Stand by Me, released in 1986 was directed by Rob Reiner as a film adaptation of Stephen King’s novella The Body. The film is an Oscar Nominee, 1987 Golden Globe nominee, 1986 NBR winner, and 2022 OFTA Film Hall of Fame winner.
The movie, running an hour and thirty minutes, tells the story of four teens: Gordie (Wil Wheaton), Teddy (Corey Feldman), Chris (River Phoenix), and Vern (Jerry O’Connell) as they go on a day-and-a-half-long quest to find the dead body of a kid their age. Along the way, they find dangers not only in their surroundings but in their pasts and in themselves.
I was surprised by how many dangers could be created by the group. Many dangers like being on a railroad as a train comes, or getting chased by a dog through a junkyard were caused by their own misbehaving. In fact, almost all of the dangers would have been easily avoidable if they had been the slightest bit sensible. It helped to portray the group as having a false sense of invincibility, which boosted the fear of what they might do next.
The suspense crafted into each scene is spectacular to say the least. Somehow the movie can successfully make kids walking on the sidewalk terrifying. Something that made this especially powerful was the presence of a gun in Chris’s bag. I found that this allowed the film to play with emotions and arguments making me question, will someone go over the edge? Will someone snap?
Not only is the film amazing, but the soundtrack is fabulous all on its own, using songs like “Lollipop,” “Yakety Yak,” “Everyday,” “Mr. Lee,” and, naturally, “Stand by Me.” From the songs listed, you would think this was a light-hearted movie, and it can be, but the songs also add a form of soundtrack dissonance to a moment making it feel both dangerous and realistic.
This dissonance is like the extended childhood that many kids experience today. The movie explores the constant peril that these kids face, but while the details are different, our current reality is just as dangerous–with a divided nation, school shootings, the threat of A.I. overlords or nations overseas. But, lately, kids have so much more guardrails.We have less responsibility and less freedom than the kids in the movie. In this way, growing up now is like skipping along a dangerous path to the tune of “Lollipop.”
Maybe this is why Stand by Me is an enduring film. Many stories tell about kids learning to grow up, but Stand by Me hits more powerfully than any I’ve ever seen. Gordie and the rest are able to go on an overnight trip through the forest, yet no parent or authority figure worries about them. Their experience feels different from ours, but the path is still the same, and I can say without a doubt Stand by Me is a path worth watching, feeling, and discovering for yourself.
