1. Lean On Me (1989)- This movie is the true story of New Jersey principal Joe Clark. At the very least, Morgan Freeman should have gotten an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Clark. Favorite quote: Joe Clark to his Asst. Principal after Joe's showdown with the city's fire chief: Do you know what he's saying right now? The black bastard can't throw me out. Do you know where he's saying it? Out in the parking lot.
2. Fast Times At Ridgemont High (1982)- This was kind of like the "American Graffiti" of the 1980s in that it was a coming of age film that featured many future stars (Sean Penn, Forest Whitaker, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Anthony Edwards, Eric Stoltz, etc.) early in their careers. One of the most important lessons to take from the film... don't ever order pizza when you're in Mr. Hand's class.
3. Stand and Deliver (1988)- The true story of Jaime Escalante, an L.A. teacher who teaches his underachieving students calculus. Starring Edward James-Olmos as Escalante and Lou Diamond Phillips as one of the students.
4. Summer School (1987)- Any comedy that features an homage to "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" is at least worth a look. One of my favorite lines is when Mark Harmon (Mr. Shoop) learns that Robin Thomas (Vice Principal Gills) is dating the character played by Kirstie Alley.
Shoop (to Gills): My god... you're a heterosexual!
Gills: And a darned good one too!
5. Blackboard Jungle (1955)- The first movie that dealt with delinquent students who are turned around by an idealistic teacher. It also features Sidney Poitier, Vic Morrow, Paul Mazursky, and Jamie Farr (billed as Jameel Farah) as some of the high school students in Glenn Ford's class. Plus, it includes one of my all-time favorite tunes... "Rock Around the Clock" by Bill Haley & His Comets.
6. Back To School (1986)- Stars one of my all-time favorite comedians... Rodney Dangerfield as Thornton Melon. This has so many hilarious scenes: Rodney's showdown with a manic history professor (played by Sam Kinison), Rodney's reaction when an English professor (played by Sally Kellerman) passionately recites James Joyce' "Ulysses", etc. Plus, it features Jason Hervey (The Wonder Years) as a young Thornton Melon.
7. The Marva Collins Story (1981)- A TV-movie that stars Cicely Tyson as the Chicago educator. Don't take this as any macho BS, but I don't cry when I watch movies. However, after watching this film... I came close. Although it's not a tearjerker in the traditional sense, the scenes where Ms. Collins was able to reach her students were really moving to me. This movie isn't on DVD or VHS, but it does show up on TV occasionally.
8. Fame (1980)- This is one of those films that I watched over and over when we 1st got HBO/Cinemax in the early 80s. "Hot Lunch Jam" anyone?
9. School of Rock (2003)- Jack Black's character is probably one of the all-time champion B.S. artists in movie history. Plus, Black and the kids that played the students worked really well together. Whenever I hear "The Edge of Seventeen" by Stevie Nicks, I think of this movie. One of my favorite scenes is when one of the students (Summer) who Jack's character designates as one of the "groupies" confronts him after she does some research: I researched groupies on the Internet. They're sluts. They sleep with the band!
10. Cooley High (1975)- When it comes to B.S. artists, Glynn Turman's character "Preach" is right up there with Jack Black. Along with some hilarious and touching scenes, this movie also has an awesome soundtrack filled with Motown classics (which makes sense because it's set in 1964). Don't blink or you'll miss a young Robert Townsend in a high school gym scene late in the movie.
11. My Bodyguard (1980)- Another movie that I watched quite a bit during the early days of cable. I love films where the bullies get their comeuppance! Along with a young Matt Dillon and Joan Cusack, the movie also features a pre-Flashdance Jennifer Beals in a small role.
12. School Daze (1988)- Set on a college campus, this early Spike Lee joint was one of the first movies (if not the first) to deal with the topic of animosity between light skinned and dark skinned blacks. As a matter of fact, one of my favorite scenes in the movie is the song and dance number between "The Jigaboos" and "The Wanna-Be's". Look for Samuel L. Jackson in a small role as one of the "townies" who confronts some of the college students outside of a KFC.
13. The Breakfast Club (1985)- You will be hard pressed to find someone who grew up in the 80s who has not seen this film. If you are anything like me, you can also recite several lines of dialogue as well. As for favorite scenes, there are many for me (Bender getting Saturday after Saturday added to his detention schedule by Vernon, the kids' escape into the hallways, Allison making it "snow"on her artwork, the weed smoking scene, etc.). Although I don't want to see a sequel, I am a little curious to find out whatever happened to John, Clair, Andrew, Allison, and Brian. Come on admit it... aren't you?
Links to other Thursday Thirteens!
1. The Gal Herself
2. Jenny McB
3. Lori
4. No Nonsense girl
5. Nap Warden
6. Wacky Mommy
7. Lara Angelina
8. Jessie
9. Joyismygoal
10. Kara
11. Robin
12. The Thirsty Bitch
13. Lori (A Cowboy's Wife)
14. Sparky Duck
15. busy91
16. Head Gaggler
17. Morgan St. John
18. Amy The Black
19. Buck Naked Politics
20. Mama Pajama
21. The Rock Chick
22. The Mistress of the Dark
23. Sandee (Comedy +)
24. L^2
25. DoubleDeckerBusGuy
(leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
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44 comments:
#2 and #13 are two of the best movies EVER! I think the soundtracks helped. "Somebody's Baby" and "Don't You Forget about Me" are so evocative. Thanks for another great pop culture TT.
Love Blackboard Jungle, School Daze and The Breakfast Club. Great list!
Beuller, Beuller, Beuller.....missing?
Love the Breakfast Club and will watch it over and over. Good list, a few I have missed!
Great list...I love all of those movies. FYI...Chocolat is also a Johnny Depp movie;) thats from my list...Happy TT.
I remember Breakfast club!!! Such a cool movie!!!
Great TT!!!
Love love love The Breakfast Club! Thanks for the list! (I dropped the ball I wanted to fit in Velvet Jones, Buckwheat, Mr. Robinsons Neighborhood...ran out of list) Thanks Malcolm
Excellent list. Where's Dazed and Confused? My stoner peers from high school! I'm putting all of these on my Netflix account, with Blackboard Jungle at the top. Dealing with too much school district nonsense here -- I could use a reality check from 1955.
Trivia questions: Vic Morrow -- father of which actress you mentioned??? Peggy Lipton -- mom of which TV actress??? (I'm sure you already know both of these answers.)
The Gal Herself: Although I am not a big Jackson Browne fan, "Somebody's Baby" is one of the tunes that I really enjoy by him.
Jenny McB: Since this TT is some of my favorites, I may revisit this theme in the future. "Ferris Bueller..." will probably make the next one I do.
Lori: When I first looked at your TT, I overlooked "Chocolat". Since I wasn't sure if that was the name of the movie that starred Juliet Binoche and Johnny Depp, I paid a visit to imdb.com. Since I found out that it was, I made the Johnny Depp reference in the comments I left you.
Wacky Mommy: "Dazed and Confused" was OK, but it really didn't do it for me. Maybe I'll give it
another chance.
TCM is showing "Blackboard Jungle" this month. Even though I have seen it numerous times, I still need to DVR it.
In answer to your questions, Vic Morrow is Jennifer Jason Leigh's father and Peggy Lipton is the mother of Rashida Jones of "The Office".
As you can guess, I love trivia like that!
hmmm -- I love Joe Clark's line "The only things I HAVE to do are to stay black and die." Morgan Freeman is wonderful!
I'd add -- "Goodbye Mr. Chips" and "To Sir with Love" as a couple of my faves!
great tt!
Great list. Lean on Me is one of my all time favorites
Red Dawn(Started in a school setting)
Fortress(I cannot find this movie anywhere but I loved it and it too started in a school setting
Great TT
Maribeth
www.marnini.wordpress.com
Great list! You even included obscure films that I had all but forgotten about, such as "My Bodyguard" which was a favorite of mine during the early 80's. I did not realize until much later that guy who beat up Matt Dillon in the film was one of the leads in "D. C. Cab" (a guilty pleasure of mine). Did you intentionally leave off "Grease"?
Blackboard Jungle was excellent!
Nice list, yo.
One of my favorites would have to be the often-overlooked: 'Three O' Clock High.' Great camera work and just a classic story of a bully getting his at the end.
My Bodyguard - Classic.
I love the breakfast club!!! Happy TT!
i was in the play Blackboard Jungle in HS and we love School of Rock fun list,
How about School Ties? Happy TT!
Mine's up: http://www.sandierpastures.com/thursday-thirteen/thursday-thirteen-8.html
I think Breakfast Club is the greatest! Have seen all but 1 of the movies you mentioned.
I think I could probably still recite half of The Breakfast Club if I tried. GREAT movie!
I never quite got the appeal of "Summer School." It seems like more of a "guy movie." It's always guys who say they loved it!
I do love "Back to School" though...that's an underappreciated one. And Robert Downey Jr. was very yummy...but probably very tweaked out! Any movie with Zabka in it has to be awesome.
The Breakfast Club, now that takes me back in the day.
And School Daze, wow. Your favorite scene is going to be in my head for days. What's worse, I don't even know if I remember the words right. LOL"You're just a Jigaboo, tryin' to find somethin' to do." "You're just a wanna be. Wanna be better than me!"
Lean on Me is a fave. I still remember the scene in the bathroom where the boys sing the rewrite of their school song.
Great List as always :)
~X
Thanks for stopping by my blog.
I can't believe a whole seven of us have seen My Best Friend Is A Vampire.
And not only that, but I found them! LOL
~X
Awesome list, I feel like Summer School often gets forgotten when people talk about these kinds of movies. And I too ( along with several friends) always think of Joan Cusack when "Edge of Seventeen" comes on the ipod.
But come on, "School of Rock" and no "Heathers"? blasphemy.
#1 9 13 are a few of my favs!
Thanks for stopping by my site. The one movie that I haven't seen of yours is The Marva Collins Story. Although from your description - I wish I had.
great list, I always loved the school movies. Lean on Me has a pretty decent soundtrack too. Fast Times, Blackboard Jungle and Breakfast Club were classics and Summer School was one of those movies I watched over and over and over again on cable, even if it wasnt that good.
Would you believe I never saw Fast Times....
The others I've seen though. Blackboard Jungle is a great movie.
I love school movies. My fav is American Pie. Great TT.
The breakfast Club, yes... it was my first 'i'm-not-allowed-to-watch-it-but-will-anyway' movie. Love it.
10 Things i hate about you, the guidance counselor? Romance writers? LOL Get a kick out of that...and heath ledger, too.
You're missing 16 Candles, and Ferris Bueller's day off.
I too love Lean on Me and My Bodyguard. Also if you're a Firefly Fan, that's Adam Baldwin in the title role!.
Thanks for stopping by.
GREAT list!
The only thing is School of Rock: great movie, but Jack Black's overacting tends to wear on me. I can't handle too much of him. Made me dislike the movie.
Happy TT!
Great list! I'll have to put some of those on my Netflix list.
Cool list, Malcolm. I've seen all but 5, 9, 10 and 12.
I just watched Lean on Me a few weeks ago. I had never seen the entire movie before then. Morgan Freeman was excellent. He showed the weaknesses, not just the strengths, of this high school principal. His treatment of some of his teachers was pretty awful, and he had quite an ego. But, afterall he's human! Great list this week!
GREAT movies!!! I was reading your list and thinking "Breakfast Club...where is Breakfast Club?"...turns out you saved the best for last :) I love that movie. It was filmed at the now closed Maine North (which is where Jami Gertz went before the school closed and she got transferred to my school) high school right near my house...kind of cool to have seen the school in real life and in the movie...
Happy TT!
Jessica The Rock Chick
My favorite from your list is School of Rock. It was so funny! Great list.
Love the Breakfast Club..
I'd add Grease, 16 Candles, Pretty In Pink and Heathers to my list!
Thanks for stopping by :)
I loved Stand and Deliver. That movies was awesome. Have a great TT. :)
I haven't seen some of these, but I enjoyed the onese I have seen. I just saw School of Rock for the first time recently. :-)
Oh my! The memories! Great list... and yeah, I admit it... I did like "Summer School" too... despite SUPPOSEDLY being a "sophisticated adult" when I saw it.
I love Summer School!! Another great '80s movies!
Lara Angelina: The line you quoted from "Lean On Me" was another good one! Come to think of it, I could probably do a Thursday Thirteen on Joe Clark quotes from the movie.
Both versions of "Goodbye Mr. Chips" and "To Sir, With Love" were on TCM the other day. I haven't seen any of them in their entirety (shame on me). Otherwise, they might have made the list.
Anonymous: I've never heard of "Fortress". I looked it up on imdb.com and it sounds intriguing.
Pjazzy: I didn't want it to turn into "13 80s teen comedies set in high school", so I tried to mix it up a bit. As for D.C. Cab, I thought that movie was funny as hell. I'd love to see it again. Adam Baldwin definitely played a different character in that movie than he did in "My Bodyguard".
I did intentionally leave off "Grease". As you probably know, it is a favorite film of mine with a school setting. However, I just thought I would give props to some of the obvious choices (The Breakfast Club), but lesser known ones like "The Marva Collins Story" as well.
Thomas: I forgot all about "Three O'Clock High". I caught it a few times on cable years ago. However, I haven't seen it since.
Joyismygoal: What role did you play on stage in "Blackboard Jungle"?
Grace: I thought about "School Ties", but chose not to include it because I didn't see the whole thing. I did like what I saw though.
Beckeye: The humor in "Summer School" was probably geared more to the males in the audience. When I first saw it, the fact that the movie contained eye candy like Courtney Thorne-Smith, Kelly Jo Minter, and Fabiana Udeno didn't hurt either.
William Zabka was one of the go to guys in the 80s when a film called for a blonde preppy villain.
Xakara: I believe you have the lyrics to the song in "School Daze" right. Also, the restroom scene in "Lean On Me" was one of my favorites as well.
The Thirsty Bitch: I agree that "Summer School" does get lost in the shuffle when these types of lists come up. "Heathers" came close to making the list. I went with "School of Rock", because I wanted to include at least one movie from the last few years. Plus, I thought it was funny as hell. :)
Kara: Thanks for stopping back by and letting me know which one of the 13 you haven't seen yet. I caught "The Marva Collins Story" on Lifetime several years ago. I think I have it on tape somewhere. Since it is a good movie that includes not only Cicely Tyson but Morgan Freeman (he played her husband) as well, maybe it'll get a DVD release someday.
Sparky Duck: The makers of "Lean On Me" made an excellent choice for the opening song of the film... "Welcome To the Jungle" by Guns 'N' Roses.
Busy91: If you ever do catch "Fast Times", I recommend avoiding watching it on commercial TV. They'll edit it to shreds.
Head Gaggler: American Pie didn't do much for me when I saw it years ago. It's probably one of those movies that I need to give another chance.
Morgan: 10 Things I Hate About You is another one of those movies that I only saw a part of... I did like what I saw. Maybe that could be a future Thursday Thirteen: Movies I Didn't See In Their Entirety, But Would Like To.
Journeywoman: Since I didn't want the list to turn into a John Hughes lovefest, I chose to go with the essential one. Although "Sixteen Candles" wasn't bad, it wouldn't have made the cut regardless. :)
Although I haven't seen "Firefly", I did hear good things about it. I remembered Nathan Fillion from his days on "One Life To Live".
Temporarily Me: Jack Black is one of those performers for which there is no middle ground. Either you think he is funny as hell or you can't stand him.
Mama PJ: Morgan Freeman played the hell out of that role. When the one teacher flipped over that desk in anger at Joe Clark, it was totally understandable. Shortly after "Lean On Me" was released, the real Joe Clark came to Northern Michigan University to speak. I remember during the Q&A session that he referred to Mrs. Elliot (the music teacher that he fired on the spot in the movie) as a dizzy broad. Not exactly Mr. Warmth, but he did get the job done.
Jessica the Rock Chick: Good pickup on your part in regards to me placing "The Breakfast Club" at 13 on the list. If it's not the best, I think it's at least the first film that most people think of when it comes to movies set at school.
The Mistress of the Dark: "Grease" and "Heathers" came close to making my list too. As I type this, I can't get the song "We Go Together" out of my head. :)
I am extremely shocked that you never saw "To Sir With Love"! I saw both the original and the updated version set in Chicago that was produced in the late nineties. I guess it is like me never having seen "Fast Times at Ridgemont High". I have only saw bits and pieces of that movie. It was something very unappealing about Sean Penn playing a doofus, so I never gave the movie a chance.
Hi Pamella: It seems like whenever "To Sir With Love" is on I am either watching something else or I'm not aware that it's on at the time. It was on the other night and I turned it on about halfway through after the Tigers game ended. I knew it was on, but hey... gotta watch my Tigers. A few years ago I saw the sequel (To Sir With Love II). Although it wasn't great, I did like the nice touch of them having Lulu appear at the end of the movie to sing the title song, just like she did in the original.
Sean Penn showed a real flair for comedy in "Fast Times At Ridgemont High". I'm surprised he hasn't done more of them. I wonder if it bothers him that with all his success (including an Oscar win), to some he will always be Jeff Spicoli.
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