This is one of the best King adaptations ever. The 4 leads are excellent together and extremely believable as friends. R.I.P. River Phoenix, I can only imagine how great he could’ve become.
He would have been a two-time Oscar winner or nominee at least by now. His death only makes this film more powerful than it should be. I'm grateful that the film inspired me to become a writer because I saw a lot of myself in Gordie.
Saddest part is about how life causes even great friends to drift apart. Something you really don't think about until years after it happens is that one day someone you knew turned left, you turned right and that was the last time you ever saw them.
The last line of the film, about friends when you were 12, is very true. I had better friends in high school and college, in retrospect, but there is something special about the guys you hung out with from 11-13. It's the age where you do stuff, well, like what they show in the movie. I would wager that most everyone, especially guys, knows someone exactly like each of the four kids in this film.
It was real. Chris Chambers was Stephen King's best friend as a kid, and he died the way the newspaper said. The story is based on the little adventures King and his friends had as kids. Wil Wheaton (who played Gordie) has said the genius of Rob Reiner was in how he cast the film - he looked for kids who already embodied what each character was going through, so there was very little direction necessary. King said the film was so in tune with the story he wrote that he had to go out into the hall to cry, it hit him so hard. (The novella the script is based on included a couple of other storied embedded the way the "barf-o-rama" story is, which show up how Gordie developed as a writer. The original work is called "The Body", and is counted by many among the best American fiction of the 20th century.
"I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve. Jesus, does anyone?" Stand by Me is a timeless film. Stephen King's story is skillfully brought to the screen under the direction of Rob Reiner and the 1950s are brought back to life just as successfully as Stephen King so often does in his stories and novels, with the slicked back hair, the hot rods, in the film and excellent '50s soundtrack.
the bit were he describes how teddy became just another face in the hall, is maybe the saddest i ever get during a movie...i will avoid watching this sometimes simply for those couple of lines. this and shawshank redemption are easily his 2 best film adaptions and both were released in the 'different seasons' novella collection. also included 'apt pupil', but unlike the other two, the film doesnt really hold up vs the book. im sure you knew that, im just adding general info.
to go with part of the web weaving of King .. Ray Browler (the dead kid) is mentioned as coming for the same town as Carrie White for the Carrie book And John "Ace Merrill ( Keth's bully character) would later go on to become an antagonist in Needful Things
this is such a comfort movie for me. chris is such an amazing friend; the “kids lose everything unless there’s someone there to look out for them.” line was just so heartbreaking. river was such an amazing actor. will’s performance was great too, the “my dad hates me” scene always break me. the newspaper article does say chris’ name at the beginning but a lot of people forget that detail at the end because they’re so invested too so don’t feel bad lol.
I've sen this movie several times and every single time I get so immersed in the kids story that I forget how we know Chris dies from the first minute of the movie. That's how good it is.
Vern was played by Jerry O'Connell, famous for "Sliders" and a few movies, his career never really took off. The "mom" was also playing a mom in Back to the Future, she played Elene's mother in 1955
@@dnish6673 that's fair. Funny enough, when Family Guy did their King show and did Stand By Me, when they get to the end and they're saying what happened to them, the narrator mentions that he got married to her. He even is like "swear to god! Isn't that crazy?"
A star making performance from River Phoenix. Imagine how his career would have soared to today. And although he's seen as a washed up has-been today, people forget how good Corey Feldman was back in the 80s. The scene where he fantasizes about joining the Army Rangers is subtle but melancholy. He yearns to escape, probably, a broken home.
Yeah, right at the end. as Dreyfus is talking about Chris Chambers being killed, it hit me again that River was dead & I was stuck for a second, thinking about what he might’ve been able to do.
River Phoenix and Corey Feldman are some of the best examples of childhood stars being ruined by the Hollywood life. Can only imagine River Phoenix would have become one of the biggest actors in Hollywood.
Well, maybe River experienced some of that childhood r@pe that Corey Feldman and so many others talked going on then (and probably still now) about also. Maybe that's what pushed him into drugs.
It's really sad. Both of them had a lot of talent, River especially. But this comment also leads me to another reason why this movie is one of my favorites: According to the kids actors, their experience shooting this movie was wonderful. No scandals coming out years later, it was a fun summer hanging out with friends for them.
I think many of us who grew up in the 80's who saw this movie back then have always held it in a special place in our hearts. For one, it was pretty rare to see any kind of movie back then that portrayed kids in this realistic fashion. The writing and young actors are just great. They capture so much of what happens in that small friend group of boy who are just at that age when they enter Junior High. Also, it just captures the realities of life all too well. Loved it back then and still love it now.
"Castle Rock" (Maine) is used in a few Stephen King Novels and is also the name of Rob Reiner's production company. When Reiner showed this film to King, he said King was shaking and completely silent at the end, then got up and walked out. Reiner was terrified and started mentally preparing himself for the firestorm that was going to follow King's hating the film, but King walked back into the theater a few minutes later and said its the best adapatation of his work he'd ever seen. (Also, King said the scene with the leeches actually happened to him as a boy.)
Only slightly related: I still cannot, for the life of me, figure out why they changed it from Maine to Oregon. It's so arbitrary to the plot, so why not just keep it in the "King-verse" of Maine?
@@JeffKelly03 Probably because Maine has a very specific visual profile, if your vision as director for the the movie photography diverges from the way Maine looks like than changing the state makes sense, also sometimes it's just cheaper filming in other states.
@@JeffKelly03 I'm a King fan IN OREGON and I don't get it either. Unless Castle Rock is just a point on the wheel that ends up in different places at different times. Thankee Sai.
Also in Game of Thrones, the castle owned by the Lannisters was named Casterly Rock. GoT being a huge TV show its possible that this is one of the reasons they think its familiar.
Growing up in the 70's and then being a teenager in the 80's seemed like the perfect time to be a young person. The adventures we had in the prairie behind our house was fantastic. Playing baseball, street football and riding dirt bikes seemed never ending in the summer times. The friends we had were great. Everyone came to my house to start the day of fun. You never know about the monumental moments in your life while your in them. But when you look back they were so great. Only one friend still keeps in touch. 3 of them have passed away already and a couple more we have not seen sine the early 90's. We have great memories built on many years and we cherish each moment.
It feels like that form of childhood is fading away now, the innocent freedoms within invisible boundaries, slowly pushing against those boundaries, learning about the world and our places in it. The world is no longer an innocent place for kids, who now grow up too quickly without growing up much at all. At least we have cultural time capsules like this movie to remind us how it was.
I’m only 25 so I’m still obviously really young but I miss my childhood as well the playing outside at recess the school dances goin over your friends house and staying there before it gets dark now I miss them and times like this I wish I was 9 years old again
I was born in 70, and my life was almost exactly as you said during the 70s, 80s. The last generation before cell phones and the internet. Sat phones came out in mid to late 80s as bricks, and internet didnt exist yet. Being a kid changed drastically.
The Goonies is a blast. It's got the same adventurous spirit of Indiana Jones, but I dont think its trying to be Indiana Jones for kids. It has some great comedy and it made my 10 yr old son laugh out loud several times. I love how the child actors interact so convincingly in that one as well, but Stand By Me has perfect performances from the four stars.
@@stevem.1853 yes, I think the second Indiana Jones was the reason they made the PG-13 because it almost got an R and Speilberg and the studio had to fight to get the PG rating... I think Red Dawn was the first PG-13 movie
I watched this when it came out and I was exactly 12 at the time. Besides the highly relatable themes of friendship, approval, grief etc (which at that age you'd become increasingly aware of), this movie taught me to 1) be deathly afraid of leeches (thankfully they're not a huge deal here in Sweden) and 2) never, ever, walk ON train tracks
Very good movie and unfortunately a great talent was lost with the accidental death of River, I understand that he was one or the main candidate for the role of Titanic as Jack.
Just in case, you didn't already know. Chris Chambers is played by River Phoenix (brother of Joaquin) who died a very early and sad death on the sidewalk in front of a club co-owned by Johnny Depp. Gordie is played by Wil Wheaton, probably best known as Wesley Crusher from Star Trek: The Next Generation. Vern, the chubby kid, is played by Jerry O'Connell, never a big star but a working actor who has been married to model Rebecca Romijn since 2007. Then, of course, Teddy, played by Corey Feldman. And you did seem to recognize Keifer.
For their generation, it would be more likely that they would associate Wil Wheaton with The Big Bang Theory. I don’t know if I would say Jerry was never a big star, He got to star in a video which was a #1 single, with Mariah Carey, and he had a successful series Sliders which ran for 5 years. 131 roles under your belt is more than a lot of actors ever get.
"I never had any friends like the ones I did when I was twelve. Jesus, does anyone?" That line hits SO hard when you rewatch this movie as an adult. This is a very faithful adaptation of the King novella. One of the only changes I recall (it's been a while since I read it) was in the book, all three of the friends had died in the present day.
So much of the relationships between the characters is authentic and rings true to my childhood group of friends. A very special movie for me. I love the nostalgia in the coming of age genres and grew up watching the wonder years TV show. What a lovely surprise to hear about now and then. I'm definitely going to check that one out.
You should check out Running On Empty and My Own Private Idaho, another two great River Phoenix movies. ROE gave him his first and only Academy Award nomination!
A classic movie! It hits particularly hard at the end when he talks about how Chris died, knowing how young River was when he died, it always chokes me up a bit. Kiefer Sutherland always gives excellent villain.
The chubby kid Vern is Jerry O'Connell from "Sliders". You should watch him in MTV's first live-action film "Joe's Apartment". It's absolutely hilarious!
RIP, River Phoenix, 1970-1993. He was the older brother to Joaquin Phoenix. He was 23. He died of a drug intoxication. He was cast as the interviewer in the Anne Rice movie INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE, but his friend Christian Slater was cast and the film was dedicated in his memory
also I read Christian Slater, not wanting to profit in any way from his friend's death, gave the salary for his relatively small part, 250 000 USD, to charity
Yes, Samantha.. The 80s were such a Blast to grow up in and the cool thing is that we all pretty much knew it while we were in it, which rarely happens in life!
Castle Rock is both a production company and a fictional town which features in several Stephen King novels. I would also recommend you check out a few more Richard Dreyfus movies. A feel good one of his is Mr Holland's Opus, i think you would both enjoy it. Also, River Phoenix was such a great actor.
I just wanted to say yet again great reaction. once again your breakdown and insight at the end was top notch. It's great watching people who are intelligent enough and articulated enough to get many aspects of the films they watch. I watch a alot of reaction channels and it surprises me how much they miss or don't interpret correctly. I hope you are seeing channel growth and your efforts are rewarded. keep up the good work and good luck reaching 100k subscribers.
Jerry O'Connell said that he was scared of Kiefer Sutherland during the shooting of this film because Sutherland stayed in character throughout the production!
This movie is really special. Your reactions were the same as mine when I first saw it. Sam is right the soundtrack is awesome, and even though it’s 50s songs, it really fits as an 80s soundtrack. I still have the album. Your reactions and analysis are so genuine; it’s a pleasure to watch your channel. I would like to suggest It’s A Wonderful Life if you guys haven’t seen it. It’s such a great movie and is very deep for a Christmas movie. I think you both will enjoy it.
Stephen King really manages to encapsulate small town dysfunctional families and the trauma that children experience because of them, but they also manage to find solace through friendship. IT has a similar feel. I always wonder if he had a similar life or had friends who did because he seems to "get it".
During the train scene, they had to shoot it a bunch of times because they didn't seem scared enough when they were running away. The director then yelled at the kids. He told them that all of the hardworking crew were tired and it was all their fault. The kids got very upset and started to cry. They shot it one more time and that's what ended up in the movie
Another great coming of age type film (also set around the same time period (late 50s/early 60s) as Stand By Me) is the film 'American Graffiti' (1973) - which also features Richard Dreyfus (Jaws, Close Encounters Of The Third Kind, Stand By Me, Stakeout, What About Bob, Mr. Holland's Opus) - along with Ron Howard (TV's The Andy Griffith Show, TV's Happy Days), Cindy Williams (TV's Laverne & Shirley), Harrison Ford (Star Wars/Han Solo, Indiana Jones, The Fugitive, Air Force One, Patriot Games, Witness), Charles Martin Smith (The Untouchables, Starman), Mackenzie Phillips (TV's One Day At A Time), Paul Le Mat (Melvin & Howard, Puppet Master), Candy Clark (The Man Who Fell To Earth, Blue Thunder), Kathleen Quinlan (Apollo 13, Twilights Zone: The Movie), Suzanne Somers (TV's Three's Company, TV's Step By Step) & Wolfman Jack (legendary radio DJ)...Written & Directed by George Lucas (Star Wars, Willow, Howard The Duck,The Radioland Murders, Indiana Jones & Young Indiana Jones) and produced by Francis Ford Coppola (The Godfather, Apocalypse Now).
Also I remember reading somewhere that in the world of this story, as soon as Ace and Eyeball turned the corner of the pool hall they tossed Gordie's hat in the trash. That's just extra sad to me.
Castle Rock is a town that a lot of Stephen King books and films take place in- most notably this, The Dead Zone, Cujo, and Needful Thjngs. In the books and most of the films it’s located in central Maine. The screenwriter made a mistake when adapting this to the screen- confusing the Portland (Maine) mentioned in the story with Portland, Oregon. After this film was a success Rob Reiner started a production company called Castle Rock Pictures which you’ve probably seen the logo for before. Several Stephen King movies as well as many other films and tv shows have been produced under this banner. There is also a series on Hulu called Castle Rock inspired by many elements of Stephen King’s work.
In Sweden this was a movie we went to see at the cinema with school and then latwe again on tv in school. Also watched it in film class in my teenage years. Doesn't matter how many times I watch this movie, the ending always makes me cry. Amazing movie. Very emotional movie that makes one reflect over childhood friends.
So glad you watched this and that you loved it. It's a great film. The relationships between the four boys is done so well and so real. Goonies is definitely worth watching. It's very different, much more of a fun adventure, hidden treasure, Spielberg type movie. Another great 80's movie.
Quick trivia for you guys... The Royal River, where the kids were walking is the same river that Andy Dufresne threw his gun into before being sent to Shawshank. Also, after this story, Ace (Keifer Sutherland's character) ended up doing time in Shawshank as well. Both Shawshank and this story are from the same book.
This is a short story by Stephen King called " The Body ". Castle Rock is where most of Stephen King's story's take place . The director of this movie also directed " This Is Spinal Tap - Misery - The Princess Bride - When Harry Met Sally ". Just to name a few .
This is a phenomenal 80's coming-of-age movie although River was in two from that decade & the other is sadly all too forgotten about, the very underrated Running On Empty.
River Phoenix was such an incredible actor for His age. He would have become one of the best probably. Sad, he died too soon. His Brother Joaquin Phoenix became one of the best actors of his Generation. Talented Family. Stand by Me is such a great movie. I don't know how often I have seen it already. In Germany, were I was born and live it is a beloved movie, too. I don't know anyone who doesn't like this movie.
Stephen King was so happy with the job that Rob Reiner did adapting the short story on which the film is based on that King gives Reiner first option on all his books.
Really enjoyed watching your reactions to this. I recommend The Mosquito Coast or Running on Empty for more River Phoenix films. Harrison Ford does his best work in The Mosquito Coast - he's completely unhinged.
This movie is an absolute classic. It helped me a lot growing up. Middle and High School especially. I had friends like these and just like in the movie, we all eventually drifted apart. Some memories growing up are painful and some were amazing- but this movie always resonated with me because it was so real and so relatable. I’ve seen many movies over the years, but I continually go back to this one. I never get bored and I never get tired of watching it. Even though I can quote it by heart- it will never get old. “Stand by Me” is without a doubt my favorite movie.
Yea it seems as if when you find out about a childhood friend’s family traumas, they want to distance themselves from the people they were most vulnerable to. 🤷♂️
2:59, Jerry O'Connell! Lol! Richard Dreyfuss did a spoof of this movie with Seth MacFarlane on Family Guy called Three Kings which spoofs Stand By Me, Misery and Shawshank Redemption. He says, "The fat kid from Stand By Me is married to Rebecca Romijn! Isn't that something? Doesn't that piss you off!?" Lol!!
I love Stand by me. Those last few minutes are like a kick in the Stomach everytime. Especially the cross over to real life how River passed away. Also the realisation of the way friends take different paths in life and drift apart. I first watched Stand by me when I was 11/12 and I've seen it more times than I can remember in the past 30 years and the one thing that has bothered me all these years is that Gordy didn't get his hat back.
Stacked cast. Jerry O'Connell (Hardly recognizable, I forgot he was a chubby kid) Kiefer Southerland, Will Wheaton, Corey Feldman, John Kusack. Also I've been to that railroad bridge a few times, it's in far northern California near the magnificent Burney falls. The area is way worth visiting.
"Stand By Me": A tale that feels like my life in the small town of Aiea in 1950's Territorial Hawaii. A notable "girls becoming women" is this film: ruclips.net/video/UoVkHWq3-l0/видео.html
Great movie. This movie is always kind of sad considering Reaver Phonix died in real life. Another great kid adventure movie is Flight Of The Navigator . A great coming of age movie (With older people not kids) no one reacted to is Big Wednesday. Also another Rob Riener great movie is When Harry Met Sally. The actor who plays Vern is Jerry O'Connell and plays on The Big Bang Theory , Sliders and Jerry Macgvyer. Gordey mom is from Gremlins and Back From The Future. Gordey Dad is from Twins and Total Recall
It's underappreciated but you should check out Apt Pupil. It's the 3rd of 4 stories from King's Different Seasons that has been adapted into a movie, the others being this movie, called The Body in the book, and a little film you may have heard of called The Shawshank Redemption.
Castle Rock is one of Stephen King's fictional Maine towns (although for the movie, they moved it to Oregon). He also has Derry, Maine, where Pennywise lurks in the sewers. Reiner named his production company after it.
When this film came out, people in rural areas all over the country had to put up "guards" (wire or wood) on their mailboxes to keep idiots from playing mailbox baseball.
This movie holds a special place in my heart. I was 12 years old when this movie came out, and a friend of mine was recently killed after he got hit by a train. The quote in the movie about the friends that you had at 12 being incomparable to any other time in your life, holds true with me many years later.
We had the soundtrack when my mom and two sisters went on a trip with our friends from down the block. Played it over and over again. My mom and her friend loved it cuz it’s songs from their childhood, and we loved it because it was new songs for our childhood.
I highly recommend watching Sleepers from 1996. It also follows 4 boys and their relationships with each other. A very powerfull film with a star studded cast.
It's great to see you post the results of your patreon polls and judging by this particular list, you've got some truly amazing movies and reactions ahead of you guys when you get around to watching them. Some of my favourite coming of age movies are Road to perdition, scum, the breakfast club, love and basketball, blue is the warmest colour, this is england, girl interrupted, Sleepers, Scent of a woman, city of god, the secret garden, a perfect world.
It's a magic trick almost equal to that of another famous film that has a surprising ending, where you realize in retrospect that you were given all the relevant information right from the very beginning.
My only minor thing is I wish they hadn't spoiled the chambers that headlight at the beginning. I think most people forgot about it by the end but some didn't.
This is one of the best King adaptations ever. The 4 leads are excellent together and extremely believable as friends. R.I.P. River Phoenix, I can only imagine how great he could’ve become.
River was a case of Live fast die young sadly
He would have been a two-time Oscar winner or nominee at least by now. His death only makes this film more powerful than it should be. I'm grateful that the film inspired me to become a writer because I saw a lot of myself in Gordie.
@@flatcapmanPlease don't reduce River's life to a platitude. It isn't very kind.
@@VictorLugosi It’s super close to the book , in fact. I suspect you never read it.
@@Madbandit77 As you may know, River Phoenix was nominated for an Academy Award for *Running On Empty* (1988).
Saddest part is about how life causes even great friends to drift apart. Something you really don't think about until years after it happens is that one day someone you knew turned left, you turned right and that was the last time you ever saw them.
Low key saddest ending ever because in the end they weren’t split apart by tragedy, they stopped being friends. Damn
So true.. I’m going through that now
The last line of the film, about friends when you were 12, is very true. I had better friends in high school and college, in retrospect, but there is something special about the guys you hung out with from 11-13. It's the age where you do stuff, well, like what they show in the movie. I would wager that most everyone, especially guys, knows someone exactly like each of the four kids in this film.
Same for girls . The friends I’ve had since 10-12 yrs old share a really special rare connection. I agree with you
"I wish there was a way to know you're in the good old days before you've actually left them."
Andy Bernard- The Office
Poor Teddy. His father was a war hero and suffering from PTSD but back then he was just considered crazy.
Crazy and possibly addicted to powerful medication. The only treatment they had.
Yeah, because he was crazy. He melted his kids ear on the stove.
@@sparksdrinker5650 Right?? One doesn’t exclude the other.
Low key saddest ending ever because in the end they weren’t split apart by tragedy, they stopped being friends. Damn
@@codywirth8190 it’s sad, but that’s the most realistic ending.
It was real. Chris Chambers was Stephen King's best friend as a kid, and he died the way the newspaper said. The story is based on the little adventures King and his friends had as kids. Wil Wheaton (who played Gordie) has said the genius of Rob Reiner was in how he cast the film - he looked for kids who already embodied what each character was going through, so there was very little direction necessary. King said the film was so in tune with the story he wrote that he had to go out into the hall to cry, it hit him so hard. (The novella the script is based on included a couple of other storied embedded the way the "barf-o-rama" story is, which show up how Gordie developed as a writer. The original work is called "The Body", and is counted by many among the best American fiction of the 20th century.
"I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve. Jesus, does anyone?"
Stand by Me is a timeless film. Stephen King's story is skillfully brought to the screen under the direction of Rob Reiner and the 1950s are brought back to life just as successfully as Stephen King so often does in his stories and novels, with the slicked back hair, the hot rods, in the film and excellent '50s soundtrack.
the bit were he describes how teddy became just another face in the hall, is maybe the saddest i ever get during a movie...i will avoid watching this sometimes simply for those couple of lines.
this and shawshank redemption are easily his 2 best film adaptions and both were released in the 'different seasons' novella collection. also included 'apt pupil', but unlike the other two, the film doesnt really hold up vs the book. im sure you knew that, im just adding general info.
Nobody. , my best are are grom that time . Like my best friend, we go back to the cradle. ( grew up next door )
to go with part of the web weaving of King ..
Ray Browler (the dead kid) is mentioned as coming for the same town as Carrie White for the Carrie book
And John "Ace Merrill ( Keth's bully character) would later go on to become an antagonist in Needful Things
@Cadinho93
Way to completely leave out the screenwriter, dumbass!
this is such a comfort movie for me. chris is such an amazing friend; the “kids lose everything unless there’s someone there to look out for them.” line was just so heartbreaking. river was such an amazing actor. will’s performance was great too, the “my dad hates me” scene always break me. the newspaper article does say chris’ name at the beginning but a lot of people forget that detail at the end because they’re so invested too so don’t feel bad lol.
I've sen this movie several times and every single time I get so immersed in the kids story that I forget how we know Chris dies from the first minute of the movie. That's how good it is.
Vern was played by Jerry O'Connell, famous for "Sliders" and a few movies, his career never really took off. The "mom" was also playing a mom in Back to the Future, she played Elene's mother in 1955
The mom was also in movies such as Scream, Gremlins, and Footloose to name a few. Actress' name is Frances Lee McCain.
It may never have taken off like leading man type career, but he gets work. He's doing a voice on Star Trek: Lower Decks at the moment.
@@inarar5334 he married Rebecca Romijn which makes him a success in my book.
@@dnish6673 that's fair. Funny enough, when Family Guy did their King show and did Stand By Me, when they get to the end and they're saying what happened to them, the narrator mentions that he got married to her. He even is like "swear to god! Isn't that crazy?"
A star making performance from River Phoenix. Imagine how his career would have soared to today.
And although he's seen as a washed up has-been today, people forget how good Corey Feldman was back in the 80s. The scene where he fantasizes about joining the Army Rangers is subtle but melancholy. He yearns to escape, probably, a broken home.
Yeah, right at the end. as Dreyfus is talking about Chris Chambers being killed, it hit me again that River was dead & I was stuck for a second, thinking about what he might’ve been able to do.
@@goldenageofdinosaurs7192 River's death makes the film all too powerful and poignant than it should be.
@Gerald H Wil was also great in Toy Soldiers.
Terrible loss. Joaquin what can we say!
@@TimedRevolver Him and Sean Astin were fantastic 💘👍
Some of Stephen King’s greatest screen adaptations have come from his non-horror work. Between this, The Green Mile, and Shawshank redemption
Misery.
Hearts in Atlantis & Dolores Claiborne are great SK non-horror films too...
Nobody ever mentions Hearts in Atlantis. I'm used to it.
Would you classify Needful Things as horror?
@@VictorLugosi Now say that again without crying.
River Phoenix and Corey Feldman are some of the best examples of childhood stars being ruined by the Hollywood life. Can only imagine River Phoenix would have become one of the biggest actors in Hollywood.
Well, maybe River experienced some of that childhood r@pe that Corey Feldman and so many others talked going on then (and probably still now) about also. Maybe that's what pushed him into drugs.
Wil Wheaton too. He has no contact at all with his parents. They basically used him as a cash cow for the family.
@@pobstrel At least Wil found a healthy way to handle his past and come out of it a wonderful adult himself.
It's really sad. Both of them had a lot of talent, River especially. But this comment also leads me to another reason why this movie is one of my favorites: According to the kids actors, their experience shooting this movie was wonderful. No scandals coming out years later, it was a fun summer hanging out with friends for them.
@@DerMoerpler I think you can largely credit Rob Reiner for the kids’ positive experience on this film.
Kiefer Sutherland was perfect for the role of Ace. He has "the look", and it's gotten him many great roles in films.
David from the lost boys
I think many of us who grew up in the 80's who saw this movie back then have always held it in a special place in our hearts. For one, it was pretty rare to see any kind of movie back then that portrayed kids in this realistic fashion. The writing and young actors are just great. They capture so much of what happens in that small friend group of boy who are just at that age when they enter Junior High. Also, it just captures the realities of life all too well. Loved it back then and still love it now.
"Castle Rock" (Maine) is used in a few Stephen King Novels and is also the name of Rob Reiner's production company. When Reiner showed this film to King, he said King was shaking and completely silent at the end, then got up and walked out. Reiner was terrified and started mentally preparing himself for the firestorm that was going to follow King's hating the film, but King walked back into the theater a few minutes later and said its the best adapatation of his work he'd ever seen. (Also, King said the scene with the leeches actually happened to him as a boy.)
Only slightly related: I still cannot, for the life of me, figure out why they changed it from Maine to Oregon. It's so arbitrary to the plot, so why not just keep it in the "King-verse" of Maine?
@@JeffKelly03 Probably because Maine has a very specific visual profile, if your vision as director for the the movie photography diverges from the way Maine looks like than changing the state makes sense, also sometimes it's just cheaper filming in other states.
@@JeffKelly03 I'm a King fan IN OREGON and I don't get it either. Unless Castle Rock is just a point on the wheel that ends up in different places at different times. Thankee Sai.
Has no one read Lord of the Flies, where Castle Rock originated?
Also in Game of Thrones, the castle owned by the Lannisters was named Casterly Rock. GoT being a huge TV show its possible that this is one of the reasons they think its familiar.
An all-star cast!
River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, Will Wheaton, Jerry O'Connell, Kiefer Sutherland, John Cusack, Richard Dreyfuss...
Even Ethan Hawke auditioned for Cris Chambers.
I wonder what’s bigger than the all star cast in the outsiders
Jerry was a lead in the sci-fi series called Sliders where he and his friends use a machine to travel from parallel earth to Parallel Earth.
Growing up in the 70's and then being a teenager in the 80's seemed like the perfect time to be a young person. The adventures we had in the prairie behind our house was fantastic. Playing baseball, street football and riding dirt bikes seemed never ending in the summer times. The friends we had were great. Everyone came to my house to start the day of fun. You never know about the monumental moments in your life while your in them. But when you look back they were so great. Only one friend still keeps in touch. 3 of them have passed away already and a couple more we have not seen sine the early 90's. We have great memories built on many years and we cherish each moment.
It feels like that form of childhood is fading away now, the innocent freedoms within invisible boundaries, slowly pushing against those boundaries, learning about the world and our places in it. The world is no longer an innocent place for kids, who now grow up too quickly without growing up much at all. At least we have cultural time capsules like this movie to remind us how it was.
I’m only 25 so I’m still obviously really young but I miss my childhood as well the playing outside at recess the school dances goin over your friends house and staying there before it gets dark now I miss them and times like this I wish I was 9 years old again
I was born in 70, and my life was almost exactly as you said during the 70s, 80s. The last generation before cell phones and the internet. Sat phones came out in mid to late 80s as bricks, and internet didnt exist yet. Being a kid changed drastically.
pass. I had the sega genesis & girls gone wild vhs tapes
@@MrfuckinBeilke I had Atari and Cable MTV. GGW had infomercials 😂
Fun Fact:Ray Brower was actually at the Pie Eating Contest. He was behind the twins boys
Never knew that!
I feel the two of you would dig The Outsiders. An 80's movie with a stacked cast.
The Goonies definitely deserves a watch. It's another great 80s time capsule. It's more like a PG version of Indiana Jones.
I always viewed it as an Indiana Jones kids style adventure...
The Goonies is a blast. It's got the same adventurous spirit of Indiana Jones, but I dont think its trying to be Indiana Jones for kids. It has some great comedy and it made my 10 yr old son laugh out loud several times. I love how the child actors interact so convincingly in that one as well, but Stand By Me has perfect performances from the four stars.
the first two Indiana Jones movies were PG
@@billymuellerTikTok yeah I think that PG-13 came soon after...
@@stevem.1853 yes, I think the second Indiana Jones was the reason they made the PG-13 because it almost got an R and Speilberg and the studio had to fight to get the PG rating... I think Red Dawn was the first PG-13 movie
I watched this when it came out and I was exactly 12 at the time. Besides the highly relatable themes of friendship, approval, grief etc (which at that age you'd become increasingly aware of), this movie taught me to
1) be deathly afraid of leeches (thankfully they're not a huge deal here in Sweden)
and
2) never, ever, walk ON train tracks
The look on her face when she realized that was Chris in the newspaper was gold. It did me as well when I saw this the year it came out. Great movie
I could tell they had forgotten the newspaper. I knew it was going to hit them hard.
Very good movie and unfortunately a great talent was lost with the accidental death of River, I understand that he was one or the main candidate for the role of Titanic as Jack.
Honestly, think if he was alive the whole time, how many of those DiCaprio roles does Phoenix end up doing over the years?
I'm now 41, I first saw this when I was 11 & I'm still crying. #greatfilm #mytop10alltime
Friends come in and out of your life. So true and so sad. There are no words to describe how good Stephen King is.
Just in case, you didn't already know. Chris Chambers is played by River Phoenix (brother of Joaquin) who died a very early and sad death on the sidewalk in front of a club co-owned by Johnny Depp. Gordie is played by Wil Wheaton, probably best known as Wesley Crusher from Star Trek: The Next Generation. Vern, the chubby kid, is played by Jerry O'Connell, never a big star but a working actor who has been married to model Rebecca Romijn since 2007. Then, of course, Teddy, played by Corey Feldman. And you did seem to recognize Keifer.
This is why I always read through the comments before I leave mine. Well done. 👍
Well said... now I don’t have to write it 😅
For their generation, it would be more likely that they would associate Wil Wheaton with The Big Bang Theory.
I don’t know if I would say Jerry was never a big star, He got to star in a video which was a #1 single, with Mariah Carey, and he had a successful series Sliders which ran for 5 years. 131 roles under your belt is more than a lot of actors ever get.
"I never had any friends like the ones I did when I was twelve. Jesus, does anyone?" That line hits SO hard when you rewatch this movie as an adult.
This is a very faithful adaptation of the King novella. One of the only changes I recall (it's been a while since I read it) was in the book, all three of the friends had died in the present day.
So much of the relationships between the characters is authentic and rings true to my childhood group of friends. A very special movie for me. I love the nostalgia in the coming of age genres and grew up watching the wonder years TV show. What a lovely surprise to hear about now and then. I'm definitely going to check that one out.
This movie is one of the best coming of age movies ever made.
Roger that!
The only one I think is equally good is "The Sandlot" (1993).
Watch mean creek
@@robertstuart480 I love the Sandlot, but I don't think it holds a candle to Stand By Me.
It’s THE best coming of age movie ever…
You should check out Running On Empty and My Own Private Idaho, another two great River Phoenix movies. ROE gave him his first and only Academy Award nomination!
The mom (Frances Lee McCain) also plays the mom in, "Gremilins" and "Back to the Future".
"Gordy, you look so familiar. Do I know your mother?"
Foot loose as well .
A classic movie! It hits particularly hard at the end when he talks about how Chris died, knowing how young River was when he died, it always chokes me up a bit. Kiefer Sutherland always gives excellent villain.
The chubby kid Vern is Jerry O'Connell from "Sliders". You should watch him in MTV's first live-action film "Joe's Apartment". It's absolutely hilarious!
This one was a key part of my childhood.
So many things to say about it that you don't even need to say. Because words almost lessen it
RIP, River Phoenix, 1970-1993. He was the older brother to Joaquin Phoenix. He was 23. He died of a drug intoxication. He was cast as the interviewer in the Anne Rice movie INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE, but his friend Christian Slater was cast and the film was dedicated in his memory
He had a overdose?
@@jian5568 Yes, it was tragic.
also I read Christian Slater, not wanting to profit in any way from his friend's death, gave the salary for his relatively small part, 250 000 USD, to charity
River Phoenix is the older brother.
Yes, Samantha.. The 80s were such a Blast to grow up in and the cool thing is that we all pretty much knew it while we were in it, which rarely happens in life!
Castle Rock is both a production company and a fictional town which features in several Stephen King novels. I would also recommend you check out a few more Richard Dreyfus movies. A feel good one of his is Mr Holland's Opus, i think you would both enjoy it. Also, River Phoenix was such a great actor.
I just wanted to say yet again great reaction. once again your breakdown and insight at the end was top notch. It's great watching people who are intelligent enough and articulated enough to get many aspects of the films they watch. I watch a alot of reaction channels and it surprises me how much they miss or don't interpret correctly. I hope you are seeing channel growth and your efforts are rewarded. keep up the good work and good luck reaching 100k subscribers.
Jerry O'Connell said that he was scared of Kiefer Sutherland during the shooting of this film because Sutherland stayed in character throughout the production!
I'd be scared, too. He's a damn vampire.
Can't wait for This Is Spinal Tap.
This movie is really special. Your reactions were the same as mine when I first saw it. Sam is right the soundtrack is awesome, and even though it’s 50s songs, it really fits as an 80s soundtrack. I still have the album. Your reactions and analysis are so genuine; it’s a pleasure to watch your channel. I would like to suggest It’s A Wonderful Life if you guys haven’t seen it. It’s such a great movie and is very deep for a Christmas movie. I think you both will enjoy it.
Stephen King really manages to encapsulate small town dysfunctional families and the trauma that children experience because of them, but they also manage to find solace through friendship. IT has a similar feel. I always wonder if he had a similar life or had friends who did because he seems to "get it".
During the train scene, they had to shoot it a bunch of times because they didn't seem scared enough when they were running away. The director then yelled at the kids. He told them that all of the hardworking crew were tired and it was all their fault. The kids got very upset and started to cry. They shot it one more time and that's what ended up in the movie
Another great coming of age type film (also set around the same time period (late 50s/early 60s) as Stand By Me) is the film 'American Graffiti' (1973) - which also features Richard Dreyfus (Jaws, Close Encounters Of The Third Kind, Stand By Me, Stakeout, What About Bob, Mr. Holland's Opus) - along with Ron Howard (TV's The Andy Griffith Show, TV's Happy Days), Cindy Williams (TV's Laverne & Shirley), Harrison Ford (Star Wars/Han Solo, Indiana Jones, The Fugitive, Air Force One, Patriot Games, Witness), Charles Martin Smith (The Untouchables, Starman), Mackenzie Phillips (TV's One Day At A Time), Paul Le Mat (Melvin & Howard, Puppet Master), Candy Clark (The Man Who Fell To Earth, Blue Thunder), Kathleen Quinlan (Apollo 13, Twilights Zone: The Movie), Suzanne Somers (TV's Three's Company, TV's Step By Step) & Wolfman Jack (legendary radio DJ)...Written & Directed by George Lucas (Star Wars, Willow, Howard The Duck,The Radioland Murders, Indiana Jones & Young Indiana Jones) and produced by Francis Ford Coppola (The Godfather, Apocalypse Now).
Fantastic suggestion!
Castle Rock is Rob Reiner’s production company. They’re responsible for A LOT of movies you’ve seen and will see.
Castle Rock also produced "Seinfeld" throughout its' nine-year run.
This movie means so much to me wish I could put it into words. Glad you’re watching it.
Also I remember reading somewhere that in the world of this story, as soon as Ace and Eyeball turned the corner of the pool hall they tossed Gordie's hat in the trash. That's just extra sad to me.
Castle Rock is a town that a lot of Stephen King books and films take place in- most notably this, The Dead Zone, Cujo, and Needful Thjngs. In the books and most of the films it’s located in central Maine. The screenwriter made a mistake when adapting this to the screen- confusing the Portland (Maine) mentioned in the story with Portland, Oregon. After this film was a success Rob Reiner started a production company called Castle Rock Pictures which you’ve probably seen the logo for before. Several Stephen King movies as well as many other films and tv shows have been produced under this banner.
There is also a series on Hulu called Castle Rock inspired by many elements of Stephen King’s work.
In Sweden this was a movie we went to see at the cinema with school and then latwe again on tv in school. Also watched it in film class in my teenage years. Doesn't matter how many times I watch this movie, the ending always makes me cry. Amazing movie. Very emotional movie that makes one reflect over childhood friends.
To stay on the River Phoenix theme, I suggest the all too underrated and forgotten Explorers by Joe Dante.
So glad you watched this and that you loved it. It's a great film. The relationships between the four boys is done so well and so real.
Goonies is definitely worth watching. It's very different, much more of a fun adventure, hidden treasure, Spielberg type movie. Another great 80's movie.
Quick trivia for you guys... The Royal River, where the kids were walking is the same river that Andy Dufresne threw his gun into before being sent to Shawshank. Also, after this story, Ace (Keifer Sutherland's character) ended up doing time in Shawshank as well. Both Shawshank and this story are from the same book.
Different Seasons. Only three of the four novellas were adapted for film (Apt Pupil is an underrated thriller).
@@Madbandit77 They've been in the process of adapting the fourth for a minute now. Shouldn't be long before it drops.
This is a short story by Stephen King called " The Body ". Castle Rock is where most of Stephen King's story's take place . The director of this movie also directed " This Is Spinal Tap - Misery - The Princess Bride - When Harry Met Sally ". Just to name a few .
Ah yes, a classic movie that I've seen numerous times and now I'll watch it again with y'all...well the parts that y'all show anyway lol
This is a phenomenal 80's coming-of-age movie although River was in two from that decade & the other is sadly all too forgotten about, the very underrated Running On Empty.
foooood - review!
He was also in The Mosquito Coast with Harrison Ford. When River died in 1993, I was stunned. His death made the film more powerful and poignant.
I love Running on empty!
@@Madbandit77Ford recommended Phoenix to play young Indy in LAST CRUSADE.
River was also in Little Nikita, which was excellent.
Thanks guys. Im not crying. Im just chopping onions.
River Phoenix was such an incredible actor for His age. He would have become one of the best probably. Sad, he died too soon. His Brother Joaquin Phoenix became one of the best actors of his Generation. Talented Family.
Stand by Me is such a great movie. I don't know how often I have seen it already. In Germany, were I was born and live it is a beloved movie, too. I don't know anyone who doesn't like this movie.
The Goonies is definitely a kid comedy.
Stephen King was so happy with the job that Rob Reiner did adapting the short story on which the film is based on that King gives Reiner first option on all his books.
Vern is Jerry O Connell
The ending still hits me like a brick every time.
Really enjoyed watching your reactions to this. I recommend The Mosquito Coast or Running on Empty for more River Phoenix films. Harrison Ford does his best work in The Mosquito Coast - he's completely unhinged.
As soon as Samantha said vomiting was her worst nightmare I thought "Uh oh, wrong movie for you!" LOL.
Vern might be familiar if you guys have watched Scream 2. He played Derek. His actor Jerry O'Connell
Vern looks familiar, he was Sidneys boyfriend in Scream 2.
This movie is an absolute classic. It helped me a lot growing up. Middle and High School especially. I had friends like these and just like in the movie, we all eventually drifted apart. Some memories growing up are painful and some were amazing- but this movie always resonated with me because it was so real and so relatable.
I’ve seen many movies over the years, but I continually go back to this one. I never get bored and I never get tired of watching it. Even though I can quote it by heart- it will never get old.
“Stand by Me” is without a doubt my favorite movie.
Yea it seems as if when you find out about a childhood friend’s family traumas, they want to distance themselves from the people they were most vulnerable to. 🤷♂️
Will Wheaton, River Phoenix, Jerry O'Connell, Cory Feldman, John Cusack, and Kiefer Sutherland!! I mean come on!
Definitely check out "The Goonies". "The Sand Lot" is worth watching too, but it's a little slower.
The Elephant Man is probably the most powerful movie on your list...definitely worth a watch. It's very good but also very sad at times. You will cry.
2:59, Jerry O'Connell! Lol! Richard Dreyfuss did a spoof of this movie with Seth MacFarlane on Family Guy called Three Kings which spoofs Stand By Me, Misery and Shawshank Redemption. He says, "The fat kid from Stand By Me is married to Rebecca Romijn! Isn't that something? Doesn't that piss you off!?" Lol!!
This movie is great. I bought a copy when my dad said he'd never seen it. He watched it twice in one day. He was also 12 in 1959.
I love Stand by me. Those last few minutes are like a kick in the Stomach everytime. Especially the cross over to real life how River passed away. Also the realisation of the way friends take different paths in life and drift apart.
I first watched Stand by me when I was 11/12 and I've seen it more times than I can remember in the past 30 years and the one thing that has bothered me all these years is that Gordy didn't get his hat back.
It was originally Dennis's hat. When Gordie loses it to Eyeball, it's the start of his learning to let go of his brother and not try to replace him.
Stacked cast. Jerry O'Connell (Hardly recognizable, I forgot he was a chubby kid) Kiefer Southerland, Will Wheaton, Corey Feldman, John Kusack.
Also I've been to that railroad bridge a few times, it's in far northern California near the magnificent Burney falls. The area is way worth visiting.
Fantastic directing by Rob Reiner, too. Have you seen This Is Spinal Tap? It'd be so fun to watch you react to it.
31:50 "Now And Then" (1995) was a female answer to "Stand By Me" (1986).
"Castle Rock" is a setting in numerous Stephen King stories.
👍
Yes! Please do The Goonies (1985). 🙂
I just recently put a Goonies decal on my motorcycle helmet. 😄
3:56, that's the mom from Gremlins.
"Stand By Me": A tale that feels like my life in the small town of Aiea in 1950's Territorial Hawaii. A notable "girls becoming women" is this film: ruclips.net/video/UoVkHWq3-l0/видео.html
Great movie. This movie is always kind of sad considering Reaver Phonix died in real life. Another great kid adventure movie is Flight Of The Navigator . A great coming of age movie (With older people not kids) no one reacted to is Big Wednesday. Also another Rob Riener great movie is When Harry Met Sally. The actor who plays Vern is Jerry O'Connell and plays on The Big Bang Theory , Sliders and Jerry Macgvyer. Gordey mom is from Gremlins and Back From The Future. Gordey Dad is from Twins and Total Recall
Frances Lee McCain is Gordie's mom. Marshall Bell, who played Gordie's dad, was also in Nightmare On Elm Street 2 and The Rum Diary.
Isn't his mom also the mom in Terminator?
It's underappreciated but you should check out Apt Pupil. It's the 3rd of 4 stories from King's Different Seasons that has been adapted into a movie, the others being this movie, called The Body in the book, and a little film you may have heard of called The Shawshank Redemption.
Castle Rock is one of Stephen King's fictional Maine towns (although for the movie, they moved it to Oregon). He also has Derry, Maine, where Pennywise lurks in the sewers. Reiner named his production company after it.
And Verne is Jerry O'Connell, who looks nothing like Verne these days LOL
Also - the part with the leech on Gordy - reportedly something from Stephen King's real life - and he still has a scar.
@@BryanAlaspa And he's married to Rebecca Romjin. Lucky cat...
There was also a HULU TV show called Castle Rock that takes place in King's universe.
There actually is a Castle Rock Oregon. I don't think any scenes were filmed there though
Vern looks familiar maybe because he's Jerry O'Connell when he was a child.
When this film came out, people in rural areas all over the country had to put up "guards" (wire or wood) on their mailboxes to keep idiots from playing mailbox baseball.
One of my all time favorite movies. Amazing acting especially River Phoenix. Such a shame he died so young.
This movie holds a special place in my heart. I was 12 years old when this movie came out, and a friend of mine was recently killed after he got hit by a train. The quote in the movie about the friends that you had at 12 being incomparable to any other time in your life, holds true with me many years later.
05:13 I don't know if I'd risk pulling a gun on Special Agent Jack Bauer.
I've seen this movie too many times to count. And I've never questioned, or even noticed, that everyone is vomiting pie. Another great reaction.
50th like...have gun will travel says the card of a man, a knight without armor in a savage land
We had the soundtrack when my mom and two sisters went on a trip with our friends from down the block. Played it over and over again. My mom and her friend loved it cuz it’s songs from their childhood, and we loved it because it was new songs for our childhood.
Have you guys seen "the goonies" or "the sandlot"...2 pretty good kid movies to look out for.
I highly recommend watching Sleepers from 1996. It also follows 4 boys and their relationships with each other. A very powerfull film with a star studded cast.
Goonies and Sandlot both fantastic films. Both are much more lighthearted than Stand By Me.
It's great to see you post the results of your patreon polls and judging by this particular list, you've got some truly amazing movies and reactions ahead of you guys when you get around to watching them.
Some of my favourite coming of age movies are Road to perdition, scum, the breakfast club, love and basketball, blue is the warmest colour, this is england, girl interrupted, Sleepers, Scent of a woman, city of god, the secret garden, a perfect world.
I would love to see you guys react to Mr. Holland's Opus. A masterpiece of a movie that also stars Richard Dreyfuss. It's a beautiful movie.
It’s funny how the death of Chris is revealed right off the bat, but you completely forget it before the end.
It's a magic trick almost equal to that of another famous film that has a surprising ending, where you realize in retrospect that you were given all the relevant information right from the very beginning.
My only minor thing is I wish they hadn't spoiled the chambers that headlight at the beginning. I think most people forgot about it by the end but some didn't.
Kids used to exclaim, "Barforama!" when something was gross. So when Vern said, "It was a total barforrama", that was a priceless punch line.
It's too bad that Sleepers is last in that poll, but I'm just so glad that it's even on the list.
One of my favorite childhood movies of all time. Amazing performances all around. Chris is my favorite character.