Angus
Promotional poster of Angus
Directed by	Patrick Read Johnson
Produced by	Charles Roven, Dawn Steele (producer)
Written by	Chris Crutcher (short story), Jill Gordon
Starring	Charlie Talbert, Kathy Bates, George C. Scott, James Van Der Beek
Music by	David E. Russo
Distributed by	New Line Cinema
Release date(s)	September 15, 1995
Running time	90 minutes
Language	English
IMDb profile

Angus is a 1995 film based on the short story "A Brief Moment In The Life of Angus Bethune" by Chris Crutcher. The film stars Charlie Talbert and James Van Der Beek in their first film roles, as well as Chris Owen, Ariana Richards, and Academy Award winners George C. Scott, Kathy Bates, and Rita Moreno. A promotional poster of Angus from France. ... Chris Crutcher is a Young Adult author. ... This article is in need of attention. ... Charlie Talbert (born 1979) is a film actor, best known for the title role in the film Angus. ... Kathy Bates (right) with Frances Conroy in Six Feet Under. ... George C Scott as General Buck Turgidson in Stanley Kubricks George Campbell Scott (October 18, 1927 – September 22, 1999) was a film/stage actor, director, and producer. ... James William Van Der Beek, Jr. ... New Line Cinema logo New Line Cinema, founded in 1967, is one of the major American film studios. ... September 15 is the 258th day of the year (259th in leap years). ... This is a list of film-related events in 1995. ... A minute is a unit of time equal to 1/60th of an hour and to 60 seconds. ... 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Film is a term that encompasses motion pictures as individual projects, as well as the field in general. ... This article is in need of attention. ... Chris Crutcher is a Young Adult author. ... Charlie Talbert (born 1979) is a film actor, best known for the title role in the film Angus. ... James William Van Der Beek, Jr. ... An actor in various teen movies, Chris Owen (born September 25, 1980) is best known for his role in the American Pie movies, as the inimitable Chuck Sherman (aka The Sherminator). ... Ariana Clarice Richards (born September 11, 1979 in Healdsburg, California) is an American actress and professional painter. ... The references in this article would be clearer with a different and/or consistent style of citation, footnoting or external linking. ... George C Scott as General Buck Turgidson in Stanley Kubricks George Campbell Scott (October 18, 1927 – September 22, 1999) was a film/stage actor, director, and producer. ... Kathy Bates (right) with Frances Conroy in Six Feet Under. ... Rita Moreno (born December 11, 1931 in Humacao, Puerto Rico) is an Academy Award-winning actress and the first and only Hispanic actress in history (as well as one of only nine people) to have won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony Award. ...

Some consider the film as a superficial after-school special for its familiar underdog story and inherent preachiness. The film was largely forgotten amidst other obesity-related films that came out at the time, notably Heavyweights (1995) and Heavy (1996). Others conclude that it more accurately portrays high school life than most other films about adolescence, since it takes a critical view of obesity, bullying, self-esteem, and high school inclusiveness, while highlighting the importance of assuring oneself in an ideologically competitive world. Heavyweights is a 1995 comedy film about a fat camp taken over by a fitness guru named Tony Perkis (Ben Stiller, who would later play a similar role in 2004s Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story). ... 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Look up heavy in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... This is a list of film-related events in 1996. ... American high school students Adolescence (Latin adolescentia, from adolescere, to grow up) is the period of psychological and social transition between childhood and adulthood (gender-specific, manhood or womanhood). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... In psychology, self-esteem or self-worth is a persons self-image at an emotional level; circumventing reason and logic. ... High school is a name used in some parts of the world, and particularly in North America, to describe the last segment of compulsory secondary education. ... An ideology is an organized collection of ideas. ...

Of note is the performance of newcomer Charlie Talbert as the title character and the interaction between Angus his grandfather (Scott), the latter whose philosophy can be summed up in his recurring line: "Screw 'em!"

Plot synopsis

Angus Bethune (Talbert) is a 14-year-old boy who, despite his talents as a football player and in science class, holds deep insecurities about himself. His high school peers, led by the handsome Rick Sanford (Van Der Beek) and his complacent cohorts, regularly harass Angus for not being "normal," since Angus is pathetically overweight and is, in their view, "named after a cow". Because of this, Angus applies for a science school where he hopes to be free of the constant humiliation. Such infamy has shied Angus away from revealing his feelings to his secret crush, the blonde cheerleader Melissa Lefevre (Richards), for fear that she will reject him, and because she is currently dating Rick. Rick, however, is not lost on Angus' wish: As the ultimate prank, he rigs an election so that Angus and Melissa will dance together in the upcoming Winter Ball as King and Queen, respectively. Angus calf with its mother Aberdeen-Angus is the original name of the breed as developed in Scotland and the term is still in use as such in the United Kingdom. ... Limerence is the name for an involuntary cognitive and emotional state similar to infatuation, posited by psychologist Dorothy Tennov, in which a limerent individual feels an intense romantic desire for a limerent object. It is characterized by intrusive thinking and pronounced sensitivity to external events that reflect the disposition of... Cheerleading is recreational activity and sometimes competitive sport involving organised routines including elements of dance and gymnastics to encourage crowds to cheer on sports teams. ... Caricature of courtship rituals in 1805 England Youth conversing with suitorsYoung men courting a youth in a garden. ... An election is a decision making process where people choose people to hold official offices. ...

Frightened upon learning this, Angus gets help from his best (and only) friend Troy Wedberg (Owen), his mother Meg (Bates), and his narcoleptic Grampa. His grandfather tells him about a dance move called the Irish Swoon that he claims is a guaranteed lady-pleaser, but Angus fears that his largeness makes him an inept dancer and would embarrass both him and Melissa. To fix this, Grampa takes Angus to Madame Rulenska (Moreno), where despite Angus' best efforts he comes out worse than before (and injuring the hapless Madame in the process).

One day after football practice, Angus opens his locker and sees that his favorite pair of boxers are missing. Angus and Troy learn later with their own eyes that their fellow quarterback Rick hoisted his boxers up the flagpole for the school to see, which then fly squarely onto passerby Melissa's face. Angus storms home in anger, but Rick and company quickly kidnap Troy, asking him for anything that would embarrass Angus at the Winter Ball. Troy refuses their request and tries to escape, only to break his arm as he trips to the floor while Rick gives Troy an ultimatum. United States simply as football, is a competitive team sport that is both fast-paced and strategic. ... NFL quarterback Peyton Manning. ...

Meanwhile, Angus helps Grampa prepare for his marriage to the young thirty-something named April. As Angus waits with Grampa in his room on the day of the wedding and confides with him his love for Melissa, he tries to wake him, but he quickly discovers that he is dead. Distraught, Angus opts to stay home for a few days (time in which, for fear that Rick will hurt him even more, Troy procures a videotape to Rick). Bottom view of VHS videotape cassette with magnetic tape exposed Videotape is a means of recording television pictures and accompanying sound onto magnetic tape as opposed to movie film. ...

Later that week, while cleaning up from the wedding, Angus receives a box from April and opens it, revealing the plum suit that Angus had earlier rejected. Resolved to grant Grampa's wish, he rejects an interview from the science school he applied to, wears his plum suit and marches to the school gymnasium, where the dance is held. Angus meets Melissa, and the two converse for the first time. As they are introduced to the students, Rick plays Troy's videotape on the monitors, which shows Angus dancing with an inflatable doll. The students laugh while Melissa runs out of the gym, and Angus follows. Outside the gym, Angus apologizes, yet surprisingly Melissa shows her disgust with Rick and reveals that she is bulemic. Finding common ground, the two return to the gym and dance, even as Melissa helps him out with some of the steps. After the two receive a mild reception from the students, Rick scolds Melissa, while Angus comes to her defense. It is here that Angus finally confronts Rick and petitions him to realize that there are in fact many people that don't fit Rick's idea of "normal," are unwantingly ostracized for it, and are fed up with the humiliation. Rick refuses Angus' plea; nevertheless, the students congratulate Angus for taking a stand. Modern indoor gymnasium with pull-down basketball hoops. ... Bulimia nervosa, more commonly known as bulimia, is a psychological condition in which the subject engages in recurrent binge eating followed by intentionally doing one or more of the following in order to compensate for the intake of the food and prevent weight gain: vomiting inappropriate use of laxatives, enemas...

At the end, Angus walks Melissa home, where she gives Angus a good-night kiss as they part. Angus walks to the street with a smile denoting a sureness he has never felt before. From her window, Melissa secretly views Angus walking confidently into the darkness.

Themes

During the film, Angus takes counsel from two people: Troy Wedberg, a small and geeky boy who attempts to turn Angus into a "large pathetic virgin with a new look" by giving Angus an edgier style and encouraging him to exercise in hopes that Angus will look more attractive; and Angus' grandfather, an assured yet narcoleptic crank who readies himself to marry a woman thirty years his junior, who encourages him to go to the ball by ordering Angus to stop caring about what everyone else will think of him and his pairing with the popular Melissa. Thus we are introduced to two opposing ideals of which Angus must choose: Adopt a new personality that would give him the long-term acceptance he longs, or overcome his shame and accept himself as a unique individual. The question is exemplified in a scene where Angus, Grampa, and Troy shop in a tuxedo store, where the only suit available in Angus' size comes in the color of plum. Troy mocks the suit ("Put it on a dead guy and bury it.") while Angus begs Grampa to buy a more "socially acceptable" black suit even though all of the store's available black suits fit him too tightly. Grampa, however, insists that the suit will benefit Angus by making him even more "different". Narcolepsy is a neurological condition most characterized by Excessive Daytime Sleepiness (EDS), episodes of sleep and disorder of REM or rapid eye movement sleep. ... Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and U.S. President Ronald Reagan wearing black tie with wives in Quebec, Canada, March 18, 1985. ...

The film also features a recurring symbolism based around an experiment Angus conducts in hopes of getting into the science school. This is introduced in Angus's science class, where he posits that a foreign element introduced into a homogenous system will be rejected and destroyed. He puts a drop of a red substance into an environment composed solely of a blue substance, and the red element explodes in a puff of smoke. This is later directly related to Angus's own attempts to be himself in the largely homogenous high school crowd. In one scene, an overhead shot reveals that Angus is the only person wearing red at a pep rally full of students wearing the school color (blue).

Alternate Versions

The film once had scenes featuring Angus' homosexual dad. Producer Dawn Steel at first approved the idea, but upon seeing a test screening she asked director Johnson to cut it. Hence, we are told early in the film that Angus' dad died while he was being born. Since its coinage, the word homosexuality has acquired multiple meanings. ... Dawn Steel (1946 - 1997) was the first woman to run a major Hollywood film studio. ...

Soundtrack

The film's soundtrack accurately reflects the melodic ideas prevalent in the alternative rock scene at the time. Most of the bands perform songs that closely resonate with the themes of the film while keeping a fast yet upbeat tone, a sharp departure from the age of grunge, which had just reached its twilight. (It should be noted that Angus' penchant for flannel and denim, as well as his defeatist persona, are concepts more closely associated with grunge.) However, several key songs are absent in the CD that was released, most notably "Fade Into You" by Mazzy Star, the song that was played as Angus and Melissa danced. Soundtrack refers to the recorded sound accompanying a visual medium such as a motion picture, television show, or video game. ... Alternative rock (also called alternative music[1] or simply alternative) is a genre of rock music that emerged in the 1980s and became widely popular in the 1990s. ... Grunge music (sometimes also referred to as the Seattle Sound) is an independent-rooted music genre that became a commercially successful offshoot of hardcore punk, thrash metal, and alternative rock in the late 1980s and early 1990s. ... Flannel shirt on a young man. ... ε:This article is about the material denim. ... Defeatism is acceptance and content with defeat without struggle. ... Mazzy Star was a dream pop/alternative band formed in 1989 from the ashes of a band called Opal, a collaboration of guitarist David Roback (of the eighties paisley underground group Rain Parade) and bassist Kendra Smith (of Dream Syndicate fame). ...

Weezer offered to write two songs: One titled "Wanda", which references the earlier version of the script, and "You Gave Your Love To Me Softly." Only the latter was used. Weezer is a rock band from Los Angeles, California. ...

"Am I Wrong" by Love Spit Love features the marching band from director Patrick Read Johnson's high school. Love Spit Love was a musical group founded in 1992 by singer Richard Butler following the initial disbanding of the Psychedelic Furs. ...

Green Day contributed J.A.R. (Jason Andrew Relva), a song written by bassist Mike Dirnt about his friend who died in a car accident when he was 19. This song peaked at number one on the Modern Rock Billboard charts of 1995. This song was later released on their 2001 compilation, International Superhits. Meanwhile, Green Day singer Billie Joe Armstrong co-produced "Back to You" by the Riverdales with producer Mass Giorgini, which was featured during the dance sequence at the high prom in the film. Green Day is a musical group consisting of three core members: Billie Joe Armstrong (guitar, lead vocals), Mike Dirnt (bass) and Tré Cool (drums). ... J.A.R. (Jason Andrew Relva) is a song by the band Green Day. ... Mike Dirnt (born Michael Ryan Pritchard on May 4th, 1972, in Rodeo, California) is the bassist for the band Green Day. ... International Superhits! is Green Days greatest hits album, containing recordings from 1994 to 2001 and two songs exclusive to this album (Maria and Poprocks & Coke). International Superhits! was released on November 13, 2001 and had a DVD release. ... Billie Joe Armstrong (born February 17, 1972 in Oakland, California) is the main songwriter, lead vocalist, and guitarist for the multiplatinum-selling rock band Green Day. ... Mass Giorgini is an American musician. ...

Track listing

1. Green Day - J.A.R. 2:52
2. Ash - Jack Names The Planets 3:12
3. Dance Hall Crashers - Enough 2:58
4. Ash - Kung Fu 2:21
5. The Riverdales - Back To You 3:33
6. Smoking Popes - Mrs. You And Me 3:32
7. Weezer - You Gave Your Love To Me Softly 1:51
8. Goo Goo Dolls - Ain't That Unusual 3:20
9. The Muffs - Funny Face 3:19
10. Tilt - White Homes 2:08
11. Pansy Division - Deep Water 2:07
12. Love Spit Love - Am I Wrong 3:35

Green Day is a musical group consisting of three core members: Billie Joe Armstrong (guitar, lead vocals), Mike Dirnt (bass) and Tré Cool (drums). ... J.A.R. (Jason Andrew Relva) is a song by the band Green Day. ... Ash are a rock band that formed in Downpatrick (Northern Ireland) in 1992. ... The Dance Hall Crashers are a ska punk band that formed in 1989. ... Ash are a rock band that formed in Downpatrick (Northern Ireland) in 1992. ... The Riverdales are an American punk rock music group. ... Smoking Popes is an American rock group from the northwest suburbs of Chicago, Illinois, formed in 1991. ... Weezer is a rock band from Los Angeles, California. ... Goo Goo Dolls is an alternative rock band formed in 1986 in Buffalo, New York by guitarist/vocalist Johnny Rzeznik and bassist/vocalist Robby Takac. ... The Muffs are a rock band based in Southern California, formed in 1991. ... Tilt is a punk rock band. ... Pansy Division is a punk band that was a founding example of the queercore genre. ... Love Spit Love was a musical group founded in 1992 by singer Richard Butler following the initial disbanding of the Psychedelic Furs. ...

External links

• Angus at the Internet Movie Database