The Huffington Post just put up an article titled “Nine Fantastic Prep School Novels.” I looked over the list and I have read exactly one of these books, which was Catcher in the Rye. I thought that Holden Caulfield was kind of a whiny loser, so that wouldn’t make my list.
This is a visual world, and movies are the new books. It doesn’t matter that some of the facts in “The Social Network”are wrong. Because they are on screen, people believe them.
With that in mind, here are nine great prep movies:
- Dead Poet’s Society–No brainer
- Scent of a Woman–No brainer part II
- School Ties–Filmed at Middlesex School. I have a friend who could play Matt Damon in the remake.
- Outside Providence–”Exactly how many people do you know named ‘Drugs,’ Mr. Dunphy?”
- Old School–Not exactly at a prep school, but it’s frat.
- Point Break–”Utah, gimme two!”
- The Social Network–They were all prep school grads
- Mighty Ducks III–Ducks on scholarship
- Superbad–OK, Seth and Evan were public school kids, but this movie crosses all lines. Plus, Evan and McLovin were going to Dartmouth. Actually, what are the odds that they would BOTH get into Dartmouth?
(Profanity in both clips)
Major omission: Toy Soldiers…..