Saturday, 17 September 2011

016 - The Outsiders

Synopsis: Rights of passage (teenage gangs fight etc)
Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Actors: Thomas Howell, Ralph Macchio, Matt Dillon, Patrick Swazye, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez, Tom Cruise, Diane Lane, Tom Waits
Date: 1983
How viewed: watched lovefilm online 
Rating: 2/5

David Meyer says: 
Coppola bring a European-art-film sensitivity to a subject only an American could ever understand

I say: 
This film probably works better if you know the book (in the US apparently it's a teenage classic) but for most of us, the interest is in seeing so many stars (Dillon, Swazye, Lowe, Estevez, Cruise) very early in their careers, though 2 lesser lights (Howell and Macchio) actually play the lead parts. Spoilt for me by appalling background music and theme (perhaps the worst song that Stevie Wonder has ever sung!), and I also couldn't believe the way the bad kids transformed into civilised, educated, poetry quoting teenagers after a few days in the countryside - though apparently the book gives a lot more detail about the characters (as you would expect). The film re-issue apparently removes some scenes, includes deleted scenes and replaces the Coppola penned music with tracks by Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins, so perhaps I should have watched that!! PS features some great cars though!

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