© the other press ¢ Culture September 17, 2003

Back-to-School Movies 101

Amanda Aikman
Culture Editor

So it’s over. Summer I mean. Bet you had a good time huh? Bet you thought
it would last forever. Well it didn’t. Now that all that beach volleyball and iced
cappuccino nonsense is finally out of the way, it is time to buckle down and
concentrate on your studies. And you can forget about any expendable
income too, if you're like me you've already spent the bulk of your student
loans on new shoes and CDs (or tuition and rent, whatever floats your boat),
and now it’s back to pinching pennies and living off the kindness of strangers.
It’s not all doom and gloom though; there are ways of circumventing your
expenses. For example, instead of emptying out your chequing account for
two hours in a Silver City theatre on a Friday night, you can simply stay home
and rent a movie for a few measly dollars. Better yet, you can rent a movie and
charge your friends a couple of bucks each for the pleasure of watching it with
you. True, I haven't had any takers on that offer yet myself, but I’m sure that
your company is in much higher demand than mine.

Considering the time of year, why not go for a back-to-school theme when
selecting your video rentals? There are a virtual plethora of movies out there
that speak directly to you—the student. Now I know that you are too busy
attending your classes, reading your textbooks, and writing your papers to
spend a lot of time researching the ultimate back-to-school flicks to impress
your friends and loved ones with, but I, on the other hand, have all of the time
in the world. It’s all about priorities people. So at no charge to you, I have
compiled for your perusal a list of five scholarly friendly films. That's just the
kind of person I am. Granted they aren't exactly straddling the pinnacle of
intellectual cinematic fare, but after a week of working hard at school, your
brain deserves a rest just as much as your body does.

1. National Lampoon’ Animal House (1978)

Unable to gain acceptance at the snootier fraternities they pledge, the Deltas,
a motley crew of misfits and sociopaths bent on disrupting the well-starched
status quo, engage in various illegalities that land them in hot water with both
the stern college dean and the neighbouring jock fraternity. Their exploits
eventually cause them to be placed on double-secret probation, until finally,
they are kicked out of school and, as the dean reminds them, newly eligible
for the Vietnam draft.

2. Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)

Cameron Crowe went undercover in a southern California high school to
document the hilarious hijinx of teens in the eighties. Amy Heckerling turned
his book into a classic teen comedy—equal parts sex, stoners, sensitivity, and
satire. Many of the young cast went on to Hollywood fame. A milestone.

3. Revenge of the Nerds (1984)

When boorish frat guys commandeer their humble dorm at Adams College,
bespectacled Lewis, shy Gilbert, and the rest of the “nerds” retaliate by form-
ing their own fraternity—and setting their sights on the coveted Greek
Council. But it won't be easy, so they’ll have to summon their smarts to beat
the jocks at their own game.

4. Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)

Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick) spends his ninth school absence in the
company of his kvetchy best friend Cameron and girlfriend Sloane, tearing
through downtown Chicago on a mad quest for fun. The ruse seems perfect,
right down to Cameron's dad’s “borrowed” Ferrari, but Ferris’ nemesis, high
school principal Ed Rooney, is determined to bring the truants to justice.

5. Old School (2003)

Three guys in their early thirties try to relive their old college glory days by
moving into a large house near their old campus. They inadvertently form an
“unofficial fraternity,” where students can enjoy all the riches of the partying
lifestyle without the commitment that comes with having to abide by the uni-
versity’s fraternity rules. Soon, however, the realities of their past lives catch up
with their wild college lifestyles.

Honourable mentions go to:

6. The Breakfast Club (1985)

When five high school students from different social groups are forced to
spend a Saturday together in detention, they find themselves interacting with
and understanding each other for the first time. A jock, a stoner, a princess, a
basket case, and a brain talk about parental tension, sex, peer pressure, and
hurtful stereotypes while serving time. Ultimately, the five find that they may
have more in common with each other than they ever imagined.

7. Back to School (1986)

A self-made millionaire (Rodney Dangerfield) decides to join his only son
who is having difficulty in fitting in at school as a freshman in college. This
impulse gesture sets him on a path to much laughter, a little romance, a les-
son in things that money can’t buy, and unanimous acclaim as the most pop-
ular man on campus.

 

   

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