S.E. Hinton's book can be read in just a few hours, but it stayed with me much longer. The book is about a group of boys who are outsiders because they don't fit in with the norm. However, they really are just a group of normal kids. They've got girl issues and problems at home just like any other teenager. The main thing that sticks out to me about the book is how fiercely they love and protect one another. They are the Greasers, the dangerous boys, but they aren't afraid to show how much they care for one another. A saying that is used by the boys quite often in the book is, "Tuff enough." They knew that fighting wasn't all it took to be tough, although they did a great job of that. It was about doing what it took to be real men. The book is from the point of view of Ponyboy, who is played in the movie by C. Thomas Howell. My favorite character, though, is Johnny Cade, played by the adorable Ralph Macchio. As Ponyboy puts it, "Southern gentlemen had nothing on Johnny Cade." These two boys may be the youngest, but they certainly don't act like it. They often do heroic and brave things without even thinking. They knew the true meaning of being "tuff enough." My favorite thing about the book is probably the fact that Ponyboy and Johnny are such big fans of Gone with the Wind. Who doesn't love that? Two "bad boys" who enjoy reading a Southern novel. The Outsiders is also very sad, but I won't spoil the ending for you.
The movie is also great to me. Directed by Francis Ford Coppola, it has an amazing cast of male up-and-comers. They're all so wonderful that it's just too hard to choose my favorite. There is the always awesome Patrick Swayze, who plays Ponyboy's older brother, Darrel. Just barely out of high school, he is doing the best to provide for his two younger brothers, Ponyboy and Sodapop (played by the dreamy Rob Lowe). Another standout is Matt Dillon as Dallas Winston, the somewhat leader of the group. Diane Lane as Cherry Valance says it best when she said, "I hope I never see Dallas Winston again. If I do, I'd probably fall in love with him." Dallas' affection for Johnny is a sweet and touching part of the movie. He is lost without Johnny. Once again, I won't spoil the plot for you, but it's definitely worth at least one viewing.
As a self-proclaimed lover of all things 80's, one might expect me to immediately go on and on about John Hughes. I'll save that for a later time because I do love John Hughes. However, the 80's had many other offerings besides his films, and The Outsiders is definitely a great one.
No comments:
Post a Comment