Before we take a break for the weekend, I wanted to share some more research I did on coming of age films. While I have discussed its common conventions in previous entries, today I will dig deeper and tell you about some lesser-known facts at are quite interesting!
1. Most of these films were developed from literature
Especially true for older films of the genre, a large part of coming of age films are inspired by or completely based on a book or novel. For Instance, originating in the early 20th century1930s-1940s), classic literature such as "Anne of Green Gables", "Little Women", and "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" later had film interpretations developed and were huge successes.
2. Directors often base some events in coming of age films on personal experiences
Everyone goes through hard times and relatable or not, they are sometimes very interesting to watch. For this reason, it's not uncommon for directors to base stories on their youth, making them very personal and unique. An example of this would be the George Lucas film "American Graffiti" (1973), which was based on his teenage years in the 60s, or the Giuseppe Tornatore film "Cinema Paradiso", filmed in his hometown of Sicily, Italy. Personally, I will be applying this to my own film opening, as the main character is greatly inspired by myself (I'm so excited to share my initial ideas soon!).
3. John Hughes: an influential figure in the genre
In the 1980, the Hughes further developed the idea of coming of age films by producing films that showed a teenager's problems seeming just as important as adult's. This avoided the undermining of young people's problems, making them seem relevant as well. Overall, it also meant that teenagers weren't portrayed as overly-wild and comedic through stereotypes, highlighting the fact that they are sometimes struggling just as much as older people. His films are also filled with life lessons, reflecting those that the young protagonists learn by the end of the film, a thoughtful addition to the genre's conventions.
(I found this great video on his career!)
4. Its themes are timeless
Even though some are set decades ago, because they all focus on essential themes pertaining to adolescence and growing up, audiences years later are able to find a level of relatability with characters. A common example of this would be young love, no matter what year it is, teenage love always has a similar feeling, its fun, flirty, and fresh, something most, if not all people experienced throughout their lives.
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