Written as part of the weekly blogathon hosted by Wandering Through the Shelves. Join in the shenanigans by picking three movies that fit the week's theme and writing a bit about them!
I'll admit, I was the farthest thing from a juvenile delinquent when I was a kid. I was such a rule-follower that I would often call out anyone who wasn't following the rules... until I realized that there was a social "rule" that kids just didn't do that to other kids unless you wanted your ass beat. I have always, however, enjoyed watching movies (and TV shows) about kids acting badly. Call it living vicariously through them, I guess. Here are some of my favorites.
Rebel Without a Cause (Nicholas Ray, 1955) The ultimate in teen angst, although it's easy to see a version of this that goes completely differently, because Jim Stark doesn't WANT to be a juvenile delinquent. But everyone around him sees him as one, so he becomes one. And that's not even the real tragedy of this, because poor Plato gets dragged down along with him. James Dean, Sal Mineo, and Natalie Wood couldn't possibly be better in this (there's a reason this remains Dean's most iconic performance), and Ray's near-operatic register for the thing perfectly captures the feeling of being a teenager, at the point in your life when no one seems to care about you, or even remember what it was like when they lived through it.
Grease (Randal Kleiser, 1978) Yes, I know it's silly as all get-out, but Grease IS the word, even after all these years, and you simply will not find more charming juvenile delinquents than the T-Birds and the Pink Ladies. Yes, the ending is... not a great message for young girls, but the whole thing reads as such a fantasy that I don't think anyone watching could take it seriously. John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John are unimprovable as star-crossed lovebirds Danny and Sandy, but the true stars are Didi Conn as beauty school drop-out Frenchie and the one and only Stockard Channing as ultimate "bad girl" Rizzo.
Bully (Larry Clark, 2001) And now, a much darker vision of juvenile delinquency. Based on the true story of the murder of Bobby Kent, Bully is unflinching in its depiction of teens doing terrible things, from drugs to sexual assault to emotional abuse to murder. Bobby is terribly abusive to his best friend Marty and girlfriend Ali. And not to mention Marty's girlfriend Lisa, who Bobby raped one time after beating Marty unconscious. So the three abuse victims decide to take matters into their own hands (and the hands of a few others, too) and kill him. As with all of Larry Clark's films, Bully walks the thin line between realism and exploitation, but for me this was a very powerful viewing, with tremendous performances, especially from Nick Stahl and Brad Renfro.
We match with Rebel which is an excellent teen film although I always felt bad for Jim Backus. Grease is another excellent choice even though she ends up turning into a slut just to be with that loser. I have not seen this last film and not sure I want to. I just remembered that West Side Story is perfect for this week!
HA West Side Story would indeed be a great pick for this week! If only more gangs would just dance out their problems lol. I KID - I ADORE West Side Story!
I hated Rebel, but I love Bully. I wish I had thought of that myself. I take issue with the way Larry shot a few of those scenes but overall I thought the performances were amazing.
Grease must have gotten re-released when I was in the 5th grade because that was all the rage for me and my friends back then. lol
Rebel was the first thing that popped into my head just because of its infamy but I didn't use it for two reasons. Firstly I'm pretty sure I've used it before and also I'm just not that crazy about it. Everybody is very good, though in my opinion except for Sal Mineo they've all been better elsewhere, and Ray directs well-again not his best work if you ask me-but it's over praised.
Grease! Yes they are the cleanest cut juvies imaginable but it is a joyful viewing experience. Stockard Channing rules!!
I've never been able to get myself to watch Bully, it just seems to grindingly sad.
With Rebel in mind I reached back to the juvenile delinquent movies of yore which can be eye-rollingly hilarious now, which in part or whole my first three are. But also to your point of Jim not wanting to be delinquent despite being perceived that way I included my last which looks at that aspect as well.
Youth Runs Wild (1944)-While Mom and Dad are busy at the production plants making the tools to win WWII the kids are home and being neglected and the first thing you know “Youth Runs Wild!!!!” Horror meister Val Lewton (Cat People, I Walked with a Zombie) produced, though disavowed this studio reworked version, this mild teen rebellion film where the biggest sins are tire swiping and other minor infractions until a rather violent conclusion. Still somewhat surprising to see this type of film in the 40’s where young people were almost always presented as sweet, compliant angels.
High School Hellcats (1958)-Joyce (Yvonne Lime) is the new girl in school and on her first day she is confronted by Connie (Jana Lund) the leader of the Hellcat gang. Connie tells her she can join the gang or be ostracized and we’re off on a round of shoplifting, kissing parties and murder! Starts off as a mild little cautionary tale but considering there’s a body count it goes on a wilder ride than expected. The kind of film to be found at the local drive-in in the 50’s.
Look in Any Window (1961)-Teen idol Paul Anka plays “The Masked Prowler” a teen Peeping Tom who scales the fences of town residents wearing a frightening mask while his parents and their neighbors drink and carouse amongst themselves ignoring their children. Sensationalist with mostly over the top performances (though Ruth Roman is good as Anka’s mother) but Anka’s compulsion to voyeurism feels disturbingly prescient of an incipient serial killer or rapist.
The Young Stranger (1957)-Rebellious well to do teenager Hal (James MacArthur), a decent boy at heart, is arrested for punching a theatre manager at a movie theater which he truthfully claims was self-defense. The problems begin when Hal’s father (James Daly), an inattentive parent at best, doesn’t believe him leading to an even further estrangement and Hal acting out. Tom’s mother (Kim Hunter) tries to forge some sort of understanding between them before their hostility leads to worse issues. John Frankenheimer’s (The Manchurian Candidate) first theatrical film is an even handed account of the isolation and antipathy that often leads to juvenile delinquency.
Rebel Without a Cause is one of those movies I laugh at even though it wasn't meant to be a comedy. The "You're tearing me apart!" scene always reminds me of George Costanza from Seinfeld doing an impersonation of his mother. "George! You could fill Madison Square Garden!" That, and Bette Davis' meltdown in Now, Voyager.
LOL this is SO TRUE. The operatic quality of Rebel is frankly INSANE and out of context makes me laugh a LOT. But in the context of the film, it feels like a stylized expression of teen angst. It's a bold choice, and doesn't always work, but works enough for me.
We match with Rebel which is an excellent teen film although I always felt bad for Jim Backus. Grease is another excellent choice even though she ends up turning into a slut just to be with that loser. I have not seen this last film and not sure I want to. I just remembered that West Side Story is perfect for this week!
ReplyDeleteHA West Side Story would indeed be a great pick for this week! If only more gangs would just dance out their problems lol. I KID - I ADORE West Side Story!
DeleteI hated Rebel, but I love Bully. I wish I had thought of that myself. I take issue with the way Larry shot a few of those scenes but overall I thought the performances were amazing.
ReplyDeleteGrease must have gotten re-released when I was in the 5th grade because that was all the rage for me and my friends back then. lol
Yeah, Grease was re-released sometime around when I was in middle school; I remember the "Megamix" being a big radio hit lol!
DeleteI'll be watching Rebel really soon. Hopefully, I'll fit Bully in somewhere. And yes, Grease IS the word. I love that movie.
ReplyDeleteYou... HAVEN'T seen Rebel Without A Cause yet?!? WOW. Fix that, Dell!!
DeleteRebel was the first thing that popped into my head just because of its infamy but I didn't use it for two reasons. Firstly I'm pretty sure I've used it before and also I'm just not that crazy about it. Everybody is very good, though in my opinion except for Sal Mineo they've all been better elsewhere, and Ray directs well-again not his best work if you ask me-but it's over praised.
ReplyDeleteGrease! Yes they are the cleanest cut juvies imaginable but it is a joyful viewing experience. Stockard Channing rules!!
I've never been able to get myself to watch Bully, it just seems to grindingly sad.
With Rebel in mind I reached back to the juvenile delinquent movies of yore which can be eye-rollingly hilarious now, which in part or whole my first three are. But also to your point of Jim not wanting to be delinquent despite being perceived that way I included my last which looks at that aspect as well.
Youth Runs Wild (1944)-While Mom and Dad are busy at the production plants making the tools to win WWII the kids are home and being neglected and the first thing you know “Youth Runs Wild!!!!” Horror meister Val Lewton (Cat People, I Walked with a Zombie) produced, though disavowed this studio reworked version, this mild teen rebellion film where the biggest sins are tire swiping and other minor infractions until a rather violent conclusion. Still somewhat surprising to see this type of film in the 40’s where young people were almost always presented as sweet, compliant angels.
High School Hellcats (1958)-Joyce (Yvonne Lime) is the new girl in school and on her first day she is confronted by Connie (Jana Lund) the leader of the Hellcat gang. Connie tells her she can join the gang or be ostracized and we’re off on a round of shoplifting, kissing parties and murder! Starts off as a mild little cautionary tale but considering there’s a body count it goes on a wilder ride than expected. The kind of film to be found at the local drive-in in the 50’s.
Look in Any Window (1961)-Teen idol Paul Anka plays “The Masked Prowler” a teen Peeping Tom who scales the fences of town residents wearing a frightening mask while his parents and their neighbors drink and carouse amongst themselves ignoring their children. Sensationalist with mostly over the top performances (though Ruth Roman is good as Anka’s mother) but Anka’s compulsion to voyeurism feels disturbingly prescient of an incipient serial killer or rapist.
The Young Stranger (1957)-Rebellious well to do teenager Hal (James MacArthur), a decent boy at heart, is arrested for punching a theatre manager at a movie theater which he truthfully claims was self-defense. The problems begin when Hal’s father (James Daly), an inattentive parent at best, doesn’t believe him leading to an even further estrangement and Hal acting out. Tom’s mother (Kim Hunter) tries to forge some sort of understanding between them before their hostility leads to worse issues. John Frankenheimer’s (The Manchurian Candidate) first theatrical film is an even handed account of the isolation and antipathy that often leads to juvenile delinquency.
I've not seen ANY of the films your picks. I toyed with picking Blackboard Jungle instead of Rebel but decided against it.
DeleteI agree that Rebel is the best work of almost no one involved, but I do enjoy it.
Bully isn't sad so much as infuriating. This kid was an ASSHOLE.
Rebel Without a Cause is one of those movies I laugh at even though it wasn't meant to be a comedy. The "You're tearing me apart!" scene always reminds me of George Costanza from Seinfeld doing an impersonation of his mother. "George! You could fill Madison Square Garden!" That, and Bette Davis' meltdown in Now, Voyager.
ReplyDeleteLOL this is SO TRUE. The operatic quality of Rebel is frankly INSANE and out of context makes me laugh a LOT. But in the context of the film, it feels like a stylized expression of teen angst. It's a bold choice, and doesn't always work, but works enough for me.
DeleteI feel intense shame now as I never seen Grease... :P
ReplyDeleteWow...how did I not even think of Rebel Without a Cause and Grease!
ReplyDelete