I've watched Stand by Me at least 100 times since my early childhood, and on a recent rewatch I noticed something in the film that gave me an answer to a question I've always wondered: Why does Gordie Lachance take aim on Ace? In 1960, Gordie and his three friends Chris Chambers, Teddy Duchamp and Vern Tessio learn that a gang of hooligans led by John "Ace" Merrill have accidentally discovered the dead body of a missing boy named Ray Brower, who was hit by a train. His Keds were a few feet behind him after he had been knocked to the ground by the impact. During an argument, Chris pulls the gun on the gang and forces them to leave, but Ace promises reprisals. To our sadness, we now know that Chris was assassinated while attempting to mediate a conflict. When he is buying food for the group, the shopkeeper recognizes Gordie as Dennis brother and quotes the Book of Common Prayer by saying, In the midst of life we are in death. The full quotation is fitting: We cannot say but that the body is dead; it is a frail, mortal, dying body, and it will be dead shortly; [. After a thunderstorm, the boys finally find the dead body. "Sic him, bot' but what I heard was: Chopper, sic balls". The journey these four boys take represents their lively childhood, where they are living in fantasy, oblivious to the world around them. They decide that they must be the ones to find the body, and that finding and reporting it will make them town heroes. The revenge in the movie makes the audience quite happy because we have a sense of moral justice which makes us want Davey to have his revenge on the people that laughed at him but we dont want him to do anything that does permanent damage because that would make us feel bad for the other people but what Davey does makes us feel good that he had his revenge and he didnt do any permanent damage. For Gordon, this is his chance to come to terms with his brother's death, and for the other boys, it's a way to prove themselves to the town. Because he is a decent child and wants to go to school to learn, he is hurt by this. [2] Since then, King has refused his fans' requests to read their manuscripts for advice; King has explained that he is concerned that there may be further accusations of plagiarism. Although, Michele never loses sight of his strong belief in the values of trust and loyalty even with his regretful selling out of Filippo to Salvatore Scardiccione and Pinos (Papas) to deter him from knowing the truth but then his materialistic ways of winning him back after the truth is discovered. ".it was on the tip of my tongue to tell the others about the deer but I never did. This may include single stories, plays, or even a piece of a prose. I just watched this movie and had a different theory, looked it up but ended up here instead. When they show Gordies dad the camera angles are low which shows that he is mean and intimidating like a bully and when they show Gordie the camera angle is high which makes him look weak and vulnerable. Filled with humor and suspense, STAND BY ME is based on the novella 'The Body' by Stephen King.#standbyme ##StephenKing #Standbymefilm Contemporary young adult writers or filmmakers retells a classic story and develop ideas about how and why current views of adolescents and what it takes to grow up might have changed over time. Around this time is when Michele makes a tragic discovery of a young, kidnapped Filippo who is chained up in a hole and made to live in the most inhumane conditions. Gordon LaChance adds at the end of the novella that Teddy died in a car accident near Harlow, Maine in 1971 or 1972, making DuChamp around 23 years old at the time of his death, according to Gordon LaChance. The characters' endings are different, too. it remains a quintessential coming-of-age tale. There's a reason you never see it again. In the scene the coffin of his brothers is the only light thing and everything else in the dream is dark this is trying to show that Gordies brother is the only light and good in Gordies life, the light gets smaller as his brothers coffin gets smaller which is trying to show that the good is going out of Gordies life. Even though he is a minor character in the novel, Ray Brower serves as a symbol for the enigma that is death. Attending a new school, Francesca Spinelli must find her own individuality, learn how to deal with Mias depression and live through the awkwardness of maintaining relationships. Also in the book, Ace (Kiefer Sutherland) does get revenge on the four kidswhich is not mentioned in the movie. The first narrative technique is camera angles, and the first camera shot they use is an extreme long shot in the beginning of the film where they show the countryside, a small jeep and some trees in the scene. I know. This is a place for fans of various creative works to share theories, interpretations and speculation related to that particular creative work. Josie is under the impression that there is no reason for, Gordies major insecurity is his sensitivity and his intelligence. Flashcards. Denny was the sole member of the family who seemed to accept Gordon, and Gordie has taken it hard that he recently died in a Jeep accident. The Invisible boy What does Gordie feel he has become? Match. In 1966, six years after the events of the novella, Vern perishes in a home fire that broke out during a party. Vern, like many other young men, fell in love and married early, giving birth to four children. Gordie, Chris, Teddy and Vern. Created by. The biggest difference noted is that, in the book, it is Gordie who pulls Teddy off the tracks when he is trying to dodge the train, and Chris (not Gordie) who is holding the gun at the end. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Techniques such as symbolism, motif, imagery, simile and visual and literary techniques allow the author and director to deliver the message. Gordon finishes his manuscript and joins his son. Also shows he he hasn't had any friendship like the one he had with the boys when he was twelve. Just a theory though.. As for your theory, as someone already said, he was killed in a Jeep during basic training. Edit, No. brother Dennis Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Stand by Me (VHS, 1987) First Release at the best online prices at eBay! Unlike Stand by Me, we see Josies initial reaction to the news of Johns death. This, as we know, upsets him because hes a good kid and he wants to go to school and learn. In preparation for the expedition, Chris steals a gun from his father, and the boys camp out in a nearby field. "That summer at home I'd became the invisible boy" (narrator). Will life be simpler if you stand by me? The novel, Im Not Scared, by Niccolo Ammaniti takes you on a memorable journey with Michele Amitrano, a nine year old boy, who learns valuable lessons on how trust and loyalty gives you more than greed and money-oriented acts. Gordie and Chris meet up with Teddy and Vern at the train tracks where they realize no one's brought food. My theory was that Ace killed Chris as an adult. Gordie Lachance, a writer, looks back on his preteen days when he and three close friends went on their own adventure to find the body of a kid their age who had gone missing and presumed dead. I like yours most. Great take on that. Gordon narrates what happened to his friends. My three-day vacation just arrived. Gordie's going through a difficult time in his life following the death of his older brother Denny. Based upon the novel, The Body, Stand by Me encapsulates the messages of friendship, loyalty, and maturation that the novel vividly depicts through its writing. Edit, While Vern was under the porch looking for a misplaced jar of pennies, he overheard his older brother Billy (Casey Siemaszko) and Billy's friend Charlie Hogan (Gary Riley) talking about how they found the body after dumping a stolen car. my girlfriend and i just finished watching this movie not ten minutes ago. Chico knows that his stepmother Virginia slept with his brother before he died, but he hesitates to tell his father about it. This shows how he found his friendship with Chris so important and he will never forget all the memories they have made. When they first set out, the boys are giddy about their adventure. When Gordie, alone, sees the deer and decides to keep it to himself until his adult life, it has been debated what this means. Edit, It occurs when the boys are sitting around a campfire, and Gordie tells the story of a blueberry pie-eating contest when David "Lardass" Hogan (Andy Lindberg) got his revenge by eating pie after pie and then barfing it all over the other contestants, who barf on each other, causing the audience to start barfing on each other, too. Does Stephen King have a cameo appearance? Denny was the sole member of the family who seemed to accept Gordon, and Gordie has taken it hard that he recently died in a Jeep accident. Vern married out of high school, had four kids, and is now a forklift driver at the Arsenault lumberyard. The subject came up because one of Wheaton's co-stars in "Stand by Me" was Jerry O'Connell, a fellow child actor who now co-hosts the show "The Talk." On his show, O'Connell publicly apologized to . "I miss him, Chris. It looks like he is remembering something from his past he looks really depressed and lonely. Predict at least one postwar issue that the former Allies will disagree about following the war. Along the way, the boys trespass at the town dump and are chased by Chopper, the dump custodian Milo Pressman's dog. | How long does a 5v portable charger last? Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. What did Vern mean when he called the coin flip a "goocher"? In the midst of life we are in death: be our bodies ever so strong, and healthful, and handsome, they are as good as dead.. Ace completely runs the truck hauling lumber off of the road and cuts off the driver he was racing. At that time, Gordie's elder brother Dennis, whom his parents favored, had recently died, leaving Gordie's parents too depressed to pay much attention to him. Flashcards. Ray Brower What was the name of the missing boy? Sorry if replying to such an old thread is frowned upon. In the movie, developmental changes occur as the boys mature through painful, fun, and discovering of self scenarios. The next narrative technique is dramatisation, in this scene Gordie tells his friends a story about an overweight boy and how he got his revenge on the people that used to laugh at his weight. LaChambers Chris and Gordie are extremely close. Gordie often tells stories to his friends to help pass the time - a trait that causes them to good-naturedly refer to him as a "Big Shot Writer." Relationship Status single. It is hard to find such a skilled group of child actors, but these boys made that moment one of the most iconic shots in the film. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Gordie feels as though his friends wouldn't understand the fact that having a moment with a deer was quite important to him. .] How did Gordie's brother die? The boys get the idea to find the body "officially" so that they may become famous. i choose to believe this theory for the movie version though, because the direction really does seem to point to it. The narrative technique after this is juxtaposition which is a comparison of one person to another or one group to another. I'd like to. There is specific reference to music, colour, camera angles and flashbacks and the essay covers a wide range of points in depth. It says that Dennis got in a Jeep accident at the military boot camp. John "Ace" Merrill is a major antagonist of the Stephen King multiverse. Reiner replied that Ace threw it away around the corner. Were you paying attention? The train itself returns later when the boys are halfway across a narrow bridge. Stand By Me. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Perhaps the most devastating of these is the only one that was included in the film; Chris managed to escape his impoverished childhood, taking college prep courses with Gordie and went on to study law. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. In the newspaper report, they say it was a stabbing at a public place and Ace was known for carrying his knife around. Over the course of the narrative, the adult Gordie recalls his first published story, Stud City, about the life of a simple man named Edward "Chico" May whose older brother also died. Next watch I'll watch it through this lens. Many of his stories draw strongly upon his own life, and in a 1986 interview with the Chicago Tribune, Reiner said that King was given a private showing of the film: We showed the film to Stephen King alone in a screening room, and when it was over he was pretty broken up. McLeod sued, which ended their friendship. It follows four boys end-of-summer adventure before they head off to junior high. "Why did he have to die, Chris? Ray Brower Along the way, they learn about themselves, the meaning of friendship and the need to stand up for what is right. Gordie identifies Chris Chambers as the groups mediator. This shows how the only thing on Gordie's mind was the dig and getting over the fence. In one situation, his father asks, Why cant you have friends like Dennys? Gordie feels confronted by his parents unloving attitude and finds it difficult to accept the loss of his brother, who did love him, and move on. He was tragically killed when trying to stop a knife fight. Writer Gordon "Gordie" Lachance (Richard Dreyfuss) narrates the story of how, years ago in 1959 when he was 12 years old, he (Wil Wheaton) and his three friends Chris Chambers (River Phoenix), Teddy Duchamp (Corey Feldman), and Vern Tessio (Jerry O'Connell) set out to see the body of a dead boy, Ray Brower (Kent W. Luttrell), missing in the woods around Castle Rock, Oregon. The story takes place during the summer of 1960 in the fictional town of Castle Rock, Maine. This introduces the main narrative and shows that it had a huge impact on him. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Throughout Stand by Me, Gordie becomes increasingly obsessed with finding this dead body. They return to Castle Rock, humbled by their experience. I just wish I could go somewhere where no one knows me.. Director Rob Reiner Writers Stephen King (novella "The Body") Raynold Gideon (screenplay) Bruce A. Evans (screenplay) Stars Wil Wheaton River Phoenix Corey Feldman See production, box office & company info Stand by Me is a movie directed by Rob Reiner based of the novel The Body by Stephen King. Gordie makes Ace feel isolated and powerless as he is threatening him. The . 1 What happened to Gordie brother in Stand By Me? The movie is about four boys who go on an adventure to find a dead body but the journey changes their point of view on life. A few months prior his brother, Denny ( John Cusack ), a popular athlete, died in a car accident. Denny was the sole member of the family who seemed to accept Gordon, and Gordie has taken it hard that he recently died in a Jeep accident. "Suck my fat one you great dime-store hood" (boy), The frustration In which Gordie has, has built up and he loses it with Ace. This shows the reaction of Gordie and how frightened was when he saw the train approaching. Gordie is getting so frustrated with Ace that tells him he'll kill him and he means it. In Lisa Rogak's unauthorized biography Haunted Heart: The Life and Times of Stephen King, a friend of King's, George McLeod, claimed that King had cribbed the idea for The Body from a short story McLeod had been working on,[2] but these claims are disputed by King. They include Wil Wheaton as protagonist and narrator Gordie Lachance, River Phoenix as strong and sensitive group leader Chris Chambers, Corey Feldman as oddball Teddy Duchamp, and Jerry OConnell as the begrudgingly included Vern Tessio. Despite the towns barriers and martial control, she dies in the hospital as the plague spreads swiftly. Based on the book, The Body, by Stephen King, Stand by Me is a story about 4 boys (Gordie, Chris, Vern, and Teddy) who go on a quest to find the body of their deceased friend, Ray. How do I get there? Chris claims hes angry because he was expelled from school for a behavior issue. But youve really captured my story. But going to see a dead kid, it shouldnt be a party. Despite his fears, he sees the quest through to the end. Her inquisition are the questions that all teenagers ask in their journey to find their way like Josie as she looks for Alibrandi or herself. The experience helps them to get ready for the future ahead like their transition to high school. The novel The Bell Jar written by Sylvia Plath and the film Me Before You directed by Thea Sharrock both explore the idea of isolation. The next shot they use is a long shot because they show the whole jeep and a bit of the background around the jeep. Gordon "Gordie" LaChance reminisces about his childhood in Castle Rock, Maine. That's one of the better theories I've seen on here.. nice work. External Reviews This man did not murder anybody, does not seem to be haunting the woods and has no plans to return. Gordies obsession with finding the body represents his attempt to come to terms with the knowledge that death can always be lurking around the corner. They were looking for this body for their own benefit instead of treating Brower with respect and dignity. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". As a symbol of innocence, it depicts an animal in its natural environment. The next song is great balls of fire and the lyrics are you shake my nerve and rattle my brain, come on baby you drive me crazy this song is louder that the other songs and it talks about women but not in a pleasant way. I really miss him" (boy) This shows how Goride is missing his brother more and more everyday and its affecting him quite brutally. He is also afraid to be intelligent, as the previous paragraphs have highlighted. This shows that they are all really tired, shocked and speechless about finding the body. He was 95. The deer is the one thing that is personal to him from the entire time they are searching for the body. Because now not only is Gordie standing up for himself and his friends, but he's standing up to the guy that killed his brother, redeeming his brother's death by threatening to kill Ace. It also shows that Gordy is intimidated by his dad and he thinks that his dad thinks it should have been him that died instead of his brother evidence to this is when in Gordies dream his dad says to him It should have been you.. For me, this revelation changes the meaning of the confrontation scene between Gordie and his friends and Ace's gang. To find Ray Brower is to prove that they have purpose, that they matter. People have also likened Stand by Me to The Goonies (1985), in which a group of friends who call themselves Goonies find a treasure map and go looking for it. What year was the film set? This shows us that Gordie still does really know what he is doing with his life when people ask him if he is like Denny by playing football. Gordie LaChance is a very insecure boy. His death lead to an older Gordie at the 'ripe old age of 34' getting the hard material to write a story based on them, even detailing his killing. In the movie Stand by Me we are shown that you have no choice and you will eventually be forced to face reality whether you want to or not. Terms in this set (30) 1959 - 1985. Gordies and his buddies families arent ideal. The Body is a novella by American writer Stephen King. Each character has to face their fears and uncertainty about the future. You must have at least some of your brother's good sense.". Welcome to /r/FanTheories! Test. This article is part of ourOne Perfect Archive project, a series of deep dives that explore the filmmaking craft behind some of our favorite shots. His brothers proceeded to write on his body with permanent markersa fraternity ritual meant to embarrass brothers who pass out. Two decades later, two critically acclaimed books took and transformed Endes story: Inkheart (2003) by Cornelia Funke and The City of Dreaming Books (2006) by Walter Moers. After journeying through the wilderness and looking death in the face, they all return home stronger, tired and dirty, but quietly victorious. Maybe he finally got his vengeance as an adult. Josie, on the contrary has had a tough upbringing filled with racist taunts and illegitimacy. He served some jail time and is now performing odd jobs around Castle Rock. They seem to grow up in an instant. According to the behind the scenes documentary, Wheaton asked the director (Rob Reiner) why he doesn't get his hat back. Every movie. Then they show what he is dreaming of and the scene has soft-focus blurred image and it is a purple/greyish colour which shows that the scene is a cold and upsetting scene. This novel begins with Frances Goldsmith (commonly referred to as Franny), a college student from Ogunquit, Maine, who is pregnant at the beginning of the book. The novella was adapted with unusual fidelity in Rob Reiners 1986 film Stand By Me, and Gordie was played by the fourteen-year-old, fresh-faced Wil Wheaton, an actor who, with his sharp eyes, dark brows and beard, grew to bear a passing resemblance to King himself. Ace killed Gordie's older brother, Denny. Also just to see if there's anymore breadcrumbs to this theory in the book. we both agreed all the same clues you mentioned were there, and funny enough, she even told me she's searched all through the internet for this and never found anything about it. Teddy gets into a verbal skirmish with Milo when the latter insults Teddy's father by calling him a "loonie". This is potentially in lieu of her upbringing and Italian heritage. With guidance from her immediate family, she eventually accepts her Italian heritage, saying, You cant hate what youre part of I resent it most of the time, curse it always, but itll. Classic young adult literature questions certain topics like social, political, and the moral convections and the way it impacts the way teens think about themselves. Gordon inquired as to whether or not he had taken it. How Long To Cook A Turkey In The Microwave. His father was an alcoholic who had fits of rage. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Wheaton, now 48, and estranged from his parents, says the distress he endured at the time fueled his performance of a kid dealing with emotionally distant, negligent parents reeling from the death. Later in the film with Ace's gang, two of the most (imo) memorable and significant scenes are where they are playing baseball with the mailboxes and playing chicken on the road. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. At the height of his brothers death, Gordie is well known for getting upset easily, or trailing off into thought about what he could do to make his parents love him. McLeod requested a portion of the royalties from The Body and Stand by Me; King refused. Ace's gang arrives shortly after. This shows Gordie waken in distress and he confesses to Chris how he didn't cry. He is also falsely mentioned in the novel Tommyknockers. The four youngsters set out on an adventure that takes them along the railroad tracks, through the beautiful Oregon forests, leech-infested ponds and wheat fields to find the body of a missing . Plus he vowed vengeance on both Gordie and Chris. He has a girlfriend, Jane, who he does not have particularly strong feelings for. During the course of their journey, the boys, who all come from abusive or dysfunctional families, come to grips with death and the harsh truths of growing up in a small factory town that does not seem to offer them much of a future. After a boy disappears and is presumed dead, twelve-year-old Gordie LaChance and his three friends set out to find his body along the railway tracks. Edit, Many people have noted that Stand By Me reminds them of Now and Then (1995), in which four friends gather for the birth of a baby and reminisce about their childhood years together. After learning of the general location of the body of a local boy who has been missing for several days, they set off into the woods to see it. Throughout the film, Gordie talks about how most of [his] tears were for [his] parents, and he seems to shut down when his dead brother Dennis is mentioned. There is a lot of intimacy between the two of them, and they treat each other like boyfriends at times. These three books describe a conflict between a reader and book-hating antagonists and, Similarities Between Stand By Me And Looking For Alibrandi, Stand By Me, a 1986 film directed by Rob Reiner, and Looking for Alibrandi, a 1992 novel by Melina Marchetta, are two texts designed to inspire teenagers and young adults through entertaining and relatable life happenings of their main protagonists. Gordie had always been second best between him and his older brother Denny and Gordie's father holds a significant favouritism for Denny over Gordie. 1986 - Stand by Me - Gordie's brother Denny scenes (John Cusack and Wil Wheaton) Show more Show more Sideways YouTube Movies & TV Comedy 2004 Buy or rent R John Cusack Breaks Down His. Immediately he was on alert, aware that they were likely planning something. unfortunately, though i haven't read the book, some googling tells me that denny's jeep accident occurs during basic training in the army so no breadcrumbs really to be found. When he grows up, he expects to be a member of his familys minor criminality and violence. Similar movies that deal somewhat with the coming-of-age theme include Sommersturm (2004), in which two rowing buddies are forced to question their friendship when they meet some girls at summer camp, and Crazy (2000), in which a handicapped boy switches schools and must face growing up. So Billy and Charlie are hesitant about reporting it. Tired, depressed and fearing retaliation, the boys decide there is nothing more to be done with the body and return home. At the end of the day, anything is possible.I think both Ace and Gordie realized this, and both stepped back. Translated into 35 different languages and adapted into a 1984 Hollywood classic, Michael Endes The Neverending Story (1979) enjoys a cult following worldwide. River Phoenixs death has made Chriss death all the more heartbreaking. Hiking with my puppy is my happy place. Edit, Following is a list of the songs from Stand by Me in the order that they were played:Rockin Robin* (1958, by Bobby Day) is played when the boys are sitting in their clubhouse.Great Balls of Fire (1957, by Jerry Lee Lewis) is played when Ace is playing mailbox baseball.Let the Good Times Roll (by Shirley and Lee) is played when the boys are sitting in the junkyard.Book of Love* (1958, by The Monotones) is played when Ace and his friends are parked outside of an empty farmhouse.Lollipop (1958, by the Chordettes) and Everyday (1957, by Buddy Holly and the Crickets) are played while the boys are walking on the railroad tracks on Day 1.Come Go With Me (1957, by The Del Vikings) and Come Softly to Me (1959, by The Fleetwoods) are played when the boys are sitting around the campfire.Hushabye* (1959, by the Mystics) is played when the boys are walking along the tracks on day 2.Get a Job (1957, by the Silhouettes) is played when Ace and friends are in the poolhall.Yakety Yak (1958, by The Coasters) is played when Ace goes head-on with a truck.Stand by Me (1960, by Ben E. King) is played when the credits roll at the end of the movie.In addition, the boys themselves sing Sorry (I Ran All the Way Home (1959, by the Impalas) while sitting in their clubhouse and The Ballad of Paladin, the theme song from the 1957-1963 TV series Have Gun - Will Travel (1957) while walking along the railroad tracks. Learn. The sad news was confirmed on Facebook by the actors son John, along with several loving photos of the star. Also, I believe Ace gained respect for Gordie at this very moment, which is why he never came back for revenge. Ace running Denny off of the road was the cause of his "Jeep accident", but his family doesn't know. Chris enrolled in college courses with Gordie and eventually become a lawyer, but he was killed while trying to break up a fight in a fast food restaurant (the news article Gordie was reading at the start of the film).

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