Historical Youth Culture Films

On the theory side of media studies, we are focusing on how youth are represented through film and television. This is due to the fact that the exam at the end of the year is focusing on this. In previous lessons we have been looking at a variety of films from since the teenager first emerged so in this post I will go through some of the films which we have looked at and discuss how they have been influencial.

A Rebel Without A Cause (1955)

This film was one of the first influential youth culture films as it began to show teen struggles. It revolves around a young male called Jim who is having trouble dealing with typical problems that people his age face. Although it isn’t strongly seen from a teenage perception it does mark a starting point for starting to address these issues.

Saturday Night, Sunday Morning (1960)

this film is seen from an adult’s viewpoint and focuses on the rebellious side that teens were beginning to show. It focuses on the fact that teens were starting to go out on a Saturday night and get drunk followed by the morning after. This film was made to help show how this way of living was becoming ever more popular for teenagers and what impact it was having on the rest of society. 

A Taste Of Honey (1961)

A taste of honey focuses on a smaller aspect that affects some teenagers, which is pregnancy. Unlike modern times, the majority saw this as unacceptable so it was a controversial topic. It didn’t just focus on this however, it also featured the fact that teenagers wanted to get away from their parents and have a good time as well as the hardships of growing up.