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The Outsiders: The Complete Novel

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    Mark Tolch
    Senior Member

  • Outsiders, The: The Complete Novel



    Released By: Warner Brothers
    Released On: 09/20/2005
    Director: Francis Ford Coppola
    Cast: Matt Dillon, C. Thomas Howell, Emilio Estevez, Ralph Macchio, Diane Lane


    The Film:

    “It doesn't matter if you whip us, you'll still be where you were before, at the bottom. And we'll still be the lucky ones at the top with all the breaks. It doesn't matter. Greasers will still be Greasers and Socs will still be Socs.”- Darren Dalton, The Outsiders.


    Cinema in the 1950's and early '60's provided a wealth of teenage rebellion films to choose from. Something about juvenile delinquent hoods with their slicked-back, greasy hair and spring-loaded switchblades appealed to audiences everywhere. The image of the “Greaser” has stood the test of time, and audiences are still drawn to the rebellious icons made popular by James Dean and Marlon Brando.

    In 1983, a film was released that not only carried the same themes of teenage rebellion as it's earlier counterparts; it also represented a style invented almost 30 years prior, that had been washed away in the garish neon of the 1980's. Such a film would probably never have been made under normal circumstances, but an elementary school petition sent to director Francis Ford Coppola (The Godfather trilogy), begging for a film adaptation of one of their favorite books made it's way into the director's hands. Coppola, upon reading the petition, felt he could not ignore the signatures of the students, and one of the great modern J.D. films was born.






    The Outsiders tells the timeless story of youths from the “wrong side of the tracks”. Centering around the Curtis brothers (Ponyboy: C. Thomas Howell, Sodapop: Rob Lowe, and Darry: Patrick Swayze) and their friends (Johnny: Ralph Macchio, Steve: Tom Cruise, Two Bit: Emilio Estevez, and Dally: Matt Dillon) The Outsiders paints a portrait of troubled, unprivileged teenagers and their relationships with each other, as they grow up in Tulsa, Oklahoma during the mid-1960's.

    On the other side of town are the wealthy Socs, the Mustang-driving rich kids of Tulsa. When Cherry (Diane Lane) and Marsha leave their drunken boyfriends (Red Dawn's Darren Dalton and former teen idol Leif Garrett) at the drive-in and befriend Ponyboy and his Greaser friends, they set a series of events in motion that lead to a murderous showdown between Greasers and Socs. The outcome of this tragedy is a far greater understanding that things are indeed, “tough all over”.







    The novel “The Outsiders” was first published in 1967 and was promoted as “Written for teenagers by a teenager”, and it's this insight from author S.E. Hinton that allows the story to stand the test of time. Themes of rich and poor, and the exclusion of others from certain cliques have remained valid throughout the years, and will continue to do so; and these are the themes that re-introduce generation after generation to the film.

    Although Francis Ford Coppola was made to cut certain scenes from the movie, thus betraying it's faithfulness to the book; the footage was not lost or destroyed. Throughout the years since it's release, Coppola has received thousands of letters inquiring about the absence of certain scenes, and it's with this new 2 disc release that a more accurate portrayal of the novel is realized. With approximately 22 minutes of footage restored, and a new soundtrack, watching The Outsiders: The Complete Novel is like watching an entire new film.

    The first very noticeable piece of additional footage is the entire first reel. The newly added footage features the “Stay Gold” title sequence, followed by a brand new opening that shows Ponyboy emerging from the movie theatre after seeing a Paul Newman film. On his way home he is harassed by the Socs, who aggressively taunt him, climaxing with a fight. The new opening also introduces the other characters in the film more in depth, and plays out much the same as the book.







    New footage added to the church sequence, including Ponyboy and Johnny's arrival there contains more novel-faithful material. The only regret about the church sequence is that some of the scenes from the older cut are missing…most notably a card game between the two characters, and a stylistic shot of a conversation, which utilizes the reflection of a pond. There is no mention in Copolla's commentary or the extra features of this cut footage, and one wonders why it was removed.

    Coppola has also added some courtroom footage of the trial. To avoid spoilers, I won't mention what the trial pertains to, but the filming technique used is comparable to the clock sequence in Rumble Fish, which Coppola shot shortly after The Outsiders. The scene does not really add much to character development, but it's interesting to see it within the confines of the film.

    There are a few other tiny additions, but the most notable aside from the beginning is a scene between the Curtis brothers in the park. As one of my favorite parts of the book, it is amazing to see this incorporated into the film, and gives Lowe, Swayze, and Howell a chance to let their acting talents shine.
    Shot entirely on location in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and featuring a cast that, for the most part, would become well known for their acting talents, the film breathes life into the novel with surprising faithfulness, and has a beautiful cinematic aesthetic representative of one of the great modern directors.







    Video/Audio/Extras:

    The film is presented in 2.40:1 anamorphic, and it looks stunning. Definitely a step up from the previous release, the print is clean and sharp, with good black levels, yet still maintains a gritty look that harkens back to the era of malt shops and hot rods. Coppola's commentary makes reference to the aspect ratio as being inspired by Kurosawa, and states that it was his intention to not crop any of his great cast out of wide shots.

    The soundtrack also sounds great, with dialogue coming through clearly for the most part. Much has been said about the new soundtrack, with Carmine Coppola's epic score being replaced by 50's rock and roll, and faithful fans of the film will feel it is slightly out of place upon first viewings. The music seems clichéd for some parts (Elvis' “Mystery Train” plays over the train scene, Carl Perkins' “Lend Me Your Comb” during the hair-cutting sequence), but seeing the rumble with instrumental 50's guitar rock is an entirely new experience. My only complaint would be that the balance between dialogue and some of this new music seems off, and some of the spoken word is obscured.

    For fans of the film, the extras will not disappoint! On the first disc, you can view the film with either Director's Commentary, or Cast Commentary. Both commentary options come with a brand new filmed introduction. Coppola's commentary is interesting, telling occasional stories about production and the themes behind the book, but for the most part he simply describes the action happening on screen. He is obviously excited about the new score though, and does go on about it for some length.

    The cast commentary is a lot of fun, even if there are some long pauses. The actors are seeing this new cut for the first time, so it's apparent during some scenes that they're simply watching the movie. Diane Lane, C. Thomas Howell, Ralph Macchio, and Patrick Swayze are all present for the commentary, with Rob Lowe and Matt Dillon added in separately. The mixing of the absent members is well done, seamlessly integrating all of the participants. Rob Lowe in particular has a lot to say, obviously happy that the majority of the cut scenes featuring him prominently have been reinserted. The cast is very excited about the new film, and they discuss the impact that the book had on them, and share some anecdotes about the filming.

    Disc Two is where most of the extras are, and there is some great stuff on there. First up is Staying Gold: A Look Back at The Outsiders. This featurette runs 26 minutes, and discusses just about ever aspect of filming, through new and vintage footage. Coppola and the actors talk about their reactions to the new cut of the film, the unconventional audition process, the origins of the film, and the special effects (or lack thereof), among many other topics. It's very interesting and informative, and a treat for any fans of the film.

    Next up is S.E. Hinton on Location in Tulsa, which features recent interviews with “The Outsiders” author Hinton taking the viewer on a tour through some of the filming locations. Aside from her description of growing up in Tulsa and her motivation for writing the book, she also has some interesting anecdotes, including one about how she made Tom Cruise vomit. This featurette is just over 7 minutes long.

    Casting of The Outsiders is a 14-minute montage of audition tapes, showing some of the most unlikely actors auditioning for parts in the film. Helen Slater, Kate Capshaw, Adam Baldwin and Anthony Michael Hall are just some of the folks who never got the callback, and you also get to see the actors from the movie play different roles. Some of this footage is done with a blue screen effect, as Coppola liked to shoot on VHS with scenery superimposed. The audition process is described in great detail, and the 80's clothing and hairstyles are fun to look at.

    Readings features just over seven minutes of video footage of the actors reading from the novel.

    Next is an NBC News Today segment that examines how the Lone Star School in Fresno started the petition to get The Outsiders made into a film. Camera crews journey to the school to interview the students, and Swayze and Howell make an appearance for the class. The footage dates back to the theatrical release, and is five minutes long.

    The Additional Scenes feature has six scenes, running about 13 minutes. The first scene is similar to the new opening reel, but has an overdubbed narration from the book, and the camera follows the Socs' point of view as they cruise the city. The deleted church scenes mentioned earlier in the review also make it into this feature, and some of the other scenes do little to expand on the characters, but are lifted directly from the book. Whether or not this footage was too damaged to use is unclear, but there is no commentary to explain why they weren't added back in.

    Finally, the Original Theatrical Trailer is included, as it was on the first DVD release.

    The Final Word:

    Though it may generally be disliked because of the fact that it's in the curriculum in every high school in North America, The Outsiders maintains a loyal following of fans. Naysayers should take a chance and check out the new version of the film, and for the original fans, there's much more to love about it.




    Attached Files

    • Ian Miller
      #6
      Ian Miller
      Flattery and foreplay
      Ian Miller commented
      Editing a comment
      Nice cap of against-type William Smith! Not sure how I feel about the new soundtrack aspect, since Carmine's score helped give the film that epic old-school Hollywood gloss, though the R&R tracks probably help the overall vibe come accross as more gritty. But MYSTERY TRAIN? Seriously?

    • Mark Tolch
      #7
      Mark Tolch
      Senior Member
      Mark Tolch commented
      Editing a comment
      Yeah, amd Lemd Me Your Comb. As a soundtrack guy, Scorcese he aint.

    • Mark Tolch
      #8
      Mark Tolch
      Senior Member
      Mark Tolch commented
      Editing a comment
      Coppolla used the same visual effect for the parents car crash that Leone used for the train collision in Duck You Sucker
    Posting comments is disabled.

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