Ponyboy Curtis and his friend Johnny Cade are in a gang called The Greasers, who are relatively poor compared to their rival gang the 'Socs' (pronounced 'soashes',) their feuding with whom results in a murder and Ponyboy and Johnny have to go into hiding in an abandoned church. They save a bunch of children from burning to death but Johnny has severe burns and a broken back and must face a manslaughter charge, while Ponyboy is threatened with a children's home. Things go from bad to worse with a further clash between the two gangs and the death of Johnny souring matters. Will anyone in this film make good? Another film which features a ridiculous amount of big star names - Patrick Swayze, Matt Dillon, Tom Cruise, Rob Lowe, C Thomas Howell, Ralph Macchio and Emilio Estevez - The Outsiders is a cult film for persons of a certain age. Directed by Francis Ford Coppola, it is sure to contain a certain amount of class and it is faithful to its source novel by S E Hinton. It has a lot to say about loyalty and friendship among kids. It also deals with class differences and your heart will be with The Greasers who endure hard lives and must adapt to that, particularly Ponyboy's family who have endured an awful amount of heartache and turmoil. The acting is wonderful and the film still stands the test of time as a moving drama about teenage troubles.
My first film watched was Carrie aged 2 on my dad's knee. Educated at The University of St Andrews and Trinity College Dublin. Fan of Arthouse, Exploitation, Horror, Euro Trash, Giallo, New French Extremism. Weaned at the bosom of a Russ Meyer starlet. The bleaker, artier or sleazier the better!
