Still, half the joy of compiling and reading lists is the arguments they provoke, about what should go in and what stinks like a dead armadillo. And Mulholland’s list, while entirely subjective, makes for a breezy read that flirts dangerously with anorak-style analysis at times, but is largely terrific fun.
Anyway, I had a feature on STRANDED AT THE DRIVE-IN published in the Examiner earlier this week, which kicked off a lot like this ...
“Stranded at the drive-in / Feelin’ like a fool / What will they say / Monday at school …?”For the rest, clickety-click here …
A lovelorn John Travolta pining for Olivia Newton-John may not, at first glance, represent film at its dazzling zenith, but film buff Garry Mulholland begs to differ. ‘Stranded at the Drive-In’, the opening line to one of the best-loved songs from Grease (1978), is the title of the Mulholland’s latest book, which attempts to list the 100 Best Teen Movies.
‘Not only do we get a cinema reference,’ says Mulholland in his introduction of the song Sandy, ‘but a neat summing up of a few of the key elements of teen fiction: thwarted romance, peer pressure, school, the quest for night-time pleasure, fear of humiliation.’
Of course, no one really takes teen movies seriously. They’re all about hormonal angst and ridiculous serial killers, bad hair-dos and the Prom. Aren’t they?
2 comments:
It is all subjective, and he does explain why certain movies did not make the cut, and I don't agree with a lot of his reasoning, but like you mentioned, that is the fun of it.
Fast Times and Sat Night Fever should be on the list, no question.
Couple others I would add:
- "The Warriors", "Stand by Me", "Less Than Zero", "Valley Girl" "Caddyshack"
Yesterday found a blog somewhat similar to this. It has a nice move catalogue. You might want to check it out.
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