There are obviously many Ferris fans out there! ... But what is it that made that film special for you?: Was it the "family" aspect, the cheekiness & smartness of Ferris, the locations, the great acting ... or ?
It intrigues me that this film has such wide appeal. Everyone seems to like it, despite the fact that it was made ages ago .. Just what is it about Ferris?
Maybe, I have a bad taste, but I liked "American Pie"...
Let's not worry about "taste", steissd! It's about what you enjoyed & why ...
I have searched high & low for a good link on Fast times at Ridgemont High (which has been mentioned a few times here (& which I haven't seen), but to no avail ... Very short & general comments. If anyone knows of a good link please pass it on. I'd like to know more. Thanks.
LarryBS
You mentioned some films I really liked, including
The Ice Storm:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=//chronicle/archive/1997/10/17/DD31277.DTL
Also
The Last Picture Show[/color
What I like about them was the sensitive way that they dealt with the pressures of growing up .. about not quite being adult, but certainly no longer children. The adults/parents don't come out of either film too well do they? It seemed that the young people in both films were very much on their own. Lonely & lost, often ..
[color=#ff0012]The Summer of 42 was a delight!
Tonight I saw (for the 3rd time!) a terrific little Australian film called
Looking For Alibrandi. It's about an Italian/Australian girl in her final year of high school & the many challenges she faces at this time. Both funny & moving, this film covers so many issues: cultural & personal identity, family, suicide & death, emerging sexuality, depression ... with a few surprising revelations & twists & turns ..
If you get the chance, see it. Very good!
http://www.webwombat.com/entertainment/dvds/alibrand.htm
Thanks for those Fast times .. links, Larry. I've obviously missed out on a cult movie here!
how about:
Some Kind of Wonderful
Election
Though I'm not sure if it was about teens or pre-teens,"Lord of the Flies" was certainly thought provoking (not the remake). Also on my list is "Rebel Without a Cause", and the previously mentioned "West Side Story", "Breakfast Club", "Stand by Me", and "Welcome to the Doll House".
"Fast Times at Ridgemont High" is definitely the definitive teen film as far as I'm concerned but "Ferris Bueller" is a hilarious look on playing hookie, mainly because of Mathew Broderick's wonderful performance (one of my Mom's favorites). Jeffrey Jones as the principal is one of the best comedic performances I can think of.
"Grease" certainly is not given credit for portraying the different personalities one dealt with in high school, particularly in its own time frame. I can remember knowing people who are mirrors of those characters.
"Pretty in Pink" I enjoyed more than "The Breakfast Club."
I'm trying to remember if the character in "The 400 Blows" was in his teens.
Msolga, I enjoyed the movie, since I found it very funny. I do not laugh often, but the "American Pie" made me laugh.
Sixteen Candles hast been said yet....
http://us.imdb.com/Title?0088128
gotta agree with Pretty in Pink, Breakfast Club, Fast Times, Ferris Bueller, and Somekind of Wonderful as well.
How about the Outsiders and Rumble Fish
If we list "Rumble Fish" and "The Outsiders", we have to include the third filmed S.E. Hinton novel "Tex".
ut..forgot about Tex, thanks fly
williamhenry3- Funny. Although Animal House is one of my all time favorite movies, I never thought of it as a "teen" film.
Msolga: Other than the ones already mentioned, I can only think of Lucas (1986), the story of a precocious 14-year old who develops a crush on the new girl in town, (I thought Corey Haim was great in it and a young Charlie Sheen was also good as the high school football hero, - it dealt with the teens' individual personalities without painting their characters in black and white - humor and pathos; and To Sir With Love, which you've probably seen. Oh, and in 1955 there was The Blackboard Jungle, with Glenn Ford facing many harrowing experiences in a N.Y.C school, but there was no comedy in that one. Rebel Without A Cause was the biggie in my day.
msolga - I usually relate to the characters in these movies because I felt some connection to them, especially the lost and lonely you spoke of above.
There are a few non-american films in this category that I like, including two of the greatest coming-of-age movies, Fanny and Alexander and Pather Panchali. Also liked The Little Thief, My Life as a Dog, Grave of the Fireflies, and Toto the Hero. And we already mentioned three great ones in "Australian Movies" msolga, The Year My Voice Broke, Walkabout, and Hope and Glory (U.K.). I love these because they show kids who are outcasts, or kids facing adversity, and not always "succeeding" against the odds.
