons are simple, both films have good
character development and good acting. It is rare to find yourself caring
about actors in teen films since there is so little character development,
and what development there is will quickly be extinguished by bad acting.
These two films are exceptions to the empty-headed-plot. Valley Girl is an
excellent look at various social groups, peer pressure and fad, all three
of which are integral parts of the teenage world. I liked the romance that
developed and the problems associated with it. What mainly appealed to me
was the idea that a relationship can transcend social bounds (a valuable lesson
for teenagers). The Last American Virgin is a teenage tragedy. It centers
around something that seems to be on a teenagers mind (and older people :-)
quite a bit, sex. But it isn't the mindless romp that we find in other
trashy films (see below), but a comic examination with serious overtones.
The hero likes his best friend's girlfriend. The audience knows that Gary
(the hero) likes Karen much more than his friend, but as usual, Karen
doesn't see this. The films carries serious overtones with the abortion that
Gary finances for Karen (although he wasn't responsible for the pregnancy).
We get a vivid look at how society treats abortion and sex. And just when
it looks like Gary and Karen will get together, Karen goes back to Gary's
friend. The movie ends in a vivid scene with Gary seeing Karen and his
friend making out, they see him and look at him with sadness, Gary gets in
his car and drives away (sad music in background). Good film.
As for the worst, it is much more difficult to say. There are so many
bad teenage films that it would be tough to pick a winner. A few bad ones
that come to mind include; Where the Boys are 84, Spring Break, every mad
slasher film ever made (except for Psycho), the list goes on and on. In my
opinion the worst would have to be Porkeys. This film is plain ****. We
don't give a damn about any of the characters from PeeWee to Meat
(descriptive names, having to do with their brains :-). I'm embarrassed to
say I saw this film. There is no character development. The plot consists
of a bunch of guys out to get their jollies off. They peek in the womens
showers, they go to Porkeys, one of them passes out in a bowl of something,
etc.... It is one brainless scene after another. I always measure a film by
whether or not I cared about the characters and the story. In this case I
hated the characters and thought the story the worst. I know there are lots
of bad ones that I missed, thank god!
I can't wait for the replies on this one. I see it grouping into two
distinct types, the snobs who hate all teenage films, and the people who are
honest to say they saw something as bad as Porkeys. Honorable mention for a
pretty good teenage film goes to "Fast Times at Ridgemont High."
"No way man, that place has been off limits ever since
Big Earl smoked Angeldust and ate my Mom's parakeet"
Ed Arnold {hplabs,hpfcla,unmvax,hao,denelcor} (csu-cs!arnold)
Colorado State University Ft. Collins, Coloradochuqui@nsc.UUCP (05/10/84)
I have heard lots of nice things about the new movie 'Sixteen Candles', and
I personally loved 'Fast Times at Ridgemont High' (~Oh, Wow! I'm so loaded!
Listen to this! (*whap whap whap*) I can't feel a thing!~) as good clean
fun. I haven't seen valley girl yet, but I'd like to.
On the other end of the spectrum is Hot Dog (the movie), which couldn't
decide whether it wanted to be a sex movie with skiing or a skiing movie
with sex and did neither well, and the new Hardbodies, which has gotten
bad reviews and seems to have decided to forget the skiing. I expect I'll
only have to see it three or four times before I can review it properly
for this group :->.
--
>From the closet of anxieties of: Chuq Von Rospach
{amd70,fortune,hplabs,ihnp4}!nsc!chuqui (408) 733-2600 x242
Half asleep I hear a voice; is it only in my mind?
Or is it someone calling me, someone I failed and left behind?an@hou2h.UUCP (A.NGUYEN) (05/11/84)
-- Ed, you remind me of the guy who ate at McDooger's and wanted to complain to the chef. That stuff is good for laughs, no more no less. Au "Things must be slow in Colorado"
games@pyuxqq.UUCP (games) (05/17/84)
>> ....In my >> opinion the worst would have to be Porkeys. This film is plain ****. We >> don't give a damn about any of the characters from PeeWee to Meat >> (descriptive names, having to do with their brains :-). I'm embarrassed to >> say I saw this film. There is no character development. >> >> Ed Arnold {hplabs,hpfcla,unmvax,hao,denelcor} (csu-cs!arnold) >> Colorado State University Ft. Collins, Colorado I'm glad you qualified the above by saying, "In my opinion....". I would have nominated Porkeys for an Academy Award for the funniest film of 1983. When I saw it, the audience was laughing so loud at times that I couldn't hear the screen dialog. "no character development"? GREAT! If you want character development, stay home and watch the soaps on TV. I want pure escapist entertainment, not serious character studies, when I go to the movies. I classify Porkeys, along with Animal House, as two of the funniest films (in my opinion) in the last decade.
upstill@ucbvax.UUCP (Steve Upstill) (05/18/84)
From: games@pyuxqq.UUCP (games):
I would have nominated Porkeys for an Academy Award for the funniest
film of 1983. "no character development"? GREAT!
I want pure escapist entertainment, not serious character studies,
when I go to the movies.
I know just what you mean: why bother thinking, when movies (and life) are
such a cavalcade of pretty pictures and funny jokes? Brains are for
making a living, not for pleasure. I work to live, not the other way
around, and to me, living means the most stimulation with the least
mental effort.
My first wife just did not understand this. She expected me to come
home after a long day's work and put a lot of effort into dealing with
her feelings and her problems. Sex alone wasn't good enough for her.
Who needs it? My second wife is much more reasonable. She loved Porky's.
Steve Upstillcrigney@uok.UUCP (05/25/84)
#R:csu-cs:-255100:uok:5100016:000:349 uok!crigney May 24 19:57:00 1984 For excellent teen films, I would nominate _Sixteen Candles_, _Risky Business_, and mention _Fast Times at Ridgemont High_. Some Inner demon wants me to mention _Rock and Roll High School_, but I won't. I wouldn't call _Psycho_ a mad slasher flick at all. There's one killing, and a plot. Carl ..!ctvax!uokvax!uok!crigney ..!duke!uok!crigney
jackh@zehntel.UUCP (jack hagerty) (05/30/84)
>I wouldn't call _Psycho_ a mad slasher flick at all. There's one >killing, and a plot. Actually, there were two killings. Martin Balsam got pushed down the main staircase (backwards) then was stabbed. -- Jack Hagerty !ihnp4!zehntel!jackh
dim@charm.UUCP (Gina M. Dimino) (05/31/84)
How about Valley Girl??