Fast Times at Ridgemont High

382 Words2 Pages
The mainstream media portrays sex in a way that permanently scars many teens before their teens years are over. Sex is portrayed as the way to attain status and happiness in life. Sexually explicit programming and advertising is devastating to the self-esteem of teens. From Britney Spears to Christina Aguilera, teen idols are portrayed by the mainstream media as prostitutes and vixens. Teenagers learn to see people are objects to be manipulated for sexual pleasure. Teenage boys fantasizing about teenage girls are a normal and common occurrence in everyday life and a common subject in movies as well. Consider the following scenario from this teen comedy: In Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982), one boy, Brad, who has just returned home from his fast food job, peeks out the bathroom window. His younger sister’s friend, Linda, dives into the backyard pool. Brad, who has just returned home from his fast food job, peeks out the bathroom window. His younger sister’s friend, Linda, dives into the backyard pool. As Brad closes the window, his point of view (the object of his gaze) is framed in the camera for the movie viewer. This framing signals that the narrative perspective has shifted into a subjective fantasy state. The film begins to move in slow motion and the soundtrack of The Cars “Moving in Stereo” begins thumping. Linda emerges from the pool, shimmering and beautiful, and says “Hi Brad, you know how cute I always thought you were.” With that, she seductively steps out of the pool and walks toward Brad, who is suddenly looking very successful in a business suit. She unclasps her bikini top and exposes her breasts to Brad, then reaches up to kiss him. Abruptly, the film cuts away from Brad’s fantasy point of view and replays the scene objectively. The music stops. Linda, bikini intact, emerges from the pool in search of a cotton swab to clean the water out of her
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