The Ultimate History of the '80s Teen Movie

The teen movies explosion of the 1980s was the result of a confluence of factors, writes film critic King, among them a "relaxed moral code" that allowed filmmakers to explore grittier young adult tales, and plenty of young, soon-to-be-famous actors to star in them. The boom actually began with 1978's "triple teen whammy" of Saturday Night Fever, Grease, and Animal House, all box office hits whose sex comedy sensibilities and rock and roll attitudes set the tone for the decade to follow. Admirably opting for analysis over nostalgia and gossip, King examines the origin, production, and cultural afterlife of seemingly every youth-centric 1980s movie you've ever heard of and more, from early decade hits such as Flashdance, Footloose, and The Outsiders to beloved John Hughes films including The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink, and Sixteen Candles. But lesser-known cult fare such as Slumber Party Massacre and Wild Style also get some love, making this a thorough narrative survey.