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Its seems as if American culture is obsessed with sex. From music videos to
commercials to teen movies: one cannot turn on his television without seeing a scantily
clad woman or two people engaging in some type of foreplay. Even on game shows
there is commonly a female co-host who wears next to nothing. Moreover, besides
a pornographic movie or a special on HBO, one can find more than enough sex in
a teen movie. These films contain teenage sex symbols who cannot act more than
the “common man.” Yet, it seems as if these movies are quite popular. They more
often than not reach the rank of top selling movie at the box-office. Their
success illustrates much about our society- we want to see sex and cannot get
enough.
There are several formulaic characteristics of every teen movie. All of these
films involve two teenagers of the opposite sex who “fall in love” with each
other and describe their constant struggles in high school. Usually, the two
lovers are extremely different from each other. Many times, one is popular and
the other is a pariah or there are racial differences. The dating between these
two individuals usually begins when one of their friends makes a malicious bet
(in order to mock the unpopular teenager). The relationship is considered a
joke until the two teenagers actually “fall in love.” The movie climaxes when
the unpopular youth realizes that a bet has been placed and feels betrayed. But
do not fear! These movies ALWAYS end happily with the couple together. A
perfect example of this is in She’s All That where the most popular student in
the school, Zack, makes a bet with his friends that he can transform any girl
in the school and into a prom queen. His classmates pick the “nerdiest” girl,
in the school, Laney, for Zack’s experiment. Predictably, he eventually falls
in love with the girl. However, one of his friends tells Laney that a bet was
involved, and she attempts to disown Zack. Again, all ends well as they forgive
one another and magically fall in love once more.
It seems that America craves these movies; from Ten Things I Hate About You to
She’s All That to Drive Me Crazy, teens have flocked to the theaters to see the
same movie plot merely with different characters. Although these films do not
contain much acting talent, their scripts are strikingly similar to those of
Shakespeare. For instance, O is a modern Othello and Crazy/Beautiful is merely
Romeo and Juliet in a high school setting. It is pathetic how many teenagers
excitedly watch and enjoy movies such as Save the Last Dance and Never Been
Kissed , yet they shun classics like Othello and Romeo and Juliet.
Almost all teen movies have the same plot; once you have seen one, you have seen
them all. Guy sees girl. Guy gets girl. Guy and girl fall in love. An
altercation occurs to break that love. Guy and girl fall in love again.
Hollywood is attempting to make it seem as if events like these frequently
occur in high schools. However, every teen can testify that situations like
these are not very probable. Teenagers should not waste their money on movies
which portray a stereotypic, false existence of their lives. Perhaps the reason
why so many teens watch these idiosyncratic movies is because teenagers wish to
escape reality.