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In an earlier post we were talking about STAND BY ME and I was trying to come up with a list of coming of age films. I guess all teen films are coming of age films, but I always liked the ones that involve a journey/travel of sorts. Can anyone think of any other good ones? Below are the ones that I have seen.

STAND BY ME (1986)
FANDANGO (1985)
LOSIN' IT (1983)
DETROIT ROCK CITY (1999)

A few others without the travel:

THE GRADUATE
THE BREAFAST CLUB
THE WANDERERS (this is a good one about gangs)
A CHRISTMAS STORY (well maybe not coming of age, but nostalgic)
DEAD POETS SOCIETY
LORD OF THE FLIES
THE OUTSIDERS
SUMMER OF 42
SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER
GREASE
ROMEO AND JULIET
WEST SIDE STORY

Two of my favorites are VISIONQUEST and SIXTEEN CANDLES.

(A note on Sixteen Candles: I don't so much care for the Molly Ringwald - Matt Schoefling romance aspect, but Anthony Michael Hall's Farmer Ted is hilarious, and hits awefully close to home).

The 80's seemed to have a fair share of these films. Saw part of SIXTEEN CANDLES, but don't remember much except Molly Ringwald. I'll keep both in mind.

I dunno...would Porky's fit in there? How about Animal House?

Definately good ones Odinn7. ANIMAL HOUSE and PORKY'S and Also just thinking about REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE, THE WILD ONE, and RECKLESS.

RECKLESS was a good 80's film that I liked. Teens trying to leave town in the Pittsburg area I believe. Some kind of steel town with no future for the youth.

PORKY'S was a riot. They over played it on the pay channels years ago and lost interest in it, but if you see it again today it would be great again.



Post Edited (10-25-05 09:27)

You could also probably add 2 from Tom Cruise:
Risky Business and All The Right Moves.
Though I don't know if Risky Business would really fit, the other one should. It was all about his need for football to help get him out of a nowhere town.

Oh yea, saw both RISKY BUSINESS and ALL THE RIGHT MOVES. Definately coming of age type of films. Added to the list.

I think someone said ORANGE COUNTY is a coming of age film, but not sure. Haven't seen it yet.

Actually any film that captures a life passage is of that type film regardless of age catagory, but it's the youth part we remember most.

"Star Wars" or more probably "Return Of The Jedi" or maybe the whole trilogy as a Coming of Age film for Luke Skywalker

Good one Fearless Freep. Your right..........This list could cover a lot of films. That might actually be the ultimate coming of age film. Lucas (or Joseph Cambell) sure captured that archtype and made good use of it. It's almost hidden.

I don't know if this might count but flims like SLC Punk and to a lesser excent Suburbia. Both deal with punks growing up and leaving the lifestyle behind.

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Most of all I hate dancing then work, exercise, people,stupid people

In a roundabout way, Repo Man was one too.

This topic could cover way more films than you had even thought possible.

Sounds like it. That would be one of the basic elements. I might check SLC PUNK out.

In the movie GAPPA: Monster From a Prehistoric Planet a little Gappa is hatched and taken from a Island back to mainland Japan. His parents come looking for him and upon finding him he learns to fly like his parents. He learns to fly at the local municipal airport.

From the wide expanse of moviedom we have crossed the mighty gap of "coming of age" film themes in just a few short post. From STAND BY ME to STAR WARS and now the mighty GAPPA.



Post Edited (10-25-05 11:05)

Loved "Losin' It" back in the 80s. Worth watching just for the brief scenes of John Valby performing in the bar. The price negotiation between the annoying, horny little twerp and the hooker was pretty good too:

"Ten Dollars."
"If Frank Sinatra came in here, you'd do it with him for four bucks."
"You're not Frank Sinatra."
"Yeah, but is Frankie built like this?" (Squeezes rolled up sock in pants)
"Fifteen dollars."

A good one that hasn't been mentioned was "Coupe de Ville." Three estranged brothers deliver a Cadillac cross-country to their parents and learn to relate to each other as adults. Only saw it once, but I recall liking it a lot.

Swingers, Clerks, Goonies, Monster Squad, Sandlot, Garden state, Say Anything, Breakfast Club, Chasing Amy are all greats

Seriously SLC Punk was a great choiceto whoever said that one, I forget who.

My Bodyguard (1980) (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081207/) And on a much darker note - Bad Boys (1983) (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085210/)



Post Edited (10-25-05 15:55)

Last American Virgin - I dunno. I guess I can relate to being robbed & cheated by a girl who knows you've got a crush on her.

Repo Man & Rumble Fish - I think anybody can relate to being fresh out of high school & everything around you starts changing.

Teen girl angst over first love: Fast Times at Ridgemont High and it's B-Movie Rip: Hot Times at Montclair High

Someone mentioned Animal House; bunches in this genre.  Revenge of the Nerds (one of my favorites) in a way covers the (slight) maturation of Anthony Edwards' character.  

Also, we have Spring Break (lad breaks from Daddy's iron fist) and it's B-Movie Rip: Fraternity Vacation (starring the one and only Tim Robbins as a pretty sleazy dude named "Mother", etc).

Class of Nuke 'Em High and all of those in that niche; coming of age with campiness.

For learning teamwork and self reliance: all those in the Up the Creek/Meatballs niche.

Dead-Alive. (http://www.smileys.ws/sm/grinning/00000002.gif) Think about it - Lionel grows up, steps out from the shadow of his domineering mother and grows a spine, making his own decisions and choosing his own destiny, not what she had planned for him.

American Pie

Little Darlings

Here is a question.  Is a 'loss of virginity' movie by definition a 'coming of age' movie or is the 'coming of age' movie best defined without such an obvious landmark?

Shadowphile wrote:

>
> Here is a question.  Is a 'loss of virginity' movie by
> definition a 'coming of age' movie or is the 'coming of age'
> movie best defined without such an obvious landmark?

I think it is best defined without such a bright line test. Coming of Age, in the broadest sense, means maturation - physical, sexual, emotional, etc.  If at least one of these is present, I would be willing to accept it classified as Coming of Age.

I'd say the movies dealing with loss of virginity generally have the characters growing up in some other, more meaningful way anyway.

AndyC wrote:

> I'd say the movies dealing with loss of virginity generally
> have the characters growing up in some other, more meaningful
> way anyway.
>

Porkey's?  American Pie?

Sure. Porky's had a serious side. Redneck kid stood up to his dad and made friends with Jewish kid. The group as a whole stood up for themselves and took down Porky and his band of thugs.

No matter how much crazy stuff goes on, there's usually at least one kid who comes out wiser in the end. It's more obvious in some movies than others, but it's there.

AndyC wrote:

> Sure. Porky's had a serious side. Redneck kid stood up to his
> dad and made friends with Jewish kid.
>

Yeah, that's true (Cyril O'Reilly, he played a cool part in Purple Hearts)..blanked out on that one.

Could we say that Caddyshack is one? If you think about it, Danny does grow up in that film from what he learns.



Post Edited (10-27-05 10:42)

And so does Carl.

Well, Carl I have to assume is somewhat already "grown up" so I had to leave him out. "A real cinderella story ladies and gentlemen..."

Can't forget Bambi.

The lead character grows up, learns to stand up for himself, and learns his place in the world.  And he gets the girl!

Besides, how can you dislike a movie with teleporting raccoons?