Breakfast clubbing with those teenagers of the 1980s
The 'coming of age' movie is a bit ambiguous. There's a tendency to link the sub-genre to films about kids, so Dustin Hoffman in The Graduate, and Jeff Daniels in Jonathan Demme's Something Wild, and Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker in Star Wars seemingly came of age too late in life. It appears there's a timeframe on the coming of age movie that sits somewhere between childhood and adulthood before, as protagonists grow into their twenties, the film fuses itself with other sub-genres like the yuppie-in-peril or social problem movie or even fairytale science-fiction. In effect, the coming of age movie is an offshoot of the teen film, a group of films that began by defining a generation back in the 1950s as youth culture found its niche at drive-in movie theatres and fast food outlets. But, like those films, the coming of age movie has no problem relaying its limited conventions on to any number of genres, which is probably where the ambiguity comes from in the first place.
Contents
- What is the Coming Of Age film?
- The Top 10 Coming of Age movies
- 10) Class (1983, Lewis John Carlino)
- 9) Fast Times At Ridgemont High (1982, Amy Heckerling)
- 8) Weird Science (1985, John Hughes)
- 7) Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986, John Hughes)
- 6) The Sure Thing (1985, Rob Reiner)
- 5) Better Off Dead (1985, Savage Steve Holland)
- 4) Say Anything (1989, Cameron Crowe)
- 3) The Goonies (1985, Richard Donner)
- 2) The Breakfast Club (1986, John Hughes)
- 1) Stand By Me (1986, Rob Reiner)
- Watch the Stand By Me Trailer now!
- Vote for your favourite Coming of Age movies of the 1980s
- Grab a bargain on ebay
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- 80s movie T-shirts from CafePress
What is the Coming Of Age film?
Conventions, characters, and filmmakers...
Please my webbsite www.top10films.co.uk for my feature article on the coming-of-age genre, feature article on the coming-of-age genre, the people who made the films, the inspiration behind them, and the actors that became famous because of these movies.
The Top 10 Coming of Age movies
And the best Coming of Age movies are...
So, it's time to introduce my top 10 coming of age films from the 1980s. I decided to concentrate on this decade because I've seen most of what the genre has to offer during the period, and it was a particularly good few years for iconic and memorable coming of age movies.My top 10 list will tell you what the film's about and look at some of the special things that make these movies so entertaining including the memorable theme songs, best moments, and the endearing, unforgettable quotes.
10) Class (1983, Lewis John Carlino)
The film has an interesting take on the 'first love' angle as the protagonist falls for his best friend's mother.Memorable Moment: The students think there might be a drugs raid on the campus so frantically do anything and everything to get rid of their weed.
Memorable Quote: 'Jonathan, until you get laid none of us are safe!'
Memorable Song Toymuzic - 'Overnite'
Further Reading (My DVD Times review) (IMDB)
Class
Amazon Price: $13.49 (as of 12/31/2009) 
9) Fast Times At Ridgemont High (1982, Amy Heckerling)
Memorable for Sean Penn's stoner surf dude (clearly the inspiration for the characters in Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, and Wayne's World), Fast Times is an authentic look (thanks largely to Cameron Crowe's script) at high school teenagers as they explore relationships, love, sex, and the mall.Memorable Moment: Judge Reinhold's Brad looks out his window and sees Phoebe Cates' Linda sitting by the swimming pool with nothing but a bathing suit on. Five minutes later, she walks into bathroom only to find him masturbating over her.
Memorable Quote: 'We can't even get cable TV here, Stacy, and you want romance.'
Memorable Song Jackson Browne - 'Somebody's Baby'
Further Reading (DVD Times review) (IMDB)
Fast Times at Ridgemont High (Widescreen Special Edition)
Amazon Price: $12.49 (as of 12/31/2009)
8) Weird Science (1985, John Hughes)
One of John Hughes most enjoyable films, where two losers who can't get the girls of their dreams, concoct an ingenious plan.Memorable Moment: Kelly LeBrock's entrance from the smoky bathroom.
Memorable Quote: 'We'll throw a huge party. I mean huge party! Everybody's invited. Women everywhere. All these girls, they're all there. Naked bodies everywhere. They all know my name.'
Memorable Song Oingo Bongo - 'Weird Science'
Further Reading (IMDB)
Weird Science (Flashback Edition)
Amazon Price: $16.49 (as of 12/31/2009)
7) Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986, John Hughes)
Matthew Broderick provides an iconic performance as renegade teen Ferris Bueller.Memorable Moment: When Alan Ruck's character Cameron, who lent Ferris his father's prized Ferrari, sees the car accidentally drive out of the garage and into a thirty foot drop, smashing it to pieces.
Memorable Quote: 'Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in awhile, you could miss it.'
Memorable Song Wayne Newton - 'Danke Shoen'
Further Reading: (DVD Times review) (IMDB)
Ferris Bueller's Day Off Bueller...Bueller... Edition (Special Collector's Edition)
Amazon Price: $8.99 (as of 12/31/2009)
6) The Sure Thing (1985, Rob Reiner)
Director Rob Reiner has a keen eye for the art of character arcs, exampled in the fact he has two films on this list and by his great body of work. For instance, there aren't many directors to rival Woody Allen's shrewd human observation but Reiner accomplished it with When Harry Met Sally and again here.Memorable Moment: When Daphne hitchhikes a ride with a dirty old man, Gib secretly follows. When the old man makes an inappropriate gesture to Daphne, Gib jumps out and pretends to be a escaped mental patient, saving the day.
Memorable Quote: 'I'm not going to bed with you, I'm going to bed in a bed you happen to be in also.'
Memorable Song Rod Stewart - 'Infatuation'
Further Reading: (IMDB)
The Sure Thing (Special Edition)
Amazon Price: $12.99 (as of 12/31/2009)
5) Better Off Dead (1985, Savage Steve Holland)
Holland brings his own brand of humour to the most original film on the list.Memorable Moment: After Beth breaks up with Lane, he decides to commit suicide but changes his mind when he realises he's never been to New York. As he tries to untie the rope around his neck, his mother, who is vacuuming the floor, opens the door behind him, knocking Lane off the ledge that supports him. He hangs there desperately trying to find his next breath as his mother, totally unknowingly, continues to vacuum the hallway.
Memorable Quote: 'My little brother got his arm stuck in the microwave. So my mom had to take him to the hospital. My grandma dropped acid this morning, and she freaked out. She hijacked a busload of penguins. So it's sort of a family crisis.'
Memorable Song Neil Sedaka - 'Breakin' Up Is Hard To Do'
Further Reading: (IMDB)
Better Off Dead
Amazon Price: $10.99 (as of 12/31/2009)
4) Say Anything (1989, Cameron Crowe)
Cameron Crowe went one better than Fast Times by writing and directing Say Anything. He gets a strong performance out of John Cusack, as the film just beats The Sure Thing for the best boy-meets-girl coming of age movie.Memorable Moment: Lloyd stands outside Diana Court's house with his Boombox playing her 'In Your Eyes' by Peter Gabriel.
Memorable Quote: 'I don't want to sell anything, buy anything, or process anything as a career. I don't want to sell anything bought or processed, or buy anything sold or processed, or process anything sold, bought, or processed, or repair anything sold, bought, or processed. You know, as a career, I don't want to do that.'
Memorable Song Peter Gabriel - 'In Your Eyes'
Further Reading: (DVD Times review) (IMDB)
Say Anything
Amazon Price: $13.49 (as of 12/31/2009)
3) The Goonies (1985, Richard Donner)
Adventure, comedy, pirates, battleships, buried treasure, bad guys, a monster, and Corey Feldman - what more needs to be said.Memorable Moment: There are so many but Mikey's homemade gate-opening device stands out, if only because he makes chubby character Chunk do the infamous Truffle Shuffle.
Memorable Quote: '...more amazing than the time Michael Jackson came over to your house to use the bathroom?'
Memorable Song: Cyndi Lauper - 'Good Enough'
Further Reading: (My DVD Times review) (IMDB)
The Goonies
Amazon Price: $6.99 (as of 12/31/2009)
2) The Breakfast Club (1986, John Hughes)
The quintessential teen movie of the 1980s and John Hughes' best film.Memorable Moment: The group get chased round the school by Principle Vernon.
Memorable Quote: 'We're all pretty bizarre. Some of us are just better at hiding it, that's all.'
Memorable Song Simple Minds - 'Don't You (Forget About Me)
Further Reading: (Entertainment Weekly's No. 1 High School movie) (DVD Times Brat Pack review) (IMDB)
The Breakfast Club
Amazon Price: $6.99 (as of 12/31/2009)
1) Stand By Me (1986, Rob Reiner)
Based on Stephen King's story The Body, Rob Reiner's fantastic tale of four kids who just have to see a dead body with their own two eyes, is a brilliant example of childhood whimsy and undying friendship.
Memorable Moment: Gordie, Vern, Chris and Teddy take a dip in a leech infested swamp.
Memorable Quote: '...while you guys are dragging your candy asses across the state and back, I'll be waiting for you on the other side relaxing with my thoughts.'
Memorable Song Ben E. King - 'Stand By Me'
Further Reading: (My DVD Times review) (IMDB)
Watch the Stand By Me Trailer now!
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Stand By Me (Special Edition)
Amazon Price: $11.99 (as of 12/31/2009)
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- WindyWinters WindyWinters Jul 22, 2009 @ 2:08 am
- Great Top 10 Movie Lens. I love the 80s & I thought I would remember most of these great movies. I guess I need to watch some of them again, lol!
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- JohannTheDog JohannTheDog Jun 26, 2009 @ 6:13 am
- Great movies!!! Mum loves Ferris Bueller's Day Off!
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- MikeMoore MikeMoore Jun 16, 2009 @ 7:58 am
- Love this lens. You did an excellent job. I think you nailed the top 3 picks for sure. I personally like Goonies the best and still watch it if I catch it on TV. Stand by Me is a classic film. Nicely done and thanks for the kind comments on my lenses!
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- Barkely Barkely Apr 18, 2009 @ 10:02 pm
- Does it tell my age if I say I've seen most of these movies:-) Thanks for adding this list to the Top Ten Lists Group.
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- Mortira Mortira Apr 14, 2009 @ 8:57 pm
- Great list! Modern teen films have really stunk up the screen in comparison to these classics.
5 stars and rolled to my own movie lists!
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by StrangeConversation
I'm a full time writer living in England. I currently run film and culture website Strange Conversation and I'm the Editor of a construction trade mag... (more)
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