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balletbookworm's review against another edition
5.0
A thoughtful, comprehensive examination of the rise of the 80s teen movie in all of its incarnations. Smokler focuses on movies that can be tied to geographic locations (real and imagined) and how those locations informed the movie or vice versa (or perhaps provided weird anachronisms). He also situates the movies within their larger social contexts - America's shift from an industrial economy to a service one, the expansion of teenagers as a population with buying power, the rise of hip-hop, the growing availability of mass culture and mass marketing. A must for anyone who wants to read more about film culture.
If you're over on Letterboxd, I've run a watchlist of the films Smokler examines in the book - http://letterboxd.com/balletbookworm/list/brat-pack-america-watchlist/
If you're over on Letterboxd, I've run a watchlist of the films Smokler examines in the book - http://letterboxd.com/balletbookworm/list/brat-pack-america-watchlist/
turnerjo's review against another edition
3.0
I wanted to really like this book. They say that explaining a joke is one of the more tedious things possible. Explaining a movie plot is probably in second place. This book is full of long plot descriptions, which typically focus on the movies' settings and why those are so important. The book's title seems like clever marketing rather than an accurate descriptor of what's inside. There is surprisingly little on the Brat Pack. There's a ton on non-Brat Pack. There's also a secondary thesis about setting or place that I find distracting. The book also struggled to locate an audience. It's too academic for a popular book. It'd probably be useful if you're writing a thesis on 80s movies.
emmaaxtco's review against another edition
5.0
Fantastic book, thoroughly enjoyed from start to finish. I thought I'd seen a lot of 80s movies but now I've got a long list of ones I've missed that I am officially dying to see!
canadiantiquarian's review against another edition
4.0
This is, as the cover attests, "A love letter to '80s teen movies."
But it is NOT a solo, one-dimensional, self-serving exploration of movie locations in '80s teen movies. Instead, Kevin Smokler's love letter is the beginning of a great and thought-provoking correspondence. He offers no shortage of facts and insights into the cinematic world, but he never dares to suggest these 326 pages are the be-all and end-all of the topic.
The "what about ___," problem -- which many nonfiction writers face when they try to balance expertise and limitation -- is easily sidestepped because Brat Pack America feels like a book that encourages you to ask, respond, and expand upon the information within. This is the engaging teacher rather than the repetitive, droning bore. Rather than being a "forgettable noisemaker" like some movies he talks about that are forgotten, the book lingers because it has made us active spectators of the films, and participants of the conversation.
This approach allows BPA to thrive beyond the limitations of his experience, and be a jumping off point not only for the importance of location in film, but how the films' locations he mentions (and omits) interact in different ways.
Never before has a book made me want to write addendum chapters, which I consider a great feat.
But it is NOT a solo, one-dimensional, self-serving exploration of movie locations in '80s teen movies. Instead, Kevin Smokler's love letter is the beginning of a great and thought-provoking correspondence. He offers no shortage of facts and insights into the cinematic world, but he never dares to suggest these 326 pages are the be-all and end-all of the topic.
The "what about ___," problem -- which many nonfiction writers face when they try to balance expertise and limitation -- is easily sidestepped because Brat Pack America feels like a book that encourages you to ask, respond, and expand upon the information within. This is the engaging teacher rather than the repetitive, droning bore. Rather than being a "forgettable noisemaker" like some movies he talks about that are forgotten, the book lingers because it has made us active spectators of the films, and participants of the conversation.
This approach allows BPA to thrive beyond the limitations of his experience, and be a jumping off point not only for the importance of location in film, but how the films' locations he mentions (and omits) interact in different ways.
Never before has a book made me want to write addendum chapters, which I consider a great feat.
mred's review against another edition
5.0
If you are an 80s kid or just love the 80s then this book is for you!! The author takes you through all the 80s movies you loved, come to love, or just plain forgot about and gives insight and background into the movies, locations, actors, and directors. You can definitely feel the authors love of 80s movies through his writing and the research he has put into the book. While I was reading the book I was taken back into my teen years and began a list of movies to watch again and the ones that I somehow missed during the 80s. Gonna have a lot of movie nights in my future!
lindseyannajones's review against another edition
4.0
Kevin does a great job of defining the importance of the 80s teen movie and its overall impact on the cultural zeitgeist. The book's focus is 80s popular culture, but the message is timeless. I highly suggest this book for anyone interested in popular culture, shared adolescent experiences, or film criticism.
livruther's review against another edition
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.75
This is definitely one of the most well-written and well-researched nonfiction books I have ever read. My only problem with it is that Kevin Smokler sometimes spends too long talking about things that don’t interest me, then glosses over things that do interest me, but that’s just personal preference
thereadingteapot's review against another edition
3.0
Enjoyed remembering and re-watching some of these great movies.
allysonjacob's review against another edition
3.0
I really love 80s movies. I've never considered their locations as a field of study. Smokler apparently did. If that's your thing, this will be a good book. Otherwise, it's a bit in depth. But power to him for pursuing his passion.