What films for a cultural education for a teenager?

SunnySunshine · 19/05/12 - 20:36

Because of new stupid Housing Benefit rules my sister's eldest two daughters are moving in with me so as not to disrupt their A levels and GCSEs when she has to move.

While I've got them I thought I'd rectify their shamefully neglected movie education.

They've seen nothing! :eek:

They're 14 and 17 and have seen recent stuff aimed at teenagers and all of Disney's animated classics - but that is pretty much it.

IMDB's top 250 is a bit dry for them on the whole

What classics should be on my list to show them? ( I use the term "classics" loosely. Starship Troopers is the first one I thought of.

[Deleted User] · 19/05/12 - 20:56

Indiana Jones
Star Wars
This Is Spinal Tap
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Life of Brian
Ghostbusters
Gremlins
Dr. Strangelove
Airplane
Wallace and Gromit
American Werewolf

pericom · 19/05/12 - 21:44

Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan

[Deleted User] · 19/05/12 - 23:49

Good shout. Some films everyone should watch. Unfortunately most don't. Nice to hear of someone doing something about it.

I think High Schools should have to do it. Just a checklist of films to watch and discuss. Something to broaden tastes. Should be done with Music as well. Be more useful than Social Education/Citizenship. Might end Britains "cultural decline" too.

To actually answer your question...Space Odyssey. As good as it is, if you can watch it you can watch anything.

Mark A · 20/05/12 - 00:29

Requiem for a Dream?

Regards

Mark

Speak-Softly · 20/05/12 - 00:51

I would have thought the way to go would be to choose films that have affected how we see the world?
Things that introduced such iconic themes that they are constantly referenced all the time.

Jaws
Alien
Psyco
Star Wars
Casablanca
Gone With The Wind

They are teenage girls, garentee they will love
The Breakfast Club
Footloose
Dirty Dancing
Ghost
The Karate Kid (ok, maybe that's more of a boys one, but who doesn't love it)

Ones my daughters love

Rebecca
Cabaret
Singing In the Rain
What Lies Beneath
Last of the Mohicans
Troy

Oh, and I'd definitely think of Starship Troopers too.:D

[Deleted User] · 20/05/12 - 09:34

Give some thought to ......

Of Mice and Men
Schindlers List
the original star wars trilogy
Indiana Jones films
The Wizard of Oz
Oliver

Dirty Dancing, Grease, Footloose, Flashdance and Hairspray (2007) will entertain them no end

[Deleted User] · 20/05/12 - 09:41

Some great choices suggested!!!

Try some old 80's classics too

Breakfast club
Weird Science
Back to the Future
Empire of the Sun
Memphis Belle (1990)
Pretty Woman

MissySmith · 20/05/12 - 09:50

All of Steven Spielberg's films,to start with.

[Deleted User] · 20/05/12 - 12:07

Yes to those listed above.

Pretty in Pink
Shawshank Redemption
Calamity Jane
The Hitcher
Ten Things I Hate About You.
Scream
Working Girl
Bonfire of the Vanities
Trading Places
North by Northwest
Twelve Monkeys.
Bugsy Malone
Usual Suspects
Sixth Sense

RebelScum · 20/05/12 - 12:52

Bill & Ted

[Deleted User] · 20/05/12 - 15:42

Garden State and Stand By Me

MagicCoppelia · 20/05/12 - 15:48

Ferris Buellers day off, West side story, E.T.

Alvar Hanso · 20/05/12 - 16:33

er, some good suggestions, there, if they are teenage girls, may I suggest The Notebook, a proper classy love story

GiraffeGirl · 20/05/12 - 21:02

St Elmo's Fire - they can play spot the famous face
Cool Runnings - I've yet to meet anybody who dislikes it

bbclassics · 21/05/12 - 15:53

Jaws
Jurassic Park
If they are teen girls they might like Grease

[Deleted User] · 21/05/12 - 15:59

Almost Famous (when Kate Hudson was actually good)
Juno
Garden State
Donnie Darko
Mean Girls

Plus the aforementioned 80s classics...
Pretty in Pink
Some Kind of Wonderful
St Elmo's Fire
Stand By Me
The Goonies

Hugh Jboobs · 21/05/12 - 16:11

Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit

SunnySunshine · 21/05/12 - 17:57

*furiously scribbles list*

I'm not sure about inflicting Requiem for a Dream on either of them yet. and I have grave doubts about inflicting The Notebook on myself,

but everything else makes the long list.

SunnySunshine · 21/05/12 - 18:00

Speak-Softly wrote: »

I would have thought the way to go would be to choose films that have affected how we see the world?
Things that introduced such iconic themes that they are constantly referenced all the time.

Jaws
Alien
Psyco
Star Wars
Casablanca
Gone With The Wind

They are teenage girls, garentee they will love
The Breakfast Club
Footloose
Dirty Dancing
Ghost
The Karate Kid (ok, maybe that's more of a boys one, but who doesn't love it)

Ones my daughters love

Rebecca
Cabaret
Singing In the Rain
What Lies Beneath
Last of the Mohicans
Troy

Oh, and I'd definitely think of Starship Troopers too.:D

The bold part is pretty much my reason for doing this. I honestly feel they've missed out on a valuable piece of cultural education.

Not having a thorough grounding means they don't properly appreciate the things they have seen because they don't get the references.

What do we think about seeing Prometheus without having seen any Aliens? Yay or Nay?

Mark A · 21/05/12 - 20:12

SunnySunshine wrote: »

I'm not sure about inflicting Requiem for a Dream on either of them yet.

I'd say it was bordering on an imperative for teenagers to see.

Regards

Mark

Alvar Hanso · 21/05/12 - 20:25

SunnySunshine wrote: »

*furiously scribbles list*

I'm not sure about inflicting Requiem for a Dream on either of them yet. and I have grave doubts about inflicting The Notebook on myself, but everything else makes the long list.

i wouldn't assume anything before you see it;)

I mean your cool with the obviousness of dirty dancing and you worry about the infliction of the note book

I wouldn't call it a typical love story or chick flick but dirty dancing is exactly that;)

Johnny Clay · 21/05/12 - 21:12

SunnySunshine wrote: »

While I've got them I thought I'd rectify their shamefully neglected movie education.

But do they want an education in the celluloid way?

[Deleted User] · 21/05/12 - 22:24

Slumdog Millionare

JCR · 22/05/12 - 16:53

Cinema Paradiso
Life Is Beautiful
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Pinocchio (Disney)
Modern Times
Rear Window
Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
Grave of the Fireflies
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

uzzybuzzy · 22/05/12 - 20:43

Back to the Future trilogy
Indiana Jones trilogy
Edward Scissorhands
Cool Runnings
Karate Kid quadlogy
Beetlejuice
Home Alone 1/2
Gremlins 1/2
The Goonies
Pirates of the Caribbean
Bill and Ted 1/2
Ghostbusters 1/2
Rocky series
Terminator 2
Hocus Pocus
Die Hard triology
Short Circuit 1/2

Speak-Softly wrote: »

I would have thought the way to go would be to choose films that have affected how we see the world?
Things that introduced such iconic themes that they are constantly referenced all the time.

Jaws
Alien
Psyco
Star Wars
Casablanca
Gone With The Wind

They are teenage girls, garentee they will love
The Breakfast Club
Footloose
Dirty Dancing
Ghost
The Karate Kid (ok, maybe that's more of a boys one, but who doesn't love it)

Ones my daughters love

Rebecca
Cabaret
Singing In the Rain
What Lies Beneath
Last of the Mohicans
Troy

Oh, and I'd definitely think of Starship Troopers too.:D

I love The Karate Kid and I'm a girl!

Hey there!

Quick Links

What films for a cultural education for a teenager?

Comments