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Since we are currently in the middle of the school year, it seemed a good time for a list of top movies about High School. For criteria, I tried to focus on movies set in or on the school grounds and classrooms, about High School life, including cliques and bullies, and involving the teachers (when possible).
An excellent girl-clique companion to Heathers, and actually better in many people’s opinions. Also Lindsay Lohan’s best work to date. Cady is the new redhead that falls in with The Plastics, an A-list clique of supermodel-esque blondes. She then proceeds to fall for the ex-boyfriend of head-Plastic Regina (the wonderful Rachel McAdams). The Plastics plan their revenge, but Cady uses her jungle-environment home-schooling to get the last laugh. Also stars Tina Fey as the hot but socially awkward teacher, Ms. Norbury.
Glenn Holland is a musician and composer who takes a teaching job to pay the rent while, in his ’spare time’, he can strive to achieve his true goal – compose one memorable piece of music to leave his mark on the world. As Holland discovers ‘Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans’ and as the years unfold the joy of sharing his contagious passion for music with his students becomes his new definition of success.
Tracy Flick is the most driven student at Carver High, who just happens to be having an affair with one of her teachers. Another teacher–Mr. McAllister–is having an affair with his wife’s best friend. Student Elections are under way, when Mr. McAllister persuades football jock Paul to run against Flick for his own pleasure. Flick, of course, is mortified that Paul is even trying to compete. Tammy, Paul’s lesbian sister who got dumped by her girlfriend to go with Paul, decides that running against her brother is the best revenge. Who will win the election this year?
High school girls’ cliques at their best (worst?). A snobbish group of girls named Heather (including Shannon Doherty) allow a new girl, Veronica (Winona Ryder) to join. Veronica’s boyfriend (Christian Slater) decides to shake up school politics by proposing killing the Heathers.
Samantha’s life is going downhill fast. The fifteen-year-old has a crush on the most popular boy in school, and the geekiest boy in school has a crush on her. Her sister’s getting married, and with all the excitement the rest of her family forgets her birthday! Add all this to a pair of horrendously embarrassing grandparents, a foreign exchange student named Long Duc Dong, and we have the makings of a hilarious journey into young womanhood.
A great high school fish-out-of-water story, as Marty (Michael J Fox) is accidentally sent back to 1955 and deals with his parents at school while he tries to get back to his own time without disrupting their budding romance. “Peggy Sue got Married” follows a similar vein.
A much younger Matthew Broderick decides to take the day off school, roping in his girlfriend and his reluctant hypochondriac buddy, which angers his sister (Dirty Dancing’s Jennifer Grey) and principal (Jeffrey Jones in a role made even creepier by his latest news), who spends all day trying to catch him. Introduced Ben Stein as the epitome of the boring teacher. Bueller? Bueller?
The best High School horror movie. Sissy Spacek is a social outcast with a domineering and over-protective mother (a psychotic Piper Laurie). The school kids decide to humiliate her during the big dance. Carrie gets her telekinetic revenge by burning the place to the ground and killing her mom and the popular girl.
Engineer Mark Thackeray arrives to teach a totally undisciplined class at an East End school. Still hoping for a good engineering job, he’s hopeful that he won’t be there long. He starts implementing his own brand of classroom discipline: forcing the pupils to treat each other with respect. Inevitably he begins getting involved in the students’ personal lives, and must avoid the advances of an amorous student while winning over the class tough. What will he decide when the engineering job comes through? An inspiring film showing life in the 1960s.
A picture perfect replica of 1980’s high school life in a small rural town. Napoleon is a geek who dreams of the popular girl while drawing unusual animals and fighting with his equally geeky older brother. He also decides to help new student Pedro become class president. Tater tots anyone?
Richard Dadier earns a teaching assignment at a tough high school, where the teenagers make the rules and the staff meekly accept the fact that they’ve lost control. When Dadier tries exerting his authority, he receives much hostility from both students and faculty, culminating with his pregnant wife receiving anonymous letters with false accusations that he is romantically involved with another woman at school. In anger, Dadier hurls an accusation at Gregory Miller, a black youth whom he fears is against him. Miller doesn’t deny the accusation. Instead he escalates the confrontation, but does that mean that he was the culprit?
Features the coming of age of four teenagers on their last summer night before college. Rediscover drag racing, Insipiration Point and drive-ins all over again in this nostalgic looks at the 60’s. The incredible soundtrack brings you the most memorable rock ‘n’ roll hits of the era.
Five wildly disparate students spend a Saturday doing detention in the library under the hawk-like supervision of Principal Vernon (Paul Gleeson). The jock (Emilio Estevez), the nerd (Anthony Michael Hall), the outcast (Judd Nelson), the princess (Molly Ringwald), and the basket-case (Ally Sheedy) share their stories and discover new friendships while tearing down their clichéd personas. Director John Hughes best teen film.
Dude! The ultimate high school vision of sex, school and rock and roll set in the 80’s in Southern California. (You get the feeling Cher from Clueless went to the same school). Sean Penn defined the laid-back surfer and battles stuck-in-the-mud Mr. Hand (a great Ray Walston), while Brad (Judge Reinhold) fantasizes (literally) about super-hot Phoebe Cates, who is getting sex-ed lessons from Brad’s sister, Stacy (Jennifer Leigh).
The soundtrack helped define the 80’s valley culture as well.
Greased Lightning! Set in the 50’s in Southern California, John Travolta’s greaser/hoodlum Danny falls in love with Olivia Newton-John’s transplanted virginal Aussie, Sandy, during the summer before Senior Year. Sandy ends up at Danny’s high school, where he rules the school with the Thunderbirds and their female counterparts, the Pink Ladies. Danny’s embarrassed to admit that he loves Sandy, while the Pink Ladies are determined to embarrass both. Hi-jinks include an American Bandstand-like dance contest, a street race against the rival gang, and an end-of-school carnival.
I [JFrater] have added this film to the list as a bonus because it is my favorite High School film. It is a bonus rather than an item on the list because it is really more about a focus on family life than school life. So, the synopsis: Jim Stark is the new kid in town. He has been in trouble elsewhere; which is why his family has had to move. Here he hopes to find the love he doesn’t get from his middle-class family. Though he finds some of this in his relationship with Judy, and a form of it in both Plato’s adulation and Ray’s real concern for him, Jim must still prove himself to his peers in switchblade knife fights and “chickie” games in which cars race toward a seaside cliff.
Notable omissions: Dazed and Confused, Footloose, Children of a Lesser God, Superbad, Pleasantville, Cruel Intentions, High School Musical, Can’t Buy Me Love, Varsity Blues, Fame, Hollywood Knights, Clueless
Sources: Some text is courtesy of IMDB, the Internet Movie Database
Contributor: copperdragon
January 15th, 2009 at 2:20 am
Mean Girls rules
It’s so true too.
My high school was exactly like that
Good list
January 15th, 2009 at 2:22 am
However:
nononononononononononono@ High School Musical being in the notable omissions
That one sucks.
January 15th, 2009 at 2:23 am
Dead Poets Society ? ?
January 15th, 2009 at 2:23 am
I pride my Vote For Pedro t-shirt
I will stop commenting now…
January 15th, 2009 at 2:24 am
ooh I made the list!
January 15th, 2009 at 2:24 am
Great list!
High-School films are one of my favorite sorts of film (Horror being my first) and The Breakfast Club is just CLASS! In my top five ever made!
January 15th, 2009 at 2:27 am
Ohhh… I so hate musicals… hated singing all those ‘Grease’ songs when I was in 8th grade. Flip-side though, I loved most of the movies on the list today.
January 15th, 2009 at 2:29 am
Glen Coco:
“Four for you Glen Coco, you go Glen Coco!”
I could not resist.
January 15th, 2009 at 2:34 am
WHAT??? THIS IN AN OUTRAGE!!! NO “DAZED AND CONFUSED”?!?!?!
January 15th, 2009 at 2:36 am
HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL?! Are you kidding me? No one goes to a high school like that NO ONE!
Other than that, nice list. My fave is dazed and confused.
January 15th, 2009 at 2:38 am
Just got to say, Superbad. Awesome.
January 15th, 2009 at 2:47 am
australian film “looking for alibrandi” is pretty sweet too…though proably more about fitting in everwhere, not just school.
January 15th, 2009 at 2:47 am
i think you have Sixteen Candles and Pretty in Pink confused, those are the characters and plot from Pretty in Pink.
and Matt Dillon isn’t in sixteen candles, it’s Michael Schoeffling.
January 15th, 2009 at 3:08 am
Good list! I watched ‘Carrie’ and ‘Napoleon Dynamite’ just last night.
January 15th, 2009 at 3:18 am
I love mean girls.
January 15th, 2009 at 3:20 am
This is a change from all the intellectual lists we’ve had recently…
January 15th, 2009 at 3:26 am
Oh no!
what happened to High School Musical?
What happened to Troy? Gabriella??? chad, sharpay lucas monique and chelsea???
January 15th, 2009 at 3:33 am
nyys:
…methinks someone likes High school Musical a little TO much (liking it at all is to much in my opinion…)
Cool list, nonetheless. I agree about Mean Girls being Lindsey Lohan’s best work.
January 15th, 2009 at 3:43 am
No one liked Class 1984 ?
January 15th, 2009 at 3:46 am
actually, it’s a combination of sixteen candles and pretty in pink- the first sentence the former, and the rest the latter.
both of those movies made me want to throw up, by the way, and i’m a barely-not-teenage-anymore girl.
January 15th, 2009 at 3:48 am
Nice to see some love for The Breakfast Club and Fast Times At Ridgemont High. On an aside, the team behind Fast Times… (writer et al) was the same team behind Clueless so that is probably why the basic outline is so similar.
Not a fan of Napoleon Dynamite but a great list, really enjoyed reading it.
January 15th, 2009 at 3:48 am
also, napoleon dynamite isn’t set in the 80’s :/
January 15th, 2009 at 3:52 am
I’m highly thankful High shcool Musical isn’t up there.
Excellent list too : D
January 15th, 2009 at 3:58 am
amen kittyhack….dazed and confused deserves to be here for sure. i had to read the list three times to make sure i wasn’t just missing something.
January 15th, 2009 at 4:02 am
#2 is the real #1 it was just a mistake
January 15th, 2009 at 4:06 am
Dangerous minds?
January 15th, 2009 at 4:23 am
What about Au Revoir les Enfants? High School and Nazis in occupied France.
January 15th, 2009 at 4:24 am
And someone should just hit the person who came up with ‘High School Musical’ in the head with a blunt object…
Or poke him/her with something very sharp repeatedly, and for a long period of time.
I liked ‘Elementary School Musical’, though…
http://www.southparkstudios.com/episodes/210131
January 15th, 2009 at 4:26 am
I HEARD A RUCKUS.
January 15th, 2009 at 4:27 am
Matt Dillon was not in Sixteen Candles, it was Michael Schoeffling!
January 15th, 2009 at 4:33 am
Jeez, guys, stop whining. So your movies didn’t make the list! Deal with it instead of yelling at JFrater. He included movies that were about was high school life was like. ‘High School Musical’ is one of these, seeing as how HIGH SCHOOL is in the friggin’ title. It didn’t even make the list, so why are you guys crying over it anyway?
Anyway…nice list, dude! A bunch of these are my fave movies, and the other bunch I really wanna see. Good work!
January 15th, 2009 at 4:55 am
The big movie that is missing is Dazed and Confused. Beyond that I like the list. I must say though, please add Dazed and Confused.
January 15th, 2009 at 5:05 am
American graffiti and grease are the best! Carrie is good but caused me to dislike my name. Crazy carrie! Crazy carrie ! Lol
January 15th, 2009 at 5:06 am
31. Elodie
High school was like High School Musical? Where the fuck did you go?
January 15th, 2009 at 5:06 am
Superbad, Rushmore, American Pie, The Girl Next Door, Clueless
January 15th, 2009 at 5:15 am
High school musical is not a good movie about high school!!!
January 15th, 2009 at 5:26 am
Good list to take me back to high school…20 year anniversary this year!
apple2: You beat me to it! The info on Sixteen Candles is wrong.
JFrater – thanks for the addition of Rebel. It is one of my all time favorite movies period.
January 15th, 2009 at 5:26 am
CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE RUCKUS?
Cool list. Dazed and Confused would be number one on my highschool movie list.
Anyone see Night School Musical on SNL? Hilariousity!
http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/video/clips/night-school-musical/810988/
January 15th, 2009 at 5:31 am
And now for something completely different -
Actually, and now for two things completely different -
Last year I saw posters and a trailer for a Korea movie obviously a horror movie, obviously set in a high school. I just did some research and found “Gosa: Mid-term exam of blood” (alright, alright, it’s one of those titles that just doesn’t translate: the official title in English is “Death Bell”). A high school class meets on a Saturday afternoon to swot for the college entrance exam and the students are gruesomely knocked off one by one – http://kr.youtube.com/watch?v=e9HqDEYQ-N4&feature=related.
One of the reviews I read said it’s like “Saw meets Battle Royale”, so I looked up Battle Royale and found a Japanese movie – http://kr.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-T7yPJVvXw. A high school class is sent away to a “game” of kill-or-be-killed.
In many countries we are not “in the middle of the school year”!
January 15th, 2009 at 5:40 am
No disrespect, but no High School Musical. The Matt Dillon/Michael Schoeffling mix up is easy to understand. I was shocked the first time I saw it and the credits rolled, “Where’s Matt Dillon’s name…and who is Michael Schoeffling???” I also wondered about Clueless and American Pie. A lot of other suggestions such as Rushmore and Superbad are close, but not quite. I saw Dazed and Confused years ago and wasn’t impressed; perhaps I need to give it another look. Heads up for MASH fans: Look for a young Jamie Farr (billed as Jameel Farah) making his big screen debut in Blackboard Jungle.
January 15th, 2009 at 5:45 am
thank god u didnt put HSM!
otherwise i would regard this list as rubbish!
January 15th, 2009 at 5:48 am
wtf, no bucket list or grumpy old men?? This list SUCKS!
January 15th, 2009 at 6:07 am
jeez, no Porky’s?
January 15th, 2009 at 6:09 am
“…while Brad (Judge Reinhold) fantasizes (literally) about super-hot Phoebe Cates, who is getting sex-ed lessons from Brad’s sister, Stacy (Jennifer Leigh).”
Er, I think it was the other way around. Phobe was giving sex-ed lessons to Jennifer Leigh. Remember the famous cafeteria hot dog scene?
January 15th, 2009 at 6:21 am
Except for Blackboard Jungle, which has Sidney Poitier in the cast, these are all films about predominately white high schools. For a good movie about life in a predominately black high school, there is Cooley High. It was just like my high school experience.
January 15th, 2009 at 6:27 am
Grease #1? Pulleaze….that was the HSM of the 70’s and as many point out here, HSM is about as unrealsitc view of hisgh school as it gets.
Also, #11, you are combing Sixteen Candles and Pretty and Pink into one synopsis.
January 15th, 2009 at 6:27 am
What, no Dazed and Confused?
January 15th, 2009 at 6:30 am
I’ll add another movie, My Bodyguard. I’ve only seen it once. It tells the story of a boy who deals with bullying by hiring a bigger student as his bodyguard, but the bodyguard had his own issues too. Some of what happens is a bit tough to watch emotionally but watching the movie was a great experience.
January 15th, 2009 at 6:34 am
Does Sky High count even if they’re superhero kids? I mean, take away the super powers and you still have the underlying genre of freshmen in High School with cliques, the new teachers, and making new friends while keeping the old mantra.
January 15th, 2009 at 6:35 am
Duckie was in “Pretty In Pink” not “Sixteen Candles”. There are a lot of inaccuracies in this list.
January 15th, 2009 at 6:40 am
2:37
that should be on here… its a fantastic movie
January 15th, 2009 at 6:42 am
Pubescent guns on the list, g – what about The Power Of One, a book/film about being a white English-speaker in an Afrikaner private school during apartheid South Africa?
January 15th, 2009 at 6:43 am
I thought for a minute High School Musical was gonna be #1! *shudder*
Anyways, very nice choices. I’ve seen or heard of most of them. Grease wouldn’t have been my #1 (maybe Ridgemont High for me), but overall pretty nice and original. Thank you for the list!
January 15th, 2009 at 6:48 am
Stand and Deliver was an excellent movie about a group of inner city Latinos being taught calculus by a determined Edward James Olmos. Two movies about basketball could also fit here – Hoop Dreams and Hoosiers. Dead Poets Society probably deserves a mention too. I suppose a technicality might have us include the Harry Potter series of which the third one is definitely the best of the bunch so far. I guess a case could be made that Harry isn’t old enough to be in High School until about now, but I think it’s still relevant in this case.
Dazed and Confused most certainly should be here. A simple check of just about any other lists out there have this one very highly ranked. I didn’t much care for it, I thought Stand and Deliver and Hoop Dreams were the best High School Movies I’ve seen.
And you can count me in the group who loves Napoleon Dynamite.
January 15th, 2009 at 6:56 am
Mattc: Now that you mention it, Grease is indeed the High School Musical of the 70’s…
Except with lots and lots and LOTS of sexual innuendo.
(Hmm… doesn’t that give you ideas…?
)
January 15th, 2009 at 7:04 am
Class of 1984 was a pretty great high school movie.
January 15th, 2009 at 7:09 am
Sorry, two problems:
1) As someone mentioned you have Sixteen Candles and Pretty and Pink mixed up
2) Sarah Gilbert was NOT in election, the person Reese was running against was not her.
I like the list, the only movie missing for me would be Clueless!
January 15th, 2009 at 7:11 am
Cool list. I wanted to mention that Tina Fey also wrote Mean Girls. She is genius.
January 15th, 2009 at 7:14 am
Dazed and Confused?????
January 15th, 2009 at 7:15 am
If Carrie and Back to the Futur are in there it would have been safe to put Donnie Darko in there as well!
January 15th, 2009 at 7:16 am
dazed and confused
is what i am for the lack of dazed and confused.
January 15th, 2009 at 7:18 am
Thanks all!
When I submitted the list, #11 was Sixteen Candles / Pretty in Pink, and the synopsis talked about both (they are very similar and both starred Molly Ringwald). Jamie dropped Pretty in Pink from the title, but didnt change the summary. I didnt realize it wasnt Matt Dillon, but I guess I wasnt the only one.
Great addition of Rebel as bonus.
This also was originally a top 20, with Clueless, Footloose, Cant buy me love, and some others in the honorable mentions, including HP #5.
Never saw Dazed and Confused, but based on the comments, I should have included it.
I was forced to watch HSM with my teenage daughter. It turned my stomach…
January 15th, 2009 at 7:22 am
Dazed and Confused should be on the list at least #2 if not #1. Super funny and great performance from Mr. McConaughey and Mr. Affleck.
January 15th, 2009 at 7:22 am
Clueless, Cooley High, and Dangerous Minds. Just a few of my fav. Good list though.
January 15th, 2009 at 7:22 am
MEAN GIRL!!
January 15th, 2009 at 7:24 am
Jamie, please correct the following:
1) in Election, it was Jessica Campbell, not Sara Gilbert
2) in Sixteen Candles, it was Michael Schoffling, not Matt Dillon
3) for #11, please add Pretty in Pink to the title (so it reads Sixteen Candles/Pretty in Pink) or drop the second half of the summary. Both star Molly Ringwald and have similar plots.
To all, my apologies for the errors.
January 15th, 2009 at 7:29 am
I’m also a Napoleon fan; stemming mainly from knowing someone who was just like that. It was that unintentionally funny, funny… if that makes any sense.
Anyway, Napoleon Dynamite wasn’t set in the 80’s. As far as I know, it was set in the year it was released (2004). Part of the joke was how backward the community was.
January 15th, 2009 at 7:35 am
If those films are representations of american high schools, I’m glad I attended a british comprehensive! lol
January 15th, 2009 at 7:38 am
Dazed and Confused omitted? How could you?
January 15th, 2009 at 7:49 am
Hey what about Not Another Teen Movie, it spoofs all the great high school/teen movies. it’s great.
January 15th, 2009 at 7:55 am
Like someone mentioned, that wasn’t Matt Dillon it was Michael Schoeffling.
January 15th, 2009 at 7:56 am
Great list…the only one I haven’t seen is Blackboard Jungle. I’ll have to see if I can get a hold of a copy someway since its been ranked so high.
Btw..has anyone here seen “Over the Edge”…not really about high school…more about unrulely teens. Kind of a teenage fantasy about getting back at parents/cops in surburbia.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079688/
Good flick.
January 15th, 2009 at 7:57 am
Except for Mean Girls I think none of these movies were from my generation… but I still loved them all and grew up with them. AMC has got to be one of my favorite channels for introducing these films to a naive girl
January 15th, 2009 at 7:57 am
I have to say, I hate MEAN GIRLS! Everytime we ctach it on the TV my husband just HAS to watch the damn thing. He is a big fan of LL in that movie and basically spends 1.5 hours drooling!
January 15th, 2009 at 7:58 am
Anyone remember 3 o’clock high?
January 15th, 2009 at 7:59 am
Cruel Intentions got an honorable mention? As a depiction of high school life? Come to think of it, I DID make a bet with my stepbrother for his car only if he could deflower a young girl or else he could do me. Was that wrong? Should I not have done that? Don’t get me wrong, I actually love that movie, but certainly not for it’s high school-ness.
Also, I want to add Clueless and Can’t Hardly Wait. And take off Napolean Dynamite. People who like that move mystify me.
January 15th, 2009 at 8:02 am
Thank God High School Musical was not on this list. Loved Back to the Future. That was my favorite. Great list!
January 15th, 2009 at 8:09 am
Great list. Many of my favourites get a mention.
Ridgemont High? Aside from the obvious(!!) one of the priceless scenes is the pizza guy delivering Spicolis’ “foood” to the classroom.
And add me to the Napolean Dynamite fans!
January 15th, 2009 at 8:11 am
I really loved this list A LOT! Great job on it! Except for one thing, I think #11-Sixteen Candles is a little mixed up with the info. The description is for Pretty in Pink.
“Screws fall out all the time. The world is an imperfect place”
January 15th, 2009 at 8:17 am
I’m sad to see that Never Been Kissed didn’t make the list here. I thought it was rather good. JOSIE GROSSIE! JOSIE GROSSIE!
January 15th, 2009 at 8:22 am
“Reese’s Tracy pulls out all the stops to beat running-on-a-dare-but-really-doesn’t-care Sara Gilbert”
Umm Sara Gilbert is not in Election. I think you mean Chris Klein, since he is the student running against Tracey, but I wouldn’t say he’s ‘running-on-a-dare-but-really-doesn’t-care’. I think you got this movie all wrong.
From the looks of this list you need to get your facts straight. http://www.imdb.com helps.
January 15th, 2009 at 8:23 am
interesting choices.
some overlap with another LV list of Teen Movies.
author needs to check facts before submitting.
Otherwise, good job.
January 15th, 2009 at 8:29 am
Patty:
In Election, Reese’s character Tracy is also running against Jessica Campbell’s (sorry, not Sara Gilbert) character, who enters the contest late just to irk everyone.
January 15th, 2009 at 8:30 am
rushfan – Good call on 3 o’clock high. I had thought of that movie but couldn’t remember the title. It was a great one!
January 15th, 2009 at 8:33 am
Good list, enjoyed the read and watching the movies, although there’s a couple I haven’t seen yet.
However I agree with everyone else about Dazed and Confused…
For one it depicts High School in the 70s, its named after a Led Zeppelin song, and it has a kick ass soundtrack… to name a few…
That’s my little rant, there’s lots of high school movies that didn’t make the cut, cause there’s just too many of them, so I really shouldn’t be complaining… But I think most of us can agree that Dazed and Confused shines above most and thus deserves a spot…
January 15th, 2009 at 8:33 am
I love all of those movies! But what about Fame?
I think that should be on this list too.
January 15th, 2009 at 8:35 am
JFrater: Unless you give me one good reason why Dazed and Confused was omitted I will never return to this website and go about the internet slandering listverse. Just kidding! But seriously I am horrified. Have you not seen the movie?
January 15th, 2009 at 8:35 am
What about Lean on Me? It is a GREAT movie all about high school.
January 15th, 2009 at 8:36 am
Another vote for Dazed and Confused. I loved 3 o’clock high.
January 15th, 2009 at 8:38 am
I have to say that Napolean Dynamite is a little overrated. I think it attempts to be ironically funny, but you just don’t really care about the characters. Anyway that bieng said. Good High School movies to include:
Dazed and Confused
Rushmore
Three O’Clock High (Not well known, but very funny)
Bonus maybe…Toy Soldiers?
January 15th, 2009 at 8:42 am
Where’s “Red Dawn?”
Those high schoolers went through war…literally! (G)
January 15th, 2009 at 8:42 am
SUPER BAD!!
January 15th, 2009 at 8:45 am
WOLVERINES!!!
January 15th, 2009 at 8:52 am
“Welcome to the Dollhouse”
A jr. High School black comedy, but it shows how depressing/cruel 13 year old’s life can be. And there’s no happy endings.
January 15th, 2009 at 8:57 am
10. warningdontreadthis: HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL?! Are you kidding me? No one goes to a high school like that NO ONE!
****
My youngest daughter went to a high school exactly like that.
In order to do so, she had to be up and out of the house by 6 a.m., and classes lasted until at least 4:30, with rehearsals her school day could last until 6:30, with performances until 10:30.
And all of her academic classes were AP! She was even on Academic Decathlon.
So yeah, kids do go to schools like that, they work very, very hard to get there, and very very hard to stay there.
January 15th, 2009 at 9:12 am
Just thought of another great one with Christian Slater
Pump Up the Volume
January 15th, 2009 at 9:13 am
Welcome to the Dollhouse! Fucking awesome movie. The Special People’s Club… good stuff.
January 15th, 2009 at 9:17 am
donnie darko donnie darko donnie darko
January 15th, 2009 at 9:31 am
OMG!! Kiwiboi makes an appearance!!
January 15th, 2009 at 9:40 am
No highschool musical is awsome but WTF no Dazed and Confused? Really?
January 15th, 2009 at 9:40 am
Pretty cool, but I have to admit I’m disappointed Dazed and Confused didn’t make the cut.
January 15th, 2009 at 9:56 am
I’m glad to see that Superbad at least made the ‘notable omissions’ list. I’m also glad to see that HSM didn’t make the list anywhere because those movies are a blight to intelligent beings everywhere.
And big ups to rushfan for mentioning Three O’Clock High. Not very well known, and no stars to speak of, but that movie is hilarious and should have garnered at least a mention.
Good list, though!
January 15th, 2009 at 9:58 am
Huh. Guess HSM also made the ‘notable omissions’ list, now that I look at it a bit more closely. That makes me sad. Those movies are godawful. I think they’re playing in a 24-hour loop down in Hell.
January 15th, 2009 at 9:58 am
apparently no one bothers to read preceding comments..Dazed and Confused now is under the heading ..’don’t beat a dead horse’. any further references to that movie …lame! really how difficult is it to read a list in its entirety and at least scan previous comments?
or worse yet…truly lame attempts at humor or sarcasm. geesh..people write something worth reading. your comments represent you!
January 15th, 2009 at 10:03 am
Gee sorry Cyn, I apologise I didn’t read the 100 comments that preceded mine.
Fuckin’ Trolls, man.
January 15th, 2009 at 10:07 am
105. Mikey -
go fusk yourself.
and seriously… simply scanning previous comments on any list will tell you if your lame ass comment…or..er…comment has already be made. repeatedly. ad nauseum. to point of vomitus.
*needs rollz eyez smilie here*
January 15th, 2009 at 10:08 am
I liked American Pie….the others were awful but the first was pretty good i thought…
January 15th, 2009 at 10:11 am
I’ll post what I like.
January 15th, 2009 at 10:16 am
No Stand And Deliver? Geez…
January 15th, 2009 at 10:18 am
I have to admite, when I saw the small thumb-nail on the main page I thought it was the guy from Dazed and Confused. It didn’t make the list. Too obvious I suppose, as were Porkies, and my favourite Animal House. But, for all those dark and broody folks who wanted Donny Darko on here, may I suggest you also check out ‘Brick’.
January 15th, 2009 at 10:19 am
“Sometimes my Nana gets drunk and takes off her wig.”
-Damian in “Mean Girls”
Great list. I was surprised by myself at actually liking “Breakfast Club”. And I thought I was such a non conformist…
Ah, high school angst. Let’s see hands for who misses it? Except for Rooney of course… eew.
January 15th, 2009 at 10:24 am
PORKY’S!
January 15th, 2009 at 10:24 am
I hate Fast Times, putting that up there at two is like putting American Pie at number two. And how could you miss actual meaningful high school movies like as previously stated by others Dead Poets Society and Rushmore. Also why would you put Grease at number one. I did however agree with Breakfast Club and think Ferris Beuller’s Day Off should be higher. Also I agree with the hordes that say Dazed and Confused should get a nod.
January 15th, 2009 at 10:30 am
@ 95 segue
So your daughter and her classmates would break out in song and dance in the middle of lunch. Yeah I believe that
January 15th, 2009 at 10:43 am
I love Dazed And Confused also what about High School High?
January 15th, 2009 at 10:50 am
Great list! althought I think 16 Candles was mixed up with Pretty in Pink. I agree with everything but #1. I think Fast Times at Ridgemont High should be #1.
January 15th, 2009 at 10:52 am
hey Jfrater…..is a top 15 movies about college comin up next???
January 15th, 2009 at 10:52 am
Ive never seen fast times at ridgemont high.
i love just about all the movies on here.
I have to see a few of them though.
January 15th, 2009 at 10:59 am
114. ABrutalKind: @ 95 segue: So your daughter and her classmates would break out in song and dance in the middle of lunch. Yeah I believe that
****
lol!
No. The point was that she went to a high school that was totally devoted to music performance, as well as academic performance. They might not have broken out into song and dance during lunch, but they often took the time to rehearse.
It wasn’t “fun” like the one or two partial episodes of HSM we watched, it was deadly serious. The kids practiced every second they possibly could, including lunch and breaks.
HSM was a joke of a show. The only truth in it was the dedication of the kids to the world of music; all else was foolish lies.
January 15th, 2009 at 11:10 am
As for ferris buellers day off, i think its more of the story of a highschool kids ditch day then actuall life in highschool. Dont get me wrong i love the film, but its not traditional high school film.
*comment edited for abuse of capitalization and lame remarks about movies previously mentioned excessively* Cyn
January 15th, 2009 at 11:13 am
113. ABrutalKind – you hate fast times at ridgemont high? Are you on crack? Sean penn does a fantastic job. Watch the film again
January 15th, 2009 at 11:16 am
Great list! Love love love all these flicks!
re: Spocker
It is indeed Phoebe Cates who is giving lessons to Jennifer Jason Leigh’s character but there is no “hot dog” scene. You’re thinking of the carrot scene
January 15th, 2009 at 11:31 am
What about Kids?? Or Hairspray?
January 15th, 2009 at 11:32 am
i think hairspray was more based on racism then highschool… not much about highschool in that one..
January 15th, 2009 at 11:42 am
I think I’m going to repeat comments made by others. I’m just going to keep changing my moniker and then ‘file, paste’ everything I’ve said until the paste button gets worn down to the circuit and this website changes it’s from the List Universe to DAZED AND FUCKING CONFUCKINGFUSED WASN’T MENTIONED and THEY MIXED UP THE DESCRIPTIONS OF TWO MOVIES WITH MOLLY RINGWALD.
It’s like some 6 year old and their mother at the grocery store checkout line.
Candy?
No.
Candy?
No
Candy?
No
CANDEE?
NO!
I want Candy!
I said no.
But I want CANDEE!!
No!
AWWJHGHG CANDEEE!
NO.
I suppose telling people to read the list AND the comments is a little too much to ask to some of those people who missed their daily dose of Ritalin. Yes we know it was left out, yes, it’s true that one of the movies mentioned had a mix up on the description. The reason we know this is because it’s already been repeated more than a James Bond movie on TBS.
So what would be really cool is if you didn’t read my post before stating these two facts again Captain Obvious. You’ll be the coolest person here, making sure we understand something that only you can point out. You’ll be so awesome and hip that Jamie will immediately fly you out to New Zealand to help write other lists and he’ll give you a whole box of graham crackers and PBNJ’s with the crusts cut off. We’ll all bow at your insight and proclaim you to be the Miles Davis of the List Universe and we’ll parade you around with a crown on your head and make a movie starring you as the focus of the entire universe. What would be more awesome and cool is if you put your insights into capitol letters to distinguish what a smarty pants your are, that way anyone who scans down the comment list will be sure to stop and read yours because what everyone else says with proper punctuation, grammar, spelling and common sense is just shit, but hey here’s someone who must really be telling me something I want to hear because after all if it’s in capitol letters, it must be important. We all know that people who type out real sentences with correct spelling and punctuation are just squares and dorks, but you’ve found the all caps button which on your keyboard is marked ‘I’m fucking awesome!!’ Now everybody will be able to peer into your brilliant intellect and super sized brain. The world will know you’ve arrived and we’ll all just go away because we can’t stand to look into the Shekinah glory rays you give off.
January 15th, 2009 at 11:42 am
31. Elodie: I have been trying for months, nay years, to get people to come up with NEW comments, not the same old straw. It’s been in vain, but keep fighting the good fight.
As far as I know, Napolean Dynamite’s timeline was never introduced, making me suspect that it was set in modern times. I do know it was set in Idaho (first movie to be set there, I believe). They did show constant internet usage, so I don’t think it was set in the 80s. The costume actually made me think the early 90’s.
January 15th, 2009 at 11:49 am
may not have much high school in it but, where’s SUperbad?
January 15th, 2009 at 11:51 am
I appreciate the effort of the author to include all kinds of high school movies who were seen by many, but that doesn´t mean that those were any good, such as Sixteen Candles (barf) or anything with Reese Witherspoon in it, let alone Grease which can be fun but not a good movie imo.
The fact that Rushmore isn´t mentioned, either tells me that the author doesn´t know it or that his criteria to judge a good movie needs polishing.
I would also include:
“Welcome to the Dollhouse” and “Heavenly Creatures”
January 15th, 2009 at 11:51 am
@ Mememe up there: you win at life.
And could I mention Gus Van Sant’s Elephant? It’s based upon the tragic Columbine shootings, and shows life in highschool from different perspectives. Maybe it’s just me and my naivete, but I found it so poetic.
January 15th, 2009 at 12:00 pm
Is it neccesary to have such a … let me put it this way…vivid picture for Carrie?
Oh and loved To sir with love. In the scene when the girls burnt something under the desk what do you think it was since it isnt clear in the movie.
PS Im so happy that HSM didnt make it that i will now break into song……
LIKE THAT WILL EVER HAPPEN
January 15th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
JFrater,
I usually enjoy your lists but number 11 almost made my hea explode. It was Michael Schoeffling, not Matt Dillon. And Ducky, Iona and Blane were from “Pretty in Pink”, not Sixteen Candles.
Also, in Fast Times, Phoebe Cates character was giving sex-ed lessons to Brad’s sister Stacy, not getting. Other than that, good list and some great movies.
January 15th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
No American Pie? I’m sickenned!!!!!!
January 15th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
maybe the people who make these lists are old… but Superbad was the most realistic portrayal of my high school experience, which was somewhat recent…
January 15th, 2009 at 12:10 pm
Superbad should be #1, that’s my favorite movie of all time. I was glad to see Election on the list.
January 15th, 2009 at 12:11 pm
**pulls out pistol, cocks, shoots self in head**
January 15th, 2009 at 12:14 pm
131. Bob:…It was Michael Schoeffling, not Matt Dillon. And Ducky, Iona and Blane were from “Pretty in Pink”, not Sixteen Candles. Also, in Fast Times, Phoebe Cates character was giving sex-ed lessons to Brad’s sister Stacy, not getting….
****
bucslim, another example of someone who did not bother to read any of the comments posted before posting his own comment, yet expecting *us* to read his comment.
The out and out prideful naiveté! Who raises these people? Or are they thrust, fully-formed, onto society from some paper heap?
January 15th, 2009 at 12:23 pm
“Four for you Glenn Coco!! You go Glenn Coco!
And none for Gretchen Weiners.”
“Is butter a carb?”
“…but it’s not my fault I have a heavy flow and a wide set vagina!”
“YOU JUST CAN’T SIT WITH US!!!!!!”
GOD I love Mean Girls!!! It’s become a bit of a thing for teenage girls where I’m from to have a Mean Girls night where they all watch as a group and just quote all the quotable lines… it used be SUCH a fun night!!!
January 15th, 2009 at 12:23 pm
Two words. Risky business! Huge omission! Also 3 o’clock high was mentioned along with my bodyguard. But I am old.
January 15th, 2009 at 12:41 pm
segue
January 15th, 2009 at 12:42 pm
crying softly whilst standing over the body which once housed bucslim.
January 15th, 2009 at 12:44 pm
ooo…good call on Risky Business Tom!
Lifeschool (110): Animal House is about college…
January 15th, 2009 at 12:50 pm
Jayhawk – agree with you on Napolean Dynamite and Pump Up the Volume is a great movie
January 15th, 2009 at 12:58 pm
Where’s Porky’s?
January 15th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
How about “The Last American Virgin?”
The ending is true because it’s real life. That ending is a killer.
January 15th, 2009 at 1:01 pm
Great list Copperdragon, still mine’s better, much better: River’s Edge, Donnie Darko, My Bodyguard, Brick, Better Luck Tomorrow, Clueless, Say Anything, Boyz in the Hood, School of Rock, Peggy Sue Got Married, Rock ‘N Roll High School, The Substitute, Hoop Dreams, The Last Picture Show and don’t forget about Veronica Mars. It’s a TV show I know, one of the best. The depiction of high school in seasons one and two is spot on to the point of being painful to watch sometimes, although having a drop-dead gorgeous actress in the lead makes the pain bearable.
January 15th, 2009 at 1:03 pm
I was quite happy with this list… until I saw number 1.
I’ve seen Grease once (at a university screening). Never having been a fan, I tried to keep an open mind about it. Instead, it was so painful, I almost scratched out my eyeballs and tore my eardrums to shreds.
I can’t wrap my mind around it, how it is so popular. The plot is not that bad, but that is some of the corniest, phoniest music I’ve ever heard. Totally mind-boggling.
I don’t get it.
January 15th, 2009 at 1:05 pm
this list made me angry. i know, i know…i’m following the crowd and repeating everything that everyone else said, but really? no dazed and confused?? thought it would be number 1..but i guess it just holds special meaning to me because in high school we drank in a field and occasionally referred to it as the moontower. also..i know that clueless is noted at the bottom, but you can’t include mean girls and heathers in the list and not include clueless. clueless owns mean girls and heathers. if clueless, mean girls, and heathers were a bitchy girl clique at a high school, clueless would be the head bitch, so it deserves some recognition..and grease as number 1?? might as well have included high school musical on the list and made that number 1, trash…sing-songy, dance-y, crappy trash
January 15th, 2009 at 1:10 pm
She’s All That was pretty good…I liked it better than Mean Girls
January 15th, 2009 at 1:15 pm
didn’t really like grease….I almost liked the Breakfast Club but that whole dance seen and the window breaking thing….just too ridiculous…ruined the entire film for me.
January 15th, 2009 at 1:33 pm
Please don´t die Buclism!!! Those people aren´t worth your despair!
January 15th, 2009 at 1:33 pm
bucslim: THANK YOU VERY MUCH!
It is very hard to keep a straight face at this work meeting while I am reading your comments!! People keep giving me strange looks!!
January 15th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
Jake Ryan = Michael Schoeffling. And you’ve confused the plots of Sixteen Candles and Pretty in Pink.
January 15th, 2009 at 1:41 pm
“A picture perfect replica of 1980’s high school life in a small rural town” – I’d say Napoleon Dynamite is anything but a perfect replica of anyone’s real life ever. Nobody acts like that (that’s why it’s so fun).
As for the whiny nancy-boys who don’t understand that most people stumble on these lists and don’t really care about reading 140 comments.. leave it be.. people are going to type the same stuff.. and because it’s written so much you know it’s a common thought.
I mean, it’s not any more annoying to me than people who make posts like “I like this movie.. but this one not so much.” Stating your anonymous opinion on the internet to a bunch of random people accomplishes nothing.
Anyways, we should all stop whining so much it seems.
January 15th, 2009 at 1:45 pm
#152. Steve – January 15th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
Jake Ryan = Michael Schoeffling. And you’ve confused the plots of Sixteen Candles and Pretty in Pink.
Good call Steve….also noticed that they omitted Dazed and Confused….right Bucslim?
January 15th, 2009 at 1:49 pm
You named 16 Candles as part of your list, but you wrote a mix of both 16 Candles and Pretty in Pink. Anthony Michael Hall is in 16 Candles, Iona, Duckie and Blane are in Pretty in Pink. I think Pretty in Pink should have a mention on this list.
January 15th, 2009 at 1:50 pm
Steve = awesome! Are you sure about that? Wait, they mixed up the plots of those two movies? Holy shit! Huh? Oh, wait they totally did. Wow, the things I learn when I come back from the dead!
January 15th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
KP = even more awesome than Steve! Because he pointed out that the two movies plots were mixed up 30 seconds after Steve posted it.
January 15th, 2009 at 1:59 pm
hey bucslim, why don’t you stop being a hypocrite and reposting how annoying you think it is that people keep repeating the same thing, when essentially that is exactly what you’re doing. we all know you’re annoyed, we get it…stop reading if you don’t want to hear about dazed and confused or the 16 candles mix-up for the 100th time. we’re all sick of listening to you whine about the repeated comments. clearly you have too much time on your hands if you are constantly refreshing this page to see who else has written about something that doesn’t please you, the almighty list-god. find a hobby.
January 15th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
I’m with Seanithanegan. Comments are bound to be repeated. In fact, I think it’s just about as easy to scroll past mindless repeats as it is to scroll past pointlessly lengthy posts.
January 15th, 2009 at 2:02 pm
Hey Jenn, thanks for annointing me the almighty list god. Make sure that Randall hears that.
January 15th, 2009 at 2:05 pm
oh my god!! you took my sarcastic comment and turned it into a compliment! congratulations, you’re the wittiest person to ever live. oh wait…no you aren’t. you annoy me. take your sixth grade education and self-appointed rule over this site elsewhere. we’re all just trying to read some lists, not listen to you complain, whine, put people down, and generally make the vibe of this site a negative one. go read perez hilton or something, i’m sure they’d love you there!
January 15th, 2009 at 2:06 pm
I am so surprised that Mean Girls made it on, but Clueless did not. I loved Mean Girls, but CLueless is much better. Clueless spawned a hit TV show, it generated new slang (Anyone else but the book, How To Speak Cluelessly? lol)
Hmmm.
Very happy Rebel Without A Cause and The Breakfast Club were on the list
January 15th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
OOPS! Just saw the Notable Ommisions list! My bad!
January 15th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
WORST LIST EVER!!!
I realize tons of people said it already but come on!!!
Dazed and Confused should be #1. Absolutely and completely insane that its not even on the list, or in the notables.
This list is a POS!
January 15th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
Sorry Jenn, I have too much time on my hands and my actual hobby is whining and annoying people. And when people tell me to go elsewhere, I just stay put, just to show em’. I also like to start my sentences out with capitol letters to show people that I am starting a new thought. It sorta separates it from the last sentence.
Now I’ve got to get back to my self appointed rule over this website.
January 15th, 2009 at 2:16 pm
all hail lord bucslim!
January 15th, 2009 at 2:16 pm
OMG you mixed Pretty in pink up with 16 Candles!!! Jusk Kidding.
January 15th, 2009 at 2:19 pm
Sorry I did not realize that you were also the self-appointed grammar nazi. Next time I insult you I’ll be sure to copy and paste the entire comment into Word, just to make sure everything is spelled right and the periods and commas are all in their correct places. But next time you use the contraction “‘em,” make sure to put the apostrophe in it’s correct place, before the e. So you know, an apostrophe is used to show replacement of letters. Therefore, when you place it after the contraction, it is completely useless.
January 15th, 2009 at 2:37 pm
Tony: So, you’re not gonna go to law school? What do you wanna do then?
Mike: I wanna dance!
.
>Maybe Copperdragon was D&C when this list was compiled. I just did it myself, Dazed and Confused is a notable omission. The maddening crowd nears the weary listmaker.
January 15th, 2009 at 2:38 pm
DAZED AND CONFUSED IS #1. Grease not on my list. But the rest of the list brought back some memories. I don’t think I have seen most of these movies since high school.
January 15th, 2009 at 2:40 pm
Oh yeah and what about SUPER BAD?
January 15th, 2009 at 2:41 pm
JFra: Hey, I got a favour to ask you guys. You know the guy who made this list?
Benny O’Donnell: Yeah, Copperdragon?
JFra: Ya, . Well, take it easy on him this thread will ya?
Pink: Don’t worry sis, little brother’s safe with us.
JFra: Well just don’t get him worse than the other guys. He’s kinda little.
[walks off]
Benny O’Donnell: Ok. I promise.
[Jamie walks off]
Dawson: There was just a little bit of bullshit in all that right?
Benny O’Donnell: Major bullshit. He’s a dead man.
January 15th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
Randall: What the hell are you talking about girl?
Kaye Faulkner: Didn’t even think about it did you?
Randall: Gilligan’s Island?
Kaye Faulkner: It’s what’s called a male pornographic fantasy.
Randall: [laughs] Oh my haha
Kaye Faulkner: Think about it! You’re basically alone on a deserted island with 2 readily available women. One, a seductive sex goddess type. The other… a healthy girl-next-door-type with a nice butt. So the men have it all, the Madonna and the whore. Women get nothing! We get a geek, an overweight middle-age guy, and a nerdy scientific type.
Jodi: [interrupts] The professor… is sexy.
Randall: Thank you Jodi!
January 15th, 2009 at 2:56 pm
Okay guys, one more thing, this summer when you’re being inundated with all this American bicentennial Fourth Of July brouhaha, don’t forget what you’re celebrating, and that’s the fact that a bunch of slave-owning, aristocratic, white males didn’t want to pay their taxes.
January 15th, 2009 at 2:57 pm
I only came here to do two things, kick some ass and drink some beer.
Looks like we’re almost outta beer.
January 15th, 2009 at 3:00 pm
Forgot to include DAZED AND CONFUSED on your little list Copperdragon? I did it when I was a freshman, and you’ll do it when you’re a senior. but you’re doing great. Now fry like bacon, you little freshman piggy. Fry!
January 15th, 2009 at 3:02 pm
Has anyone pointed out that there seems to be some confusion between Sixteen Candles and Pretty In Pink in this list?
January 15th, 2009 at 3:05 pm
I know someone is going to say something needlessly nasty but I just wanted to see if that *rolling eyes smiley* really worked. Sorry!
OK, and now I have to admit that I have never seen either Sixteen Candles or Pretty in Pink so I had no idea that the plots were mixed up. Thanks for bringing that to my attention 100 times. I´ll try to remember if I ever feel the need to see either of them.
(Sorry, it´s been a long day at work and I still have a few hours to go…)
January 15th, 2009 at 3:06 pm
Some friendly advice for the list maker… It’s best to get it all at once. After the first 10 licks your ass gets so numb you don’t feel it…and next time, don’t forget DAZED AND CONFUSED!
January 15th, 2009 at 3:07 pm
I once saw this cool movie called Dazed And Cofnused. I wonder wht no one has noted this omission.
January 15th, 2009 at 3:11 pm
re: YogiBarrister
Jesus H. Christ! We get it, you’re a fan. Now please let it go!
January 15th, 2009 at 3:12 pm
Hey GTT – I’ve never watched either of them either and I’ve had a million chances. (eithereither)
I think the reason is that I am a guy and have no interest in female angst leading role movies.
January 15th, 2009 at 3:15 pm
I’ve got a few other good ones that folks should check out if they haven’t before.
Just One of the Guys – A well done version of a cliched storyline
Brick – really cool high-school druglord story.
Dead Poet’s Society – Not really public school so I don’t know if this counts
Rock N Roll High School – Fun. Ramones.
January 15th, 2009 at 3:19 pm
I am so relieved that other sane people think High School Musical is total crap. That movie ruined my life, as all my friends loved it. 0.o
In essence I suppose it’s like Grease but Grease is much much better. I loved that movie, dunno why. Guess I’m just a slave to social conditioning.
Other than, great list, after having read allll these comments, Im thinking maybe I should watch that Dazed and Confused movie you’re all ranting about…. XP
January 15th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
149. Acula, your comment about the breakfast club had a phrase come to mind. “you’re an Idiot”
January 15th, 2009 at 3:22 pm
I tink that dazed and confused should be on this list. It is a great film. The main caracter drinks beer and he doesn’t afraid of anything.
January 15th, 2009 at 3:26 pm
Did you ever look at a dollar bill, man? Tere’s some spooky shit going on on a dollar bill – and it’s green too!
January 15th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
Dead Poet’s Society should be on the list too. OH CAPTAIN MY CAPTAIN.
January 15th, 2009 at 3:30 pm
hahahahahahaha i love it.
George Washington was in a cult, man. and that cult was into aliens.
January 15th, 2009 at 3:31 pm
Just gotta keep livin’, man. L-I-V-I-N.
January 15th, 2009 at 3:33 pm
great list—
but fyi, i think its shannen doherty…
and where is rushmore???
January 15th, 2009 at 3:34 pm
Behind every good man there’s a woman, and that woman was Martha Washington, man, and everyday George would come home… she would have a big fat bowl waiting for him, man, when he come in the door, man…she was a hip, hip, hip lady, man.
just wanted to note again that dazed and confused isn’t on the list..don’t think anyone’s mentioned that yet. oh and also…theres some sort of mistake with the whole 16 candles description…im not really sure what it is having never seen the movie, but i know it’s a mistake and it must be fixed.
January 15th, 2009 at 3:35 pm
And when he got home Martha had a big ass bowl waiting for him.
January 15th, 2009 at 3:42 pm
THIS PINK CONFUSSION MUST BE RECTIFIED!!!!!
I been Dazed and Confused for so long it’s not true.
January 15th, 2009 at 3:48 pm
And when he got home Martha had a big ass and a bowl waiting for him.
January 15th, 2009 at 3:51 pm
Perfect female body… but with the face of Abe Lincoln.
January 15th, 2009 at 3:52 pm
You did that on purpose Jenn . . .
January 15th, 2009 at 3:57 pm
I assume you’re looking at her crotch?
January 15th, 2009 at 3:59 pm
oh well – it’s quiting time and this thread has degradated far enough
January 15th, 2009 at 4:00 pm
I love Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. I agree with the statement that it is creepy for Jeffrey Jones to be going after him with his reputation today…
January 15th, 2009 at 4:02 pm
Claire? Are you a virgin, Claire?
January 15th, 2009 at 4:06 pm
did what on purpose, bucslim? i thought you had left, i was happy for a moment
January 15th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
No, my fellow 6th graders were finishing up recess. Grammar lessons are next, we’re learning the proper way to use apostrophes.
January 15th, 2009 at 4:32 pm
Super-hot Phoebe Cates, who is getting sex-ed lessons from Brad’s sister, Stacy (Jennifer Leigh).
Sorry, but in the movie it was the other way around.
Jennifer was getting lessons on sex from Phoebe Cates.
January 15th, 2009 at 4:34 pm
Napolean Dynamite is actually based on a Mormon community, so i think that explains more as to why they act a little differently.
January 15th, 2009 at 4:35 pm
LOL HSM
January 15th, 2009 at 4:39 pm
you’re annoying and pathetic bucslim. nice to see that your hobby is complaining about people on a website comment section. i hope that makes you feel so big, when in reality i’m sure you are very, very small.
January 15th, 2009 at 4:41 pm
im going to assume this is not a top ten list, bcuz there is no way napolean dynamite is better than ferris bueller’s day off.
January 15th, 2009 at 4:46 pm
Oh my!! So much drama. Does it remind anyone of…. HIGH SCHOOL???
January 15th, 2009 at 4:46 pm
Wow I’m surprised Dazed and Confused isnt even in the notable ommisions. CRAZY TALK!!!
January 15th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
182. TEX : Yeah but I´m a girl! Is there something wrong with me that I dont want to watch either of them!
And will someone please fix the description of 16 Candles and Pretty in Pink! I´d like to get them straight when I (never) watch them! Though something tells me the plots are so similar it wouldnt make a difference anyway!
Oh, and I´ve never seen Dazed and Confused either.
January 15th, 2009 at 4:51 pm
Seriously, what up with the unrecognized omission of “Dazed and Confused”????????????????
January 15th, 2009 at 4:56 pm
126. As stated earlier it is not set in the 80’s. It is set in 2006 , as seen on napoleons school library card in the opening credits. the fashion is an indication that small rural towns are often behind on modern trends and music of the big cities.
The article should be edited , it is an incorrect statement.
High School movies rule, especially those made in the 80’s !!
January 15th, 2009 at 4:58 pm
this is all very
January 15th, 2009 at 5:23 pm
What about The Outsiders?!?!
January 15th, 2009 at 5:27 pm
Thank You for not adding the High School Musicals…
January 15th, 2009 at 5:29 pm
Jenn, you’re as much of a whiner as that other moron.
You guys should go play somewhere else.
January 15th, 2009 at 5:34 pm
yah the decribtion for 16 candles was a mix of pretty in pink and sixteen candles..
January 15th, 2009 at 5:35 pm
*description
January 15th, 2009 at 5:39 pm
Errors in the description of Heathers, too. Along with all the other errors previously mentioned. Did the person who wrote the list even watch these movies? Sure doesn’t sound like it.
January 15th, 2009 at 5:41 pm
Great list copperdragon, certainly reminded me of a few very funny movies that I’ve seen.
I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with high school movies…I usually take the safe road and assume that they’re terrible, but every now and then one comes along to surprise me and I really enjoy it. I haven’t seen all the movies in the list but my favourites are:
Back to the future
Napolean dynamite
Superbad
And one of my all time favourite movies…Ferris Beuller’s Day Off
January 15th, 2009 at 5:48 pm
i CAN’T believe dazed and confused is not on here!
January 15th, 2009 at 5:51 pm
dazed and confused anybody, thats gotta be above mean girls
January 15th, 2009 at 5:52 pm
bucslim – I think you’re confused about what NZ has to offer. I don’t think you’ll find “a whole box of graham crackers” unless there’s some American specialty store I don’t know of.
Now Iced Arnotts Animal Crackers – they are a go! So tasty and so pretty! mmmm. Food colouring mmmm.
January 15th, 2009 at 6:02 pm
grease? are you fucking kidding me?
January 15th, 2009 at 6:03 pm
list must be written by a dude… i don’t think any girl could confuse sixteen candles and pretty in pink. duh!
January 15th, 2009 at 6:05 pm
evilk8 – Awesome! Iced Animal Crackers would have ruled had I put that in there. Dang! I love those things man!
January 15th, 2009 at 6:07 pm
Dazed and Confused.
I DEMAND that this list me re-written, for great justice.
January 15th, 2009 at 6:13 pm
Dazed and Confused RAWKS.
January 15th, 2009 at 6:14 pm
segue – thanks for the mouth to mouth earlier and pulling me back from the light. Turns out it was just a graze, all of that blood spurting was because my blood pressure was up. I’m sure it looked worse than it was. I’m fine now, but could you take a couple of tic tacs if it ever happens again?
Thanks bro!
January 15th, 2009 at 6:22 pm
http://www.filmsite.org/50besthsfilms2.html
January 15th, 2009 at 6:25 pm
Does Barry Manilow know that you raid his wardrobe?
January 15th, 2009 at 6:30 pm
Jenn (207)
“you’re annoying and pathetic bucslim. nice to see that your hobby is complaining about people on a website comment section. i hope that makes you feel so big, when in reality i’m sure you are very, very small.”
Bucslim’s witty remarks are what keeps a lot of us reading through repetitious, petulant remarks like yours. All hail Lord bucslim!
January 15th, 2009 at 6:35 pm
Sixteen candles – you seem have the first sentence describing ’sixteen candles’ and the remainder from ‘pretty in pink’.
Matt Dillon wasn’t in either thought.
I also have to vote for Dead poets society
January 15th, 2009 at 6:35 pm
Boo – nice to see the bucslim posse got my back. Thanks dude!
January 15th, 2009 at 6:35 pm
By the way, buclim, segue and I are both women. I hope that doesn’t spoil your mouth-to-mouth fantasy too much!
Keep ‘em coming, man. We love you!
(Did you notice where I placed the apostrophe?)
January 15th, 2009 at 6:40 pm
Yeah, Dazed and Confused.
January 15th, 2009 at 6:46 pm
DONNI DARKO!!!
January 15th, 2009 at 6:47 pm
did anybody else enjoy “the wanderers”?
January 15th, 2009 at 6:49 pm
bucslim: “Thanks bro“!!!!???? You’re in big trouble now!
Now, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me was a pretty accurate portrayal of American high school life, wasn’t it?
(joke)
One night I accidentally saw a movie called “Some Kind of Wonderful”, with the cast of Lea Thompson, Mary Stuart Masterton, Craig Shaeffer and Eric Stolz, and I loved it. And I was a cynical late20s/early30s Australian bloke.
Off-topic: I spent most of last night throwing up. I don’t know why. I hadn’t drunk anything and my wife ate the same as I did. I called in sick this morning.
Meanwhile, just to annoy Cyn:
where’s DAZED AND CONFUSED???? sniCKer!
Actually, I’ve never seen D & C. In fact I’ve never seen most of these films. I’m obviously not a fan of high school movies. Though I love Fame, which is one of the 15 or so DVDs I brought to Korean with me. And High School Musical sounds kinda funky.
(that last sentence – joke)
January 15th, 2009 at 6:51 pm
BooRadley is isn’t a bloke? OMFG!
He is in the movie.
January 15th, 2009 at 6:51 pm
I agree astraya, Dazed and Confused should be on this list.
January 15th, 2009 at 6:53 pm
I’m sick, typos will happen.
ISN’T
and read the second sentence as
He is (a bloke) in the movie.
please
January 15th, 2009 at 7:02 pm
Ha…I love this! Reading the comments is actually better than reading the list! You guys make my day.
January 15th, 2009 at 7:17 pm
Well whip me till it hurts! I apologize profusely on bended knee to both of you sweet gals. Nice apostrophe placement. Boo babe!
astraya – I got mouth to mouth from a girl I thought was a sweaty dude, you think you were blowing chunks.
January 15th, 2009 at 7:19 pm
Astraya -
I’m a huge fan of To Kill a Mockingbird. My two dogs are named Scout Finch and Boo Radley (with the proper sex assignments for the names…)I kind of alternate using my pets’ names on the internet, and when I got here, it was Boo’s turn. Besides, there’s a little Boo Radley in all of us, don’t you think? I really never thought I’d become as addicted to this site as I have – if I’d known, I’d have probably used ScoutFinch just to avoid being called a dude!
January 15th, 2009 at 7:19 pm
ha. i love this shit.
January 15th, 2009 at 7:22 pm
Segue -
Are you going to let him get away with that? He thought you were a sweaty dude!
January 15th, 2009 at 7:36 pm
Oh! The suggestion I have for this list is “A Seperate Peace.” Both the movie and the book were excellent.
I have to go live my normal life now… don’t say anything funny until I get back!
January 15th, 2009 at 7:43 pm
230. bucslim : Thanks bro!
****
Okay, I know I’m thin, but my hair is waist length and I bathe daily!
I brush my teeth after every meal.
I *AM NOT A SWEATY BRO’*
Next time, bucslim, you can bloody-well die.
January 15th, 2009 at 7:55 pm
yeah, somebody probably already said this, but i dont have the time to read all the comments, and my shock at this horrible mistake is too great.
matt dillon definatley was NOT jake ryan, Michael Schoeffling was.
January 15th, 2009 at 7:59 pm
Now I gots da puppy eyes. But this is the internet, and most of the time when you think it’s a hot chick, it’s a sweaty dude. So please forgive my ‘bro’ comments, my cyber posse.
January 15th, 2009 at 8:02 pm
Wow, I was forced to watch Grease for a film class in middle school and I have to say that it was the most unbearable piece of crap I’ve ever had the misfortune of coming in contact with (I have 4 labs, so that says a lot) I have seen most of the films on this list though and I agree with the omission of Superbad which seemed very forced and down right irritating at times. Thank god I’ve never seen HSM because I’m sure it’s equally as terrible as Grease. Sorry copperdragon but your number one pick is the worst No.1 I can ever remember seeing on this site
January 15th, 2009 at 8:11 pm
BUCSLIM, you need to take a breather. Just turn off the computer, sit in front of a mirror and say “I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and gosh dawnit, people like me” It worked for Charles Barkley so maybe it’s worth a try, eh? It looks like you’ve garnered almost as many comments as the list itself! I implore you to read the 9/11 commission report cuz it’ll keep you busy for days pointing out inconsistencies
January 15th, 2009 at 8:40 pm
Batman (215) The Outsiders was a great book but just a mediocre movie. And even tho they were all high school age (mostly) neither the book nor the movie was about high school.
January 15th, 2009 at 8:43 pm
another small correction: Phoebe cates was GIVING the sex-ed to Jennifer Jason Leigh not receiving it. Otherwise great list!
January 15th, 2009 at 9:08 pm
no Nation Lampoons Senior Trip?
January 15th, 2009 at 9:30 pm
Election was filmed at my high school! (Papillion NE) It’s kinda weird to see it all different for the movie, but you can almost see my house.
January 15th, 2009 at 9:31 pm
There is no way “Mean Girls” or “Election” belongs on this list. “Napoleon Dynamite” is VERY questionable as well.
“American Pie” has to be on there somewhere. Also, “Go” deserves some attention.
January 15th, 2009 at 9:36 pm
Napoleon Dynamite seriously scored that high?? The hell!?
January 15th, 2009 at 9:38 pm
There was a really funny movie with Jack Black and Seth Green called Airborn (i think)
January 15th, 2009 at 9:52 pm
Man, I for sure thought Dazed and Confused would be on the list……great list anyways.
January 15th, 2009 at 9:59 pm
g_funk – awesome to have another Husker here.
January 15th, 2009 at 10:18 pm
How about an honorable mention for Porky’s?
January 15th, 2009 at 10:19 pm
I live down the street from the high school 3 o’clock high was filmed in and around (and I just looked it up, they filmed Drive Me Crazy here, too. It’s probably Sundance- they film a lot of movies around here…) It wouldn’t be that interesting if it weren’t for the architecture. It is an imposing building. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ogden_High_School
My god I’m boring…
January 15th, 2009 at 10:42 pm
Some Kind of Wonderful was a really good movie, as was Welcome to the Dollhouse. And in the wake of Risky Business, Tom Cruise was in another, probably not as well known, movie called All the Right Moves. There are a lot of movies that could have made this list!
January 15th, 2009 at 10:48 pm
Great list, but is it so hard to include a SPOILER WARNING?.
As classic as they may be a lot of us haven’t seen some of these movies.
January 15th, 2009 at 10:56 pm
DAZED AND CONFUSED!!!
“that’s what i love about high school girls, i get older, they stay the same age”
January 15th, 2009 at 11:14 pm
I went to one of the schools used as Ridgemont High, where they filmed the prom scene. I was there when they filmed it-didn’t see anyone famous, though. Also been often to the ‘ridgemont’ mall, which is the Galleria. Big whoop! I’m old
January 15th, 2009 at 11:19 pm
Is the commenter in blue really a moderator for this site? If so, it seems like a moderator should be a litte less callous to the people on their site. Also, rock chalk.
January 15th, 2009 at 11:58 pm
For your consideration: Mask, Foxfire, Half Nelson, Pump Up the Volume, and Heath Ledger’s 10 Things I Hate About You
January 16th, 2009 at 12:17 am
matt dillon wasn’t in sixteen candles, the guy who played jake ryan is Michael Schoeffling. i was like, in love with this guy for a month when i first saw this movie. ;D
January 16th, 2009 at 12:26 am
American Beauty.
January 16th, 2009 at 1:14 am
none for Gretchen Weiners
January 16th, 2009 at 1:42 am
Clueless isn’t actually ON the list?!
I’d also add 10 Things I Hate About You. Other than that, no complaints from me!
January 16th, 2009 at 2:21 am
wow, i have already forgotten what this list was about once i started reading bucslims and Jenns little back and forth there…Jenn: I can feel your pain when it comes to dealing with people like bucslim….but everything bucslim posts makes me laugh, so hes the shit in my book. If he infuriates you….heres something, don’t reply. bucslim: keep it up!
oh and by the way, for all the movies its missing and the stupid pretty in pink/sixteen candles mixup (i could care less cuz both movies are lame), good list….i had to scroll backup to see what the list was. Good times.
January 16th, 2009 at 3:43 am
Where is Dazed and Confused? Donnie Darko?
January 16th, 2009 at 3:44 am
and american beauty and american pie?
January 16th, 2009 at 6:32 am
270. Rocky -
less callous? are you fucking kidding me? ROFLMFAO! you’ve obviously not read many comments here…..
January 16th, 2009 at 8:33 am
Ummm, WTF? Why is the synopsis for Pretty In Pink listed under Sixteen Candles? Also, Matt Dillon wasn’t in either of these movies.
January 16th, 2009 at 8:37 am
sigh. . . .
January 16th, 2009 at 9:27 am
Shelley – the reason that nobody has broughn’t this up before is that they are actually the same movie with different titl’es.
January 16th, 2009 at 10:13 am
While I agree with most of this list, your descriptions lend to the idea that you didn’t acctually see some of these movies. Matt Dillon? He was in a couple of high school movies, but neither Sixteen Candles or pretty in pink. Two movies that you seemed to have confused with each other.
January 16th, 2009 at 10:20 am
Oooh, I just thought of another one: Lucas, with Corey Haim when he was awl cute and wittle. And good call on Some Kind of Wonderful.
January 16th, 2009 at 10:37 am
Dazed and Confused and American Pie should be included as well…may a list of the top 20??
January 16th, 2009 at 11:38 am
Dazed and Confused and Tuff Turf needed to be on this list…
January 16th, 2009 at 12:42 pm
not that anyone is going to scroll down this far and actually read these but Dazed and Confused was really better than all of them. I can’t stand Grease! Think it’s because I could not get apast all the damn singing.
January 16th, 2009 at 3:18 pm
Ferris Bueler’s Day off is the best one.
January 16th, 2009 at 3:45 pm
dazed and confused?
January 16th, 2009 at 3:47 pm
CJT – I was thinking the same thing. I’m not surprised so many good movies were left out because copperdragon obviously didn’t watch many of these. JD didn’t plot to kill the Heathers, just obnoxious high school kids in general. And Veronica wasn’t a new girl. Also, in Mean Girls, only Regina planned revenge on Cady, and not because she fell for her boyfriend, but because Cady tried to ruin her life. And Cady didn’t have the last laugh, but realized the errors of her ways.
January 16th, 2009 at 3:57 pm
Krav 185:so I don’t like random 80’s dance scenes that crescendo with inexplicable shattering glass. At least I don’t resort to name calling like a 5 year old.
January 16th, 2009 at 3:58 pm
“That’s what I love about these high school girls – I keep getting older, and they stay the same age.”
I would like to join the many commenters before in asking why Dazed and Confused is not included in this list?
January 16th, 2009 at 3:58 pm
You do know that the description of #11 Sixteen Candles is wrong, right? Most of the blurb is actually about Pretty in Pink, which I personally think is more deserving of being on the list….
January 16th, 2009 at 4:38 pm
I agree.
January 16th, 2009 at 5:28 pm
I live in idaho and napoleon dynamite is a perfect example of “modern day” high school in idaho.
January 16th, 2009 at 5:33 pm
Napolean Dynamite was NOT set in the 80s.
January 16th, 2009 at 6:17 pm
Where’s:
Pretty In Pink
Better Off Dead
Weird Science
Bill And Ted’s Excellent Adventure
Isn’t West Side Story supposed to be high school age? Great list, just too short in my opinion!!
January 16th, 2009 at 6:22 pm
In Grease and Rebel Without a Cause They don’t look like teenagers Too old.
January 16th, 2009 at 7:34 pm
freedom writers?
187?
January 16th, 2009 at 8:18 pm
Notable omissions…Superbad? Varsity Blues? You are kidding…right?
Dead Poets Society…Dangerous Minds…hell, even Elephant could be in that list!
January 16th, 2009 at 8:30 pm
I can’t watch elephant , it scares me so bad. Love dangerous minds, Coley high is my absolute favorite though .
January 16th, 2009 at 8:59 pm
I’ve seen most of these. =]
Except, WHERE IS DAZED AND CONFUSED???
Also, Matt Dillon is most certainly not in 16 Candles, it’s Michael Schoeffling.
January 16th, 2009 at 9:53 pm
Yeah, you got Sixteen Candles mixed up with Pretty in Pink. They’re kinda tied together as one movie there. :/
January 16th, 2009 at 9:57 pm
Should´ve done more research on this list.
Glaring ommissions.
Rushmore, Better Off Dead, Wild Things, Dazed and Confused, Superbad, Donnie Darko, Valley Girl, Class,…. most have already been mentioned…..
better luck next time.
January 16th, 2009 at 10:59 pm
Dazed and Confused would steal Grease’s lunch money!
January 16th, 2009 at 11:14 pm
Grease was made in 1978, when John Travolta was 24 and Olivia Newton-John was 30, which kinda explains why they don’t look like teenagers.
January 16th, 2009 at 11:29 pm
#305… And use it to buy pot!
January 17th, 2009 at 3:08 am
your 16 candles description is wrong you’re thinking of pretty in pink. I
January 17th, 2009 at 5:34 am
Yup, there aint
1. Dazed and Confused
2. Dead Poet’s Society, and
3. Cruel Intentions
BOO
January 17th, 2009 at 8:36 am
This list is rediculous – How is Dazed and Confused not listed?
January 17th, 2009 at 8:37 am
And by rediculous, I meant ridiculous
January 17th, 2009 at 10:03 am
Carrie’s on the list but not dazed and confused?
January 17th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
I’m not going to say it. I’m not going to say it. I’m not going to say it. I’m not going to say it. I’m not going to say it. I’m not going to say it. I’m not going to say it. I’m not going to say it. I’m not going to say it. I’m not going to say it. I’m not going to say it. I’m not going to say it. I’m not going to say it. I’m not going to say it. I’m not going to say it. I’m not going to say it. I’m not going to say it. I’m not going to say it. I’m not going to say it. I’m not going to say it. I’m not going to say it. I’m not going to say it. I’m not going to say it. I’m not going to say it. I’m not going to say it. I’m not going to say it. I’m not going to say it. I’m not going to say it. I’m not going to say it. I’m not going to say it. I’m not going to say it. I’m not going to say it. I’m not going to say it.
January 17th, 2009 at 12:21 pm
wait for it. . . .
January 17th, 2009 at 12:46 pm
Clueless.
January 17th, 2009 at 12:46 pm
313. segue -
feel better now? good. don’t do this again.
and basically i’ve got this list on ‘ignore’ since no one reads preceding comments and are engaging in ‘commentory masturbation’ and ‘beating a dead horse’ into a freaking bloody pulp.
January 17th, 2009 at 12:46 pm
10 Things I Hate About You.
January 17th, 2009 at 1:00 pm
Looks like it took longer for segue to pull the grenade pin than it did me.
January 17th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
still nobody to give love for the wanderers?
January 17th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
318. bucslim: yeah, but it felt sooooo good.
And Cyn, I promise, never again
January 17th, 2009 at 7:43 pm
DazedesufnoC NOOOOO!
January 17th, 2009 at 8:37 pm
fresno bob (286) I loved Tuff Turf!! Kim Richards is so hot in that movie; I wish I was her. That dance sequence is amazing. And I’m totally straight.
January 17th, 2009 at 11:52 pm
what the heck?!? i would have bet a million dollars that dazed and confused would be number 1. WTF!
January 18th, 2009 at 11:26 am
I’ve never seen Dazed and Confused and, beings I tend to have liked most of the films on this list, I’m going to have to go out and rent it.
An interesting (or bizarre) bit o’ trivia- In the movie Heathers, the meanest Heather (played by an actress named Kim Walker) utters this line to Winona Ryder’s character Veronica “Excuse me, did you have a brain tumor for breakast?” In real life, Kim Walker died of a brain tumor in 2001. It’s sad. A little creepy too.
Just thought I’d share.
January 18th, 2009 at 1:49 pm
Juleigh, that kind of sad, creepy story is the lifeblood of Listverse. Thanks for sharing.
BTW Dazed and Confused is certainly worthy of making this list but it’s not great, unless you like that kind of movie. It reminds me of the time everyone in a group of people at a party were raving about a film called Drop Dead Fred. So upon their recommendation I watched it and was not impressed, this coming from a Phoebe Cates and a Carrie Fischer fan. So I ask them about it at another gathering and it turns out they had all seen it together after smoking weed, bud that was much kinder than my review of DDF.
January 18th, 2009 at 4:01 pm
okay, i think we all know that pretty in pink was mixed up with sixteen candles so you can all stop telling us now?
some films that should have been on the list in my opinion:
higher learning
donnie darko (not entirely based on highschool though)
dazed and confused! one of the greatest high school film ever
porky’s
10 things i hate about you
January 18th, 2009 at 4:57 pm
A Korean tv station is showing an American “reality” show called “America’s Most Smartest Model” [sic]. Basically, the less said about it the better. During one quiz, a question and answer were:
Quiz master: “The surname of the famous French general and president “Napoleon” was not “Dynamite”. What was it?”
Model (female, blonde, as it happens): (very long pause) “Pierre?”
Apropos of not much except the word “tv”. A couple of nights ago I was watching an American detective drama in which the solution to the murder hinged on the fact that one character was actually the long-lost father of another character. I spotted that before it was actually revealed, and said so to my wife, so it made me look very clever when it was. On Friday and Saturday I watched a Korean horror movie, the explanation of which hinged on the fact that one particular, seemingly peripheral person was, in fact, crucial to the plot. I spotted that before it was actually revealed, too, but was watching it alone, so I couldn’t look clever by telling anyone. I am normally hopeless at spotting relationships between characters.
Has anyone mentioned Dazed and confused yet?
January 18th, 2009 at 6:21 pm
10 Things I hate about you is epic, totally one of the best high school movies I’ve ever seen. I wish my high school was exactly like that…
January 18th, 2009 at 7:26 pm
so many omisions and repetitions in the after list-gabbers, that I am at mind to suggest a double list(s), when this sort of thing occurs..
something like ” Gutter List” as a title. Or “Secondary Milking”
Where a corner of the front page has the newest “bitcher’s poll”
And can be ceated ala Wikifeedia
anyways, never seen Heathers or Meangirls or Mr. Holland’s Opus or To Sir with Love or Blackboard Jungle or Napoleon Dynamite or Fast Times at Ridgemont High or Children of a Lesser God or Superbad or Pleasantville or Cruel Intentions or High School Musical or Can’t Buy Me Love or Varsity Blues or Hollywood Knights or Clueless.
so maybe I have no buisness commenting on a list such as this. Maybe I should be ashamed that I never was in a highschool movie…or was I? Mabybe highschool is only a milestone when dramatised by the millions backing one two hour flick and the posibilities of the teenager cool.
January 18th, 2009 at 7:31 pm
bzzz – Emperor. Sorry.
January 18th, 2009 at 7:43 pm
Actually, this is a very good list….with so many High School themed movies there will never be agreement on a top 15 (top 50, either)
Some I would include on a top list:
Hoosiers
Superbad
Juno (quite a bit took place in a high school)
Porky’s (the first one only)
What I like about this list is that it ranks Fast Times At Ridgemont High ahead of some overrated 80’s movies like Ferris Bueler and Breakfast Club…so kudos to the Listmaker here for not following the “conventional wisdom” trend by not ranking those two overrated movies so high (of course they would not make my list)
Not sure if I would have Grease #1…but it deserves to be on here
January 18th, 2009 at 10:17 pm
astraya-Wow you should be a dectective HA.
January 19th, 2009 at 9:07 am
American Pie 1, Dazed and Confused, Superbad, Clueless, and Varsity Blues.
I hate Grease BTW, definitely should not be above
Fastimes @ RMH
January 19th, 2009 at 3:46 pm
3 o’clock high!!!!
January 20th, 2009 at 11:37 am
what about dazed and confused?
January 21st, 2009 at 2:14 pm
they’re all right about #11, the pic is the right movie, and the first sentence is right, but the rest is about Pretty in Pink, and in all fairness, both by the same director and both starring Molly, so give JFrater a break please!!
oh, and Dazed and Confused is by FAR my favorite high school movie!!! Check ya later!!
January 21st, 2009 at 7:47 pm
In kyle’s defense, no one at this point would read all 334 comments previously posted. . . right?
January 21st, 2009 at 8:52 pm
Wrong.
January 22nd, 2009 at 1:35 am
what about Can’t Hardly Wait?!
January 22nd, 2009 at 1:36 am
@ 125 bucslim: Wow. You seriously just made my day. That was probably the funniest thing I’ve heard all day. Of course, I spent my day making funeral arrangements for my recently deceased grand mother… But still. That comment almost made me piss myself. Keep up the lively banter. -I- think it’s funny.
Now, about this list… The only one I’ve seen is Grease, so I can’t really comment very well on it. I’m just going to have to trust in everybody’s opinion and say good list, but you should have had “Dazed and Confused.” *Takes cover*
January 22nd, 2009 at 8:36 am
Well shit, Goat, I thought you’d at least mention 2001 since it’s one of your faves. . .
Mortivore, sorry about Grams. I like what I wrote too, but then again, I enjoy the burning sensation when I pee.
January 22nd, 2009 at 11:08 am
Great List! Brought back TONS of great memories! I’ve always loved Mr Hollands Opus – seen it countless times. Then I thought about one of my other faves – Dead Poets society. Mind you, I guess that wasn’t strictly a high school movie, or do you think it would fall into that category?
January 22nd, 2009 at 11:12 am
I seem to remember that there was also a “rash” of similarly themed movies in the early nineties I think it was – the great teacher tames students from hell in tough schools… Can’t for the life of me remember all their names now, but I do remember that one was with Michelle Pheiffer. Still, this list was the top 15 and I think you did a great job!
January 22nd, 2009 at 6:41 pm
I just had to post because of the injustice that has been done here. Why is Dazed and Confused nowhere to be found on this list? It is a better movie than more than half of those on there. Come on!
January 23rd, 2009 at 11:30 am
Love this list
:D Mean Girls all the way lols
January 23rd, 2009 at 1:28 pm
Napoleon Dynamite, and not Superbad? Oh Dude, WTF? The Home-Ec scene alone is 10 times funnier than anything in Napoleon Dynamite.
January 24th, 2009 at 6:14 pm
i just wanted to point out that you got sixteen candles compltely confused, though anothony michael hall was correct, matt dillon is not in sixteen candles. & youre thinking of pretty in pink with the whole duckie senario. matt dillon isnt in this movie either, its james spader.just stating.
January 24th, 2009 at 9:44 pm
~sigh~ 347. alison ~sigh~
January 24th, 2009 at 10:18 pm
348. segue -
seriously. just ignore it. its gotten so i’ve had to..the dog list, any religion list or list that’s been hijacked by the religionists and any list where people beat the dead horse of errors in a list to death cuz they are apparently biologically incapable of reading preceding comments.
you know you read everything. you write thoughtful comments. you pay attention. and so do i and the rest of us that do the same. so just breeze on past the crap and enjoy the company of like minds you’ve made here. k?
and here..have some tea.
January 25th, 2009 at 9:57 am
349. Cyn: Tea. Tea sounds lovely, thank you, Cyn, and yes, I am going to just skip this list from now on.
January 26th, 2009 at 7:05 am
You have a great taste in culture. Dorian Gray, Rebel Without a Cause… Great count down. I greatly enjoyed it. =]
January 30th, 2009 at 9:14 am
Breakfast Club rocks… High School Musical is a little kids movie that blows…. LU the list is High School Movies, no mention of the 8o’s….. Back to the future wasn’t about high school. He was barely at his school or the past school in the movie.
February 1st, 2009 at 4:28 pm
Ferris and the breakfast club should be b4 fast times…. just so u know.. lol
February 2nd, 2009 at 9:14 am
Your information about Sixteen Candles isn’t even CLOSE to being right… Matt Dillon is NOT in the movie… and Duckie is a character from Pretty in Pink… get your facts straight.
February 2nd, 2009 at 3:56 pm
FUNNY NOBODY POINTED THAT OUT BEFORE
February 2nd, 2009 at 7:18 pm
I mean seriously how in the world can you have naploean dynamite and not Dazed and Confused. It is probably one of the best examples ever of highschool teenagers in a movie. Have you been living under a rock?
Also what about Superbad? That movies way more about highschool, and way more funnier than most of the movies on that list.
February 3rd, 2009 at 3:25 pm
Can’t Hardly Wait
Risky Business
Boys N the Hood
February 4th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
This list is for “OLDER” people
Mean Girls is the best on the list -
Cant Hardly Wait should be on it!
February 5th, 2009 at 1:42 pm
Wack list…you just did the classics
February 5th, 2009 at 9:41 pm
you go glen coco !
hah .
but what about the outsiders ? && dazed && confused ?
February 8th, 2009 at 9:18 pm
yay for HSM.
:]
breakfast club was so boring.
February 20th, 2009 at 10:14 am
Actually I lied, this list sucks.
March 4th, 2009 at 7:44 pm
OK. at the sixteen candles one.
1.jake ryan is not played by matt dillion. ALTOUGH the resemblance is uncanny. jake was actually played by Michael Schoeffling.
2. You started mixing uop your movies. The Ducky/Blane/Andy situation is ACTUALLY in Pretty in Pink. ( which i was horrified that it didn;t make the list)
3. the main characters name (molly Ringwald) is sam..
ANNND.
not to nit pick or anything. But actually. judd Nelson’s character was “the Criminal.” XD
theres this little Website…called IMDB…perhaps you should give it a visit?
March 4th, 2009 at 8:04 pm
Okay – it took some time but corrections have been made.
March 4th, 2009 at 8:18 pm
Why change it now? It was working perfectly as an intelligence/does-anyone-actually-read–the-comments-before-adding-their-own? test the way it was.
April 5th, 2009 at 4:06 am
A couple of days ago in a dvd shop I spotted a copy of Dazed and Confused. I didn’t buy it.
April 7th, 2009 at 2:43 pm
hey, what about american piee? i dont think any highschoool list can be complete without it. other then that.. decent list
May 16th, 2009 at 3:33 pm
Heathers should be higher and, although everyone will disagree with this, the Hughes films should be removed. Other wise, this is perfect.
June 20th, 2009 at 9:13 am
Where on earth is Teen Wolf?!?!?!?!?!
June 24th, 2009 at 7:34 pm
Dangerous Mind sholdn’t be left off this list.
Damn, it wasn’t even an notable omission…
July 9th, 2009 at 12:09 pm
Where is Never Been Kissed with Drew Barry Moore?! That is one of the greatest movies ever.
July 14th, 2009 at 2:43 am
JUST NOTABLE OMISSIONS?! HSM is, like, THE high school movie musical!
July 16th, 2009 at 12:08 pm
ARE YOU EVEN KIDDING ME THAT DAZED AND CONFUSED ISNT ON THIS LIST!?!?!
August 8th, 2009 at 6:04 am
American pie is the best ever
August 19th, 2009 at 11:34 am
where is superbad???
thats the high school movie of THIS GENERATION AKA MY GENERATION.
i really wish this list was more updated
August 29th, 2009 at 9:21 pm
ferris bueller’s day off in anything BUT first place?
your opinion is invalidated
September 12th, 2009 at 2:19 am
what about ‘10 things i hate about you’ with heath ledger and julia stiles? great movie!
October 13th, 2009 at 7:25 pm
I just want to know the title of movie about 1 teacher was change to want cruel scholl. The movie is the comedy movie which in begiinnig of story, the car of that teacher stolen by someone. at the midlle of this movie, teacher know that his car stolen by his student and modified it to use for night illegal race. the environment of the movie more about how he change the bad student become good student for the school that have less rule.
October 24th, 2009 at 7:40 pm
Tell me sir who would want to steal a screw?
Breakfast club is a CLASSIC and the world wouldnt be the same without it. At least the world of comedy..
October 24th, 2009 at 8:59 pm
This list sucks. Have you even seen half of these movies, copperdragon? You seem confused about several details. Not to mention the fact that I learned nothing from reading it. Waste of time.
Pro-tip, people: don’t write lists when you’re clueless about the subject.
October 27th, 2009 at 11:11 pm
good list but it should have high school musical because even if you didnt like it, it has mad a lot of money and started a new type of thing