I pondered for a very long time about what my final EMC article should be about. I didn’t want it to be sappy. I definitely didn’t want it to sound pretentious. I had already written one about advice from Seniors. So, I was sort of stuck.
Then, an idea came to me. Why don’t I just write about something that’s made me who I am?
I have been an absolute cinophile since around age 13. I had a goal to watch all “The Greats,” focusing specifically on 1980s cult classics, sometimes venturing to other decades. I was making my way down my then 4+ page watchlist, slowly scratching off titles. I’m at the point now where it’s getting difficult to find a movie on a streaming service that I haven’t already seen. I even started a DVD collection that now takes over multiple of my shelves. All media we consume has an impact on us, whether we notice it or not. So, the list that follows is the movies that made me.
The Outsiders
This is the film that started it all. After reading ahead of my 8th grade English class, I fell in love with S.E. Hinton’s novel. The Outsiders was the story that made me fall in love with the coming-of-age genre, and was what inspired me to write a book of my own about a group of friends going through tough times. This is also the story that solidified my plan to become an English teacher. I wanted kids to love books and stories as much as I loved this one. After reading the book, I obviously found the movie and it started a catalyst. I wanted to watch as many more 80s and coming-of-age movies as possible, a lot of them also featuring members of the cast from The Outsiders.
The Breakfast Club
The Breakfast Club was one of the first films I watched following The Outsiders. The first may have been Karate Kid. I’m not entirely sure. But I had heard great things about The Breakfast Club and it had Emilio Estevez in it, so I was all in. The Breakfast Club was a revolutionary film in my mind. It was one of the first times I saw teenagers on screen and really felt accurately represented. I could really relate to several of the characters. It was also interesting to me how it all took place over less than a day, only really had seven characters, and few locations. It was so simple yet effective. I later found out that a good portion of the film was improved, which is probably what helped to make it feel so real, and the library set was actually a gymnasium disguised as a library.
Stand by Me
Stand by Me is another coming-of-age story that I drew inspiration from for my book. Based on Stephen King’s The Body, it may be the most accurate book-to-movie adaptation I’ve seen. I loved the story in Stand by Me, but one of the things that stood out to me in this film was its soundtrack. This film, along with Dirty Dancing, is what got me interested in oldies music, and later vintage fashion and other retro styles. Vintage/retro things and oldies music have become a staple to my personality.
Dead Poets’ Society
As a future English teacher, Dead Poets’ Society is obviously a favorite of mine. Not only do I hope to be like Mr. Keating, but I currently relate to Todd. I loved the aesthetic of the film, and the use of parallels as well. It’s just very well done overall, and satisfyingly tragic, so it left an impression on me.
Grease
I first watched Grease just to check it off of my list. But, being a theater kid, I ended up absolutely loving it and it became one of my favorite musicals. I loved how silly and fun it was. Some people have a problem with the story because they think it encourages the audience to change themselves for other people. But, I interpret it as a parody poking fun at teenage culture in the 1950s. Even one of the songs is literally about the most common chord progression in 1950s music. For me, Grease caused a very interesting domino effect. If I had never watched the movie, I never would have fallen in love with the musical. If I had never fallen in love with the musical, I never would have signed up to be in a production of it in the summer of 2023. Finally, if I had never been in that production of Grease, I never would have met my boyfriend or half of my closest friends.
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
My second favorite John Hughes film, next to The Breakfast Club, is Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. I love how chaotic it is, and its message of living life to the fullest. When I first watched it, I was like Cameron. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but I really wished I could be as happy and outgoing as Ferris was. I think I can officially say now, about four years later, that I fall closer to Ferris on the Cameron-Ferris scale. I’d call that personal growth.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
I bought a copy of Stephen Chbosky’s novel, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, my freshman year. I didn’t get around to reading it until the summer before my senior year. So, I went into my senior year with both the book and the movie in my mind. “Heroes” by David Bowie, also known as “The Tunnel Song” became my senior year anthem. My college essay was titled, “The Perks of Being a Loser in High School.”
So, these are the movies that made me. I obviously recommend these films to anyone interested. Goodbye to EMC!!
