I was fortunate enough to attend a showing of The Outsiders at the beautiful, historic Crest Theater with my mom this past Friday night. The theater, which now holds stage shows, is now also showing old(ish) films every so often, and The Outsiders happened to be one of them.
The Crest is absolutely gorgeous, restored to its former Art Deco glory, with lush golden and red curtains, gold-paneled walls and ceilings, and ornate wall lights.
The atmosphere this night was enhanced, though, with 1940s music and the ever-increasing crowd of fellow fans. There was a real sense of camaraderie. Plus, a reporter from a local TV station was there, interviewing various people. (No, he did not interview me, and frankly I was okay with that.) He actually filmed the whole movie.
I’ve seen the original film twice, the complete novel two or three times. But I had never seen The Outsiders on a big screen. I was so excited. I figured since the films being shown by the Crest were older, this would be the original version of The Outsiders. Not as good as the complete novel, in my opinion, but I told myself I was lucky just to be seeing any version of the film in an historic theater.
But it wasn’t the original film. It was the complete version as put together by Coppola in 2005. Watching the opening credits, I leaned over to my mom and whispered, “I think this might be the newer version.” There is a difference in the credits, and I was fairly sure these were the newer ones.
And then the steady piano of Jerry Lee Lewis faded in, and I knew. It was the full version. I couldn’t have asked for anything more.
Before I mention some things I noticed in the film, I have to say that it was very entertaining just watching and listening to the audience. As each greaser appeared in the opening credits, he got cheers. Then, as each character had his moment, he got cheers again—or should I say, the actors got cheers, except for Tom Cruise who got booed (though he was really very good as Steve). C. Thomas Howell, Ralph Macchio, Matt Dillon, Emilio Estevez. Patrick Swayze even had his own cheering section. And when Matt Dillon turned around in the hospital bed and proclaimed, “Let’s do it for Johnny, man—do it for Johnny!” everybody erupted. I smiled.
It was a crowd of people who were just as crazy about the book and film as I am, and it was wonderful. My mom was a saint for putting up with it
Here are some things I noticed about the film, seeing it on the big screen for the first time:
- The cinematography. Oh my goodness, it’s even better in the theater. Even the opening credits (which I have to admit I prefer in the original 1983 version) were stunning; the gold-drenched still images of urban Tulsa were eye-catching. And all the sunsets and sunrises in the film—I never realized before how many there are. Other shots were gorgeous, too: the split screen (not sure if that’s accurate, I can’t think of the term) of Johnny cleaning his blade and Bob lying dead; Two-Bit and Ponyboy walking up to the lot in the twilight to meet Cherry (the shadows!); Rob Lowe and C. Thomas Howell in bed together (that whole scene is absolutely stunning with all the shadows playing on the boys’ faces). Soda does indeed look like a Greek god come down to earth, in Ponyboy’s words.
- At the very end of the film, when Ponyboy is back at his desk, he takes a picture down from his bulletin board. For some reason I never really wondered, until this viewing, who is in that picture. Just who is it? I assume it’s the guys—Dallas and Johnny included—but I wasn’t able to get a good view of the picture. Anyone know? I’ll have to put on the DVD and play that scene back.
- Diane Lane’s beauty. She is stunning in any version of the film, but seeing her on the big screen only confirmed that beauty.
- The thoroughness of the film. Coppola doesn’t scrimp on details; he shows us a ton of them, even if they’re things that don’t really have to do with the story. For instance, he shows little things in the Curtis boys’ house, even though we don’t really need to see these things to understand the story: the piano with family photos on it; other photos on the wall; the bathroom, with shower curtain; the living room with the TV in the corner; Tulsa’s channel six test pattern (the actual one shown in real life!); Soda and Pony’s bedroom with the bookcase behind the pillows; Two-Bit drinking a beer from out of the Curtis’ fridge. Also, Ponyboy bouncing one of those tiny little bouncy balls walking home from the movies; how pointless and yet how delightful, because it’s so him. The “Rogers” decal on Bob’s Mustang; the neon “Bud” sign in Buck Merrill’s window; the “North Peoria” sign on the front of the city bus. There are so many details, everywhere, and I’m glad Coppola didn’t cut any out. They only solidify the world more.
My mom doesn’t mind the story I don’t think—she’s seen the film once before—but she’s not too big of a fan. She doesn’t like the fighting, and after this viewing she informed me she didn’t think the acting was all that great. That killed me—but maybe I’ve seen the film too many times and am just biased towards the actors and characters. She did think Ralph Macchio was good, though, and she liked the new scenes that weren’t in the original version.
But she did think the film was slightly cheesy. I guess I can see how it might be, especially to someone who has only seen the film as an adult. At times, perhaps, Howell’s acting was not as natural as it should have been—and yet I think it was wholly natural, because as he says, he wasn’t really trying. He was just being Ponyboy. And besides, the book itself is melodramatic, and the film, a very faithful adaptation of the book, can’t help but be melodramatic too.
And my mom doesn’t like the violence—a lot of people don’t. Well, neither do I, honestly. But when I hear that complaint, I want to say, “But this is these kids’ lives! This is many kids’ lives! This is how they feel, this is what they go through! We can’t just deny that.” Kids do get gunned down by police for carrying a gun, even if an unloaded one; kids do get abused by their alcoholic parents; kids do become alcoholics themselves; kids do drop out of school; kids (boys mainly) do fight. It happens. So many kids live this life that’s portrayed in The Outsiders. We can’t just pretend that at least some part of it isn’t real.
What are your thoughts on the film? Cheesy? Melodramatic? I’d love to hear them.