Stand by Me (1986)

After the death of a friend, a writer recounts a boyhood journey to find the body of a missing boy.

Director:

Rob Reiner

Writers:

Stephen King (novel), Raynold Gideon (screenplay)

Stars:

Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman

Top Rated Movies #189 | Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 5 wins & 10 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Wil Wheaton	...	Gordie Lachance
River Phoenix	...	Chris Chambers
Corey Feldman	...	Teddy Duchamp
Jerry O'Connell	...	Vern Tessio
Kiefer Sutherland	...	Ace Merrill
Casey Siemaszko	...	Billy Tessio
Gary Riley	...	Charlie Hogan
Bradley Gregg	...	Eyeball Chambers
Jason Oliver	...	Vince Desjardins
Marshall Bell	...	Mr. Lachance
Frances Lee McCain	...	Mrs. Lachance
Bruce Kirby	...	Mr. Quidacioluo
William Bronder	...	Milo Pressman
Scott Beach	...	Mayor Grundy
Richard Dreyfuss	...	The Writer

Storyline

It's the summer of 1959 in Castlerock, Oregon and four 12 year-old boys - Gordie, Chris, Teddy and Vern - are fast friends. After learning of the general location of the body of a local boy who has been missing for several days, they set off into woods to see it. Along the way, they learn about themselves, the meaning of friendship and the need to stand up for what is right.

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Plot Keywords:

friendship | walking on train tracks | summertime | treehouse | woods | 

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Taglines:

For some, it's the last real taste of innocence, and the first real taste of life. But for everyone, it's the time that memories are made of.

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama

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Certificate:

R

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 November 1986 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Body

Filming Locations:

419 N Main St, Brownsville, Oregon, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$8,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$242,795, 16 November 1986, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$52,287,414

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation,Act III,Act III Communications

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Michael Jackson was asked to do a cover of Ben E. King's song, "Stand by Me," for the movie; Rob Reiner, in the end, thought the original version better suited the movie.

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Goofs

The Topps baseball card in Denny's room is much more recent than 1959.

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Quotes

[first lines]
The Writer: [voiceover] I was 12 going on 13 the first time I saw a dead human being. It happened in the summer of 1959-a long time ago, but only if you measure in terms of years. I was living in a small town in Oregon called Castle Rock. There were only twelve hundred and eighty-one people. But to me, it was the whole world.

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Crazy Credits

As the end credits begin, we see Gordie's son and his friend playing on his front yard on their way to a swimming pool.

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Connections

Referenced in The Cinema Snob: Return to Sleepaway Camp (2013)

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Soundtracks

Sorry (I Ran All the Way Home)
by Harry Glosasi (as H. Giosasi) and Arthur Zwirn (as A. Zwirn)
Performed by The Impalas (uncredited)
Published by Big Seven Music Corp.

User Reviews

I remember.....

I find it hard to comment on this film without simply repeating what has already been said. It's not that I can't think of anything original, but that others seem to have felt the exact same emotions as I did when watching this film.

I saw this movie when I was about 12, 13, maybe 14 years old. So it didn't have the same nostalgic sense it had for so many. But what it did, was make me ache for those memories. I wanted (in the words of another reviewer) to be 12, and *that* cool. I wished I had been like that, that I had had friends like that, laughed like that, and had adventures like that.

The 'milk-money' scene was probably one of my all-time favourite scenes in movie history. Up until I saw this movie I had never held much regard for River Phoenix, but the poignancy and sincerity which River added to the role of Chris Chambers touched me to the point of tears. I read in yet another review that in this scene, River was asked to think of a time when he had been hurt by an adult, and that even after the cameras stopped rolling, River sat there still, sobbing and hurting. And I felt every tear and heard every word as though I were there with Chris.

This movie made me laugh, cry, rejoice and fear with Chris, Gordie, Teddy and Vern. I loved the campfire scenes, and today I look back on my own childhood, and remember with a laugh the amazingly similar things I used to laugh and wonder about with my friends. I remember dreaming about being a writer and an actress, I remember standing up to bullies, I remember walking or riding with my friends, I remember being afraid, and crying onto a friend's shoulder.

I guess what this movie does for everyone, is take them back in time, even though the situations may have been different, chances are you'll find the similarities, and remember with a smile that yes, your life was once *that* cool. In the words of Vern, "a great time"

I especially loved the ending. That they found out who was strong, and who just talked tough. I loved the last scene with Chris and Gordie, and the closing monologue.

"I never had any friends later on, like the ones I had when I was twelve...Jesus....does anyone?"