Teen Movie Genre

What are Teen Movies?

• Teen Movies are centered around the issues of love, relationships, and growing up.

• Teen movies often include themes of fun, craziness, and teenage optimism.

What are Teen Movies?

• Teen movies are films that both shape popular culture and are also shaped through popular culture.

Plot

• In the typical Teen Movie, a teen must overcome some personal obstacle that makes him/her a better person. Sometimes that obstacle is the adult nemesis and other times it’s just typical teen drama.

• Sometimes, the teen serves as a guide for other troubled friends.

Consumers of Teen Movies

• Young People (Teens)

• Adults (Nostalgia factor)

• Adults (Content/Controversy)

Setting

• High School• Prom• Shopping Mall• Parties

Characters

Jock/Cool Guy Sensitive Guy/Nerdy

type Cheerleader/Popular

Girl Ugly Girl (transformed

to beautiful) Surfer/Stoner Outcast Teen Nemesis:

Principal, Parent, Etc.

Teen Movies: 1980’s

• The Breakfast Club• St. Elmo’s Fire• Pretty in Pink• Sixteen Candles• Ferris Bueller’s Day Off• Fast Times at Ridgemont

High

Teen Movies: 1990’s - Today

• Clueless• 10 Things I Hate

About You• Mean Girls• American Pie• She’s All That• Varsity Blues