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Generation X: Filmic Zeitgiest
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Webster’s defines Zeitgeist as a general intellectual, ethical, spiritual, and/or political climate within a certain group or nation. It encompasses the general ambiance, morals and socio-cultural mood of an era. Nailing down a generational zeitgeist for Generation X is a lot like trying to hold onto a jellyfish. Its slippery and more than likely you will be stung.
We are a generation of rugged individualists, accepting of all we have offered but beholden to none. We travel the cultural landscape from rap to grunge, from horror to sci fi nothing slips below our gaze. We gave rise to cult hits and underground. We followed artists and directors with a rabid devotion. The line we drew compared to Gen Y is that we didn’t obsesses on their lives just their work. The obsessive paparazzi has given rise to pop culture vultures like Paris Hilton. Its not that we weren’t capable of it, it just wasn’t our focus. We learned from Cobain that too much adoration will kill the art. It was a hideous lesson to learn but we did.
Our zeitgeist is built on a common foundation of pop culture and common experience. Today’s list covers the top ten Gen X flicks. These are not in any particular order but they are all integral to understanding Gen X:
Swingers- a film very much about the difficulty our generation has with relationships. Its smart witty and best of all funny.
Singles - Cameron Crowe does Seattle. This film is as good as anything he has ever done and has appearances by Pearl Jam and Soundgarden.
Office Space- The quintessential white collar terror film with a dash of restaurant humor thrown in. Flair anyone?
Reservoir Dogs- Gen X’s most capable director brings us his best work in his debut.
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off - Hughs gets Gen X. Its still funny and amazing today. Many words to live by “Sooner or later everyone goes to the zoo.”
Fight Club - see this
Clerks - The slacker’s slacker film. We all diud this job or one just like it. Gen X at its purest form on film. Nothing grandiose like some of these films just one very common experience.
Reality Bites - This film is very much how we saw ourselves and how the world wished we saw us. Its good and very much a snapshot of our ideal selves.
Heathers - Our dark wit and humor on display in a film about what we truly hated. Everything about high school that shredded your soul is in this intensely black comedy.
Wayne’s World - Gen X at its silliest. Many of our catch phrases and humor is on display. It also made Bohemian Rhapsody a revival anthem of the early nineties.
So there it is 10 movies that define Generation X. Time to discuss.
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