By Michael Lyons
Wasn't it just Memorial Day? Now, we find ourselves bringing our pumpkin spice coffee to the beach, which can only mean one thing: summer is coming to an end.
And although this summer was, once again, filled with the challenges of the world that made it less than perfect, it is still somewhat sad to watch the carefree days of poolside bar-b-ques (even socially distanced ones) fade away for another year.
There's an indefinable sense of sadness that comes with summer's end, and there have been several movies that have perfectly captured this.
Stand By Me (1986)
A classic. Director Rob Reiner's adaptation of the Stephen King novella, The Body, tells the story of four adolescent friends (Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, and Jerry O'Connell, all turning in stunning performances), who go on a camping trip in the woods to try and find the body of a missing boy.
Celebrating 35 years this summer, Stand By Me becomes even more beloved and poignant as time goes by, with its powerful themes of friendship, facing one's mortality, and making the most of life.
Taking place over Labor Day weekend, 1959, the film also perfectly captures the sense of melancholy that comes (particularly in childhood) with the end of summer
Dirty Dancing (1987)
Yes, this iconic film, starring Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze, as, respectively, a young guest who falls in love with a dance instructor at a resort in the Catskills, NY, mainly occurs during the peak days of summer of 1963.
But, the film's finale, an end-of-season talent show, captures the vitality and innocence of a generation about to be thrust headfirst into turbulent times (as November of '63 would see the assassination of President Kennedy) and sets all of this against the backdrop of summer's swan song.
American Grafitti (1973)
George Lucas's film not only launched his career but it has also become a part of Americana, as it set the standard for nostalgic, coming of age stories.
It's the last day of summer vacation, 1962, for a group of high school graduates in California who are about to set off on different paths in life. With an all-star cast that includes Ron Howard, Richard Dreyfuss, Cindy Williams, Harrison Ford, Charles Martin Smith, Candy Clark, and Suzanne Somers, among many, American Grafitti captures the feeling of an end-of-innocence, with a fantastic doo-wop soundtrack.
Labor Day (2013)
An escaped convict (Josh Brolin) takes a mother (Kate Winslet) and her son (Gattlin Griffith) hostage in their home over Labor Day Weekend, 1987 in writer/director Jason Reitman's drama, which is slowly (as times sleepily) paced, but noteworthy for its end of summer backdrop.
Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995)
Yes, the third Bruce Willis/John McClane action powerhouse (co-starring Samuel L. Jackson) was a summer blockbuster. Still, the film’s setting in New York City, during a September heatwave, provides a nice, unique setting (notice the "Back to School" signs during the film's explosive opening).
Weekend at Bernie's (1989)
Two insurance company employees (Andrew McCarthy and Jonathan Silverman) are invited to the Hamptons' home of their boss, Bernie (Terry Kiser), only to discover that he's been killed...and wind up dragging the body around to convince others he's still alive.
This cult comedy has gained notoriety and popularity through the years, primarily for its dark, can't believe-your-laughing-at-it moments. And, the weekend that this all takes place at Bernie's? That's right, Labor Day Weekend! Just like Bernie himself, some just don't want to let summer die.
Picnic (1955)
William Holden is a down-on-his-luck drifter who comes to a small town in Kansas over Labor Day Weekend, falling in love with one of the most popular girls in town (Kim Novak) and unsettling the lives of a number of the other residents.
The film, set in 24 hours, features beautiful scenes of the town's Labor Day picnic, including a fun beauty pageant ritual that looks ahead to Halloween and fall.
Directed by Joshua Logan, who had also helmed the Pulitzer Prize-winning play on which the film is based, Picnic is a perfect example of classic Hollywood filmmaking and a glimpse into the comforting American summers of another era.
And so, now we pack away the lawn chairs and get ready to rake the leaves. But before we do, a festival of one or all of these films would be the ideal (and eclectic) way to bid farewell to those "lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer."
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