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From: arnold@csu-cs.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.movies
Subject: Teen Movies (good and bad)
Message-ID: <2551@csu-cs.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 9-May-84 05:55:19 EDT
Article-I.D.: csu-cs.2551
Posted: Wed May  9 05:55:19 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 12-May-84 12:22:39 EDT
Organization: Colo. St Univ, C.S. Dpt.
Lines: 57


    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,  Colorado