Rebel Without a Cause

Year:  1955

Director:  Nicholas Ray

Screenplay:  Stewart Stern and Irving Schulman, based on a story by Nicholas Ray

Starring:  James Dean, Natalie Wood, Sal Mineo, Jim Backus, Ann Doran, Corey Allen, William Hopper

Running Time:  111 minutes

Genre:  Drama, coming of age

Los Angeles:  Jim Stark (Dean) is the new kid in town, but is already in trouble with the law for drunkenness.  Starting a new school he falls for Judy (Wood), the girlfriend of Buzz (Allen), leader of the local gang, and befriends troubled kid Plato (Mineo).  Buzz violently challenges Jim to a game of "Chicken" which leads to tragic consequences.

James Dean made three feature films before his tragic death in 1955 at the age of 24, shortly before the release of Rebel Without a Cause.  However his legacy and impact on popular culture resonates even to this day, and it is largely due to his role in Rebel Without a Cause.  This is arguably one of the first real teen films, and rather than see the problem of teenager hood  through the eyes of the disapproving adult characters, it is seen through the eyes of the teens, who are treated sympathetically.  Jim Stark is essentially good, compassionate person, who is confused and mixed up by his lecturing mother and well-meaning, but weak-willed father; Judy craves affection from her father who she believes hates her since she turned sixteen and is no longer "Daddy's little girl"; Plato has been abandoned by his wealthy family and is looked after by the family's kindly maid.  Together they form a strange, surrogate family, with Jim and Judy taking on the parental roles, with Plato as their son, it's also pretty obvious that Plato is in love with Jim, who is in love with Judy and possibly Plato as well.  Dean manages to convey a lot of often conflicting emotions at the same time.  The scene where he comes upon his father (Jim Backus), wearing a ludicrously frilly apron, dropping a tray of food for Jim's mother, which he scrambles to pick up, and Jim looks on at him with an expression of mingled contempt, sorrow, love and sympathy.  Natalie Wood and Sal Mineo also give striking performances, and Dennis Hopper appears as one of the gang members.  The film is very dated now, but it is still exciting, and some of the action is still surprisingly strong, such as the knife fight and the "chicken" race.  It may be difficult for some to sympathise with the teenage angst of these materially privileged, suburban, middle-class kids, but it is portrayed convincingly.  Even though a lot of it has dated, elements of it are still effective today, and it is the film that made James Dean a legend.

Ann Doran, James Dean and Jim Backus in Rebel Without a Cause

Heathers

Year:  1989
Director:  Michael Lehmann
Screenplay:  Daniel Waters
Starring:  Winona Ryder, Christian Slater, Shannen Doherty, Lisanne Falk, Kim Walker, Penelope Milford, Glenn Shadix
Running Time:  102 minutes
Genre:  High school, dark comedy, teen

This surreal, dark comedy is one of the best teen movies of the 1980s.  In the small town of Sherwood, Ohio, Westerberg High School is run by a clique of three popular girls who are all named Heather:  the malicious and bitchy leader of the group Heather Chandler (Walker), the bookish and bulimic Heather Duke (Doherty) and the weak-willed cheerleader Heather McNamara (Falk).  Despite being envied and lusted after, the "Heathers" are pretty much despised by the student population. The newest member of the group is Veronica Sawyer (Ryder) who hates the "Heathers" as much as anyone else, and, sick of "swatchdogs and diet cokeheads", longs to return to her old life and geeky friends.  Everything changes when she meets new student, the rebellious and charismatic Jason Dean (Slater) otherwise known as "J.D.".  Veronica and J.D. soon start dating and together plot to overthrow Heather Chandler's domination.  However, when a prank intended to humiliate Heather Chandler winds up being lethal, Veronica is quickly forced to deal with J.D.'s murderous true nature, as the body count swiftly increases.

Daniel Waters wrote the script hoping that Stanley Kubrick would direct it.  However several attempts to get the script to Kubrick failed and it wound up being given to director Michael Lehmann.  A number of actors were approached for the film, including Jennifer Connelly who turned it down due to the film's dark subject matter and a then 17 year old Heather Graham, whose mother refused to let her do the film.  Brad Pitt auditioned for the role of J.D. but was turned down due to the producers thinking he came across as "Too nice" and would not be credible in the role.  
The film is stylish and witty with a genuinely funny script which has a strong feel for teen-speak.  However it does deal with some very serious subjects including teen suicide, the pressures to conform, and adults who are either oblivious to or completely misunderstand teenagers.  The film also deals with the callousness of teenagers and adults.  In one scene, Veronica is at a funeral and is shocked by the only display of genuine grief there, form a young child. 
Winona Ryder does a great job as Veronica and Christian Slater does really well as the wild and crazy J.D., a performance obviously inspired by James Dean with shades of the sociopathic Alex from A Clockwork Orange (1971).
Funny, dark, and thoughtful the film is very berry.

Shannen Doherty, Lisanne Falk, Kim Walker and Winona Ryder in Heathers