Watched: 09/16/2024
Format: Amazon
Viewing: First
Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Selection: Jamie
I've been meaning to see this movie *since* 1983. But over time, I'd heard mixed things and I came to know what the story was, anyway, via cultural osmosis. My one memory from when it hit cable in the mid-1980's was being told "you wouldn't like it" - and I genuinely don't know why I was told that at the time, probably aged 9 or 10.
When I was 11, the kid across the street came over while me and some others were sitting around in my front yard and asked us to "rumble". I now assume they'd just seen this movie and were inspired. We did not rumble. We did ask them what movie they pulled "rumble" from.* I think I now have the answer.
The movie is now mostly famous as the movie that launched careers. All of the leads went on to become staples and household names for the generation that came up on the movie - it's sort of ground zero for a few brat packers. Patrick Swayze, Tom Cruise, Emilio Estevez, Ralph Macchio, Matt Dillon, Rob Lowe, Diane Lane - and starring C. Thomas Howell as Ponyboy. For those of us so-inclined, it also has an appearance by Michelle Meyrink.** Sophia Coppola shows up for literally 30 seconds.