1) The teenagers should get top billing in the credits.
Incorrect. It's Harmon and half of Kirstie Alley (I don't know if I ever liked the name Kirstie)
2) The main characters and main enemies should both be teens.
The Enemy is the Principal who recently played the father on Life Interrupted (a decent but highly predictable show) the students are the mostly the main characters, Chainsaw, Dave, and Courtney Thorne Smith, a decent core.
3) There should be a high school scene in the movie (no?)
Basically the good parts are all in high school. Except the excellent beach scene and the Screwdriver (which was an udder disappointment).
4) Strength of other plots... Does the movie focus around one character or is it a combination of ideas?
Two essential plots Shoop trying to date Alley, and the resurrection of the "bad" students. It works and it all ties together. The plot is strong as super easy to follow.
5) Strength of soundtrack. Are there songs that you got just because of that movie? Is the 90% of it amazing? Without looking now can you name 5 songs? Does it even have 5 good songs?
Happy is a great song (props to Cindy Mancini for the hook up). The rest of the movie has good songs but nothing else awesome till Mind Over Matter. Oingo Boingo AND EG Daily on the same soundtrack good movie and makes it a 7 by itself based on the difficulty of obtaining great songs.
6) Does it make people cooler if they have seen it? Or are they not cool because they haven't? Is it truly a crime if they haven't?
A true movie a teen needs to see probably in the summer. It's often played and it's PG-ness makes it an easy movie for anyone to see.
7) Finally is there a moral to the end or good vs evil battle of sorts? I would argue a tongue in cheek battle doesn't count. But what is worth more: realization of greatness or victory?
As a teacher I know what it's like to get bad kids to pass big tests. Also, like the point made at the end of the movie, sometimes just getting them to take the test is a victory.
8) Is it just a movie or are you attached to it because it makes you remember things you or Someone you know did?
It's attached to my life as a teacher, but as a student then, no teacher looked like Alley.
9)Is it a genre piece and is the genre the foundation of the movie?
They could remake this movie and it would probably work well. Teens are the foundation of the movie and was written for teens to watch.
To Summize...
Summer School is a great movie, with a above par soundtrack, the lines are very quoteable, and the characters are a riot. The problem is that the movie isn't riveting. It's funny but doesn't have the part that makes the movie, there's no Twist and Shout, K-12, PB and J with the Crust cut off scene. It's good but the peaks and valleys are slight. It misses my top 10 but might make into 20.
WE are DEVO
Posts: 4228 | From: Home of the big landfill | Registered: Jul 2003 | Site Updates: 8
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posted
Well I don't know anybody who analyses movies that much (No dig intended).
I prefer to watch and enjoy, but here is my analysis.
1) Agree with that one
2) Don't agree - I don't think it matters about the enemy not being teens. It is actually quite good for teens to know that they have beaten the adults.
3) The petting zoo was great when Chainsaw and Dave pretend they are getting mauled by the rabbits.
The 4th of July weekend party at Shoop's is another good scene.
Larry being unmasked at the strip club - It is funny because I am thinking to myself why is Shoop there on ladies night.
4) OK
5) The movie does not need to over compensate with a great soundtrack because it does fantastically well by itself. Not even some of the other 80's teen movies that people mentioned had a particularly great soundtrack either. I will also mention that I am sure many people would have watched the Texas chainsaw massacre after seeing this. I know I did.
6) IMO people should be locked up for not watching this. And yes, you are Spicoli cool if you have seen it and you are Ratner uncool if you have not.
7) I have no morals so it didn't bother me.
8) Hmmm. Again it turned me onto Texas C.M. It has a good surfing chilled feel to it even though there is no actual surfing done. The bite in the *** reminds me of why I hated teachers. well most of them anyway. Shoop represents for me the one cool teacher I knew in my whole academic life.
9) What you said rings true for many many movies. That is why there are so many re-makes.
10) Definitely in my top 10 teen movies.
Posts: 2586 | From: Defrauding the company from abroad | Registered: Jan 2010 | Site Updates: 24
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I like it. A good, fun, SoCal beach movie. Plus Courtney Thorne-Smith in a body glove wetsuit....YUMMY! Of course this is before she decided to cut her boobs down and try to get as skinny as Calista Flockhart during the Ally McBeal days.....not to mention seeing Kirstie Alley before she went completely off the rails and started looking like a bag lady....
Shoop is the man.
Posts: 294 | From: Arizona | Registered: Mar 2007 | Site Updates: 0
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kevdugp73
He's eating after dark again....
Member # 5978
posted
After reading this thread, I watched Summer School for the first time a few days ago. I really liked it. I have a vivid memory of being at the drive-in and seeing this poster on the wall back in the 80's...but didn't get to see it.
Great 80's fashion, pretty funny, great cast. And wowzers...Kirstie Alley looked amazing...beautiful eyes. Glad I finally got to see it....
Posts: 2148 | From: Nova Scotia, Canada | Registered: Aug 2007 | Site Updates: 0
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posted
I really enjoyed this movie. Mark Harmon made me watch NCIS, which now I'm glad I do! I did have a Kirstie Alley-like teacher. Seventh grade English. She used to sit on a stool at the head of the class looking fabulous! Good grief! That was 21 years ago! I'm feeling so old now! But anyhow, great summer school movie! And I'll agree, not top ten.
Posts: 160 | From: League City, TX | Registered: Feb 2008 | Site Updates: 0
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"One Crazy Summer" is a movie that I've just never been able to get into. I'm a huge fan of Savage Steve Holland's "Better Off Dead" and usually enjoy John Cusack films.. but not "One Crazy Summer" for some odd reason.
Back to "Summer School" .. I watched it right after Veronica Sawyer started a thread about it awhile back and thought it was hilarious. Not in my top 10, but could see why it might be in others.
Posts: 7845 | From: Smiling and glancing in awe in the back of a limo | Registered: Mar 2003 | Site Updates: 22
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