Monday, May 14, 2007

Eternal Summer

Bleak institution of uniforms?

Just the other day I was online on a forum chatting when I overheard a post-adolescent James Dean railing against the strict conventions of enforced uniformity in schools. Never actually occurred to me that had become one of the latest cause celeb since it happened to be something I took for granted back in school. Along with our jurisprudence and the quintessential evening tea with crumpets, we also received an excellent system of education from the colonial Brits ( though that's also progressively falling apart ever since ).

Not to mention strict school dress codes.

Doubt anyone ever thought of bucking the rigid rules of uniformity though a few rebellious ( and fashionably challenged ) boys tried their best to individualize them with torn cuffs and sloppy ties. Sure it was boring, it was blotchy dull green slacks and white shirts for all but I thought it actually helped since I didn't have to spend twenty minutes each morning trying to figure out which shirt matches my shoes ( and my bag, my pencil case, my drink bottle etc. ).

Not to mention there was a sense of bleak solidarity whether prince or pauper since we were all dressed in equally awful uniforms. :P

And awful though it might have been, the uniforms certainly didn't detract from the appeal of the hotter boys :) Just look at these boys from the Eternal Summer. Regulation shirts and slacks certainly didn't stop them from ogling each other discreetly - and falling in love. :)


Our two main protagonists in the movie meet back in primary school - preppy boy-next-door Jonathan is the shy, bookish geek while the darkly alluring Shane is the brash, gregarious sort who's good at sports but lacks interest in his studies. Forced to buddy up together, they eventually become inseparable as friends and even ten years later in high school, are still utterly devoted to one another with a near palpable undercurrent of affection. A fact that is soon noted - and exploited - by the savvy new girl in town, tomboy Carrie.

Familiar enough themes from our own schooldays - think teenage angst and apparent loneliness, think friendship and coming-of-age. For those who mooned hopelessly in school for that all-wonderful but unattainable wonder jock in school, for all the lovelorn folks who've wondered even briefly what love would be like with their best friend - go watch this...

Though I'm the hopeful sort who views it with rose-tinted glasses, tell me what you thought about the oddly ambiguous ending :P Movie actually reminds me of one of my favourite songs ever.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Now there's a movie I want to watch!

Anonymous said...

Scanned through the important scenes (probably spent half the time of the total movie length) in Mandarin...without subtitles! So the ending was more mind-blogging to me hehe. But I read a review that said that things were revealed among 3 of them at the end. Not too sure about that though...

Anonymous said...

are you a Chinese guy? To be perfectly frank, I always wanted a doctor to be my boyfriend, maybe we should chat a bit =p
I'm more than average by the way lol

jay said...

Yup, us folks from the Caribbean also inherited the British educational system and it's uniform requirements.

I agree that it's probably a good idea because rich or poor we all looked the same which probably makes it easier on poor kids.

And yes, hot guys will be hot regardless of what they wear.

Anonymous said...

mmm...hii ther,it might b not suitable to post a question here,but I am just curious and none of my normal fren able to discuz tis wif me .. :(
ok, I accidentally found ur blog, and u cant imagine how excited I was. While enjoy reading ur posts,a questin come into my mind.
Age seems not really a matter in homosexual relationship (of coz I mean those who r above 18 ;) ).but why age is a matter in heterosexual relatioship? hope some of u willing to discuz tis wif me ;) thanks~

Janvier said...

Wonder how I'll look wearing school garb now tho'. Trim the hair as well and prolly lose 5 years!

A show meant to cause stuck throats, wobbly lower lips and blurry eyes? Not at the moment, please...

Anonymous said...

just wondering... were you like Jonathan and was your ISO like Shane? :P

Anonymous said...

Just watched the movie .. without subtitles! Had the same problem with Jeremy. I only managed to understand half the mandarin they were conversing in. Which is so frustrating for a person who wants to know every single detail when I watch a movie (from what she wrote on the milk bottle to what the lecturer was saying).
But i really enjoyed it, thanks for the recommendation Paul!

savante said...

Shocked. You wanna watch this, dan?

But I understood the picture. Guess my crappy mandarin is improving somewhat, jeremy.

Whoa, I am a chinese doctor, oscar.

Hi, lifestyle!

Ah, hot guys in the Caribbean... bet they look real good in uniform, jay!

Age? Mail me and we can talk more, psychi.

It is a tearjerker of sorts, janvier.

Nah, we're both a bit like Shane and Jonathan combined, ullvin. Did you peg me as such a wimp? :P

I searched for the subtitles today, optimist. Will check it out later.

Paul

Anonymous said...

sure,thanks~ ;)
ylchan0210@yahoo.com.sg