Product Details

• Actors: C. Thomas Howell, Matt Dillon, Ralph Macchio, Patrick Swayze, Rob Lowe
• Directors: Francis Ford Coppola
• Writers: Kathleen Rowell, S.E. Hinton
• Producers: Fred Roos, Gian-Carlo Coppola, Gray Frederickson, Kim Aubry
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, NTSC
• Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Warner Home Video
• VHS Release Date: April 27, 1995
• Run Time: 91 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (503 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6300270033
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #75,245 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Director Francis Coppola's adaptation of the popular S.E. Hinton novel about the price of rebellious youth is notable chiefly for the stunning cast of young actors who went on to rich and varied careers. In supporting roles, the film features the likes of Tom Cruise, Patrick Swayze, Diane Lane, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez, and Tom Waits, among others. The story centers on two rival gangs in the early 1960s Midwest, and the violent turf wars that escalate and tragically claim young lives. C. Thomas Howell plays the central character who yearns to prove himself and be accepted by his older brothers' gang, while at the same time finding his first love and dreaming of a life beyond his dead end existence. Geared toward the teenage crowd, the film nonetheless features some fine direction from Coppola in a story that evokes memories of the classic coming-of-age films of the 1950s. --Robert Lane

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

166 of 175 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This new special edition "Stays Gold", September 20, 2005

By 

Cubist (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Outsiders: The Complete Novel (DVD)

Coppola's original version was quite faithful to Hinton's book and this new edit is even more so. He has put back in 22 more minutes, most noticeably at the beginning and end of the movie. This new footage opens up the film more. We are introduced to the greasers much earlier on now that Coppola isn't reigned in by the dictates of test screenings. He is able to take the time to immerse the audience in this richly textured world shot in glorious widescreen by Stephen Burum who adopts a look that evokes another epic about troubled youth, Rebel Without A Cause (1955). The film is drenched in the golden hues of warm sunrises and sunsets like something right out of Gone with the Wind (1939).

Another significant change has Coppola replacing all of his father's beautiful, classical score in favour of period rock `n' roll music. In some cases, like the opening scene where Ponyboy is jumped by some Socs, it works and in others, like the whimsical surf music that plays over the scene where the Socs jump Johnny and Ponyboy, it feels awkward and out of place. Part of the film's original charm was its moments of `50s style melodrama, as epitomized by the film's orchestral soundtrack, and this diminished by the newly inserted period music that could be right out of an episode of Crime Story. Hinton's books are timeless with their universal themes and the original music reflected that. This new music, while accurate for its time period, contributes to a loss of some of the timeless feel.

On the first DVD is an audio commentary with director Francis Ford Coppola. He addresses the changes in the soundtrack by saying that after all these years he wanted to move away from a score that commented on what was happening to music that the characters would actually be listening to. The filmmaker delivers another top notch commentary full of smart observations and talks at length about why he prefers this cut.

There is an additional commentary featuring Diane Lane, Ralph Macchio, Patrick Swayze, C. Thomas Howell, Rob Lowe and Matt Dillon. Coppola invited all of them back to see this new cut of the film with Lowe and Dillon recorded separately. This is an entertaining track that fans will love. It's great to hear these actors talk about this movie after all these years.

The second disc kicks things off with a retrospective look at the movie, entitled, "Stay Gold: A Look Back at The Outsiders." In a nice touch, we see Lane, Macchio, Swayze and Howell being reunited with Coppola at his ranch where they recorded their commentary. This is an excellent look at the movie with all kinds of good, on set footage.

"S.E. Hinton on Location in Tulsa" features the publicity-shy author revisiting the locations that Coppola used in the movie, including the drive-in which still exists. She talks about how Coppola worked closely with her on the set to make sure that the script was true to her book.

"The Casting of The Outsiders" has casting director now producer Fred Roos take us through the casting process with audition footage from back in the day. People like Kate Capshaw and Adam Baldwin tried out for the film. Anthony Michael Hall even read for the role of Ponyboy!

A nice addition is "Readings," with some of the cast who came back for these featurettes reading their character descriptions from Hinton's novel.

"NBC News Today Segment: The Outsiders Started by School Petition." This is a new story done during the film's original release about how a class of California school kids wrote a letter to Coppola asking him to make Hinton's book into a movie.

There are six "Additional Scenes" with more footage from the opening that is even more faithful to the book but the rest of the scenes amount to extensions of existing ones.

Finally, there is a theatrical trailer.

34 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Soul stirring [e-mail], May 29, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Outsiders [VHS] (VHS Tape)

FILM REVIEW "The Outsiders" Rated PG. 88 minutes. First screened in 1983. As a film-lover myself I believe that this movie is one of the most beautiful and touching that I have ever seen. Based on the stunning novel by S.E. Hinton, only. a teenager herself when she wrote the book, this movie conveys all the emotions and tension of the book. This movie, directed by Francis Ford Coppola( director of the famous films : The Godfather, The Godfather 2 and Apocalypse Now) has a certain magic about it that you just don't get in a Disney movie. The reason for this is that this tale is one of sadness, despair and a teenager in the 50's reaching out for help and finding nothing there. Eventually the movie makes you realise that with the togetherness of the gang, Pony boy has got all that he ever needed. The acting in this film, while touching, left a little to be desired. The plot was simple but solid and supported by a range of very well known modern actors. Starring such actors as Tom Cruise as Steve Randle, C. Thomas Howell as Ponyboy Curtis, Emilio Estevez as Two-Bit Matthews, Rob Lowe as Sodapop Curtis, Patrick Swayze as Darrel Curtis, Matt Dillon as Dallas Winston, Ralph Macchio as Johnny Cade and Diane Lane as Cherry Valance. All of these roles in the movie were played expertly by the characters listed and they portrayed all the emotions of the book.

54 of 63 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Extended Edition, August 28, 2005

By 

80's Girl "Nette" (Cali) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Outsiders: The Complete Novel (DVD)

I'm so glad they decided to put out a Two-Disc Special Edition. This movie is well worth it and now we get to see the deleted scenes we've been waiting for. I hope the rest of the 80's classics get this treatment. It's awesome that Matt Dillon, Ralph Macchio, C. Thomas Howell, Patrick Swayze, Rob Lowe and Diane Lane all made a commentary segment for this DVD, the only bad thing is Tom and Emilio aren't in the commentary.

Just watched my Copy of THE OUTSIDERS---

Wow. This was so freakin' awesome you guys. There is 22 extra minutes added to the movie and 10 additional deleted scenes as special features. For the people who were disappointed in the movie because it lacked scenes from the book you have got to buy this edition. All of the scenes are added to the movie like I previously said. The special features are outstanding as well. They show a reunion at Francis Ford Coppola 's house screening the new extended movie with Diane Lane, C. Thomas Howell, Patrick Swayze and Ralph Macchio. There are cast interviews and a special with S. E. Hinton talking about the book and the movie. She also shows the places the movie took place. Like the movie theater, the school, the brothers house and the street Dallas was killed. There's much more extra's, so enjoy.