Media Studies – Teen Spirit assessment Essay Example

objective of this task is to compare and contrast two teen films from different decades: "Rebel without a Cause," from the 1950s and "The Breakfast Club," from the 1980s.

"Rebel without a Cause" commences in Los Angeles at night with a drunken man wearing black jacket and tie accompanied by an innocent-looking wind-up monkey toy that symbolizes his childhood. As jazzy music plays throughout the movie over background street noise effects, words fly onto the screen reading "Rebel without a Cause."

The police siren that suddenly sounds creates an atmosphere and is relevant to the movie as it will begin and end with the sound of police sirens. In the following scene, James Dean's character, Jim Shark, is seen in a police station where he and two other teenagers are introduced for different reasons. Natalie Wood's character, Judy, wearing a red dress and matching lipstick, is an icon of rebellion and danger often seen in teen movies. She has been arrested on suspicion of prostitution and tells the police officer about issues with her father.

In the lobby, she complains about him calling her a "Dirty Tramp" and wiping off her lipstick. The scene shifts to the interview room where Sal Mineo plays Plato with his nanny. The officer explains that Plato is in police custody because he shot the puppies. Similar to the film being evaluated later on in the assignment, both movies feature characters with individual reasons for rebellion and differing methods of expressing it. This aspect also showcases that all three main characters have been arrested for acts of rebellion.In the movie, Judy is taken aback when the officer accompanying her contacts her

mother to pick her up and rushes out of the station, leaving a small flowery case. Meanwhile, Jim's parents arrive at the station dressed in formal attire. Throughout the film, it becomes apparent that Jim has an uneasy relationship with his father as he views him as feeble. Jim holds his parents responsible for their repeated moves since he kept getting into brawls caused by other students labeling him a "Chicken," a phrase that reminds him of his father's perceived vulnerability. The following day, Jim nervously chats with Judy outside of school where she smokes, symbolizing teenage rebellion in movies. Later on, Judy joins a gang led by Buzz for a ride to school which catches Jim's attention. When Buzz lets air out of Jim's car tires and makes chicken sounds, despite initially refusing to fight, Jim ultimately engages in combat.

Jim and Buzz engaged in a tense confrontation, where Buzz threw a knife at Jim's feet as a symbol of territorial dominance over Judy. The fight only ended when Jim successfully disarmed Buzz. Following his defeat, an angry Buzz challenged Jim to a chicken run - a risky car race that involved the loser being labeled as "chicken." This type of challenge is common in teen movies and reflects typical male behavior. After the altercation, Jim returned home and admonished his father for behaving like a weak parent, which was the main theme of the opening scene. We see this exemplified by his father wearing an apron and preparing food for his sick wife.

Throughout the film, Jim wears a white T-shirt and a Red Windbreaker. At the end of the movie, he goes down to

the chicken run where stolen cars are waiting. The cliff is illuminated like a runway with car headlights and Judy and Plato are there too. It's at this point that we see Jim and Buzz form a connection as they share a cigarette before their race. Buzz reveals his newfound liking for Jim, but despite questioning why they should participate in the race, Buzz remains determined to win out of pride. This drive is similar to that of The Breakfast Club's Jock who strives for success and follows in his father's footsteps - perhaps Buzz's father was also ambitious while Jim lacked such motivation.

Before the race commences, Jim kisses the flowery case belonging to Judy which she had left at the police station. Judy also gives Buzz a kiss and some dirt for his hands. Jim requests dirt from Judy as well, which she provides. Upon Judy's signal, both cars speed past her as she stands between them, implying that Judy is the prize of the race. The race ends at the cliff, where Jim jumps out before the edge, but Buzz's jacket gets stuck and he falls over the cliff.

Upon seeing Buzz's death, all the gang members except for Judy, Plato, and Jim fled the scene, leaving witnesses in shock. To comfort Judy, Jim drove her and Plato back home, returning her flowery case. It wasn't until this moment that Judy recognized Jim's affections towards her. After dropping off Judy, Jim and Plato continued on to Jim's house. There, Plato made a proposition to Jim, suggesting they spend the night together since no one was home and he was not tired. This act revealed

Plato's underlying homosexuality and possibly explains why he is considered the "Outsider" of the group.

Plato expresses admiration for Jim by suggesting that they make breakfast like his father used to, demonstrating his desire to have Jim as a parental figure. However, Jim rejects the proposal and goes inside his house. Plato records Jim's address in his notebook. Inside, Jim grabs a glass of milk and applies it to his cheek, indicating his distress and shock from the night's events. The act of drinking milk is symbolic of innocence. Jim considers turning himself in to his parents, but they dissuade him from doing so since they fear negative publicity for the family.

Jims dad expresses weakness, imploring him not to confess and emphasizing the importance of acknowledging wrongdoing. Despite this, a heated exchange ensues, culminating in Jim storming out, even disrespecting the family portrait. Following this, Jim proceeds to the police station seeking the officer he previously spoke to, Ray, but discovers that he is currently absent.

The text describes the symbolic situation of a man who doesn't have his father by his side when he needs him. Jim comes back home and flirts with Judy, whom he kisses on the forehead. Both express their dissatisfaction with their home lives and decide to spend the night in an abandoned mansion that Plato had shown them before. However, on his way back home, Plato gets ambushed. Meanwhile, Buzz's gang confronts Jim's father and hangs a live chicken on Jim's house door, which is a famous scene in the film that highlights Jim's anger and his father's weakness. Plato rushes off to the mansion.

The teenagers have been having

arguments with their parents, which suggests that their parents are hindering their growth. This is similar to "The Princess" and Cher from "Clueless", as their parents have the last say on what they do, but because they are wealthy, they take it for granted. However, Plato, Judy, and Jim come from a Middle Class background and do not take money for granted. They rebel to make their points across. Plato meets up with Judy and Jim at the mansion, and they play make-believe parents. Judy and Jim act like a newly married couple while Plato shows them around the mansion. The group exits outside to find a pool and notice a sunken nursery. Judy comments on it, and Plato replies that one could lock children in there, never having to see or talk to them again. This quote shows how the kids feel they are treated, as if they are unloved.

Plato's speech offers insight into the perception that children have of their parents' opinions about them. It is during this scene in the film that all three teenagers are most content in each other's company. Plato rests on the floor while Judy and Jim act as "surrogate" caregivers. Judy sings a lullaby to Plato while Jim covers him with his coat.

This indicates the development of a stronger friendship between Plato and Jim. Initially, Plato rejected Jim's coat. After Jim and Judy depart from Plato, Judy confides in Jim about why she fell in love with him. She believes that Jim will not mistreat her like her father did. As a result, Jim's temperament appears more composed than before.

Upon breaking into the mansion, Buzz's gang

locate Plato and rouse him from his slumber. Plato experiences a sense of abandonment comparable to that of his biological parents, yet he also feels obligated to defend his newfound surrogate guardians from the intruders. In the midst of a chase, Plato ascends a staircase and utilizes his father's firearm (which he had procured earlier in the movie) to shoot at one of Buzz's associates. The sound of gunfire captures Jim's attention, prompting him to intervene and attempt to relieve Plato of the weapon. Throughout the confrontation, Plato expresses his emotions for the first time, revealing frustration and inadequacy. In search of solace, Plato flees to the planetarium, where he initially met Jim.

After Jim and Judy successfully persuade Plato to leave the planetarium, he puts on Jim's coat despite feeling cold. This act serves as Jim's final display of friendship. Unfortunately, after leaving, Plato is shot and the camera shows his body falling to the ground before sharply tilting downward. Jim's father appears among the police officers and mistakenly believes that Jim was the one shot, as Plato's lifeless body is found wearing Jim's red coat.

Jim and his father share the feeling of failure as fathers, leading Jim to cry hysterically and cling to his father's leg. However, his father promises support and Jim ultimately accepts him. As a symbolic gesture, Jim's father gives him an "Adult" sports jacket, indicating Jim's passage into manhood. The meeting concludes with Jim introducing Judy to his parents.

At the end of the movie, Jim and Judy leave with Jim's parents in the pre-dawn darkness, as police sirens sound in the background. The film's ending prompts a question - was

it truly tragic? Ultimately, it wasn't. Through this ending, Jim comes to terms with his parents, while Judy finally experiences the warmth of a friendly family. His experience allows Jim to mature into a more evolved person. Another film that explores these themes is "The Breakfast Club." In its opening montage, we see a mix of both positive and negative images of students expressing their sentiments towards their school. The final image is a greyed-out school before the arrival of the students.

Claire Standish, also known as "The Princess", is the first to arrive. She is wealthy and has a close relationship with her father, but he doesn't say goodbye when she exits her car. Following her arrival are "The Brain" Brian Johnson and "The Jock" Andrew Clark, who both receive lectures from their parents. The last to show up is "The Basket Case" Allison Reynolds; her parents drive away before she can say goodbye, similar to Plato's belief that his parents don't care about him. Finally, "The Criminal" John Bender arrives, playing a more rebellious role than James Dean and known as "Bender" by other students.

In a small hall, all students take a seat at their desks, led by an aggressive Head teacher who manages them strictly, in contrast to the teacher in "Rebel Without a Cause" who allows the students to overpower him. The teacher's aggressiveness ultimately unites the students at the end of the film. Throughout the film, we learn why these teenagers are in detention, including Claire, who skipped school to go shopping, portraying the stereotypical image of a wealthy girl.

In the film The Breakfast Club, the criminal initially taunts Claire about

her earrings. However, as the plot progresses, Bender and Claire develop a connection and grow fond of each other. Meanwhile, "The Jock" Andrew is serving detention for a prank that involved taping a classmate's buttocks together. His actions were influenced by hearsay about his father's past behavior in school. Like Judy, who also appears in the film, Andrew feels unappreciated by his father and craves acceptance. To earn his father's approval, he strives to excel in all aspects of life. Despite being produced in different time periods, The Breakfast Club and Rebel without a Cause share similar themes.

Both storylines share the same concept that teenage life involves maturing into adulthood and embracing the diverse views of others. The recurring theme of schools is evident in many teenage movies, exemplified in the character development of 'The Breakfast Club'. The film depicts an engaging scene where bender administer marijuana to his peers, resulting in the bonding of the students, much like the 'surrogate' family in Rebel. Although the endings differ, they are fundamentally similar- both express adolescent acceptance and growth. The resolution of a strained father-son relationship is featured in "Rebel Without A Cause" where Jim accepts his father's worth while in "The Breakfast Club," bender resolves with Claire.

The common theme of both films is the importance of accepting others. Next, I will present my concepts for a teenage horror movie titled "Pyromatic" in a letter to a producer.