80's Teen Movies :: the classic, the obscure & everything in between: 4/5

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The Midnight Hour [1985]

"They thought vampires were a joke!"

It's the final day of school before the big October 31st bash at the old Cavender house. Resident brain Phil Grenville (Lee Montgomery) - who is patently good-looking even while donning the geeky specs - is preparing his class report on, rather appropriately, Halloween. The ghoulish holiday of All Hallow's Eve holds more significance to the townsfolk of Pitchford - or Pitchfork - Cove than your usual sleepy American town, Phil explains. Three hundred years ago to the day, one of the most powerful witches who ever lived - Lucinda Cavender - brought a terrible curse upon the town, releasing "all of the legendary demons of hell" and bringing "the dead with unfinished business back from the grave". And it was Phil's very own great-great-great-great grandfather, known as the Witch Hunter General, who put a stop to the madness, hanging the witch in the town square just hours later. But it isn't only Phil with intriguing ancestors. Classmate Melissa (Shari Belfonte) happens to be the great-granddaughter of Lucinda herself. If that doesn't sound like trouble enough then just you wait..

When Melissa, Phil and their friends Mitch (Peter DeLuise), Mary (Dedee Pfieffer) and Vinnie (LeVar Burton) learn that the town's Witchcraft Museum houses the authentic period outfits that once belonged to Lucinda and the Witch Hunter, they set about making them theirs for the costume party. Grabbing handfuls of artifacts from the museum's dusty old basement, the teenagers head over to the local cemetery, where they try on their newly-stolen costumes and rummage through the old trunk they found. Inside, they discover an ancient scroll, and without thinking twice read aloud the three hundred-year old curse. "Life to the dead, Death to the living. Demons arise". As the wind howls through the graveyard, the kids make a run for it, oblivious to the trail of destruction they've left behind. The ground writhes, the tombstones shake.. and within minutes the dead have exploded (and I mean exploded) from their graves.

As the annual Cavender house party begins to liven up, zombies, werewolves, and witch-turned-vampire Lucinda undertake in turning the town upside down, transforming the residents of Pitchford Cove into an army of the undead. But as the rotting corpses arrive at the party, nobody bats an eyelid - except for those who compliment the zombies on their impressive costumes! Meanwhile Phil is busy feeling rejected by Mary, who doesn't seem to even know he's alive. It is when Lucinda arrives that events really take a turn for the worst, as Melissa falls foul of her great-grandmother's sinister intentions and has the blood drained from her neck down in the wine cellar in a very creepy slow-mo scene set to The Smith's How Soon Is Now. The downfall begins here for the party guests..

Elsewhere, Phil has left the Cavender house and it seems that he isn't the only one feeling down when he notices a sullen-faced cheerleader (who he had briefly met earlier that evening) named Sandy sitting alone in the town square. When he stops to ask what's wrong, the somewhat mysterious but pretty girl replies; "everything". She explains that nothing in the town is as it used to be and Phil - who seems even more confused than the troubled girl - tries his hand at comforting her. They go for a drive and Sandy suggests they stop by the malt shop for a chocolate ice-cream soda, again baffling poor Phil, who follows Sandy's directions which lead them not to a malt shop, but a movie theatre. "Who would've believed it", the cheerleader says. "Five movie theatres crammed into what used to be the malt shop". Further puzzled, Phil wonders when on earth the girl could have possibly lived in Pitchford Cove - for all he remembers there was never a malt shop in the town. They share a dance instead and Sandy proposes they drive to the supposedly "hoppin'" Lookout Point. The romantic interlude is interrupted when the car is attacked by a wolf.. a werewolf.

Being Halloween, the police are having none of it. Phil, whose suit was shredded in the attack, pleads with the cynical officers who discuss the night's reports of zombies; husbands transforming into bats; the museum break-in and the vandalism of the graveyard. "Werewolves, zombies, vampires and little green men add up to.. lets all have fun with the cops. I got your report. Happy Halloween". It is then up to Phil and Sandy to somehow reverse the ancient curse and send the roaming evil back to where they came from. But before the night is through Phil will finally discover what makes Sandy such a curious girl.

VERDICT: ★★★★

The Midnight Hour is one of the most enjoyable made-for-television movies of all time, not to mention one of the greatest films to watch during the Halloween season. It perfectly encapsulates everything that is brilliant about the time of year: fun, mystery and fright. It has a nice familiarity too - reminding you of when you were a kid and dreamed of having an awesome adventure with your friends - very similar to the feeling you get when watching The Goonies. The film rests on the very fine line of being suitable for both adults and children and this is a rare thing for Halloween-set movies. Nobody is sliced-and-diced and we aren't bombarded with boobs, and while there are mildly sexual situations and some genuinely frightening moments (which would decidedly scare the crap out of a younger child), the film expertly spans across the age groups. From the tongue-in-cheek and madly misplaced Thriller-like dance routine to the ghastly sight of unfortunate victims being pounded on the head with rocks(!), there is something to entertain everyone, and is anything but tame for a television movie. Not forgetting the romance between Phil and Sandy, doomed from the word go and enough to tug on even the least sentimental of heartstrings.

Phil is your classic antihero; the geek, the nerd, the nobody. It just seems typical for this poor lad - who has just fallen in love and saved the world in the process (WAY TO GO PHIL!) - to discover that this incredible girl is actually one of the undead. You can't help but feel sympathetic towards the guy as he watches Sandy and the rest of her kind disappear into thin air, leaving him with only a memory of the night's unbelievable events - a memory only he can argue ever happened.

The Midnight Hour is the crème de la crème of Halloween flicks and will make you love the season even more than you already do.

IMAGES/VIDEOS: [movie clip]

SOUNDTRACK:

01. Clap For The Wolfman - The Guess Who
02. The Midnight Hour - Wilson Pickett
03. Sea of Love - Phil Phillips
04. How Soon Is Now - The Smiths
05. Devil or Angel - Bobby Vee
06. Bad Moon Rising - Creedence Clearwater Revival
07. Little Red Riding Hood - Sam the Sham and The Pharaohs
08. Get Dead - Shari Belafonte
09. Mama Told Me Not To Come - Three Dog Night
10. Sea Of Love - Del Shannon

Book Of Love [1990]

"Guys need all the help they can get"

Reminiscing of his high school years, a recently divorced Jack Twiller pops out his high school yearbook and has a flick through to remind himself of the good times. It all starts sometime in 1956, in a quaint American suburb..

New in town and already sick of shifting boxes, Jack (Chris Young) is impressed when introduced to local kid Crutch (Keith Coogan), who offers a quick neighbourhood tour. Fearing having his ass kicked for being the new face, Jack warily tags along, while Crutch gives him a not-so-honest lowdown on his impressive social status in the neighbourhood. It's a shame that they have to bump into the notorious Angelo Gabooch and his leather-clad gang while on their travels, as Twiller now has to learn - the hard way - who runs the joint.

Following their humiliating clash with the greasy haired gang - a clash which left them stripped of both their underwear and their dignity - new friends Jack and Crutch swing by Spider's (Danny Nucci) place before heading off to school. And it is at school where the rich, blonde and beautiful Lily first becomes the object of Jack's affection. Stop right there a minute! Not only is she rich, blonde and beautiful, but she is the girlfriend of bullyboy Angelo. Meaning Jack doesn't stand a chance in hell. Or does he? Might the dance classes his mom booked have any bearing on the situation? If Jack keeps falling down stairs from failed tap dance attempts, i'm sure Lily will begin to notice him. That isn't to say she won't run the other way, of course.

With his mom sick of her son "moping around the neighbourhood", Jack and Crutch are shipped off to Ranger Camp where they are greeted by Gabooch's gang, who are having great fun torturing other puny and defenseless kids - the present victim being subjected to some pretty nasty candle-in-the-butt treatment. No way prepared for their helping of torture from the ruthless lot, Jack and Crutch return home without haste after just a few hours at camp. Evading the clutches of Gabooch and his boys is only the first step for Twiller, who receives a lecture from his unimpressed mother once arriving home only one day after leaving. "But that one day was so perfect, nothing else coulda held a candle to it", he says.

If anyone wants to learn how to perform the perfect drunken sing-along, take a leaf from the book of Jack and the boys. With Crutch on piano (somebody hire this kid for parties!) and Floyd, Spider and Twiller boozed up to their eyeballs, they slaughter Earth Angel so memorably that it very nearly tops that Back to the Future dance scene. With more alcohol in their systems than a bar during happy hour, they unsuccessfully scour the phonebook for a super sized take-out order of cheap and easy chicks, before raising their glasses to "the gang that will never die". At this point we cut to the present-day Jack Twiller, who is fondly gazing at his yearbook as the thirty year old black and white photograph of him during his teen days entices him to relive yet another chapter of the story.

Back in 1956, Spider is fixing up his convertible, while a terribly uncool Crutch and Jack are practising their bad boy sneers, hoping to attract girls. And at that point, whoever should roll by but the true neighbourhood bad boy Angelo, with the gorgeous Lily by his side. What better occasion for Jack to demonstrate his mechanical skills! Lily is sure to be impressed with this little act. Isn't she? Twiller can't afford to relive another embarrassment in the shadow of his head first dance routine down a flight of stairs, but with no knowledge of the workings of a convertible, this is another exploit which is destined to fail miserably. But with luck on his side, Jack is later informed of Lily and Angelo's unexpected break-up and finds the girl of his dreams sitting alone in the playground after school. Anyone else could see straight through the set-up, but poor Jack and his raging hormones fails to realize that sweet little Lily's intentions lie only in using him as a pawn in her game of revenge for the short tempered Angelo.

Twiller, determined to shake off his geeky image, throws his savings into what he believes to be a great investment: his very own set of wheels. Shame that the thing is located at the bottom of a lake! But it's gonna take more than a seventy buck car to impress the ladies, and after the guys go to the movies to see East of Eden, Twiller slicks his hair back and prepares for a complete personality transplant. James Dean he ain't!

Finally, the guys wind up at the Senior Prom, but not before wild house parties, raunchy encounters at the local fun fair, and further attempts at bagging the beautiful blonde. Thirty years later, how does it all end up?

VERDICT: ★★★★

Book of Love is a genius little movie, in the same vein as the 1985 flick Mischief, but with a slight Stand By Me twist. Co-chairman of New Line Cinema, Robert Shaye, makes a really fun screen adaptation out of the novel Jack in the Box by William Kotzwinkle, and mysteriously Book of Love is one of his only directorial efforts. How anyone could really dislike this one is absurd! And how anyone could dislike Chris Young's comical, lovable portrayal of Jack Twiller is also crazy. Come on, the guy had his very own Corey Haim style video diary released the same year as this flick, so his fan base must have been a substantially large one. And in this movie (and of course the wonderful Dance 'Til Dawn), it is glaringly obvious why - he is fantastic! The rest of the cast can't be forgotten either: the dorky but secretly badass piano player Keith Coogan; Danny Nucci, the mechanically inclined, testosterone-brimming kid who'll rent the hole in his bathroom wall to those wanting to cop an eyeful of his hot sister in a state of undress; John Cameron Mitchell, the so-called "good influence", but the one who will gladly raid his house of any spare alcohol if the opportunity arises. Ironically, the character most lacking in personality is Josie Bissett as Lily, who is lusted after by an infatuated Jack from start to (well, not quite) finish. However, we are left with a satisfying and cute ending, and one that is thankfully not too foreseeable.

Classic '50s tunes, combined with pee-your-pants teen fun, topped off with an all-round impressive cast makes Book of Love one that you shouldn't miss. And it's a shame, because most have missed it. A little crude, a lot funny, and way cool - you'd be foolish to let this one slip through your movie-lovin' fingers (like the rest of the god damn planet!).

IMAGES/VIDEOS: [trailer]

SOUNDTRACK:

Other than the remix of the title song, the soundtrack is full blown trip down memory lane with some real classics.

1. Book of Love - Ben E. King & Bo Diddley feat. Doug Lazy

2. The Great Pretender - The Platters
3. Fools Fall in Love - Elvis Presley
4. Little Darlin' - The Diamonds
5. School Days - Chuck Berry
6. What Can I Do - Smokie
7. Rip It Up - Little Richard
8. Sincerely - The Moonglows
9. Come Back My Love - The Wrens
10. Why Do Fools Fall in Love - Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers
11. Hearts of Stone - The Fontane Sisters
12. Let the Good Times Roll - Shirley & Lee

Permanent Record [1988]

"Everyone thought David had it all.. until the day David ended it all"

Yes, Keanu Reeves is in this movie. No, it doesn't suck.

Permanent Record is the story of David Sinclair (Alan Boyce), a popular high school kid who seemingly has just about everything going for him. Perfect grades, a sterling reputation with teachers and a fine relationship with his parents and little brother. His outstanding musical talent doesn't go unnoticed either, having just been handed a scholarship to a highly regarded music college. In an ideal world, David couldn't be happier..

Chris (Reeves) has a thing for music, too, and spends his spare time jamming in the band that he and best friend David created.

A popular haunt for the local kids are the sea-side clifftops - a convenient parking spot, where they can drink beer, hang out and do as they please. One night, during the celebration party (complete with chips, dips.. and vegetables) thrown together by Chris and David, those cliffs - the same cliffs where girlfriends and boyfriends go to play music and make out - are to be the scene of something way more sinister, unforeseeable and tragic than any of the teens could imagine. The heartbreak that is in their midst is only minutes away from shattering an entire community - most of all Chris - who is unfortunate enough to be at the fateful scene as it unfolds.

Suddenly David, the hardworking, straight-A student, is nowhere to be found. Not at the party. Not with a girl. Not with his guitar, or his band mates. But dead. That's right. Dead. And the last place anyone had seen him alive was on the edge of the Oregon cliffs. Chris, being that someone, tries to come to terms with what instant reaction tells him was a terrible, freak accident. While the news breaks to his parents and the rest of his school, their first thoughts are also telling them the same: it was an accident. It could have happened to anyone. Still, nobody can quite accept that this kid - a kid with such a promising future, had so unfairly lost his life.

While shockwaves are still circulating, Chris finds it difficult to concentrate. His mind is elsewhere - how can school work possibly matter when you've lost your best friend? As his drama class prepare for their performance of HMS Pinafore, the responsibility of writing the music for the production - a responsibility which had previously lie in David's hands - is re-assigned. On instruction from the school principal, the drama teacher, although reluctant, agrees to hand the job over to a still-traumatized Chris. Knowing that his strong point within his band was never songwriting, Chris questions his own ability, as well as the rationale behind the Principal's instructions. Little does he know that his inner songwriter will soon come to light and not only pave the way for an amazing school production, but also come to terms with the loss of his best friend.

In the days to come, Chris receives what appears to be an insignificant package in the mail. Inside, he finds sheet after sheet of unfinished music, accompanied by a note. "I wanted everything to be perfect. It wasn't", it reads. An enormous stone drops right there and then. Heaving as he races to the bathroom, with the horrible truth swirling in his head, Chris begins to scrutinize both the note and the reasoning behind David's suicide. Should he tell everyone? Or should he keep it to himself? How could he possibly break the news to David's parents?

Eventually, the genuine circumstances surrounding David's death are made apparent. Almost as if he had died all over again, nobody can quite believe or understand it. Principal Verdell, who had promised to hold a memorial service at the school, is told to re-think his plans of "promoting suicide". Angered that Verdell has gone back on his word, Chris is expelled for smashing a window in his office. To make the situation worse, his father takes away his only means of escape - his guitar. No guitar, no songwriting. No songwriting, no HMS Pinafore. Life seems to be on a downward spiral for Chris, but can he climb back up before it all ends in tears?

VERDICT: ★★★★

Amazing performances, a tearjerking plot, a fantastic soundtrack. Permanent Record wholeheartedly deserves the cult status that clings to it. Why it is so overlooked is one of the many mysteries of the film world. One thing Permanent Record can be commended for is the non-1988 quality about it. It isn't brimming with dodgy fashions and music and dancing, neither does it commit the typical teen movie crime of depicting parents and adults as idiots. It's a movie with a big heart and big brains. The only real downer is the manner in which it rockets from sincere and depressing almost all the way through, to damn cheesy in the last scenes. But who cares? This is no action-packed, slapstick craziness, but a slow-paced, heartfelt display of human emotion among genuine characters and an unvarnished storyline. After School Specials eat your heart out!

IMAGES/VIDEOS: [movie clip]

SOUNDTRACK:

Yet another out of print little gem!

1. Trash City - Joe Strummer
2. Baby The Trans - Joe Strummer
3. Nefertiti Rock - Joe Strummer
4. Nothin' Bout Nothin' - Joe Strummer
5. Theme From Permanent Record [Instrumental Score]
6. 'Cause I Said So - The Godfathers
7. Waiting On Love - Bodeans
8. Wishing On Another Lucky Star - J.D. Souther
9. All Day And All Of The Night - The Stranglers
10. Something Happened - Lou Reed

Back to School [1986]

"Registration starts Friday, June 13, at theatres everywhere"

Thornton Melon (Rodney Dangerfield) is a millionaire businessman owning a chain of 'Fat and Tall' clothes stores. His son, Jason (Keith Gordon), is a hardworking college kid who is quickly becoming disillusioned with the whole college environment. When Thornton arrives on campus to deliver a bit of good news to his son, it becomes apparent that Jason is much the opposite of the swim team party animal that he made himself out to be over the phone. When he breaks it to his father that he's seriously considering dropping out, Thornton sets out on a mission to prove that - in the words of his father before him - a man is nothing without an education.

A lot of persuasion and one big cheque later, Thornton has enrolled as the oldest freshman on campus!

First things first, registration, followed by a trip to the college gift shop declaring 'free Shakespeare for everyone'! Next in line, a bit of a spring clean and spruce up for his new room.. Now three rooms in one, complete with hot tub and bar! First class - business - is a breeze, and Thornton shows more enterprise know how than snooty professor Phillip Barbay, who of course is rubbed up the wrong way by his new student's audacity. History class sees Melon acquainted with the nutcase Professor Terguson, but it's English Literature that proves the most interesting of the bunch, when Thornton meets the woman of his dreams: Dr. Diane Turner. The bad news is, she's dating Dr. Barbay.

Homework time.. And while Jason is busy studying in the library and eyeing up the pretty Valerie (Tarry Farrell), his dad is off partying with a bunch of college kids - partying defined by getting up on stage and performing his very own rendition of Twist & Shout (one which even Ferris Bueller would have a hard time contending with!). When Jason arrives on the scene along with his eccentric buddy Derek (Robert Downey Jr, who is convinced that crypto-fascists coined the term American Football as a metaphor for nuclear war), a fight breaks out between them and the uber jocks, who include Valerie's swim team boyfriend Chas (William Zabka). Unsurprisingly, Thornton somehow manages to elevate the situation into a full blown, take no prisoners punch up!

When Thornton does warm up to the fact he needs to get some work done, his attention is turned to Diane, who offers to help him brush up his skills in the literature department. The study session quickly turns into a date, with the pair retreating off to a swank restaurant for the evening - yet another reason for professor Barbay to despise his new, overconfident student.

Needless to say, Thornton's dedication to his school work doesn't last long. Soon, NASA are on the scene getting stuck into Jason's astrology homework, and when it comes to Thornton writing an essay on writer Kurt Vonnegut Jr., what better way to get the work done than by hiring the man himself to document his own life!

Party season arrives, and with Thornton having become such a big hit with his classmates, he throws the biggest bash on campus - complete with none other than Oingo Boingo as the musical backdrop! Over at the frat house, Chas and Valerie arrive to what is usually the biggest party of the season, to news of a bigger, better gathering over at Melon's. Chas - Jason and Derek's sworn enemy - isn't too impressed when Valerie suggests joining the party, resulting in a punch up between Jason and him later that evening.

The party can't last for much longer, Jason arguing with his father over his carefree behaviour and again insisting on dropping out of college. Moreover, Thornton's wild side has resulted in a fall out between him and Diane. Just when things couldn't get much worse, Thornton is accused of academic fraud and told he must undergo a gruelling test process by each of his teachers in order to maintain his position at the college. Can he joke his way out of this situation?

VERDICT: ★★★★

Back to School - while not strictly a teen teen flick, is a brilliant twist in the college movie genre. For this reason, it stands out among others of its kind - which is where many teen movies fail, lost among countless uniformal and easily forgettable plots. Hand in hand with some hysterical gags and some fantastically well pulled off moments, Back to School hits the nail on the head almost every time.

One weakness is the underlying plot of which the entire movie is based on and naturally, you would think the entire film would follow in the same unconvincing footsteps. However, that isn't the case at all and although the writing may not be anywhere close to revolutionary, the whole thing is pulled off tremendously by the hilarious Rodney Dangerfield and Robert Downey Jr. in particular. Essential teen movie jerk William Zabka (of Karate Kid fame, as if you didn't know) makes for the perfect egotistic frat boy, another faultless addition to the whole caper. And last but not least, an appearance by the band that made the rounds in the majority of worthwhile teen movies of the '80s; Oingo Boingo. Add that all together, and it almost disguises the flimsy storyline and typically run-of-the-mill ending.

IMAGES/VIDEOS: [trailer]

SOUNDTRACK:

Danny Elfman's score is the most common soundtrack you'll find, but if you keep your eye open, you'll be able to hunt down the alternative soundtrack on LP, which is worth listen if only for Dangerfield's rendition of 'Twist & Shout'!

1. Back to School - Jude Cole
2. Educated Girl - Bobby Caldwell
3. Learnin' and Livin' - Tyson & Schwartz
4. Everybody's Crazy - Michael Bolton
5. I'll Never Forget Your Face - Philip Ingram
6. Twist and Shout - Rodney Dangerfield
7. Dead Man's Party - Oingo Boingo
8. On My Way - Tyson & Schwartz
9. Respect - Aretha Franklin

The Outsiders [1983]

"They grew up on the outside of society. They weren't looking for a fight. They were looking to belong."

Ponyboy (C. Thomas Howell), Dally (Matt Dillon), Johnny (Ralph Macchio), Sodapop (Rob Lowe), Two-bit (Emilio Estevez), Darry (Patrick Swayze) and Steve (Tom Cruise) are greasers in mid '60s Oklahoma. Coming from the wrong side of the tracks brands them as good-for-nothing, trouble making youngsters - an essentially unearned reputation. Aside from the infamous Dallas Winston, the boys aren't into half as much mischief as their stereotype grants them, getting up to the usual but virtually harmless teen antics.

But one night at the drive-in sees the beginning of a change for the greaser boys, with Dally, Ponyboy and Johnny running into a couple of socs, Marcia (Michelle Meyrink) and Sherri 'Cherry' Valance (Diane Lane). The obnoxious Dally decides to have a go at sweet-talking Cherry, who responds by throwing a drink in his face. Eventually the bad boy of the bunch splits, leaving the less threatening Pony and Johnny talking to the two girls. They're soon joined by the comedian of the greaser lads - Two-bit, sporting sideburns, a mickey mouse shirt and leather jacket. All is going great until leaving the drive-in, when Marcia and Cherry's boyfriends pull up looking for a fight. Narrowly escaping a scuffle, both gangs leave. None of them can foresee the events to follow.

Returning home to find his parents at each others throats, Johnny decides to go over to 'the lot', accompanied by Pony, where they share a tear jerking heart-to-heart, Johnny confiding in his best friend that he feels like committing suicide. They fall asleep, waking up at 2am, Ponyboy rushing home to find his older brother Darry furious. Having lost their parents in a car accident, the oldest of the Curtis brothers, Darry, is responsible for his younger siblings; Soda and Pony, who run the risk of being put into a boys home. In rage, Darry pushes Pony to the floor, only making things worse when Pony bolts back over to Johnny at the lot. The situation gets sticky when the boys are greeted by Marcia and Cherry's boyfriends, ringleaders of their soc gang, who proceed to teach the greasers a lesson. Kicking Johnny to the ground, they drag Ponyboy to a nearby fountain, laughing as they immerse him underwater.

Waking up on the ground to see Johnny clutching a bloodied pocket knife, Ponyboy gags, spotting Cherry's boyfriend in a pool of blood. "I killed him", repeats a trembling Johnny. Needing advice, they race over to find Dally, who throws them a gun and fifty bucks, instructing them to jump the freight train and lay low for a week or so in "an abandoned church on Jay Mountain". Taking his advice, they trek up to Windrixville, disguising themselves to avoid identification.

The act can't go on forever, and when Dally comes up to meet the guys, disaster strikes. A fire breaks out in the church while the guys drive off for a bite to eat, and when they return, the entire place is ablaze. Worst of all, the building is full of children. Playing the heroes, Johnny and Ponyboy hurry inside to rescue the helpless kids, putting their own lives in danger. The superhero deed leads to tragedy when the burning roof caves in on a defenseless Johnny, putting him in hospital with severe injuries.

The tragic incident doesn't stop the impending rumble between the greasers and socs, and there is plenty more bad luck yet to come.

VERDICT: ★★★★

The Outsiders, based on S.E. Hinton's novel of the same name, is without a doubt, a fantastic movie. The huge list of future stars whose careers really took off after the film should be an enormous indication of the greatness of the flick!

The theatrical version was stripped of many key scenes for fear of an almost two hour movie being overlong. Finally in 2005, the movie was re-released, with over 20 minutes of extra scenes that might never have seen the light of day. The original score written by Carmine Coppola was replaced by classic '60s hits, changing the atmosphere of the film completely. The moody, intense original score gave the film an almost thriller-like feel, whereas the more contemporary '60s tunes managed to lighten the mood in the appropriate places, but still keep hold of the serious tone where needed. If watching the movie for the first time, i'd wholeheartedly recommend the Complete Novel edition, as it is more faithful to S.E. Hinton's book, and paints a more rounded picture of the story.

An amazingly well-done movie that you should see at least once in your lifetime! Everyone at some time in their lives has been familiar with gang or 'clique' rivalry/tension, and it is pretty shocking to think of the extremes that teenagers can go to. Demonstrating the scarring stereotypical views of both kids and adults, The Outsiders hits the nail on the head in many places, and the thought of it ever being remade makes me shudder.

IMAGES/VIDEOS: [movie clip]

SOUNDTRACK:

The original soundtrack comprising of Carmine Coppola's score is another sought after soundtrack that sells for big bucks. As yet, a soundtrack to the Complete Novel has not been made available, and it is likely that it never will be. So for now, we'll have to put up with the fan-made unofficial soundtracks that are making the rounds on various soundtrack blogs. Then again, it isn't overly difficult to track these songs down from other sources.

1. Stay Gold - Bill Hughes
2. Fate Theme (Dallas Tragic Music)
3. Country Theme/Brothers Theme
4. Cherry Says Goodbye/Ponyboy and Brothers
5. Dallas Death Scene
6. Fire in the Deserted Church

7. Sunrise/Stay Gold
8. Flight and the Fight in the Park
9. Bob is Dead
10. Train to Deserted Church/Passing Time
11. Go to Rumble Rumble (Gang Fistfight)
12. The Outside In - Bill Hughes

Complete Novel:

1. Stay Gold - Stevie Wonder
2. Gloria - Van Morrison
3. Loveless Motel - R.C. Bannon
4. Jack Daniels, If You Please - David Allan Coe
5. Outer Limits - The Marketts
6. Real Wild Child - Jerry Lee Lewis
7. Blue Moon - Elvis Presley
8. Tomorrow Is A Long Time - Elvis Presley
9. Mystery Train - Elvis Presley
10. We're Gonna Move - Elvis Presley
11. Lend Me Your Comb - Carl Perkins
12. Milky White Way - Elvis Presley
13. When It Rains It Really Pours - Elvis Presley
14. Teen Beat - Sandy Nelson

You've gotta adore the unreleased soundtrack in all its '60s glory. Any Elvis haters had better leave the building!

The Night Before [1988]

"You lost your father's car. Sold your prom date. And a guy called 'Tito' wants you dead"

Waking up dishevelled in a back alley in LA, Winston Connelly (Keanu Reeves) is having a hard time recollecting how he ended up in such a state. Suited in a grubby white tux, having lost his wallet, his car, his prom date and his bearings, wanders into a dodgy backstreet diner hoping to get his thoughts back and work out what the hell happened the night before.

Slowly but surely, the previous night's events begin to unfold in a series of flashbacks, the first a reminder of a rather unwanted family discussion during dinner the previous day. As he sips his coffee, he digs out a 'security parking' ticket from the pocket of his tux, wandering out to find his dad's car parked close by. Scouring his pockets for the keys, they're nowhere to be found, and just as a guy approaches offering help to get into the vehicle, he is hit by another flashback.

It's before the prom. He's off to pick up his date, hoping to impress her in his dad's convertible. Being the vice president of the astronomy club, Winston isn't too popular, but miraculously, his date is the most beautiful and popular girl in the entire school - cheerleader Tara Mitchell (Lori Loughlin). As it turns out, Winston's lucky date was all thanks to a losing bet between Tara and best friend Lisa. The memory stops there as Winston realises his car has just been stolen!

A few words with the parking attendant leaves Winston even more confused, discovering a guy named Tito is after him. Tito? Who the hell is Tito!? Time for another callback from the memory department, this time of the car journey to prom.. Or the journey that should have lead them to prom, at least! A major navigation fail, leaving Tara and him in a seedy downtown location, littered with hookers, thieves and a whole bunch of scary looking thugs - including some lunatic who successfully swipes Winston's wallet after lunging through the car window! To make things worse, the tank is nearly out of gas. No cash. No gas. No chance.

Stopping off at a bar, Winston gets a little carried away with himself, and despite a warning from a bar-regular, has a shot of the barman's dodgy tequila. It's then bye bye high school dork and hello hustler Connelly, as he accidentally sells 'hooker' Tara for one and a half grand! A drunken ballroom style dance is an end to the laughs, and from here on in, things start to get dirty!

Still having trouble recalling the entire nights events, Winston sets out to find his date. After various run-ins with toy store robbers, prostitutes and gangsters, he manages to teach a few bad guys a lesson.. But will he rescue Tara?

VERDICT: ★★★★

The Night Before is one of those fun, totally unbelievable movies, full of wildly ridiculous humour that'll make you laugh like Keanu Reeves on tequila. These kinds of movies from back in his early days often hold my attention a lot more so than his newer stuff, mainly because his teenage characters are more believable and more him! One of the awesome aspects of the character of Winston Connelly is the fact he is a complete dufus, and all you can think the entire time is TED THEODORE LOGAN. Of Lori Loughlin's movies, The Night Before is sillier, funnier and as lighthearted as you can get. Another nice point is the lack of crudeness, which you'd probably expect from a movie involving hookers & downtown LA!

Some brilliant tunes, scenes, and the typical feel-good ending. I mean, whats a teen movie without the *megasqueeee* ending? In all seriousness though.. How difficult can it be to get to prom?!

IMAGES/VIDEOS: [movie trailer]

SOUNDTRACK:

1. Danny Boy - Mark Davis
2. Way Over There - The P-Funk All-stars
3. Baby Boy - The P-Funk All-stars
4. Last Night - The Mar-Keys
5. Who'd Have Ever Thought We'd Be Friends - The P-Funk All-Stars
6. J.B. - Mark Davis
7. Salsa Groove - Mark Davis
8. Betty's Working Late Tonight - Mark Davis
9. I Smell Trouble - Ike & Tina Turner

Beat Street [1984]

"Get down, brother, shuffle those feet, shake a little boogie to the sound of that beat"

New York. The Bronx. '84. Amateur musician Kenny (Guy Davis) has one aspiration in life; for his beats to be heard. Mixing all kinds of sounds and music, his original talent deserves much more than the confines of his bedroom, which he shares with his little brother and New York Breakers member, Lee (Robert Taylor). After losing an older brother years earlier, their mother isn't too pleased with their antics.

Ramon, Kenny's best friend, is a Puerto Rican kid with an uptight father and a passion for graffiti. With his art splashed all over the neighbourhood and more specifically, subway trains, he is determined to earn a name for himself, much to the dissatisfaction of his girlfriend's family.

Throw in the wannabe manager and business-savvy Chollie (Leon W. Grant), and you've got one hell of a gang, with one hell of a dream.

Local club the Roxy is the backdrop for b-boy battles and a hotspot for breakin', with Lee and the New York Breakers flaunting their moves wherever and whenever possible. The competition is hot between Lee's gang and the Rock Steady Crew, continually bursting out into break-offs to prove the better of the two. Not only a display of b-boying, the Roxy is the scene of Kenny's DJ sets, in hope that he'll manage to get himself noticed and make it big sooner or later. But it's Lee who gets the first break, meeting New York College choreographer Tracy (Rae Dawn Chong). Turning out to be the source of some welcomed inspiration, Tracy tapes some of his moves and encourages him to continue pursuing his dreams. However, romance soon blossoms between Tracy and Kenny, both sharing an interest in music.

After working his way up the food-chain, Kenny is hired for gigs at the Burning Spear, and with the help of entrepreneur Chollie, is approached by a talent scout who is impressed by his showcase at the club. Before he knows it, Kenny is offered a large-scale New Year's gig back at the Roxy.

Meanwhile, Ramon has plans for some major subway art, spotting a clean white train that in his opinion needs to be made beautiful. But tragedy strikes when the once-anonymous vandal tagger Spit decides to deface Ramon's newest work, leading to a scuffle on the railway tracks between the two graffiti artists. It all ends in tears, with both Spit and Ramon being electrocuted and killed in front of Kenny's eyes.

The group is mortified, especially Kenny, who has by now lost interest in almost everything, including his big upcoming gig. But he comes up with a plan that will not only make for a sublime show, but also a tribute to his best friend.

VERDICT: ★★★★

Beat Street, released directly after Breakin', has often been referred to as a 'knock-off' of it's so-called predecessor. In actual fact, contrary to immediate assumption, the two movies have less in common than you'd expect. For one thing, Beat Street manages to merge every single aspect of hip-hop perfectly. You see the movie from each of the characters' perspectives, and each character deals with a different aspect of the scene. It isn't disjointed at all, like you might think. Whereas Breakin' is set in LA, the goings on in Beat Street are all centred around the Bronx. Saying that, you might expect the film to be more grittier than it actually is, because like most '80s movies, some of the plot is a little sugar-coated, especially the romance between Rae Dawn Chong and Guy Davis.

If anything, i'd compare Beat Street to the 1983 movie Wild Style. Both movies were filmed in identical locations - and when I say identical, I mean identical - down to the same streets, even. Of all of these movies that apparently stole from one another, this movie is the better of the lot.

IMAGES/VIDEOS: [trailer]

SOUNDTRACK:

The soundtrack had been planned as a three-part release by Atlantic Records, who for some reason decided to get rid of the third installment. Many of the artists on both soundtracks actually appeared in the movie, which only adds to the appeal of the film.

1. Beat Street Breakdown - Grandmaster Melle Mel

2. Baptize the Beat - The System
3. Strangers in a Strange World - Jenny Burton & Patrick Jude
4. Frantic Situation - Afrika Bambaataa
5. Beat Street Strut - Juicy
6. US Girls - Sha Rock, Debbie D
7. This Could Be The Night - Cindy Mizelle
8. Breaker's Revenge - Arthur Baker
9. Tu Carino/Carmen's Theme - Ruben Blades

1. Son of Beat Street - Jazzy Jay
2. Give Me All - Juicy
3. Nothin's Gonna Come Easy - Tina B
4. Santas' Rap - The Treacherous Three
5. It's Alright By Me - Jenny Burton
6. Battle Cry - Rocker's Revenge
7. Phony 4 MCs - Ralph Rolle
8. Into the Night - La La

Yup. Enough to make an old school hip-hop lovers' mouth water.