Over the Edge (1979)

Director:

Jonathan Kaplan

Writers:

Charles S. Haas (written by)
Tim Hunter (written by)

Release Date:

2 November 1979 (Denmark)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Tagline:

Watch Out For Children

Plot:

New Grenada is a planned community set in the desert where there is nothing for the kids to do, save for a rec center - which closes at 6 PM...

Plot Keywords:

Vandalism | Fire | Youth Center | Teen Angst | Teen Rebel

Cast

Michael Eric Kramer	...	Carl (as Michael Kramer)
Pamela Ludwig	...	Cory
Matt Dillon	...	Richie
Vincent Spano	...	Mark
Tom Fergus	...	Claude
Harry Northup	...	Doberman
Andy Romano	...	Fred Willat
Ellen Geer	...	Sandra Willat
Richard Jamison	...	Cole
Julia Pomeroy	...	Julia
Tiger Thompson	...	Johnny
Eric Lalich	...	Tip
Kim Kliner	...	Abby
Frank Mugavero	...	Party Host
Kristina Hanson	...	Lisa

Also Known As:

On the Edge (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:R | Canada:14A | Iceland:16 | Finland:(Banned) (1980) (theatrical release) | Finland:(Banned) (1987) (video release) | Finland:K-18 (2007) | New Zealand:R16 | Sweden:15 | USA:PG | West Germany:16 | UK:18

Filming Locations:

Aurora, Colorado, USA

Company:

Orion Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

After the film's successful run on HBO in 1981, it was selected for a special two-week engagement at Joseph Papp's Public Theater in New York in December 1981. The response was so positive that the film was booked for regular engagements in several New York theaters the following February.

Goofs:

Continuity: After the library is trashed, a boy is shown standing on top of a police car. At first he's swinging a pair of nunchaks, but in the very next scene he's holding a crowbar.

Quotes:

Doberman: I don't get you, Carl. You live in a good place, your dad's got a good job with the Caddies. You're getting to be more of a punk every day, you know that? Lemme ask you somethin'. You got a drive and need to louse things up for yourself?
Carl: I've got a drive, and need to be left alone, okay?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Charlie Bartlett (2007)

Soundtrack:

Downed

A teen movie that gets it right!

I generally dislike teen movies. Mainly because they're so unrealistic, romanticized versions of high school and teen life. Usually featuring a bunch of stereotypes and some dumb, superficial plot. "Over the Edge," hovever, is one of the few teen movies that actually gets it right.

The movie focuses on a bunch of teens living in the boring, lifeless town of New Granada. A place with with nothing to do. No mall, no movie theaters, not even a fast food place. Nothing to give them somewhere to go or something to do. The adults in the movie can't be bothered with them and are more interested in bringing people into New Granada and developing the town rather than meet the needs of the town's youth. This makes the teens restless and bored and they resort to drugs, guns and crime to keep them occupied. The also misbehave in school and frustrate their teachers.

The local authorities try setting up a curfew, holding meetings and assemblies, and even shut down the local recreation center which provided the teens the only place they can go for fun and social contact. All the while overlooking the real source of the problem. The local sherrif who occasionally harasses the kids (often unfairly) only adds to the problem. The frustration finally builds and builds until the movie's destructive climax.

Based on a true incident, "Over the Edge" is a film which, unlike most teen movies, deals with more weighty topics than who's taking who to the prom. This is a much more realistic portrayal of teen life than "Sixteen Candles" or "Can't Hardly Wait." While the movie brings its message across, it does so without comming across as preachy.

I'm also amazed at how prophetic this movie ended up being, gieven the recent shootings at Littleton. The nation's media and politicians put the blame on the entertainment industry (movies, TV, videogames, etc.) and are overlooking the real cause of what happened. This is very much like the adults in "Over the Edge." Closing down the rec center and setting up a curfew didn't make the problem go away because they had nothing to do with the cause of the problem. In fact, they just made things worse.

"Over the Edge" is a well made and underrated film that sadly rings just as true now as it did in 1979. The next time someone tells you that "The Breakfast Club" is the greatest teen movie ever, show them this movie and set them straight.