Crazy that King wrote a story set in the 50s adapted in to a movie in the 80s, wasn’t alive for either of these times but still feel so much nostalgia. Love this movie.
@@ejbarbs7873 yes! Whilst I can’t relate to actually growing up in that time period, compared to nowadays even the 90s were simpler times 😂 growing up without phones and the internet at your fingertips, having to actually go out and play and make your own fun. Me and my friends watched this movie to death when we were kids, and I’m happy to say we didn’t follow in the footsteps of this movie because we are all still friends but this movie always makes me miss my childhood anyway and I love all things from this time period.
This movie actually made Stephen King tear up because it was so close to what he envisioned. Best child actors ever -- they had become legends. I think most people agree that Kiefer Sutherland always plays great villains. Shan, I love the way you talk about the technical aspects of the filmmaking, something a lot of other channels don't do. It really opens my eyes to new parts of the movies. Thanks for another great vid!
I agree with everything you say here, mate - with one exception... for me, although these four boys are indeed fantastic actors, the mantle of Best Child Actor Ever goes to Danny Pintauro as Tad in the other Stephen King adaptation, 'Cujo'.
And then came "The Shining" that King hated. He said, "Giving this movie to Kubrick was like handing a hand grenade to a child." And as much as I admire so many other Kubrick films, I have to agree with King on his assessment.
In the original story both Teddy and Verne passed away, too...not only Chris. Verne apparently fell asleep smoking and died in the subsequent fire while Teddy went out when he hit a power pole while driving drunk. When the gang flipped to see who would go to the store and get provisions they came up with a 'goocher' or all tails...when they flipped again, all but Gordy came up 'goocher' thus foreshadowing their violent deaths. The story also details what did actually happen when Ace's gang got their revenge on the boys for their actions. One last note...Chris was the one who drew the gun on Ace in the story not Gordy. Fun fact: Stephen King has stated that the leech scene was absolutely taken from his own childhood.
@@johncena2336 basically beat the crap out of Chris, knocked Vern out cold, kicked Gordy in the balls so hard they swelled up, and left Teddy alone...because he started acting crazy.
You nailed Stephen King perfectly. He writes great characters. Even if the stories aren’t great or have disappointing endings, the characters are always magnificent.
@Trevor Rogert And how many have you written.. that are of equal success? Yeah.. exactly lol. Who cares? He has already written a ton of classics.. so why does that matter?
@Trevor Rogert And you make it sound like he wrote just some great novels in the past but that's flat out wrong he's made a crap ton of great novels some books he has written I agree are not as good but lets not act like he's some hack that get's by having a few good books.
I love this movie. Many of my friends that watched it with me in our small town theater have passed on now. But I can still hear their laughter and remember our summer days exploring and general chatter. ❤🐾
I always thought it was interesting that Chris C was almost killed as a teen from a stab to the throat (by Ace), and as an adult ended up meeting that same fate. I loved River P and had his poster #TeenBeatTigerBeatBop'TeenMagazines all over my walls, as a teen. He died much too soon.
Excellent reaction and review. Very thorough and enjoyable. Now, even though I'm a girl I can definitely relate to the whole train track episode. I, being a stupid 11 year old, led my friends onto an active railroad trestle over a lake just to get to the other side and see what was in the woods there. Luckily, no train showed up that time but a neighbor saw us, and told my father. A few days later, one of the boys who was with me the first time, decided to do a repeat performance with a couple of his other friends. They ended up jumping into the lake, when a train showed up. Needless to say, I learned my lesson and never went near those tracks again. Childhood in those days was really free range!
Wow, I am glad you’re okay! If i was you, i would’ve been terrified! If you don’t mind me asking, how did you find out your friends did that ? how did you react ? Seems like a very scary experience. You should write a book about that experience!😝
@@veronicawilson9481 I wasn't scared, I guess I was just too young to really understand how dangerous it was. My friends were okay they got a little wet a little wet, it was summer time, and I don't think anybody really got punished. Boys were expected to do crazy stuff like that. But I was a little tomboy so I led the pack that day. Found out that my friends went on their own because my father dragged me out of my room, where I was grounded, he handed me a pair of binoculars and pointed to The Trestle which we could easily see from our balcony. That's how we knew to send the police to get them out of the water.
This is a heartbreakingly beautiful movie. My dad took me and my best friend to see it - pretty sure it was the first R-rated cinema experience for both of us - and I think he (Dad) bought it on VHS the first chance he got.
King's strength as a writer has always been characterization. His characters are always, quite simply, alive. Even the most minor or dull character has a life and a vibrancy. I think Reiner went for a simple but sweeping cinematography as a means of capturing the simple wonder of youth. Often, as a child, I would be struck by the simple grandeur of basic landscapes. And I think Reiner tapped into that kind of easy awe for the film. Ace Merrill appears again in the novel "Needful Things". He was unfortunately cut from the film version, but his story and fate are revealed in the book.
The film is very good, the book is also good. I'm not a great fan of king overall; I'm of the opinion that he's hasn't written anything decent since the mid 80s. I think it's intersesting that "The Body" a non-horror work by him is very good. It's apity he didn't write more non-horror stuff. In a way he remind me of James Herbert who also wrote an excellent non-horror novel "Fluke"
@@redcardinalist I suggest checking out the Bachman Books. Written by King under the alias Richard Bachman. 4 novels in one book. All non horror. One was turned into a not very good movie but was a great read...The Running Man. The Long Walk, in this collection, is, in my opinion King at his best.
@@ShanWatchesMovies Yeah, the book (it's actually a short story/novella) is even better. All 4 short stories in that book are good and 3 of them are movies, (Shawshank) but The Apt Pupil (Bryan Singer's next movie after The Usual Suspects) is mostly good but dishonors the ending of the book. (Ian McKellan kills it though). The 4th story that isn't a movie yet (The Breathing Method) about a pregnant woman giving birth after being decapitated, is fantastic. Highly recommended Different Seasons, the King book of four short stories.
@@redcardinalist He's written quite a lot of non-horror stuff, but it doesn't get much attention. He's been pigeonholed (not he didn't enthusiastically stuff himself into that hole on his own).
I swear, the fact that one family could produce legit two of the most talented actors of recent decades is just.. HOW with that level of talent!? What I wouldn't give to have seen them do something together
This is my all time favourite film. I wasn't even born for the River Phoenix era, but to this day he's one of the humans I most love in history. His legacy lives with Joaquin Phoenix ♥
@@ShanWatchesMovies Honestly one of my favorite Cusack films is one that hardly anyone has heard of: Max. It is a brilliantly written film set in Germany in the early 1920s.
@@Bfdidc Max is fucking incredible. Noah Taylor's performance is once-in-a-lifetime (even if you take away the weight of the fact that he's portraying a young Hitler). It's a pity Cusack wasn't happy with the final cut because that movie is special. If you watch it though, I recommend quickly watching something like Not Another Teen Movie or Dude, Where's My Car, straight after Max.
I was the age of Gordie, Chris, Teddy and Vern in the 1950's. The world at that time was sugar-plantation-town Aiea, which was a quarter mile down the road. The movie theater, community center, post office, bank and pool hall were set off by a huge Monkey Pod tree in front of the pool hall. These were the days of "Duck & Cover," Boy Scout over night camp outs, and, by today's standards,, dangerous July 4th fireworks. My older sister's collection of 45 RPM singles mirrored the songs found in the movie. "Stand By Me" is a trip on the Way Back machine that I take whenever I can.
@@susanmaggiora4800 Bette Midler was my older sister's "classmate" at Radford High School back then. (Aiea didn't have a high school until the early 1960's.) She remembered her as someone who was a fixture at talent shows and was seen practicing a number between classes, strumming a 'Ukulele. (That instrument was for kids and tourists back then, before Jake Shimabukuro, et. al.)
God I love this film, I honestly have lost count of the number of times I have watched it, and even now it has still not lost its emotional impact, it may even get stronger as you get older! Great review as always, I'm glad you liked it !
I love it when reviewers talk about camera work and cinematography. I don’t know much about these things and don’t notice them. When someone points it out, I notice how it made the movie better.
Your commentary and insight are sooo good. Like how going into the forest meant the story would become more serious/darker ... things like that. Showing scenes that revealed characters’ vulnerabilities was excellent too. Great job! I enjoy watching your reactions immensely.
This is the best stand by me reaction I’ve seen. I wish I could go back to the first time I watched this film. It meant so much to me coming from a broken home. To this still it never fails to make me cry and feel nostalgic. Stephen King’s characters always feel so real.
And he meets his end in the events of Needful Things. Unfortunately that character wasn't included in the movie. Should check the audiobook read by the King man himself.
You commented several times (rightly so) about how young they were to have a gun, smoke cigarettes etc. My dad (born in 1943, so a few years older than the age of these kids in 1959) grew up in rural Oregon, had a .22 rifle and would go camping overnight with his friend and their gun when he was like 8 or 9. Almost every picture of him in his hs yearbook he's smoking a cigarette. Blows the mind how much standards change in a couple generations, doesn't it? It's crazy, but accurate to the time and place.
@@razycrandomgirl from IMDB: At the insistence of director Rob Reiner (an avid non-smoker who campaigned for anti-smoking laws in California), the cigarettes smoked by the boys were made from lettuce leaves.
One of my all time favorites, thanks for doing such a thoughtful review!. This movie came out when I was 13, so being close to the same age of the actors and the characters they played, it resonated. And as a girl, my friends and I fell hopelessly in love with River Phoenix and followed him for his way too short career. He wasn't the typical "teen heart throb' he was something special! After his tragic death, I couldn't watch Stand By Me for years. It just hurt too much, to be reminded of what might have been had he lived. It still is hard to watch, but it's less raw. And it is nice for his legacy to be reminded what a good actor he was, and what a special movie this was for so many reasons!
I love this so much. It was filmed in my home state (Oregon) in the 80s when I was a kid, so my friends and I really bonded over it. I lived in a cul-de-sac with about 10-15 other kids my age, and we always tried to create our own adventure like this and The Goonies (also in Oregon)! I always cry at the end with River fading away, knowing that he died so tragically too soon in real life is heartbreaking.
This was a great reaction/review! The friendship between Chris and Gordie is perfectly performed and Stephen King’s writing of characters is just phenomenal, as you said. 2 quick things. I know you said that there wasn’t much to the score but a fun fact is that the main theme in the score is an instrumental version of the song Stand By Me. Also if you want to see another great River Phoenix performance I highly recommend My Own Private Idaho. It’s a great character-driven drama he did with Keanu Reeves. Ironically it also has a pretty emotional scene with River’s character around a campfire.
There is no "kid" movie that compares imo im a 26 year old black kid who grew up in ny and I can still relate to these characters. It really makes me think where cinema has gone
Strong reaction! You got almost all the key points that make this film so powerful! Direction, cinematography, characterizations, superior acting by all the kid actors! You included all the key dialogue, plot points, and to me--as a teacher--"I never thought a teacher ...". The only thing you missed was that Eyeball, one of Ace's droogs, was Chris's older brother, willing to stand by and watch Ace cut his little brother's throat.
I was in high school when this came out and I recall the song getting a second life. In fact, I think the song was more popular with kids in 1986-7 than when Ben King first released it.
I was wonder what type of brilliant roles River Phoenix would have given over the last 30 years? He had such greatness that he never really got the chance to *truly* capitalize on. It's often how I feel about Heath Ledger too.
I saw this in the theater when it came out. Just watching your review here, I had tears rolling down my face. Kind of surprising that no matter how many years later, or how many times you've seen it, Gordie's story, his friendship with Chris, and Chris' death just still get to you. Rob Reiner is amazing. Loved and enjoyed your reaction.
Chris Chambers played by the late River Phoenix (R.I.P.) was as were all four of them phenomenal and acting well beyond their years. Knowing that River died less than 10 years after this movie came out and the tragic details and how his brother Joaquin Phoenix was traumatically affected by his death; that when they show Chris' character fade out it really stings knowing both he and this great character are gone forever.
I was 10 when this movie released and it reminds me of my friends. We were very adventurious at that age and walked all over the place. Back when parents weren't helicopter parents like I am now lol. As long as I was home by dark I was good. There is just no subsitute for having friends when you are a kid.
All of the child actors in this film gave fantasitc performances. River Phoenix's career was, sadly, cut short by his untimely passing. He really impressed me with his performance as a young Indiana Jones in the third Indiana Jones film. I thought he really captured Harrison Ford's mannerisms perfectly. Corey Feldman was in a slew of films during the 80's&90's, from Goonies, to Friday the 13th, pt.4 (I think, sometimes I lose track), to the Lost Boys. Wil Wheaton had a long run as Wesley Crusher on Star Trek: The Next Generation, and also appeared in a number of episodes of Big Bang Theory. Jerry O'connell has also appeared on Big Bang Theory as Sheldon's brother.
Thank you for watching this film. It’s one of my favorites from childhood and one that doesn’t get enough attention IMO. These young actors really captivated me as a child. It’s full of nostalgia and I thought you were extremely insightful.
Jerry O’Connell tells a story about how when he was in University in a film class, The teacher put on this film and no one knew that he was the little chubby boy in it since he had grown up considerably since then.At the part where they’re walking In a field and it’s dark, the teacher was pointing out the symbolism intended by the lack of light. O’Connell put up his hand and said “actually we just were completely broke and it was near the end of the shoot and we had no lights.”
I haven't seen this film but I recognize the cast. To me, Jerry O'Connell will always be that super boy from "My Secret Identity". And of course Will "Shut up Wesley" Wheaton from ST-TNG.
The whole score is actually the tune/melody of Stand By Me over and over again (just played slowly and quietly). I was 11 or 12 when i first saw this film (my family rented it on VHS in 87)...i of course related to it, and so did my dad (as it reminded him of his youth and childhood friends), and it helped us bond on a bit more of a mature level i didn't quite understand at the time. Such a great film.
Hey man! Just found your channel. Really enjoy your passion for films. You are much more in depth and real than most TH-cam movie critics. Keep doing your thing man!
Stand by me is along with the Shawshank redemption are the best Stephen King adaptations of non horror/thriller novels. In that genre, the best adaptations are: Carrie, The Shining (regardless of King's dislike of it), The dead Zone, Cujo, Christine, Silver Bullet, Pet Sematary (creepy throughout, warmly recomended), Misery, Dolores Clairborne (another powerhouse performance by Kathy Bates), Gerald's Game, 1922 and It, although I don't have the love for it that much, when you read the book, no adaptation has done it yet truly justice.
Great reaction - really nice. I'm glad you chose this film. As coming-of-age films go, this is about as good as one can be. I would recomend THE BREAKFAST CLUB, which is on a par with STAND BY ME. Good job. I really enjoyed this, especially as you kept the commentary to a minimum and didn't miss all the dialog by talking over it. I've just subscribed.
I was seven when this came out and watched it countless times in my youth. Without question it is the film/story that gave my mind a nostalgia for a youth I had not yet lost. Beautiful film, and it will always be held in an upper echelon of impactful moments for me in my life.
I actually live close to the town where Stand By Me was filmed. It's Brownsville, Oregon, and I was actually there when they were filming, though I didn't see any of the actors or anything (they had detours around the filming areas). A few years back, they had a Stand By Me festival celebrating the movie, with a documentary being shown on the making of the movie, a classic car show, a sock hop dance, a pie eating contest, and ended with a large screen showing the film in Pioneer Park. They tried to get Corey Feldman for the event, but he was already tied up with an anniversary event for the Goonies in Astoria, Oregon. The house where Verne was trying to find his treasure stash was owned by the aunt of one of my mom's childhood friends. We've driven down that street near the end a lot during my life. The scene with them running from the train, I believe they had a special camera lens that made it seem like the train was a lot closer than it really was
I like how Gordy thinks that Chris is the leader when Chris clearly looks to Gordy for guidance. Gordy was the leader of their group. One of the best movies of the 80s and my all time favourite.
Yeah, Rob Reiner is well known at a great filmmaker. He got his start acting on the TV sitcom, "All In The Family". Hit father, Karl, is also a director well known for his comedies.
Great review. This is my favorite movie! One thing about the main score, it's just the song stand by me slowed down and played with different instruments.
If you've seen the third Indiana Jones movie you've seen River Phoenix, he played Indiana as a young Boy Scout. Harrison Ford recommended him for the role because they'd already done a movie together, the Mosquito Coast. If you want to see him in possibly his earliest movie there's a TV movie about dyslexia, 'Afternoon Special: Backwards: The Riddle of Dyslexia'. He stars in the main role with his brother Joaquin Phoenix playing his characters younger brother (this was when Joaquin's called himself Leaf Phoenix - my guess is that when you're a little kid and you have a brother called River and three sisters called Rain, Summer and Liberty you can't fully appreciate the beauty of a name like Joaquin).
Little late with my comment, just found your channel and reaction. Glad you enjoyed this movie so much. It came out when I was 2 and I saw it when I was 6 for the first time that I can remember. It was then, and still is my all time favorite movie. I may not have grasped all the themes and understood the complexities, but it just was always special.
I skimmed the comments but didn’t read all of them so apologies if this has been said. Reiner actually picked the kids based on their own personal issues. Thus a lot of the ‘acting’ was hardly acting. River in particular had a very screwed up childhood and Reiner actually mentioned how horrible he felt later because during the scene about the teacher, he asked River to think of a time an adult had betrayed him and River was inconsolable for several hours afterwards. That’s a fact that has always made that scene both more interesting and more heartbreaking for me so I felt like it was worth sharing.
30 years old and just stumbled on this yesterday. Blown away, felt so nostalgic even though I was born 40 years after it was set and a decade after it was made!
The leech swamp scene was filmed in a specifically built pool. The pool was built in the spring and the scene was filmed a few months later. In that time the pool really was all swampy and muddy
Everytime, tears. Not just because of the film. But I grew up in the 70s and my youth was very similar, gone from dawn till dusk, always out and about on our adventures. It really is true. Jamie, Lee, Martin, we had some amazing times. You dont know what youve got till its gone.
"The acting here is just phenomenal". Me: He wasn't acting. He didn't think he could do the scene so the director told him to think about a time where someone really wronged him. He got too into the moment. It actually scared Wil a little bit after the scene.😢🙏❤
Yes! Idk how lol.. but I knew that eventually you would react to this movie!! I LOVE this movie lol, and your reactions! Had to comment before I started it
There's soooo many brilliant aspects of this movie that I couldn't name them all even if I really tried. But I think one of the most ingenious things about it is the way it intentionally causes US to judge each character in the same way they were introduced in the beginning, the same way they were seen by the people of the town. Then slowly, slowly, slowly, the film begins to repaint each one from a caricature, to a realistic character. And each character is not only fully-formed, but we can ALL relate to EACH person in at least one way. We all know what it feels like to be ignored (Gordie). We all know what it feels like to be mistreated and have conflicting feelings about those who've mistreated us (Teddy). We all know what it feels like to be the butt of the joke; to be teased and to tease back, even if we're not as good at it (Vern). We all know what it feels like (especially if you're from a small town) to be viewed a certain way, just because of the surname you bear (Chris). The way the director makes us change the way we view the characters is brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. ❤
I was 11when I first watched this movie back in 88. Throughout the decades I've re-watched it numerous times and I still feel the same emotions as I did back then.
This story comes from a novella Stephen King wrote, called "Different Seasons", which includes the following stories: - "Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption" (made into 'The Shawshank Redeption") - "The Body" (made into "Stand By Me") - "Apt Pupil" (made into "Apt Pupil") - "The Breathing Method"
This was Stephen King's most personal story, as it's about himself and his friends. Chris Chambers was a real guy, King's best childhood friend, and he died the way the story says he did. When Stephen was at the premiere, he had to go into the hallway to cry because River Phoenix nailed the character so perfectly. (King is still mad at River to this day for dying the way he did. Can't say I blame him.)
I've been waiting for a really great reaction to this movie!! I only saw it for the first time a few years back, and it instantly became one of my all time favorites. Incredible all around- I'm such a sucker for a great coming of age story. And it also got me on a binge of a ton of River's other movies too. He truly was one of the greats, both as an actor and just a person too it seems like so much of what he brought to the role as Chris was his own natural emanating kindness
You should do Shawshank Redemption. It's not directly but somewhat connected to this film as they came from the same book. In the opening sequences, the main character talks about throwing a gun into 'The Royal River' which is the same river that the kids ran across the bridge to avoid the train. It's an amazing film in it's own right. In fact, without hyperbole, I can honestly say it's one of the best films ever made. I'm sure many people here will back me up on that one. So, if you haven't seen it, Shawshank Redemption.
Also if you haven’t seen it you should watch 1408. It has John Cusack in it and it’s based on a Stephen King short story I believe it’s a short story anyway
@@ShanWatchesMovies ok we already knew you had good taste in movies lol. But check out Dolores Claiborne. It’s an underrated SK film adaptation featuring Kathy Bates and others you’ll recognize.
![ILLSLICK - KILLSHOT REMIX [FULL VERSION]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/RIK8RrqIAzE/mqdefault.jpg)
"Am I weird?" "Yeah, but so what? Everybody's weird." This realization was so important for me. It's a perfect and wonderful movie.
Yeah this outlook formed my IDGAF attitude towards most outward pressures in life. All I can be is me.
I turned 13 the year this movie came out and I saw it at the theater with my the best friends. It was beyond relatable for us.
This movie will always have a special spot in my heart, gives me so much nostalgia and reminds me of my childhood and simpler times
It was amazing!
Crazy that King wrote a story set in the 50s adapted in to a movie in the 80s, wasn’t alive for either of these times but still feel so much nostalgia. Love this movie.
@@ejbarbs7873 yes! Whilst I can’t relate to actually growing up in that time period, compared to nowadays even the 90s were simpler times 😂 growing up without phones and the internet at your fingertips, having to actually go out and play and make your own fun. Me and my friends watched this movie to death when we were kids, and I’m happy to say we didn’t follow in the footsteps of this movie because we are all still friends but this movie always makes me miss my childhood anyway and I love all things from this time period.
❤️
@@ShanWatchesMovies please react to Dennis the menace.
RIP River Phoenix. It hit hard when he died. Sneakers was one of his last movies and is an excellent heist movie with an amazing cast
watching this movie just makes you sad all over again for River. Even considering that scene where he talks about his teacher...
Also check out Running on Empty. He's amazing in it!
This movie actually made Stephen King tear up because it was so close to what he envisioned. Best child actors ever -- they had become legends. I think most people agree that Kiefer Sutherland always plays great villains. Shan, I love the way you talk about the technical aspects of the filmmaking, something a lot of other channels don't do. It really opens my eyes to new parts of the movies. Thanks for another great vid!
Thank you for watching and for your kind words 😊
I agree with everything you say here, mate - with one exception... for me, although these four boys are indeed fantastic actors, the mantle of Best Child Actor Ever goes to Danny Pintauro as Tad in the other Stephen King adaptation, 'Cujo'.
@@rnw2739 I haven't seen it! I'll have to check it out; thanks for the recommendation!
@@gojiberry7201 Another great King adaptation!
And then came "The Shining" that King hated. He said, "Giving this movie to Kubrick was like handing a hand grenade to a child." And as much as I admire so many other Kubrick films, I have to agree with King on his assessment.
In the original story both Teddy and Verne passed away, too...not only Chris. Verne apparently fell asleep smoking and died in the subsequent fire while Teddy went out when he hit a power pole while driving drunk. When the gang flipped to see who would go to the store and get provisions they came up with a 'goocher' or all tails...when they flipped again, all but Gordy came up 'goocher' thus foreshadowing their violent deaths. The story also details what did actually happen when Ace's gang got their revenge on the boys for their actions. One last note...Chris was the one who drew the gun on Ace in the story not Gordy.
Fun fact: Stephen King has stated that the leech scene was absolutely taken from his own childhood.
Thanks for the background and trivia!
@@ShanWatchesMovies anytime! Keep up the excellent work! Love your channel 🤘
If King has ever included the gypsy moth story in any of books, I'm thankful I haven't read it! :O
What was the revenge they did?
@@johncena2336 basically beat the crap out of Chris, knocked Vern out cold, kicked Gordy in the balls so hard they swelled up, and left Teddy alone...because he started acting crazy.
tbh i dont think anyone can shake that Chris scene easily while watching the movie. River was an amazing actor indeed
You nailed Stephen King perfectly. He writes great characters. Even if the stories aren’t great or have disappointing endings, the characters are always magnificent.
@Trevor Rogert
And how many have you written.. that are of equal success? Yeah.. exactly lol. Who cares? He has already written a ton of classics.. so why does that matter?
@Trevor Rogert personally I prefer his short stories but are you saying ("before 1986") IT wasn't among the good ones or it was the last good one?
@Trevor Rogert The Heck you talking about the Outsider was awsome.
@Trevor Rogert And you make it sound like he wrote just some great novels in the past but that's flat out wrong he's made a crap ton of great novels some books he has written I agree are not as good but lets not act like he's some hack that get's by having a few good books.
He writes such great relatable characters and then puts them in tremendous peril.
Only a few years after this movie was made, chubby Vern became a teen heartthrob. No joke.
He played Sidneys boyfriend in Scream 2.. damn he grew up nicely 😎
@@tapasprinsen I used to watch his series Sliders when it came out. Cool series!
@@tapasprinsen His brother Charlie is even 'hunkier'.
Siddhartha Barnhoorn sliders was the shit
@@SidBarnhoorn And before Sliders was My Secret Identity which was cheesy but I loved it as a kid.
I love this movie. Many of my friends that watched it with me in our small town theater have passed on now. But I can still hear their laughter and remember our summer days exploring and general chatter. ❤🐾
I always thought it was interesting that Chris C was almost killed as a teen from a stab to the throat (by Ace), and as an adult ended up meeting that same fate. I loved River P and had his poster #TeenBeatTigerBeatBop'TeenMagazines all over my walls, as a teen. He died much too soon.
Excellent reaction and review. Very thorough and enjoyable. Now, even though I'm a girl I can definitely relate to the whole train track episode. I, being a stupid 11 year old, led my friends onto an active railroad trestle over a lake just to get to the other side and see what was in the woods there. Luckily, no train showed up that time but a neighbor saw us, and told my father. A few days later, one of the boys who was with me the first time, decided to do a repeat performance with a couple of his other friends. They ended up jumping into the lake, when a train showed up. Needless to say, I learned my lesson and never went near those tracks again. Childhood in those days was really free range!
Thank you for your kind words and thank you for sharing :)
Wow, I am glad you’re okay! If i was you, i would’ve been terrified! If you don’t mind me asking, how did you find out your friends did that ? how did you react ?
Seems like a very scary experience. You should write a book about that experience!😝
@@veronicawilson9481 I wasn't scared, I guess I was just too young to really understand how dangerous it was. My friends were okay they got a little wet a little wet, it was summer time, and I don't think anybody really got punished. Boys were expected to do crazy stuff like that. But I was a little tomboy so I led the pack that day. Found out that my friends went on their own because my father dragged me out of my room, where I was grounded, he handed me a pair of binoculars and pointed to The Trestle which we could easily see from our balcony. That's how we knew to send the police to get them out of the water.
This is a heartbreakingly beautiful movie. My dad took me and my best friend to see it - pretty sure it was the first R-rated cinema experience for both of us - and I think he (Dad) bought it on VHS the first chance he got.
Cool dad
King's strength as a writer has always been characterization. His characters are always, quite simply, alive. Even the most minor or dull character has a life and a vibrancy.
I think Reiner went for a simple but sweeping cinematography as a means of capturing the simple wonder of youth. Often, as a child, I would be struck by the simple grandeur of basic landscapes. And I think Reiner tapped into that kind of easy awe for the film.
Ace Merrill appears again in the novel "Needful Things". He was unfortunately cut from the film version, but his story and fate are revealed in the book.
Great insights!
Not gonna lie, I cry every time I watch this movie. A perfect encapsulation of childhood innocence and the loss thereof.
I recommend the King version called “The Body” but I warn you, it’s much sadder than the movie. I cried for a week after reading it.
Thanks for the recommendation!
The film is very good, the book is also good. I'm not a great fan of king overall; I'm of the opinion that he's hasn't written anything decent since the mid 80s. I think it's intersesting that "The Body" a non-horror work by him is very good. It's apity he didn't write more non-horror stuff. In a way he remind me of James Herbert who also wrote an excellent non-horror novel "Fluke"
@@redcardinalist I suggest checking out the Bachman Books. Written by King under the alias Richard Bachman. 4 novels in one book. All non horror. One was turned into a not very good movie but was a great read...The Running Man. The Long Walk, in this collection, is, in my opinion King at his best.
@@ShanWatchesMovies Yeah, the book (it's actually a short story/novella) is even better. All 4 short stories in that book are good and 3 of them are movies, (Shawshank) but The Apt Pupil (Bryan Singer's next movie after The Usual Suspects) is mostly good but dishonors the ending of the book. (Ian McKellan kills it though). The 4th story that isn't a movie yet (The Breathing Method) about a pregnant woman giving birth after being decapitated, is fantastic. Highly recommended Different Seasons, the King book of four short stories.
@@redcardinalist He's written quite a lot of non-horror stuff, but it doesn't get much attention. He's been pigeonholed (not he didn't enthusiastically stuff himself into that hole on his own).
Glad to see you checking out other genres for reactions. Wish we could have seen Joaquin and River work together on film.
Would've been something!
I swear, the fact that one family could produce legit two of the most talented actors of recent decades is just.. HOW with that level of talent!? What I wouldn't give to have seen them do something together
This is my all time favourite film. I wasn't even born for the River Phoenix era, but to this day he's one of the humans I most love in history. His legacy lives with Joaquin Phoenix ♥
Fantastic film , big part of my childhood RIP River Phoenix
Sneakers is another great movie that stars River Phoenix
If you are a Cusack fan, and haven't seen them yet, I recommend "Better Off Dead" and "One Crazy Summer". Underrated 80's comedies.
Thanks for the recommendations!
Grosse Point Blank. Best Cusack movie ever.
@@ShanWatchesMovies For me his best movies are Grace is gone and Being John Malkovich.
@@ShanWatchesMovies Honestly one of my favorite Cusack films is one that hardly anyone has heard of: Max. It is a brilliantly written film set in Germany in the early 1920s.
@@Bfdidc Max is fucking incredible. Noah Taylor's performance is once-in-a-lifetime (even if you take away the weight of the fact that he's portraying a young Hitler). It's a pity Cusack wasn't happy with the final cut because that movie is special.
If you watch it though, I recommend quickly watching something like Not Another Teen Movie or Dude, Where's My Car, straight after Max.
I was the age of Gordie, Chris, Teddy and Vern in the 1950's. The world at that time was sugar-plantation-town Aiea, which was a quarter mile down the road. The movie theater, community center, post office, bank and pool hall were set off by a huge Monkey Pod tree in front of the pool hall. These were the days of "Duck & Cover," Boy Scout over night camp outs, and, by today's standards,, dangerous July 4th fireworks. My older sister's collection of 45 RPM singles mirrored the songs found in the movie. "Stand By Me" is a trip on the Way Back machine that I take whenever I can.
Otokichi786 Did you happen to know Bette Midler?
@@susanmaggiora4800 Bette Midler was my older sister's "classmate" at Radford High School back then. (Aiea didn't have a high school until the early 1960's.) She remembered her as someone who was a fixture at talent shows and was seen practicing a number between classes, strumming a 'Ukulele. (That instrument was for kids and tourists back then, before Jake Shimabukuro, et. al.)
God I love this film, I honestly have lost count of the number of times I have watched it, and even now it has still not lost its emotional impact, it may even get stronger as you get older! Great review as always, I'm glad you liked it !
I love it when reviewers talk about camera work and cinematography. I don’t know much about these things and don’t notice them. When someone points it out, I notice how it made the movie better.
Your commentary and insight are sooo good. Like how going into the forest meant the story would become more serious/darker ... things like that. Showing scenes that revealed characters’ vulnerabilities was excellent too. Great job! I enjoy watching your reactions immensely.
This is the best stand by me reaction I’ve seen. I wish I could go back to the first time I watched this film. It meant so much to me coming from a broken home. To this still it never fails to make me cry and feel nostalgic. Stephen King’s characters always feel so real.
John “Ace” Merrill ends up going to Shawshank prison for four years. Love the Stephen King multiverse.
Good ol castle rock
And he meets his end in the events of Needful Things. Unfortunately that character wasn't included in the movie. Should check the audiobook read by the King man himself.
@@repairmanjack893 Yup. His dad, "Pop" Merrill had a pawn shop, or second-hand store in the Rock, featured in "The Sun Dog"
That's right. The Emporium Gallerium.
@@repairmanjack893 so him dying made room for "needful things"? lol
You commented several times (rightly so) about how young they were to have a gun, smoke cigarettes etc. My dad (born in 1943, so a few years older than the age of these kids in 1959) grew up in rural Oregon, had a .22 rifle and would go camping overnight with his friend and their gun when he was like 8 or 9. Almost every picture of him in his hs yearbook he's smoking a cigarette. Blows the mind how much standards change in a couple generations, doesn't it? It's crazy, but accurate to the time and place.
but the movie came out in the 80's and that those actors smoking cigarettes. I wonder if they were like herbal.
@@razycrandomgirl In the 80's the only kind of herbal cigarettes were cannabis herb. LOL
@@razycrandomgirl from IMDB: At the insistence of director Rob Reiner (an avid non-smoker who campaigned for anti-smoking laws in California), the cigarettes smoked by the boys were made from lettuce leaves.
One of my all time favorites, thanks for doing such a thoughtful review!. This movie came out when I was 13, so being close to the same age of the actors and the characters they played, it resonated. And as a girl, my friends and I fell hopelessly in love with River Phoenix and followed him for his way too short career. He wasn't the typical "teen heart throb' he was something special! After his tragic death, I couldn't watch Stand By Me for years. It just hurt too much, to be reminded of what might have been had he lived. It still is hard to watch, but it's less raw. And it is nice for his legacy to be reminded what a good actor he was, and what a special movie this was for so many reasons!
I love this so much. It was filmed in my home state (Oregon) in the 80s when I was a kid, so my friends and I really bonded over it. I lived in a cul-de-sac with about 10-15 other kids my age, and we always tried to create our own adventure like this and The Goonies (also in Oregon)! I always cry at the end with River fading away, knowing that he died so tragically too soon in real life is heartbreaking.
"Jesus, does anyone?" Most impacting line of all time. Great add, Shan. Almost to 10K!!
This was a great reaction/review! The friendship between Chris and Gordie is perfectly performed and Stephen King’s writing of characters is just phenomenal, as you said. 2 quick things. I know you said that there wasn’t much to the score but a fun fact is that the main theme in the score is an instrumental version of the song Stand By Me. Also if you want to see another great River Phoenix performance I highly recommend My Own Private Idaho. It’s a great character-driven drama he did with Keanu Reeves. Ironically it also has a pretty emotional scene with River’s character around a campfire.
There is no "kid" movie that compares imo im a 26 year old black kid who grew up in ny and I can still relate to these characters. It really makes me think where cinema has gone
Strong reaction! You got almost all the key points that make this film so powerful! Direction, cinematography, characterizations, superior acting by all the kid actors! You included all the key dialogue, plot points, and to me--as a teacher--"I never thought a teacher ...". The only thing you missed was that Eyeball, one of Ace's droogs, was Chris's older brother, willing to stand by and watch Ace cut his little brother's throat.
I was in high school when this came out and I recall the song getting a second life. In fact, I think the song was more popular with kids in 1986-7 than when Ben King first released it.
I was wonder what type of brilliant roles River Phoenix would have given over the last 30 years? He had such greatness that he never really got the chance to *truly* capitalize on.
It's often how I feel about Heath Ledger too.
I saw this in the theater when it came out. Just watching your review here, I had tears rolling down my face. Kind of surprising that no matter how many years later, or how many times you've seen it, Gordie's story, his friendship with Chris, and Chris' death just still get to you. Rob Reiner is amazing. Loved and enjoyed your reaction.
Chris Chambers played by the late River Phoenix (R.I.P.) was as were all four of them phenomenal and acting well beyond their years. Knowing that River died less than 10 years after this movie came out and the tragic details and how his brother Joaquin Phoenix was traumatically affected by his death; that when they show Chris' character fade out it really stings knowing both he and this great character are gone forever.
I was 10 when this movie released and it reminds me of my friends. We were very adventurious at that age and walked all over the place. Back when parents weren't helicopter parents like I am now lol. As long as I was home by dark I was good. There is just no subsitute for having friends when you are a kid.
One of those movies you watch as a kid, not realizing how much it means to you as an adult.
Next you gotta watch The Goonies!
Another awesome reaction, my friend. And your video editing is fantastic. 👊🏼
Thank you so much!
On point analyses and close attention. Real gems of reactions.
All of the child actors in this film gave fantasitc performances.
River Phoenix's career was, sadly, cut short by his untimely passing. He really impressed me with his performance as a young Indiana Jones in the third Indiana Jones film. I thought he really captured Harrison Ford's mannerisms perfectly.
Corey Feldman was in a slew of films during the 80's&90's, from Goonies, to Friday the 13th, pt.4 (I think, sometimes I lose track), to the Lost Boys.
Wil Wheaton had a long run as Wesley Crusher on Star Trek: The Next Generation, and also appeared in a number of episodes of Big Bang Theory.
Jerry O'connell has also appeared on Big Bang Theory as Sheldon's brother.
Wow, I didn't recognize him as Sheldon's brother till you pointed it out!
Phoenix's character fading out was not only fitting for the character but also for Phoenix himself i brings tears to my eyes every time
I appreciate how you write out your thoughts and reread them to us, I think it helps you stand out (to me at least). Great review.
Thank you for watching this film. It’s one of my favorites from childhood and one that doesn’t get enough attention IMO. These young actors really captivated me as a child. It’s full of nostalgia and I thought you were extremely insightful.
This and It's a Wonderful Life are two films that will have me sobbing. Maybe Straight Story too.
Rest In Peace, River Phoenix ❤✌🏾
One of the legends
Jerry O’Connell tells a story about how when he was in University in a film class, The teacher put on this film and no one knew that he was the little chubby boy in it since he had grown up considerably since then.At the part where they’re walking In a field and it’s dark, the teacher was pointing out the symbolism intended by the lack of light. O’Connell put up his hand and said “actually we just were completely broke and it was near the end of the shoot and we had no lights.”
I haven't seen this film but I recognize the cast. To me, Jerry O'Connell will always be that super boy from "My Secret Identity".
And of course Will "Shut up Wesley" Wheaton from ST-TNG.
Really good engagement with and review of the movie. Love your channel.
The whole score is actually the tune/melody of Stand By Me over and over again (just played slowly and quietly).
I was 11 or 12 when i first saw this film (my family rented it on VHS in 87)...i of course related to it, and so did my dad (as it reminded him of his youth and childhood friends), and it helped us bond on a bit more of a mature level i didn't quite understand at the time. Such a great film.
Hey man! Just found your channel. Really enjoy your passion for films. You are much more in depth and real than most TH-cam movie critics.
Keep doing your thing man!
Stand by me is along with the Shawshank redemption are the best Stephen King adaptations of non horror/thriller novels.
In that genre, the best adaptations are: Carrie, The Shining (regardless of King's dislike of it), The dead Zone, Cujo, Christine, Silver Bullet, Pet Sematary (creepy throughout, warmly recomended), Misery, Dolores Clairborne (another powerhouse performance by Kathy Bates), Gerald's Game, 1922 and It, although I don't have the love for it that much, when you read the book, no adaptation has done it yet truly justice.
No love for The Green Mile? ...or The Stand :-D
Great reaction - really nice. I'm glad you chose this film. As coming-of-age films go, this is about as good as one can be.
I would recomend THE BREAKFAST CLUB, which is on a par with STAND BY ME.
Good job. I really enjoyed this, especially as you kept the commentary to a minimum and didn't miss all the dialog by talking over it. I've just subscribed.
I was seven when this came out and watched it countless times in my youth. Without question it is the film/story that gave my mind a nostalgia for a youth I had not yet lost. Beautiful film, and it will always be held in an upper echelon of impactful moments for me in my life.
I actually live close to the town where Stand By Me was filmed. It's Brownsville, Oregon, and I was actually there when they were filming, though I didn't see any of the actors or anything (they had detours around the filming areas). A few years back, they had a Stand By Me festival celebrating the movie, with a documentary being shown on the making of the movie, a classic car show, a sock hop dance, a pie eating contest, and ended with a large screen showing the film in Pioneer Park. They tried to get Corey Feldman for the event, but he was already tied up with an anniversary event for the Goonies in Astoria, Oregon. The house where Verne was trying to find his treasure stash was owned by the aunt of one of my mom's childhood friends. We've driven down that street near the end a lot during my life.
The scene with them running from the train, I believe they had a special camera lens that made it seem like the train was a lot closer than it really was
I like how Gordy thinks that Chris is the leader when Chris clearly looks to Gordy for guidance. Gordy was the leader of their group. One of the best movies of the 80s and my all time favourite.
Yeah, Rob Reiner is well known at a great filmmaker. He got his start acting on the TV sitcom, "All In The Family". Hit father, Karl, is also a director well known for his comedies.
Great review. This is my favorite movie! One thing about the main score, it's just the song stand by me slowed down and played with different instruments.
If you've seen the third Indiana Jones movie you've seen River Phoenix, he played Indiana as a young Boy Scout. Harrison Ford recommended him for the role because they'd already done a movie together, the Mosquito Coast.
If you want to see him in possibly his earliest movie there's a TV movie about dyslexia, 'Afternoon Special: Backwards: The Riddle of Dyslexia'. He stars in the main role with his brother Joaquin Phoenix playing his characters younger brother (this was when Joaquin's called himself Leaf Phoenix - my guess is that when you're a little kid and you have a brother called River and three sisters called Rain, Summer and Liberty you can't fully appreciate the beauty of a name like Joaquin).
So glad you are doing this film a great film well shot and has a brilliant script
Little late with my comment, just found your channel and reaction. Glad you enjoyed this movie so much. It came out when I was 2 and I saw it when I was 6 for the first time that I can remember. It was then, and still is my all time favorite movie. I may not have grasped all the themes and understood the complexities, but it just was always special.
"Vern" played "Cush" in Jerry Macguire. It was years before I realized Jerry O'Connell played both characters.
Heck yeah. My boi Shan back at it again with another classic.
I absolutely love the narrator of this film. I wish all audio books had this voice as an option, it's just comforting for some reason.
Great film choice as always.
And thank you as always!
I've been waiting for someone to react to this! Nice!
Stand by Me has one of the best opening scenes of all time! I think you need to revisit the opening and revise your assessment of the soundtrack.
This movie is totally worth watching with commentary. There's a lot of really interesting behind the scenes info.
'No Ace, just YOU' is a great line recycled and repackaged in 'Tombstone'
This whole film is iconic...it's almost as good as BLUE RUIN
"I took some time to collect my thoughts..." LOL! Your tagline.
I skimmed the comments but didn’t read all of them so apologies if this has been said. Reiner actually picked the kids based on their own personal issues. Thus a lot of the ‘acting’ was hardly acting. River in particular had a very screwed up childhood and Reiner actually mentioned how horrible he felt later because during the scene about the teacher, he asked River to think of a time an adult had betrayed him and River was inconsolable for several hours afterwards. That’s a fact that has always made that scene both more interesting and more heartbreaking for me so I felt like it was worth sharing.
30 years old and just stumbled on this yesterday. Blown away, felt so nostalgic even though I was born 40 years after it was set and a decade after it was made!
The leech swamp scene was filmed in a specifically built pool. The pool was built in the spring and the scene was filmed a few months later. In that time the pool really was all swampy and muddy
This movie is a masterpiece. I cry EVERY single time i see it. I cried even watching your reaction!
Everytime, tears. Not just because of the film. But I grew up in the 70s and my youth was very similar, gone from dawn till dusk, always out and about on our adventures. It really is true. Jamie, Lee, Martin, we had some amazing times. You dont know what youve got till its gone.
I enjoy watching your reviews. You seem to understand things I have no idea about.
Thank you so much!
@@ShanWatchesMovies My pleasure. Have a great day!
"The acting here is just phenomenal".
Me: He wasn't acting. He didn't think he could do the scene so the director told him to think about a time where someone really wronged him. He got too into the moment. It actually scared Wil a little bit after the scene.😢🙏❤
Stand By Me was one of my favorites growing up. Great job.
Yes! Idk how lol.. but I knew that eventually you would react to this movie!! I LOVE this movie lol, and your reactions! Had to comment before I started it
Damn. Wil Wheaton looks young. Plus, it's crazy to think that a year later both Corey and Keifer Sutherland were in Lost boys together
There's soooo many brilliant aspects of this movie that I couldn't name them all even if I really tried. But I think one of the most ingenious things about it is the way it intentionally causes US to judge each character in the same way they were introduced in the beginning, the same way they were seen by the people of the town. Then slowly, slowly, slowly, the film begins to repaint each one from a caricature, to a realistic character. And each character is not only fully-formed, but we can ALL relate to EACH person in at least one way. We all know what it feels like to be ignored (Gordie). We all know what it feels like to be mistreated and have conflicting feelings about those who've mistreated us (Teddy). We all know what it feels like to be the butt of the joke; to be teased and to tease back, even if we're not as good at it (Vern). We all know what it feels like (especially if you're from a small town) to be viewed a certain way, just because of the surname you bear (Chris). The way the director makes us change the way we view the characters is brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. ❤
River also plays Young Indy, in Last Crusade
Yay for Shan singing a little bit!
Yessssss .. one of my all time favs .. incredible
This is a great, intelligent review. Subscribed!
Such a great film. Evokes memories of a simpler, safer time. Powerful combination.
This is my favorite movie of all time! New subscriber by the way. Cant wait to watch more
Dang. I just realized that Teddy's father isn't completely crazy. He's probably suffering from severe PTSD after serving in Germany.
Please react to "Explorers" from 1985 ! With a young Ethan Hawke and also with River Phoenix !
Thanks for the recommendation!
I second this recommendation. I’d love to see someone do “Explorers”.
I too would love to see a reaction to this childhood favorite of mine.
I love that movie!!
Enjoyed watching this with you. Thanks!
I'm glad you enjoyed!
I was 11when I first watched this movie back in 88. Throughout the decades I've re-watched it numerous times and I still feel the same emotions as I did back then.
You’re absolutely right. John Cusak is an amazing actor. I love that guy. But not seeing what River Phoenix could have become is heartbreaking.
This story comes from a novella Stephen King wrote, called "Different Seasons", which includes the following stories:
- "Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption" (made into 'The Shawshank Redeption")
- "The Body" (made into "Stand By Me")
- "Apt Pupil" (made into "Apt Pupil")
- "The Breathing Method"
This was Stephen King's most personal story, as it's about himself and his friends. Chris Chambers was a real guy, King's best childhood friend, and he died the way the story says he did. When Stephen was at the premiere, he had to go into the hallway to cry because River Phoenix nailed the character so perfectly. (King is still mad at River to this day for dying the way he did. Can't say I blame him.)
I've been waiting for a really great reaction to this movie!! I only saw it for the first time a few years back, and it instantly became one of my all time favorites. Incredible all around- I'm such a sucker for a great coming of age story. And it also got me on a binge of a ton of River's other movies too. He truly was one of the greats, both as an actor and just a person too it seems like so much of what he brought to the role as Chris was his own natural emanating kindness
You should do Shawshank Redemption. It's not directly but somewhat connected to this film as they came from the same book. In the opening sequences, the main character talks about throwing a gun into 'The Royal River' which is the same river that the kids ran across the bridge to avoid the train.
It's an amazing film in it's own right. In fact, without hyperbole, I can honestly say it's one of the best films ever made. I'm sure many people here will back me up on that one.
So, if you haven't seen it, Shawshank Redemption.
I get chills whenever see when he talks about his brother dying in a keep accident because my brother died in an jeep accident in 2014..
Also if you haven’t seen it you should watch 1408. It has John Cusack in it and it’s based on a Stephen King short story I believe it’s a short story anyway
It is one of SK’s short stories and the film adaptation is fantastic. Samuel L. Jackson graces us with his presence as well in 1408.
Don’t forget hot tub time machine 😉
Sorry guys, watched both :(
@@ShanWatchesMovies ok we already knew you had good taste in movies lol. But check out Dolores Claiborne. It’s an underrated SK film adaptation featuring Kathy Bates and others you’ll recognize.
It's on the list :)