STAND BY ME

US, 1986, 89 minutes, Colour.
Richard Dreyfuss, Keifer Sutherland, River Phoenix, Jerry O’Connell?, Wil Wheaton, Corey Feldman, Casey Siemaszko.
Directed by Rob Reiner.

Stand By Me is based on a novella by Steven King, 'The Body'. It has been well adapted for the screen and focuses on the atmosphere of the late '50s, the State of Washington, young teenagers and the rite of passage to adulthood. The film has strong atmosphere, uses many songs of the period to give it background and mood, including the title song.

The cast is very good: Wil Wheaton portrays the sensitive young writer. River Phoenix (who went on to significant roles in such films as The Explorers, Little Nikita, Mosquito Coast), Cory Feldman (The Lost Boys, Licensed to Drive) and Jerry O'Connell as the fat boy, Vern. Kiefer Sutherland leads the older gang of the town. Richard Dreyfus appears at beginning and end as the older writer who reminisces and his voiceover continues throughout the film.

The film was directed by former actor (All in the Family) Rob Reiner whose film credits include The Sure Thing, This is Spinal Tap and The Princess Bride. The film is a fine evocation of its period and of young teenage boys.

1. An enjoyable film? Insightful? Its acclaim?

2. A film of memories, Steven King and his career? The period, rites-of-passage? American boys? A piece of Americana?

3. The use of Oregon locations, the countryside, the small town, the railway line, the river?

4. The musical score and the hits of the '50s and '60s? Their being played throughout the film? The theme of the title song, its mood and rhythms, lyrics, finale?

5. Steven King and his novella, autobiographical, insight into boys, insight into the author?

6. The older author at the opening of the film, the car, the news of Chris Chambers' death? Memories? Revisiting the past? The importance of the voiceover, the explanations, editorial comment?~ The author reappearing at the end, his word processor, his reflections on friendship and its possibilities? His summing up of what had happened to his
friends? The picture of his own sons?

7. The situation: boys of 13, the young gang, the strength of their friendship, games together, the tree house, their swagger, with swearing and smoking, the touches of dirty and vulgar talk, the behaviour of boys of that age, part of the rites of passage?

8. The contrast with the older gang: age, tough, rough, the bonds between them, pushing people round?

9. The Body situation: the death of the boy, his innocence, the audience discovering him with the teenagers? The pathos of his death and his dead body? The possibility of reward for finding the body? The motivation of the older group? The secret, the older boys telling, going, their being tough on the roads, playing chicken and threatening, the trucks? Their finally finding the body but thwarted by the young group?

10. Vern overhearing the information, going to tell his friends, their decision to go: the walking, forgetting to take the food, Chris with the gun and his scaring Cordie? Their messing around on the way as boys will be boys? The yard and their trespassing, the stories about the dog, its chasing Gordie and the reality of the dog? On the train line, Teddy and his wanting to play chicken, Chris dragging him off, the reconciliation and touching hands? On the bridge, the beauty and peace of the river, Vern dropping his comb? The coming of the train and the running across the bridge? The drama and the danger? Their feeling free in the forest, the bonds between them, sharing the food, camping, Gordie telling his story, being on guard and scared, going off the road, in the water, the fright of the leeches? The effect of the journey, the losing the sense of time?

11. Their talk along the journey, the background of their family, their hurts, tough, arguing and fighting, the bonds between them?

12. Gordie and the audience seeing his family, his father and his disdain of his younger son, praising the footballer son, Gordie hating his father? The nightmare in the forest and the resentment towards his father? His love for his brother, his brother supporting him, especially about the story? His father's comments? The absence of his mother's support? Going on the trip, the gun, fooling with Chris, the shots? His leadership in the group? Relationship with each of the friends? The dog and his running? Buying the food and the comments of the owner about his brother and the football? Running with Vern on the bridge? The night and the camping, his storytelling, his talking with Chris and Chris's weeping about his family and himself? The leeches? The confrontation with the older gang, his drawing the gun and threatening Ace? His decision about the body, their reverently covering it? The need to see the dead body, the effect on him? The effect of the whole experience on his later life and his friends knowing that he would write it down?

13. Chris and his family, his older brother and the gangs slinging off at the youngsters as girls? His being a thief and taking the money? His bitterness about his life, weeping with Gordie? Yet tough, the gun? His concern for Teddy on the railway lines? His leadership in the group? The final confrontation at the body site? His future? Skill as a lawyer? Intervening to break up a fight and being stabbed?

14. Teddy and his comic style, yet his bitterness? His admiration for his father in the army? His father being in the asylum? Tough, on the train line, being pulled off by Chris? The yard man and his abuse, Teddy's anger? His participation in the journey? His future and jobs?

15. Vern as the fat boy, overhearing the information, concerned about food, bringing along the comb? Lagging behind, on the bridge and his crawling, dropping the comb, having to run? Scatty in his listening to the story? Not wanting to go off the train line? His future - job, marriage and family?

16. The author' s comments on what happened to the boys? The experience of the journey, their returning and the town not being the same, their drifting apart? Not seeing Vern and Teddy much? Ten years from seeing Chris? Chris' death?

17. Themes of youth, special times, boys acting as boys, rites of passage, change? A picture of human nature?