The Outsiders recently celebrated its 30th anniversary. I know this because I saw tweets from Emilio Estevez and Ralph Macchio congratulating S.E. Hinton. I thought it was pretty cool that those guys are still in touch with Hinton.
I did a post a while back about the best book/movie combos, and even though The Outsiders didn't make the top five, it was close.
I was in 8th grade when The Outsiders came out, and I had only recently read the book. I can vividly remember the night I went to the mall with a big group of friends to see the movie. It was a real event.
Francis Ford Coppola's adaptation was the launching pad for a number of big name actors: Swayze, Estevez, Dillion, Macchio, Howell, Lowe, and Cruise. I'd say all the guys were great, but my favorite was Dillion. His performance as Dallas was the real standout for me. I still bust out a "Let's do it for Johnny man," every now and then.
The Outsiders will always be special to me because it was the first time a book I love was made into a movie I love. How 'bout you? What was the first book you love that was made into a movie you love?
Most books i love are either never made into movies, or into awful or only average movies. C.S. Lewis' Chronicles are an example -- the made for British TV stuff is fabulously done in many ways, but the special effects are not part of that. The new screen adaptations leave way too much to be desired.
ReplyDelete"Mustangs. They're tough."
ReplyDeleteLove that book. Love that movie. And you're right about Matt Dillon in it. :)
Ye - I was teaching 8th grade the year the movie came out (mind you, I was only 15 when I was teaching 8th grade ;) ) . I had read it to the class in anticipation of attending the movie at the theater which was in walking distance of the school. Very cool! I have always had a soft spot for that book and I know it is still being read to 8th graders today.
ReplyDeleteI saw The Outsiders with my best friend in the 8th grade, and I was so devastated by Dallas' death that I was still crying when my dad picked us up after the movie. I was in such a state he was panicky and thought sure something terrible had happened to us. He was so mad at me when he found out I was just hysterical because Matt Dillon got killed.
ReplyDeleteStill makes me laugh to think of it.
My post today is on The Outsiders (the book). Too cool. I loved the book more than the movie, but that is pretty much always the case. The movie did pretty well, given that it had two hours to pack the entire book in. The cast nailed it. And I didn't know that many members of the cast still keep in touch with Hinton, but that speaks volumes about her and them. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteLove that book—and what a great cast!
ReplyDeleteNostalgic that - saw it a long time ago. Nice post Tim.
ReplyDeletenever heard of the book or movie...must check it out. there haven't been good movie adaptations of books i liked yet.
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