Oxford Blues(1984)-Scarecrow's 80s Nostalgia

This blog entry is really a rough draft with little editing so it will probably read pretty poorly. I like having a blog to just kind of present my writing with warts and all. Does it "call me out"? Sure, it does. I don't consider myself a brilliant writer, just someone who has a lot on his mind after certain movies and a desire to articulate my feelings about them hot off the press. I have read through some of it, cringing at certain portions ("...overall cool gal." Yikes.), so I realize myself this entry has its share of problems. I kind of like the idea that others can see what spills out of me before any sort of real *cutting free* takes place. But, all in all, I just appreciate anyone who might be interested in anything I write.

Rob Lowe vehicle in the fish out of water formula dramatic college kid angst comedy where he portrays a young man from Vegas who finds himself at Oxford in Great Britain trying to juggle an academic career to prove his pops wrong, alienating some of the uptight, scholarly types who study in the school while making buddies with others. His brashness does kind of usurp success as he aims to hook up with Lady Victoria, the daughter of Oxford’s highest ranking member, Doctor Ambrose (Michael Gough), living in a castle not far from the school. Victoria’s boyfriend, Colin Gilchrist Fisher (Julian Sands), isn’t favorable of Lowe’s Nick De Angelo trying to take his girl. Who could blame him really? Actually, Colin is at first made to look like a stuck-up snobbish tool, but really he wants this American upstart, coming in all cocky and mouthing off to respect the college and its reputation. 

There are rules and an order and Nick is a bit too self-indulgent, caring about what he wants, what he can get out of the Oxford experience, and how he can benefit from the school. Obviously rowing is presented with a lot of love and Nick is a good oarsman so he could be an asset to Oxford in their chance to avenge a 25 year loss to Harvard. Colin though is actually not really a bad guy and comes to Nick asking for his help in rowing against Harvard (it is a two-man per boat contest). Colin just impresses to Nick that Oxford, rowing, Victoria all deserve to be treated in jest. Nick is in love with Vicky; she isn’t just a lay. But Vicky and Colin is an item and, at the most, Nick is her way to regain her man’s attention (they haven’t been talking). Nick joins a team reluctant to take him and he will have to train hard to get into the kind of shape it would take to beat Colin in rowing. The team actually starts to win races as a result. But his interest in Vicky will cost his team a chance to beat Colin, and when you fail your team and they get rid of you there are no second chances; it is a rule they do not break (but rules are always made to be broken). 

Nick’s true nemesis is Gareth Rycroft who just doesn’t like him because he’s American and seems to get away with a lot. Gareth just needs to get Nick “sent down” by the Oxford elite, the professors within a tribunal who can expel your from the school if rules are broken. Of course, this movie has the other girl we know Nick really belongs with but fails to see she digs him, another American, Rona (Ally Sheedy). Rona is feisty, energetic, easy-going, easy to talk to, and just an overall cool gal. But Nick  tells Vicky she is why he came to Oxford, read about her back home, so Rona is “his drinking buddy” until the time comes when he realizes the girl for him all along was right around him. I think Oxford Blues believes it is important to establish the difficulties accustoming one’s self to his new surroundings, and, most importantly, realizing that he will need to evaluate his attitude towards others, what it means to give to others without expecting anything in return.

This was a favorite of mine from childhood and Encore Love has been showing it periodically. I often find myself right in the middle of the movie, right about the scene where Nick receives an invite from Victoria (it is actually placed on his door by Lionel (a young Cary Elwes) at the request of Gareth (fuming from Nick who walks on him after he was hit in the nuts by Rona), and his night with the girl ends in the two having sexual relations in her bedroom. This interferes with the boat race that gets him kicked off his Oriel rowing team. I have to admit, I was a big Rob Lowe fanboy growing up. I thought he was cool, had a look, charisma, and way with girls I admired. I was right the opposite so movies like Oxford Blues were of constant viewing. It’s just fun, if anything, a total nostalgic break; I take nostalgic trips all the time. Do I believe Nick's chances of making it at Oxford are realistic? Nope, but this is all fantasy, I guess. I figure even if Nick was dedicated and driven to do well in his classes, he'd still fail to rise up to the impossible standards set in a school like Oxford.

I would hate not to mention Alan Howard who has a nice part as Nick’s counselor or tutor, someone who Nick can depend on to debate over how to behave, the importance of his studies, and the best ways to learn life’s lessons while attending Oxford. In essence, to grow as a human being. I guess, there are those who see this as a hunk of 80s shit, or simply as another excuse to give Lowe a star vehicle (the Brat Pack, some feel, were perhaps too overexposed and shoved down audience’s throats). I have watched it over and over, continuing to find myself unable to turn it away if my remove control comes across it. If anything, I certainly understand why Rob was so enamored with the lovely Amanda Pays, quite a beauty with an accent to match.

It wasn’t too long ago that I watched White Water Summer; plan to again because it had me smiling from ear to ear. I would love to write a blog essay on a series  of 80s films that I come across. I dunno. Maybe some time.