Tuesday 7 December 2010

Where Have All The Feel Good Films Gone?

Over the last few days Ive gone back and listened to some groups that I haven't listened too in years. Inspired by the ABBA programme at the weekend Ive listened to them, The Bee Gees and then the Grease soundtrack album. You know what? Ive thoroughly enjoyed them but it got me thinking as well and perhaps a little nostalgic, bare with me I'm getting old now. Where are all the excellent soundtrack albums to films these days?

Where are the Saturday Night Fever, Grease, Dirty Dancing, Footloose albums? When I was a kid the soundtrack to a film was the thing you remembered more than anything else. You would listen to the songs in the films and then go and buy the soundtrack and you could remember where in the film the music had played. It made the film more special for me as well. Also these albums spawned Number 1 records. Who knows the words to Greased Lightening? Your The One That I Want? Staying Alive? More Than A Woman? Footloose? Ive Had The Time Of My Life?I know I do.

Listening to them these past few days I surprised myself how much I knew the words and I had a great time blasting them out and singing along too them. So were are these type of films today? Nowhere that's where. They just don't get made anymore and that's a real shame. These films were made for teenagers to enjoy and loose themselves in which we all did. Who wanted to be Maverick? or Ferris Buellers? Who wanted to be part of the Goonies and get one of their mates to do the truffle shuffle?. Memories that I hold very dear even now.

I guess what I'm saying is where are the feel good films that I remember as a kid? The films that got me into music and that I watched time and time again. They just aren't there anymore, they aren't getting made. There are great films being made now but they are all far too realistic. There aren't enough of those films that you could watch and come out of and smile about and talk about. The films that gave you a lift, that formed part of your childhood. Its all about realism now, or who can get the most blood and guts on the screen, or scare you the most. That's okay but it needs too have a balance.

Let me share with you some of my favourite films from my early too late teens. I watch these time and time again because they cheer me up and make me smile.

Back To The Future 1-3 (Superb, well written and funny)
The Goonies (Purley for the truffle shuffle)
Ferris Buellers Day Off ( Come on who hasn't dreamed of a day off like this!)
Footloose ( Great feel good film)
Dirty Dancing (Hey no one puts baby in the corner)
Top Gun (The Ray Bans, the planes, need I say more?)
Saturday Night Fever ( The dancing still gets me if it is a little cheesy now)
Grease ( One of THE BEST FILMS Ive ever seen)

That's just a few so what are yours have I missed any? You have too agree they don't make films like this now do they? Or have I missed some modern day classics? Let me know and Ill compile a list of your top feel good films of all time. Lets see how many we agree on and how many I have forgotten. Add your favourites and Ill do a count down of them in a few weeks.

2 comments:

  1. I want to watch Grease again. Although Grease 2 sucked epically.

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  2. I've got too agree Grease 2 was awful wasn't it lol

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