Coming of Age
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Topic: Coming of Age
Posted By: Atavachron
Subject: Coming of Age
Date Posted: September 30 2011 at 01:55
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The Wizard of Oz
Harold and Maude Summer of '42 Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory The Paper Chase Star Wars:Episode 4 Meatballs Breaking Away My Bodyguard The Karate Kid These ten very different but classic films all have one thing in common; they're all great coming-of-age movies. What are your favorite C.O.A. films, and why is this genre not being made nearly as often (or as well) today? |
Replies:
Posted By: Henry Plainview
Date Posted: September 30 2011 at 02:37
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Well "well" is a subjective concept, but I have to take issue with "as often". Perhaps not quite as literal, but there have been an enormous number of movies lately about manchildren growing up, as well as things like Superbad and Juno. Granted, those aren't really as kid friendly as The Wizard of Oz, but the stratification of children's movies (outside of Pixar) seems obvious when you consider the impact of merchandising. And I don't know if I would classify Wizard of Oz as a coming of age movie. She only accomplishes anything by accident and doesn't even really learn anything. ------------- if you own a sodastream i hate you |
Posted By: Sean Trane
Date Posted: September 30 2011 at 05:44
Agree with HP (
  ) ... the "coming of age" theme is a very common and classic in all western literatures, beit in terms of carttoon/comics, film or books... and even in some prog concepts (Crime Of The Century, Tommy, Quadrophenia, WYWH, TAAB, Bat Out Of Hell or Lamb Lies down, etc...)
And i'm also puzzled as to what Wizzard Of Oz does in this list.... We could even put alic In Wonderland in that case ------------- let's just stay above the moral melee prefer the sink to the gutter keep our sand-castle virtues content to be a doer as well as a thinker, prefer lifting our pen rather than un-sheath our sword |
Henry Plainview wrote:Posted By: Formentera Lady
Date Posted: September 30 2011 at 05:47
I did not know the genre C.O.A.existed... . Ok, I'll try:Rumble Fish Rebel Without a Cause East of Eden City of God Tommy Quadrophenia ------------- http://theprogressiveweb.blogspot.de" rel="nofollow - Visit me in Second Life to talk about music. |
Posted By: Jim Garten
Date Posted: September 30 2011 at 06:50
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Curious idea for a genre, but how about Stand By Me? Good movie about loss of innocence... ------------- 
Jon Lord 1941 - 2012 |
Posted By: timothy leary
Date Posted: September 30 2011 at 08:40
| The Graduate |
Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: September 30 2011 at 08:59
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Most of Miyazaki's work is about children's coming of age, but from a fascinating Japanese cultural point of view. Other Studio Ghibli films have this theme, such as Grave Of The Fireflies (sad end) and Whisper Of The Heart (happy end). My favourite of the bunch is Spirited Away. |
Posted By: Padraic
Date Posted: September 30 2011 at 09:09
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Posted By: jean-marie
Date Posted: September 30 2011 at 09:09
In this list i would say Harold and Maud, but it's probably because of Cat Stevens songs played during the film  ------------- FAIS QUE TON REVE SOIT PLUS LONG QUE LA NUIT HAVE YOUR DREAM LASTING LONGER THAN THE NIGHT |
Posted By: Guldbamsen
Date Posted: September 30 2011 at 09:14
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To some extent you could say that the 3 Spiderman movies all revolve around a "special" kid coming of age. I don´t think these flicks are particularly good though... I really like Harold and Maude - and it´s not only because of the beautiful Cat Steven´s song  ------------- “The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.” - Douglas Adams |
Posted By: jean-marie
Date Posted: September 30 2011 at 10:19
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Sure i remember that love story between an old lady and teen,and remember all his false suicides ------------- FAIS QUE TON REVE SOIT PLUS LONG QUE LA NUIT HAVE YOUR DREAM LASTING LONGER THAN THE NIGHT |
Posted By: stonebeard
Date Posted: September 30 2011 at 10:26
| Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure (Search your feelings. You know it to be true). |
Posted By: Padraic
Date Posted: September 30 2011 at 10:29
whoa |
Posted By: VanderGraafKommandöh
Date Posted: September 30 2011 at 10:40
This. Definitely my favourite from the Bildungsroman genre. Although it's not a full Bildungsroman in this case as they're mostly just children and the film doesn't really show them as adults. Although of course, they grow up mentally and the brief afterword by the narrator does indicate where their lives went. -------------   
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Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: September 30 2011 at 10:59
| ^ shouldn't that be a Bildungsfilm, rather? :P |
Posted By: VanderGraafKommandöh
Date Posted: September 30 2011 at 13:07
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Not precisely as it was based on The Body, a novella by Stephen King.
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Posted By: Vompatti
Date Posted: September 30 2011 at 13:44
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The 400 Blows and Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring are the first ones that come to mind. Alice in the Cities and Ivan's Childhood might also qualify.
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Posted By: Failcore
Date Posted: September 30 2011 at 14:05
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If we're allowed to include video games, Zelda:OoT and Chrono trigger come to mind.
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Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: September 30 2011 at 14:07
Great call (especially for the first). |
Posted By: dwill123
Date Posted: September 30 2011 at 16:54
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Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: September 30 2011 at 17:42
how could either one of you be puzzled why Oz may be considered coming-of-age; it's not just Dorothy who grows up as to Henry's main comment, yes, the films probably aren't quite as friendly or "sweet" today |
Posted By: Andy Webb
Date Posted: September 30 2011 at 17:46
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How about The Odyssey? Both the poem and the film, I guess. That's one of the more "classic" forms of coming of age (there's a nice-n-pretty literary term for COA stories, which I forget) IIRC. ------------- http://ow.ly/8ymqg" rel="nofollow">  
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Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: September 30 2011 at 17:49
great one |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: September 30 2011 at 17:55
yeah it's one of the best CoA films ever.. I don't think the soundtrack is currently in print but most of those songs are on Classics Vol. 24 http://www.amazon.com/Classics-24-Cat-Stevens/dp/B000002G95" rel="nofollow - http://www.amazon.com/Classics-24-Cat-Stevens/dp/B000002G95 |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: September 30 2011 at 17:58
One of my favorites from Wenders. Do you know The Tin Drum ? (by Schlondorff) |
Posted By: stonebeard
Date Posted: September 30 2011 at 18:39
I would kind of hesitate to call it a coming of age tell for many reasons This being one: http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080415195821AAkeiJZ" rel="nofollow - http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080415195821AAkeiJZ And that I think his loss of innocence would have occurred sometime during the slaughter of the Trojans during the 10 years before that, if not earlier. |
Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: September 30 2011 at 18:46
Beavis and Butthead Do America Wayne's World The Breakfast Club St. Elmo's Fire The Last Starfighter Short Circuit....  ------------- Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened... 
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Posted By: Andy Webb
Date Posted: September 30 2011 at 18:48
I'm talking about Telemachus, not Odysseus. I probably should have clarified  ------------- http://ow.ly/8ymqg" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: Andy Webb
Date Posted: September 30 2011 at 18:49
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Bildungsroman, that's the literary term. ------------- http://ow.ly/8ymqg" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: Earendil
Date Posted: September 30 2011 at 19:03
| Although she's not technically young, Black Swan is an amazing story about the loss and rediscovery of innocence. One of my favorite movies in the last few years. |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: September 30 2011 at 19:45
^ I have to say I didn't like Black Swan, I felt like I was watching Flashdance if it'd been directed by Kubrick
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Posted By: JJLehto
Date Posted: September 30 2011 at 19:49
I reckon that is perhaps the classic. Related note: how about Fight Club? Not quite how we think of it...as it's been said that is more for the 32 year old than the 22 year old, but in it's twisted way it does reflect the transition into adulthood for my generation. A jobless, bleak adulthood that is dominated by consumerism and no identity! |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: September 30 2011 at 19:50
| ^ agreed-- a very significant movie, and a breakthrough part for Norton |
Posted By: Henry Plainview
Date Posted: September 30 2011 at 20:04
On the contrary, Fight Club presents rebellion against prosperity because the people in it need to grow the f**k up. It is no longer nearly as relevant now that the "The Great Depression is our lives" is now actually a literal depression. However, I do think that emotional maturity counts just as much, if not more, than physical maturity, so it counts because it resolves the many emotional issues that were holding him in a state of perpetual adolescence. I would classify the manchild movies I referred to earlier in the same category even though they aren't very similar in most ways.
I wrote that post and then realized that is probably what you were talking about and deleted it. ------------- if you own a sodastream i hate you |
Posted By: Finnforest
Date Posted: September 30 2011 at 20:09
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Over the Edge The Secret Garden Fiddler on the Roof Fanny and Alexander The Last Mimzy Little Miss Sunshine Clerks Spirited Away Ponette Cleo from 5 to 7 Memoirs of a Geisha Once Bridge to Teribithia Ghost World ------------- ...that moment you realize you like "Mob Rules" better than "Heaven and Hell" |
Posted By: Epignosis
Date Posted: September 30 2011 at 20:17
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Memoirs of a Geisha is a fine novel. The movie failed to do it justice.
------------- https://epignosis.bandcamp.com/album/a-month-of-sundays" rel="nofollow - https://epignosis.bandcamp.com/album/a-month-of-sundays |
Posted By: Vompatti
Date Posted: October 01 2011 at 00:54
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Posted By: JJLehto
Date Posted: October 01 2011 at 01:21
Indeed, and short response to Henry: Like I said it's not "really" coming of age as we know it but still....I see the relevance. Personally, I DO see it as accurate for us. Not that we're gunna go insane and start fight clubs to get out anger but well...we are coming of age Henners in a pretty bleak state, and FC feels like it's accurate of our country, ya know? Well guess you don't because I'm not sure but makes sense in my head. yadda yadda who knows Also, another class CoA is The Breakfast Club. I never saw it until I was in college and not as powerful as I'd think years back, (and ok kinda cliched) but it's a pretty good movie. |
Posted By: Henry Plainview
Date Posted: October 01 2011 at 01:55
I agree it's relevant for the thread, but it is not really relevant for 2011. Tyler Durden saw modern society as antiseptic, orderly, and grinding. There was no real risk in your life, you just needed to work at a corporation for 50 years, pounding away every day in mediocre paperwork, and then die of diabetes in a retirement home, spending your final days watching reruns of Matlock. He wanted to live in a world where your survival was not guaranteed, and thus every day was uncertain and thus exciting. So he injected chaos into everything he could and attempted to bring down modern civilization. Well guess what? Your life is pretty uncertain, America is crumbling, and that soul-crushing job looks a lot better when you have been unemployed for 3 years. Next time you're in McDonald's, look at the poster for the Monopoly promotion. Assuming they're all the same, it will say "Lose the second job--one million dollars". We are no longer living in the world he was rebelling against. I think Tyler would be very happy with the progress we've made without him and would be firebombing buildings at Tea Party rallies and Occupy Wall St. (And the whole point of the movie was that he was wrong, anyway...) ------------- if you own a sodastream i hate you |
Posted By: colorofmoney91
Date Posted: October 01 2011 at 06:40
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Friday? I don't really know about any coming of age films. ------------- http://hanashukketsu.bandcamp.com" rel="nofollow - Hanashukketsu |
Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: October 01 2011 at 07:21
This. ------------- Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...
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Posted By: VanderGraafKommandöh
Date Posted: October 01 2011 at 08:12
I said that yesterday. Do keep up! Looking at the wiki page, some Bildungsroman novels have been made into films, some include: The Kite Runner Jane Eyre Sons and Lovers David Copperfield The Picture of Dorian Gray Of Human Bondage To Kill a Mockingbird Oranges are Not the Only Fruit (as a BBC Adaptation) The Swiss Family Robinson -------------
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Posted By: colorofmoney91
Date Posted: October 01 2011 at 17:23
------------- http://hanashukketsu.bandcamp.com" rel="nofollow - Hanashukketsu |
Posted By: stonebeard
Date Posted: October 01 2011 at 18:41
I wouldn't really call Clerks a coming of age movie. There's no real life lessons learned and no real loss of innocence. I would argue that Clerks 2 has more of that. Both are some of my favorite movies. I would think Good Will Hunting is the best argument for a coming of age movie not taking place in one's early teens, which I generally think most movies of these type fit.
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Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: October 01 2011 at 18:55
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^ I should see Good Will Hunting again, I wasn't so impressed with it the first time (though I am a Damon fan, The Talented Mr Ripley, Bourne Identity) Anyone know a cult film called Bless the Beasts and the Children ?; Bill Mumy and a pack of misfit kids run amok in the California hills on a mission to set a heard of Buffalo free. This is weird '70s coming-of-age at its most disturbed and dark, kinda like Last Summer or Badlands but with much younger kids. |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: October 01 2011 at 23:55
| Dead Poets Society is one I've grown to like more .. and another neat rarity is 1964's The World of Henry Orient with Peter Sellers as a conductor and the object of two teenage girls' infatuation until they nearly wreck his high society lifestyle. Beautiful score from Elmer Bernstein. |
Posted By: 40footwolf
Date Posted: October 02 2011 at 00:36
My favorites are:
I don't think the coming-of-age genre has disappeared or gotten worse: I think it's just been adapted into other genres. In the movies I've mentioned, for example, it takes the form of a fantasy movie and two crime films, but they're still at their heart movies about young people coming to terms with their man/womanhood. In fact, in that light, I'd say that the '00s was maybe the best decade for CoA films there ever was. ------------- Heaven's made a cesspool of us all. |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: October 02 2011 at 00:44
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Posted By: 40footwolf
Date Posted: October 02 2011 at 02:32
Very true. One of my other favorite coming of age movie's that I just barely left off the list is Francois Truffaut's Small Change. ------------- Heaven's made a cesspool of us all. |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: October 02 2011 at 02:56
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Posted By: Vompatti
Date Posted: October 02 2011 at 03:58
 2. I dunno k   |
Posted By: The Dark Elf
Date Posted: October 02 2011 at 04:27
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There are many such films that were adaptations from books:
The Lord of the RIngs
Great Expectations
All's Quiet on the Western Front
Harry Potter
Tom Jones
And many others...
------------- ...a vigorous circular motion hitherto unknown to the people of this area, but destined to take the place of the mud shark in your mythology... |
Posted By: ExittheLemming
Date Posted: October 02 2011 at 04:50
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Billy Liar (1963) directed by John Schlesinger from an adaptation of the Keith Waterhouse novel Look Back In Anger (1958) directed by Tony Richardson from an adaptation of the John Osborne play ------------- 
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Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: October 02 2011 at 06:55
------------- Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...
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Posted By: refugee
Date Posted: October 02 2011 at 07:40
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I think that My Life as a Dog fits in here. An excellent children’s movie for grown-ups – that’s extremely Swedish.
------------- He say nothing is quite what it seems; I say nothing is nothing (Peter Hammill) |