The Outsiders (1983) – Encore Review (The Complete Novel Version)

“You can’t win. You know that, don’t you? It doesn’t matter if you whip us, you’ll still be where you were before, at the bottom. And we’ll still be the lucky ones at the top with all the breaks. It doesn’t matter. Greasers will still be Greasers and Socs will still be Socs. It doesn’t matter.” – Randy

Number of Times Seen – No clue (so many times on cable, video and Dvd, 8 May 2008 and 28 Jul 2014 and 31 Dec 2021)

Link to original review – Here

Brief Synopsis – A teenager who is part of one of two Rival gangs in the Midwest during the 60’s, tries to find a more meaningful existence for himself and his family.

My Take on it – This is a movie that I recall seeing when it came out after having raed the novel.

It was my favorite of the four novels by S.E Hinton and the story resonates so well even now.

The cast is spectacular and it’s amazing to think about how famous this very unfamiliar cast would become within years (or even months) of this film being released.

The characters are all great and they allow the viewer to get an iconoclastic look at society at that time.

The character of Pony Boy is a great lead to follow especially given how he has such a unique viewpoint of the world he is living in.

The story also looks at how confusing life can be especially when dealing with themes of violence, heroism, friendship and family.

This version has almost an additional 30 minutes that adds much more depth to the characters and the story line especially since it enhances the epilogue of the original film which feel incomplete.

Recommended!

MovieRob’s Favorite Trivia – Francis Ford Coppola received letters over the years from fans of the novel, many expressing disappointment that several key scenes from the book were omitted from the film version (they were in Coppola’s original cut, but were edited at the behest of the studio). Several years later, Coppola’s granddaughter was reading the book in class, and was about to watch the film with her fellow schoolmates. Feeling embarrassed, Coppola cobbled together what would eventually become his Director’s Cut, “The Outsiders – The Complete Novel”. (From IMDB)

Rating – Globe Worthy (8/10) (no change from original review)