I am doing a project on eighties teen films and how stereotypical they were. In the films "Girls Just Want to Have Fun," "The Breakfast Club," "Can't Buy Me Love," "Sixteen Candles," and "Pretty in Pink," do you think they effectively portrayed teenagers, parents, and teachers? Were the fashion and language trends accurate? How about the general attitude of the teens toward school, their parents, and each other? I would especially value your opinion if you were a teenager during the times these films were made, because I was only a little kid. Therefore, I can't really judge whether or not these movies distorted reality to a large degree or not. Thank you so much! This is due in two weeks and I am not sure where to go for a resource on what people in their mid twenties and thirties think about this!

> I am doing a project on eighties teen films and how stereotypical they
> were. In the films "Girls Just Want to Have Fun," "The
> Breakfast Club," "Can't Buy Me Love," "Sixteen
> Candles," and "Pretty in Pink," do you think they
> effectively portrayed teenagers, parents, and teachers? Were the fashion
> and language trends accurate? How about the general attitude of the teens
> toward school, their parents, and each other? I would especially value
> your opinion if you were a teenager during the times these films were
> made, because I was only a little kid. Therefore, I can't really judge
> whether or not these movies distorted reality to a large degree or not.
> Thank you so much! This is due in two weeks and I am not sure where to go
> for a resource on what people in their mid twenties and thirties think
> about this!

Hi Mandy,

I'd have to say that the movies you mentioned were pretty accurate of high school during the 80's, but I'd also add "Ferris Buellers Day Off" - check that one out as well.

I grew up in a working-middle class area and my high school was pretty racially mixed (it seemed like we got along with each other better that some of the adults) and it seemed to my that everyone got along fairly peacefully. A few fist fights but nothing serious.

Those of us who came of age in the 80's were the first wave of the so-called Generation X (1961-1981). A good book I recommend for further research would be "13th Generation" by Strauss & Howe. I think it gives a very good rundown and understanding of the generation between the Boomers (the so-called grown ups of today) and Millennials coming of age now.

Anyway, anyone else have any opinions regarding this??

Good luck on your project.

Jeanna

I think that generally that the 80's high school movies were accurate. The fashion was dead on and I think the party scenes were accurate also. I'm sad to say that the stereotypes were accurate as well; people in school seemed to think (and rightly so based on how others treated them) that they were "the stud" or "the athlete" or "the prettiest girl", etc. Of course not everyone could be in one of those "special" categories so we were kind of the "filler" who could be perhaps friends with all of these people but rarely the center of attention that they commanded.

Our opinion of adults who had power over was/is portrayed accurately as well. We didn't like them telling us what to do nor did we find them particularly intelligent. Some were cool but most were not. We thought we knew everything, and when it came to those World War II generation/mentality adults who didn't have a job unless they were disciplining us, we did. We did know more about what was going on around us and where the world was headed. Now they're fading and we're coming to power. I guess we knew it all along on some level.

Finally, I think at present that our generation remembers what it was like to be a kid and a teen-ager so we're more understanding of the next generation. (But why are you guys shooting each other?) Hopefully this will turn out to be an asset and not a weakness.

Sorry to ramble and I hope I don't sound too baised. I hope this helped. Lionel (a true 80's boy)

> I think that generally that the 80's high school movies were accurate. The
> fashion was dead on and I think the party scenes were accurate also. I'm
> sad to say that the stereotypes were accurate as well; people in school
> seemed to think (and rightly so based on how others treated them) that
> they were "the stud" or "the athlete" or "the
> prettiest girl", etc. Of course not everyone could be in one of those
> "special" categories so we were kind of the "filler"
> who could be perhaps friends with all of these people but rarely the
> center of attention that they commanded.

> Our opinion of adults who had power over was/is portrayed accurately as
> well. We didn't like them telling us what to do nor did we find them
> particularly intelligent. Some were cool but most were not. We thought we
> knew everything, and when it came to those World War II
> generation/mentality adults who didn't have a job unless they were
> disciplining us, we did. We did know more about what was going on around
> us and where the world was headed. Now they're fading and we're coming to
> power. I guess we knew it all along on some level.

> Finally, I think at present that our generation remembers what it was like
> to be a kid and a teen-ager so we're more understanding of the next
> generation. (But why are you guys shooting each other?) Hopefully this
> will turn out to be an asset and not a weakness.

> Sorry to ramble and I hope I don't sound too baised. I hope this helped.
> Lionel (a true 80's boy)

I still do not know what you mean by: "Shoot Each Other"?

> I think that generally that the 80's high school movies were accurate. The
> fashion was dead on and I think the party scenes were accurate also. I'm
> sad to say that the stereotypes were accurate as well; people in school
> seemed to think (and rightly so based on how others treated them) that
> they were "the stud" or "the athlete" or "the
> prettiest girl", etc. Of course not everyone could be in one of those
> "special" categories so we were kind of the "filler"
> who could be perhaps friends with all of these people but rarely the
> center of attention that they commanded.

> Our opinion of adults who had power over was/is portrayed accurately as
> well. We didn't like them telling us what to do nor did we find them
> particularly intelligent. Some were cool but most were not. We thought we
> knew everything, and when it came to those World War II
> generation/mentality adults who didn't have a job unless they were

I am a little confused by paragraph #2. I think you were on to something, please repond again.

Linders21
> disciplining us, we did. We did know more about what was going on around
> us and where the world was headed. Now they're fading and we're coming to
> power. I guess we knew it all along on some level.

> Finally, I think at present that our generation remembers what it was like
> to be a kid and a teen-ager so we're more understanding of the next
> generation. (But why are you guys shooting each other?) Hopefully this
> will turn out to be an asset and not a weakness.

> Sorry to ramble and I hope I don't sound too baised. I hope this helped.
> Lionel (a true 80's boy)

> I think that generally that the 80's high school movies were accurate. The
> fashion was dead on and I think the party scenes were accurate also. I'm
> sad to say that the stereotypes were accurate as well; people in school
> seemed to think (and rightly so based on how others treated them) that
> they were "the stud" or "the athlete" or "the
> prettiest girl", etc. Of course not everyone could be in one of those
> "special" categories so we were kind of the "filler"
> who could be perhaps friends with all of these people but rarely the
> center of attention that they commanded.

> Our opinion of adults who had power over was/is portrayed accurately as
> well. We didn't like them telling us what to do nor did we find them
> particularly intelligent. Some were cool but most were not. We thought we
> knew everything, and when it came to those World War II
> generation/mentality adults who didn't have a job unless they were
> disciplining us, we did. We did know more about what was going on around
> us and where the world was headed. Now they're fading and we're coming to
> power. I guess we knew it all along on some level.

> Finally, I think at present that our generation remembers what it was like
> to be a kid and a teen-ager so we're more understanding of the next
> generation. (But why are you guys shooting each other?) Hopefully this
> will turn out to be an asset and not a weakness.

> Sorry to ramble and I hope I don't sound too baised. I hope this helped.
> Lionel (a true 80's boy)