The next day is Jim’s first day at school; he leaves his suburban home and notices Judy from the police station and nervously tries to make conversation, Judy is holding a cigarette which is another icon and a sign of rebellion in a teen movie, Judy then is driven to school by a local gang whose leader is called ‘Buzz’. Later, Jim notices the gang and Buzz, Buzz punctures Jim’s car tires and the gang make chicken noises at Jim but he refuses to fight until it pushes him over the edge. Buzz throws a knife at Jim’s feet, the knife symbolising a penis is a challenge from another male, marking his territory the territory being Judy. The fight begins and continues until Jim knocks the knife out of Buzz’s hand. Buzz enraged by defeat challenges Jim to a chicken run later that night (Chicken Run – A high speed race with stolen cars to the edge of the cliff, the first person to jump out of the car is classed a ‘chicken’) this is a typical example of the male challenge used in teen movies. Jim returns home to see his father kneeling down, wearing an apron to take food to his sick wife, Jim sees his father and tells him not to bother cleaning up and to act like a man, this opening of this scene also helps us understand the theme of the weak parent.
During this time Jim will wear a white T-shirt and Red Windbreaker, which he wears to the end of the film, he then goes downstairs and heads for the chicken run. Jim arrives at the chicken run, the stolen cars are ready and the cliff is like a run way lighted by car headlights. Both Judy and Plato are at the scene to. It is at this time we see Jim and Buzz begin to make a friendship, before the race they share a cigarette and just as the race begins Buzz tells Jim “You know something, I like you!” Jim wonders why they should continue with the race but Buzz is all about pride and doesn’t want to lose. This is also very similar to the Jock in the breakfast club, always wanting success so he can follow in his fathers footsteps, Maybe Buzz’s father was ambitious to but for Jim, he has never had that father figure and so he is not compelled to win everything. Before the race Jim kisses Judy’s flowery case (Which she left at the police station). Buzz is given a kiss from Judy and a pile of dirt for his hands for his hands, Jim asks Judy for some dirt too which he receives. At Judy’s signal the race begins, we see a great camera angle where both cars speed past Judy, who is standing in the middle of them both. This suggests that Judy is the prize of this race. Both cars race to the end of the cliff, Jim jumps out just before the edge, but Buzz’s jacket gets caught and he plummets over the cliff. All witnesses are shocked at Buzz’s death – All gang members minus Judy, Plato and Jim flee the scene. Jim comforts Judy and Drives her and Plato home. He gives back Judy her flowery case and it is at this point that Judy realises that Jim has feelings for her. Jim and Plato drive off and arrive at Jims house where Plato suggests “Hey Jim, you wanna come home with me, no one is in and heck im not tired” This is an example of Plato’s homosexual undercurrent and could be the reason why he is the “Outsider” of the group. Plato ends the suggestion by saying “and in the morning, we could make breakfast like my dad used to gee, if only you could have been my dad”. This shows Plato’s respect for Jim, already looking up to him as a father figure. Jim declines the offer and heads inside. Plato writes down Jim’s house number in his notepad. Jim goes straight for the fridge where he pours himself a glass of milk and puts it to his cheek, this shows how aggravated and shocked the nights events have left him also milk is a child’s drink which also show shows innocence. Jim suggests he turn himself in to his parents, but they try to find a way to persuade him not to, the parents think that if Jim turns himself in then the family will have get negative press. Jims dad again at this point shows weakness “But you know you did the wrong thing right that’s the main thing right?” Jim’s dad practically begs him not to turn himself in. A full blown argument occurs before Jim storms out kicking a family portrait in. This is a sign of contempt for his parents and decorative presence.
Jim enters the police station and asks for Ray, the police officer that he talks to in the opening of the movie but he is out of the station at the moment. This again is Symbolic – A man that he really needs right now isn’t there for him (His father). Jim returns home where Judy is waiting, both flirt with each other until Jim kisses Judy on the forehead. Both remark on there home life – not wishing to return to there “Zoo’s”. They decide to spend the night in the deserted mansion Plato showed them earlier. Plato gets ambushes on his way home and after this ambush Buzz’s gang confront Jims father and nail a live chicken to the door of Jims house, this is a famous scene in the film, again giving references to Jims anger and Jims weak father. Plato rushes off the mansion. Each of the teenagers have been having arguments with their parents, this is an indication that their parents are standing in the way of them growing up this is similar to “The Princess” and Cher from “Clueless” their parents will have the last say on what they do but because they are overwhelmed with wealth they don’t notice and take it for granted, but as Plato, Judy and Jim are from a Middle Class upbringing they don’t take money for granted and the only way to get their points across is to rebel. Plato meets up with Judy and Jim at the mansion and all 3 of them start to play make believe parents. Judy and Jim act like a newly married couple with Plato showing them around the mansion. All the group exit to the outside where they notice a pool, Judy says “Oh!, a sunken Nursery” to which Plato replies “Yes, In fact you can lock them in, you’ll never have to see them again, much less talk to them” It is this quote that allows the viewers to know how the children feel they are treated, they don’t feel loved. Plato’s speech also gives the viewers a view on what the children think their parents think about them. This is the point in the film where all 3 teenagers are most happy together. Plato lies on the floor and Judy and Jim now take on the roles of ‘surrogate’ parents. Judy sings Plato a lullaby while Jim puts his coat round him. This shows the friendship has grown between them because at the beginning of the film Plato declines Jim’s coat.
Judy and Jim leave Plato and Judy pours her heart out to Jim about the real reasons she feel in love with him. She feels that Jim will never abuse her the way her father did. We begin to see a different side of Jim now; he seems calmer than before. Buzz’s gang break into the mansion and find Plato and wake him up. Plato feels his ‘surrogate’ parents have left him much like hes real parents however at the same time he feels he must protect them from the gang. Plato is chased up the staircase where he shoots one of Buzz’s gang members with his father’s gun (which he picks up earlier in the film). Jim hears gun fire and tries to remove the gun from Plato. Plato responds “Why did you run out on me? Why did you leave me alone? You not my real father!” This is the first time we see Plato’s anger and helplessness. Plato runs to the planetarium, the same place where Jim and Plato first met. Jim and Judy follow and manage to get Plato to leave the planetarium. Plato is cold but he has Jims coat and he puts it on, this is Jim’s last gesture of friendship. Plato leaves the Planetarium but is shot. The camera follows Plato’s body to the ground and sharply tilts downward. Jim’s father emerges from the crowd of police officers and believes that Jim has been shot because Plato’s corpse is wearing Jims read coat. At this point both Jim and his father feel exactly the same thoughts – Both of them have failed as fathers. Jim bursts into hysterical weeping and grabs his father’s leg. Jim’s father promises Jim he will stick by him and Jim finally accepts him. Jim and Judy embrace and Jims father gives Jim his “Adult” sports jacket – signifying that he has already become a man. Jim introduces Judy to his parents. The movie ends with Judy and Jim being escorted from the scene by Jim’s parents in the darkness of Pre dawn with the sounds of police sirens in the background
The real question at the end of the film is – was the ending all that tragic? No it wasn’t, Jim finally accepted his parents and it finally introduced Judy to a friendly Family. It is allowed Jim to mature and become more of a man. I will also be comparing this movie to a very similar one called “The Breakfast Club”
The opening of the breakfast club shows a ‘montage’ of images of a school and does very well in capturing the way the students feel about their by mixing negative images in with positive images. We then get a final picture of a greyed out school until we see the arrival of the students. The first to arrive is “The Princess” Claire Standish - She is the typical rich girl who loves her dad. When she leaves the car her dad doesn’t seem to cross. Next to arrive is “The Brain” Brian Johnson and “The Jock” Andrew Clark, both get a lecture of their parents. The arrives “The Basket Case” Allison Reynolds. Her parents drive away before she can say bye to them this is much like Plato’s situation, he feels his parents don’t care about him. Last to arrive is “The Criminal” John Bender – ‘Bender’ as he is known by the other students plays a much more rebellious role than James Dean. All students enter a small hall and sit down at their desks. The Head teacher of the school who is very aggressive. He is in control of the students, unlike the teacher in rebel without a cause who lets the students walk over him. It’s the very fact that the teacher is so aggressive that draws all the students together by the end of the film. As the film progresses we understand why all these teenagers are in detention. Claire skipped school to go shopping – Stereotypical rich girl. The criminal teases her about her earrings at first but as the film continues on Bender and Claire develop chemistry and grow to like each other. Andrew “The Jock” is in detention for taping a students “Butt cheeks” together. He did this after hearing all the ‘alleged’ stuff his father did in school. Andrew feels that his dad doesn’t appreciate him enough which is the same problem as Judy has with her father. Andrew just wants to be accepted by his father and “The Jock” believes that the only way to do that is to be number 1 at everything he does.
The themes from both films (Rebel without a cause and The Breakfast Club) are very similar and despite being produced in different era’s. Both storylines point towards the same idea – Teenage life is about maturing into an adult and accepting the differences and opinions of others. Its seems teenage movies revolve around school especially in the Breakfast club. There is an interesting scene in ‘The Breakfast Club’ where bender shares his cannabis with the other students and much like the ‘surrogate’ family in Rebel, we see the entire students bond, better than before. While the endings are different, when we look at them again they are very similar. In both films they begin to accept other people and begin to mature. In “Rebel Without A Cause” Jim finally accepts His father but In “The Breakfast Club” bender finally accepts Claire. Both films meaning is to “Accept other people”
I am now going to pitch a Letter to a producer giving him my ideas for a new Teen Horror film called “Pyromatic”
Mr Steven Spielberg
56 Hollywood Drive
California
619-3EST
Monday 5th May 2003
Dear Sir,
I am writing to you to tell you about an idea for a new “Teen Horror” movie called Pyromatic, About a boy who is taunted and teased by people at his school and one year after his suicide he comes back to take revenge on all those that drove him over the edge; the following is an opening scene idea to the movie
Imagine the scene; it’s a cold winter’s day. We see a boy walk into a greyed out school, No music is playing all we can hear is a heart beat in the background. The boy walks the hallways of the school, everyone looking at him like he is a disease, their eyes following his broken drug abused body as he staggers across the worn white marble flooring, we close up on his face and show his half dead expression. We then long shot above his body. The boy stops and collapses to his knees and lets out a blood curling scream. Close up on the petrol dripping from his long black coat and then close up on the lighter he pulls from his pocket. James collapses to the hard marble flooring, his skin and clothing engulfed by the eerie and hypnotic licking of the flames melting into his milky white skin
Right, is a poster for the movie
Yours sincerely
Robert J Smith
Bigger Version Of The Poster
Sam Kennerley 10P
Media Studies Assignment 2: Teen Spirit
Monday 5th May 2003
