It seems from the moment the phrase "high school" is thrown into a movie pitch at any blockbuster studio producer's office, a drive to turn it into a sensationalized exposé of adolescent stereotypes is aroused in every industry executive with an office on Santa Monica Blvd.
The teen-flick industry has always capitalized on one very odd, occasionally controversial, and always humorous constant: teenagers have a hell of a lot of inconsequential and casual sex.
For centuries adolescence in western society has gone hand-in-hand with a loss of innocence. It's an age where childhood naiveté gives in to the horrors of puberty and inevitable maturation.
An emerging concept of "teenagedom" over the last few decades has accompanied a brave new world of adolescent sexuality. The cultural notion of 'high school' has become a whole new sexual platform, and nearly every Hollywood production featuring characters in their senior or junior year makes some effort to reflect the high school social hierarchy in the sexual exploits of the protagonist.
Teams of poorly-paid studio writers have created their own fantastical high school world, re-enacting their adolescent days with a new sensationalized edge. Creating character types, from "jocular", to the more recent brand of "emo" (which, in this broadband age, has already become antiquated) has become just one more method by which the adult world lives vicariously through the lives of their youth.
It seems that in our youth-obsessed society, anything recalling memories of the good old days of hedonistic senior year experimentation triggers an automatic reminiscence of a 'carefree' and 'guilt-free' time.
Somehow this has left a severely altered memory of high-school - one that paints teenage boys as hormone-driven sloths (which is actually not to far from the truth) and girls as abstinent perfectionists.
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Re: The Age Of Innocence Meets American Pie
By savannajm, February 7, 2008 at 10:17Thank you Jacob for voicing an opinion which has not yet been articulated by our generation!
I feel that this media procured idea of high school sexuality is completely nonsensical and in many cases incredibly degrading. I loath the idea that my elders may confuse me and my generation with the one that is exposed to the public in Hollywood movies and sit-coms. Perhaps there are some teenagers whom do conduct themselves in the manner which is shown to us in popcorn littered movie theaters; but I believe that these youths are a minority.
Not to say that our generation is sexually inactive; but I do feel that we have more respect for sex than is perceived. Within my circle of friends, sexual activities are a personal occurrence and are only discussed with respect, if spoken of at all; whereas in movies produced by "teams of poorly-paid studio writers" sex is discussed freely and without civility. In my opinion, watching these films are an incredibly demeaning experience and I will avoid do so at almost any cost.
It is this problem which I am very offended by and thus have much distain for the media which portrays these warped images of today's adolescence.
Thank you again for raising this issue; hopefully because of this truthful exposure, understanding of today's teenage sexual affairs will be clarified.
Re: The Age Of Innocence Meets American Pie
By FrasaFlavee, February 6, 2008 at 09:41This article is so true, Jacob, haha.
Good writing.
Re: The Age Of Innocence Meets American Pie
By Adrienne, February 4, 2008 at 16:07*round of applause*
You're awesome Yacob.
Re: The Age Of Innocence Meets American Pie
By Brandy Gibb, February 4, 2008 at 13:22Agreed, Robyn!
Jacob, you have hit on a key issue here. Now I want to hear what other teens think about this subject. I suggest Hollywood considers hiring teens to write about and for teens, taking the adults out of the equation and creating a new level of authenticity to the humor, issues, and true concerns of teens today.
Great work, Jacob!
Re: The Age Of Innocence Meets American Pie
By Robyn Stubbs, February 4, 2008 at 12:06So true, Jacob - great observations. As soon as I started reading, I thought back to the scene in Juno where she's on her hamburger phone, scheduling an appointment to "procure a hasty abortion." (If you haven't seen the movie, you have to - it's great). They ask her how long she's been "sexually active" - later in the film, she talks about how that term is just so ... out of touch and weird. Why can't people say "having sex?"
I had to laugh out loud when I read your line about writers reliving thier high school fantasies by writing these stereotypical roles - well done!