How teenagers are represented in film

K

KEM

New member
Hey, I am studying the way teenagers are represented on the big screen (focusing on since 2000, but also thinking of older films like KiRAB and The Basketball Diaries) and am interested in other's opinions on this. The main films I am focusing on are This Is England, Kidulthood, Thirteen and Mean Girls (I know, had to include something cheesy and stereotypical!)
Personally I think characters are exaggerated to provide better comedy or drama, but I just want some outside input so feel free to put down your two cents worth!
 
How about Harry Potter? You've got the unprecedented spectacle of the same teenagers being followed from thirteen to eighteen (and a few years either side), over seven films.

RegarRAB

Mark
 
How about Clueless, 10 Things I Hate About You, and Shes All That - they're all centred around teenagers. They might be helpful.
 
Clueless and Ten Things... are adaptations of Jane Austen and Shakespeare respectively.

What about Dazed And Confused - or is that taken from Proust or someone?
 
Couldn't beleive Hard Candy when I saw it, very entertaining! :D

Not a film, but the most realistic portrayal of teenagers I've seen was on My So Called Life.
 
Thanks for all the suggestions everyone! Should be able to find a bit more to write about rather than just positive and negative representations now. It is alot more difficult that it seems to find films that aren't based on books!
Also in my essay, I am studying the effects of teenage representation in films, for example, reinforcing negative stereotypes, or influencing younger pre teens etc... - what are your opinions?

Maria
 
Usually teenagers hang around street corners smoking - and causing as much hassle for people as possible

very anti-harry potter like
 
Both Mean Girls and Thirteen seem to stereotype certain parts of teenagers. In Mean Girls the different groups of people in the cafeteria seem to be completely stereotypical, and they never showed the idea that although you do get people like Regina [I guess...] there's more to them than the bitchiness you see.
In Thirteen, it sort of made it look like every single teenager gets drunk and smokes and all that at that age when really they don't. And although self harm is most common between the ages of 12 and 18 [I think.] it doesn't mean that they would necessarily do that. It's like taking all the problems different teenagers may have in society and putting it on a couple of characters. I know, it makes the story, but it's so unrealistic, I think personally. It makes everything over exaggerated. Both films do really, but like you said, it's for the entertainment value as at the end of the day, would we really want to watch a movie which was realistically everyday life? Because not everyone has dramas like that everyday!
I haven't seen the other two movies so I can't comment on those... hope I helped a bit! x
 
DNR - I know haha, just the stupid exam board say I have to ask others opinions :p

And Rob, this is exactly what I am talking about, that is an assumption other media outlets have given you, which is pretty offensive when there are many, in fact most, teenagers (like myself :P) working hard to get qualifications and a better future and just be decent human beings. This is what the media never shows you.

Maria
 
I'd say, out of all the media, films have the least impact on enforcing negative stereotypes of teenagers. Compared to tv or newspapers there aren't many examples of stereotypical representations of teenagers (that you would take seriously) & almost none of british teenagers.

Whilst there are films, like Mean Girls, which show teenagers to be nasty brats, not many people would watch this & think all teenagers are like that as the film is so over the top.


What sort of course are you doing?
My g/f finished her degree in film making this year but really hated having to answer questions like yours at college!

Good luck with your essay!
 
I always wondered why in American high-school movies/TV shows 17-year-old males look like 26-year-old men (e.g. Clark Kent in Smallville) and 17-year-old girls like 23-year-olRAB.

Plus they drive muscle cars and 4x4s - remember Ryan in The OC? That Range Rover must have cost
 
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