Late August is the time of year when three words are floating about that strikes feelings of dread and joy in kids and parents; back to school. For parents it’s a welcome break, while for kids it can be a time to catch up with old friends, resume sports or other activities, or a time to duck and hide behind garbage cans from the bullies. The high school years, a time where kids begin the transition into the real world, can be a source of great stories; a source that the silver screen has done well for a very long time.
Over the years, many films have explored the psyche and adventures of high school kids. Sports was an easy go-to, with films such as HOOSIERS (1986) and FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS (2004) bringing on the emotional gut-punches. Moving from high school to either college, the military, or the working world can be a scary ordeal, and these feelings were looked at by George Lucas in AMERICAN GRAFFITI (1973), and LAST PICTURE SHOW (1971). The high school film has dipped its toes into many genres, including horror with CARRIE in 1976, superheroes in SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING in 2017, and many comedies…including SUPERBAD in 2007. The best high school films are the ones that capitalize on the high school experience, and capture the feelings of youth in those locker-lined hallways; fully expressing the joy, dread, happiness, and great sorrow that can come with the first day of school to the last. Other criteria are cultural impact and the test of time. These are Reel Speak’s Top 10 Best High School Films.
So let’s go back to school…
10. SCHOOL TIES (1992)
Brendan Fraser leads an ensemble cast of young Hollywood upstarts in this 1950’s drama about a Jewish high school student and football star who keeps his heritage a secret from his antisemitic classmates and friends. On top of dealing with bigotry, SCHOOL TIES takes a hard look at the pressures bearing down on seniors from the upper class, showing that even the rich kids have that fear meeting their parent’s expectations. Fraser turns in one of his best performances, and is well-supported by the young cast of Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Chris O’Donnell, Cole Hauser, and Anthony Rapp.
9. DAZED AND CONFUSED (1993)
Oddly enough, high school movies tend to work as “high school” for young actors, who use said film as a learning and graduation process to bigger and better things. Richard Linklater’s 1993 comedy is one fine example, with a budding cast of Matthew McConaughey, Ben Affleck, Parker Posey, and Milla Jovovich. The film was a cultural smash thanks to McConaughey’s now famous one-liner that would define him, and its themes of high school cliques and what-to-do-next on the last day of school are explored nicely.
8. CLUELESS (1995)
Amy Heckerling spent time observing high school students of the 1990’s to figure out their mannerisms and slang, and it really shows in her coming-of-age comedy that became a cultural hit. Alicia Silverstone plays a rich and clever student who gets into a complicated matchmaking web, and finishes with a morality lesson that all high school kids should learn before donning that cap and gown.
7. SIXTEEN CANDLES (1984)
Director John Hughes spent most of his career making classic films about teens and high school, with one of his best coming in 1984. Molly Ringwald plays a misfit teen whose 16th birthday is upstaged by her older sister’s wedding, and also has to deal with bullies and a nerd that won’t leave her be. Firmly set in the 1980’s, the film defines the era while keeping the realism of adolescent behavior.
6. HEATHERS (1989)
Where most of, if not all the teen movies of the 1980’s were colorful and funny, HEATHERS went the opposite way in this dark and gutsy comedy. Winona Ryder plays a popular girl with three best friends all named Heather, whose life is spinning out of control when she falls for the new kid, played by Christian Slater…who convinces her to kill off the Heathers. Directed by Michael Lehmann, HEATHERS takes a deep dive into those popular, if not annoying high school cliques, and shows that even the kids who are “in” aren’t necessarily happy about it.
5. NAPOLEON DYNAMITE (2004)
Perhaps the best sleeper-hit comedy of all time. Jon Heder plays the title character; a loner high school student who has a need to belong but still wants to be himself. It’s not overly deep and lacks any cinematic monologues that many films of this genre are known for, but it perfectly captures the spirit of those high school kids that are on the fringe.
4. FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF (1986)
Teen rebellion may have started with James Dean in REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE (1955), but John Hughes (once again), gave it a new purpose in this gem that seems to get more and more popular with each passing decade. This time around, Ferris (Matthew Broderick), is a rebel with a cause; to simply have a day off from school. Not much of this actually takes place in the school (that’s the point), but the film does smell like the teen spirit of rebellion; with the establishment offering very little to Ferris compared to the real world.
3. GREASE (1978)
Sometimes the most important thing in a high schooler’s life is to be with the one that they love, and that is the basis for this adaptation of the popular musical. John Travolta plays Danny Zuko, who comes home from Summer break telling stories of his new-found love, Sandy (Olivia Newton John)…who much to his surprise, has just come to his own Rydell High as a transfer student. A cultural smash that rocketed Travolta to stardom and brought the tunes of the musical to the world, GREASE was all about teen love while fighting through those troublesome cliques and the fear of what comes after graduation.
2. FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH (1982)
It’s impossible to talk about high school films and ignore the one that has the name of the school in the title. Amy Heckerling, in her directorial debut, helms this coming-of-age comedy which explores teen sexuality; a favorite topic among high school students. A cultural hit that is quoted to this day, it accurately captures teenage life in all aspects, and did for high school movies what ANIMAL HOUSE did for college films. It is also packed with a young cast that would graduate into Hollywood royalty; Sean Penn, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Phoebe Cates, Nicolas Cage, Forest Whitaker, Eric Stoltz, and Anthony Edwards.
1. THE BREAKFAST CLUB (1985)
This may seem like the obvious choice, but there are darn good reasons why it is. Director John Hughes takes the closed-quarters concept of the classic film 12 ANGRY MEN (1957), and applies it to a Saturday afternoon high school detention. Hughes takes the typical high school identities; the brain (Anthony Michael Hall), the athlete (Emilio Estevez), the beauty (Molly Ringwald), the recluse (Ally Sheedy), and the rebel (Judd Nelson)…and locks them in a room and lets their personalities go at it. Conflicts arise, alliances made and broken, and backstories fleshed out in a single setting that defines every one of us from our high school years. Hughes was a master at communicating the feelings of teenagers, and here was his crown jewel. It has a wide reach that speaks to us all; everyone sees something of themselves in THE BREAKFAST CLUB.
REEL SPEAK'S TOP 10 BEST HIGH SCHOOL FILMS
- THE BREAKFAST CLUB
- FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH
- GREASE
- FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF
- NAPOLEON DYNAMITE
- HEATHERS
- SIXTEEN CANDLES
- CLUELESS
- DAZED AND CONFUSED
- SCHOOL TIES
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Special thanks to fellow film blogger Rich Drees for inspiring this topic and next weeks blog: The Top 10 Best College Films.
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