The Outsiders

When I was about 13, I saw this movie for the first time. What does that say about my age?? Is this movie really that old? No way! I digress. After seeing the movie, I read the book. I read that book to death. Literally. I had to throw it away and buy a new one. I watched the movie so many times, that to this day, I can still recite the dialogue! Isn't being a kid great??? Now my daughter had the opportunity to read this same novel. Not by choice. I am not sure she ever would have chosen it. It was a reading assignment. She was hooked immediately. I told her when she finished it, we would watch the movie. This mushroomed into a sleepover with three of her friends. Well that was fine. Why not share something with her friends.

I had received the DVD of THE OUTSIDERS a few years ago complete with a separate dvd for the bonus features. To me, this means I will have lots of fun! The movie itself was the director's cut. Scenes that were originally cut, and why were they??? Were put back in. Music that wasn't there when I watched it over and over and over--just ask my mom! It made the movie so different, but different in a good way. All those boys, who at the time I thought looked grown up and cool, looked like puppies to me! Especially "Johnny", but then he was supposed to look that way!

The girls, for the most part, watched silently. As silently as 5 young girls could. I told them little trivia about the actors. For instance, Patrick Swayze is a dancer, and someday I just might let her watch Dirty Dancing! She was impressed by this fact.

All but two have read the book, and the three that did said the book was better. Of course it is! But having seen both versions, I have to say the director's cut was far superior and did the book a whole world better. There were many emotional scenes among the boys, and you were able to feel the depth of their relationship to one another. The actors, did awesome. And I'm not being biased..well okay, maybe a little.

By the movies end, my daughter proved that the apple hadn't fallen too far from the tree. "Who is your favorite?" I asked her. She pondered for a moment then replied, "Johnny...he's cute." A girl after my own heart!

All in all it was a successful, albeit noisy at times, event. The girls all had a good time. They were sad when it was time to go, and tried to finagle a couple of extra hours together, but as I told them, it simply was not in the plans. Another time, perhaps.