1: Dusty & Sweets McGee (1971)
Directed by Floyd Mutrux
A "straight" couple dabbles in drugs and become heroin addicts. Shot in a raw dangerous Cinéma vérité style. Most of the people who appear in his astonishing semidocumentary about the daily life of Los Angeles heroin abusers are real-life addicts, caught up in an endless cycle of stealing, hustling, jail time, shooting up, and coming down - hard. Directed by Floyd Mutrux (American Hot Wax), with graphic cinematography by William A. Fraker (Bullitt), Dusty and Sweets McGee is "a film in its own category. There are long stretches during which it's hard to take your eyes off the screen''. It has never been officially released on DVD.
2: I Start Counting (1970)
Directed by David Greene
A 14-year-old girl coming to terms with her sexuality discovers that
her older adopted brother (who she is secretly in love with) may be guilty of a series of bizarre sex
crimes. Depicting a time before it was safe to let your children out unsupervised, things unfortunately changed dramatically in the UK after the notorious Mary Bell murder case. A focal point in this film is the young & talented actress Jenny Agutter's performance as the beautiful wide eyed Wynne. She bewitches the viewer with her dreamy aura. Her character searches the dull small town streets for a mature funny Valentine who will bring her through the door of womanhood that she so desperately wants.
3: Go Ask Alice (1973)
Directed by John Korty
Inadvertently, a 14 year old girl gets sucked up in the 1960's hippie counterculture odyssey of the LSD drug and promiscuous sex scene. Alice is a lonely girl who early on doesnt fit into the different crowds at her High School. Social teen peer pressure is exposed along with Alice's relationship with her ''square'' parents. The film was developed from the infamous U.S High School teen book Go Ask Alice, which also recalls the same plot line in The Beatles 1967 track She's Leaving Home. The girls in the book show us the early cultural stages which a lot of unsatisfied & troubled young girls felt in the 60's and also forewarns us of the origins of the disturbed Manson Girls, who would later be responsible for the Tate & LaBianca murders.
Directed by John Korty
Inadvertently, a 14 year old girl gets sucked up in the 1960's hippie counterculture odyssey of the LSD drug and promiscuous sex scene. Alice is a lonely girl who early on doesnt fit into the different crowds at her High School. Social teen peer pressure is exposed along with Alice's relationship with her ''square'' parents. The film was developed from the infamous U.S High School teen book Go Ask Alice, which also recalls the same plot line in The Beatles 1967 track She's Leaving Home. The girls in the book show us the early cultural stages which a lot of unsatisfied & troubled young girls felt in the 60's and also forewarns us of the origins of the disturbed Manson Girls, who would later be responsible for the Tate & LaBianca murders.
4: The Death of Richie (1977)
Directed by Paul Wendkos
A sensitive but confused teenager feels pressure on him from all directions and turns to drugs, which causes problems for him in school and at home. Murdered at the hands of his father, who was ultimately not charged with the shooting death of his son. This is one of cult director Vincent Gallo's favorite films and where he first spotted the actor Ben Gazzara who he would later cast in his own Buffalo 66.
5: American Heart (1992)
Directed by Martin Bell
Jack (Jeff Bridges) is now out of jail and he meets Nick (Edward Furlong), his adolescent son. Their relationship will be complicated, because Jack has a problem with alcohol. But his love for Nick will help him to get over the past and reach his dreams. Nick falls for the street sharp beautiful Monique (Jayne Entwistle) who breaks his heart. Edward Furlong has always had a very intriguing presence as a teen character actor. This is his finest moment as he shows his young talent for portraying the character of the troubled, sensitive but doomed homeless street kid.
6: Desperate for Love (1989)
Directed by Michael Tuckner
The story of murder among a trio of teenagers after a boy breaks up with a girl and she runs into the arms of his vulnerable best friend. Christian Slater at his James Dean period best. Based on a true story. Cliff is sentenced to jail for eight years, but is released on parole after four years, in October 1988. A young Christian Slater depics the down and out small town south, which was very similar to Guns & Roses singer Axle Rose's background. Bored teenagers with nothing better to do but wrestle with being young and horny for love.
7: Born Innocent:
Directed by Donald Wrye
A constant runaway Chris (Linda Blair) is given over to the care of the state and finds herself in a remand centre for girls. She is soon caught between the uncaring bureaucracy, the sometimes brutal treatment from her peers and her own abusive family, and only one care worker sees her potential to rise above her tragic circumstances. The powerful young actress Linda Blair arrives here fresh off of the demonic Exorcist set to depict another side of the teenage experience craving freedom from their family lives. Teen runaways who were born to be bad. This brutal film is famous the notorious shower rape scene where a plunger stick is used on a helpless Chris is heartbreaking.
8: Foxes (1980)
Directed by Adriane Lyne
A group of four teenage girls come of age in the asphalt desert of the San Fernando Valley arranged with a blazing soundtrack and endless drinking, drugs and sex. Cherie Curie lead singer from The Runaways makes her acting debut along side Jodie Foster, made one year before John Hinckley, Jr tried to assassinate Ronald Regan in order to impress Foster.
9: Tuff Turf (1985)
Directed by Fritz Kiersh
A rich middle class rebel ends up moving with his family, after his father goes bankrupt, to the rough Compton streets and ends up clashing with a local gang and falls for the gangleaders girlfriend. James Spader and Robert Downey Jr nail the frustrated teenage experience in the 80's supported with some great music by the Jim Carroll Band
Directed by Harvey Berman
A rebellious punk Johnny (Jack Nicholson) of the Beat generation spends his days as an amateur dirt track driver in between partying and troublemaking. He eventually kidnaps his buddy's girlfriend, kills a few police officers and finally sees his own life end in tragedy. Producer Roger Corman later wrote "this is one of the little pictures I remember with pleasure; it turned out very well.". Watch a very young Jack Nicholson as he shows us how its done, and pinpoint and see why we would all later fall in love with his relaxed smart ass attitude and delivery towards society and ''The man''.
