Why i can never understand american high school films

[Pica Pica]

blimey. where i live no one cares. about anything. ever. it's quite dull.

Be grateful, young one.

That's why i can never understand american high school films, in england no one could give the slightest hoot about who won the game or the cheerleading thing. I spend the whole time watching them and yelling 'why is it so important' at the screen. However, I also can't understand how old the children in the films are supposed to be, they act like 9 year olds and look like 20 year olds. Bambooooozling.

Edit:  I split this topic off from the original post https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,14785.0.html since it had transformed into something not related.

[RebeccaFog]

That's why i can never understand american high school films, in england no one could give the slightest hoot about who won the game or the cheerleading thing. I spend the whole time watching them and yelling 'why is it so important' at the screen. However, I also can't understand how old the children in the films are supposed to be, they act like 9 year olds and look like 20 year olds. Bambooooozling.

   That's so strange. you kind of guessed my secret dream of putting on a toupee and playing a 44 year old teenager in movies and television.

[added later]

   I'm sorry, I almost forgot to say "Hollywood, here I come!!!"

[Seshatneferw]

You want to put on a toupee for that?
Americans...

  Nfr

[Pica Pica]

That's why i can never understand american high school films, in england no one could give the slightest hoot about who won the game or the cheerleading thing. I spend the whole time watching them and yelling 'why is it so important' at the screen. However, I also can't understand how old the children in the films are supposed to be, they act like 9 year olds and look like 20 year olds. Bambooooozling.

   That's so strange. you kind of guessed my secret dream of putting on a toupee and playing a 44 year old teenager in movies and television.

now all you have to do is do it, i'm sure grease 3 needs someone.

[RebeccaFog]

You want to put on a toupee for that?
Americans...

  Nfr

Can't be a teenager without a toupee.   

[Seshatneferw]

How about a teenager with a receding hairline? Just shave some bald spots?

  Nfr

[RebeccaFog]

How about a teenager with a receding hairline? Just shave some bald spots?

  Nfr

i guess that might work. The important thing is to get that hollywood paycheck.

[Pica Pica]

Hey!

I made a topic without realising it...

[MeghanAndrews]

Pica, I think that the common theme in a lot of those movies is really indicative of the mindframe of a lot of our (American) youth. Brought up and spoon fed by materialistism, a lot of the focus is on superficial things. I know it's what you make it, but it's sad that many of our youth are so caught up in these seemingly meaningless things. Deep at the heart of most 'high school' movies from America are themes like acceptance, belonging and social stratification. "Breakfast Club", to me, is a classic "American" high school film that actually has a message, albeit unrealistic, to it.

[no_id]

Hm. When I watched those movies at a younger age my mind only drew one important conclusion: "American children look older than European ones (or at least Dutch ones)" and everything else was considered pure fiction. Well, that made sense.

However, my mind was tested when I entered an International American High School. One of the first questions a group of girls asked me was; "Would you like to join Pep Club"... Pep club... "Pep what?..".. "Pep Club! We support our sports teams by making cheers and posters and do dances so they win win win!"... I think I must have been staring at them for at least twenty seconds before I managed to bring out something along the lines of 'Hell no..'.. Ever since I haven't been too sure about the whole stereotyped movies, but I seem relatively thankful for being born in a differen country.

[RebeccaFog]

    The only teenager movies I like are independent films and not hollywood ones.  There's a crazy movie out there called "my own private idaho" that is a good example of a movie that tries to achieve something special. It's a little slow, though.

    Most american movies are made by dorks for other dorks.  The mainstream teenager ones are the worst.

   

[Shana A]

I pretty much avoid Hollywood movies, with occasional exceptions. I prefer indie or foreign films and documentaries.

zythyra

[Pica Pica]

i like a good blockbuster. indiana jones, star wars, back to the future all that. But i detest remakes and re-imaginings - i mean, the wicker man is great - why ruin it by remaking it and putting nick cage near it. Why put nick cage near anything?

I would join Pep club, and be a real missogs, i would love it. I don't really like winning anyway, why else would i support Crawley town? (When I bother supportin anyone, which aint often)

[Laurry]

That's why i can never understand american high school films, in england no one could give the slightest hoot about who won the game or the cheerleading thing. I spend the whole time watching them and yelling 'why is it so important' at the screen. However, I also can't understand how old the children in the films are supposed to be, they act like 9 year olds and look like 20 year olds. Bambooooozling.

OK Pica...

I'll agree with you on the whole cheerleading thing, but there are very few High School males that are willing pass up watching the cute girls in short skirts.  Not much point in the cheers themselves, but the girls become cheerleaders so they can be popular, and the guys, (99% of which couldn't get a date with anyone, anywhere, at any time), just wanna watch.

As far as winning "the big game"...most kids here don't care either.  It's just an excuse to get out of the house and hang out with friends.  At least, that's the way it was a million years ago when I was in High School.

I refuse, however, to believe that nobody in England cares about whether their team wins or not, or else you wouldn't have all the brawls and stampedes at the football games (soccer if you are in the U.S.).  Then again, it could just be an excuse to consume alcohol and act like a moron...kinda like it is here.

And, when it comes to the "kids" looking older...IT'S HOLLYWOOD!!  Some of those "kids" are 45 years old, no wonder they look different than the ones at your school.  In all fairness, tho, I will say that when I was taking my son to his High School a couple of years ago, those girls looked like they were 5-6 years older than they really were.  Not sure if it is the advances in make-up or the hormones they add to our food, but if I met the average High School girl on the street, I would have sworn they were 20-25...until they opened their mouths and it became obvious they weren't much smarter than your average 5-year old.

...............

Continuing with the on-going film discussion...I watch them all, especially the old black and white ones.  The dialogs and banter of the old movies just isn't around today.  Take Star Wars for example.  Yeah, the special effects were amazing, but the interplay between Han and Leia were what made that first one so great...and why the new ones sucked so bad even though the special effects were much better.  That's also why most of the Hollywood films today are just mindless entertainment...let's have a car chase and then blow something up...yee haw!

....Laurry

[Pica Pica]

When i said about the games, i mean the school games. League and national games are regarded more important than life.

[RebeccaFog]

Blackboard Jungle is a cool movie.

Rock rock rock rock rock and roll high school is cool too.  Not because of the bad story and acting, but because you can watch the Ramones.


    Yeah, I knew way back when the 2nd Star Wars movie came out that something was wrong. I only like the first movie (episode 4). People who go on about any of the others are crazy.

[The Middle Way]

Why put nick cage near anything?

Cause he's rock 'n roll-qualified. It's an American thing, I guess.

[no_id]

I would join Pep club, and be a real missogs, i would love it. I don't really like winning anyway, why else would i support Crawley town? (When I bother supportin anyone, which aint often)

I believe I just couldn't handle the shock. As for supporting and winning... Tomorrow: European Championship <21 (Soccer) Holland v.s. Serbia... ROCK ON!!! 

And, when it comes to the "kids" looking older...IT'S HOLLYWOOD!!  Some of those "kids" are 45 years old, no wonder they look different than the ones at your school.  In all fairness, tho, I will say that when I was taking my son to his High School a couple of years ago, those girls looked like they were 5-6 years older than they really were.  Not sure if it is the advances in make-up or the hormones they add to our food, but if I met the average High School girl on the street, I would have sworn they were 20-25...until they opened their mouths and it became obvious they weren't much smarter than your average 5-year old.

Man.. I probably look a middleschooler or freshman over there then. 
Nevertheless Laurry, I'm pretty sure it's a combination of make-up and clothing, and maybe everyone's just following the 'look-older' stereotype?... tsk tsk.. 

[RebeccaFog]

   I forgot to tell The Pica that she likely can't understand American high school films because she only speaks English. I'd send her a book on how to speak American, but we burned them all along with the books by Darwin and the U.S. constitution.
   If anyone has any American Language books that somehow escaped our bonfires, please send one to England.

   Alternately, anyone who has been stashing quality or meaningful movies or books, please send them here so we can burn them real proper like.

We Thank you for your cooperation.

[Laurry]

   I forgot to tell The Pica that she likely can't understand American high school films because she only speaks English. I'd send her a book on how to speak American, but we burned them all along with the books by Darwin and the U.S. constitution.
   If anyone has any American Language books that somehow escaped our bonfires, please send one to England.

   Alternately, anyone who has been stashing quality or meaningful movies or books, please send them here so we can burn them real proper like.

We Thank you for your cooperation.

Funny, the bookshelves at the local Borders seem to be full of many quality books such as "Red Bull as an Immigration Aid" and "Ted Kennedy: The Sober Years" (its a very short book).  Even the Half-Price Bookstore around the corner has a whole section devoted to Honest Lawyers and Politicians, but for some reason the shelves are always empty...I guess they must be sold out every time I go there.  I did find a nice book on Training your Dog using Feng Shui, but couldn't buy it as my dollar bills clashed with the book cover and drained all its energy.

As a side note...I found the American Language books gave my toasted marshmallows a strange taste, but the Darwin books burned clean and made the smores taste wonderful.

.....Laurry