O.C. and Stiggs

"O.C. and Stiggs" is a 1985 American teen comedy film directed by Robert Altman, starring Daniel Jenkins and Neill Barry in the lead roles, supported by Jane Curtin among others. The film is based on a series of short stories published in National Lampoon magazine, written by Tod Carroll and Ted Mann, and brought to the big screen by screenwriter Donald Cantrell.

Set in the sun-baked environs of Phoenix, Arizona, the movie introduces us to two subversive high schoolers, Oliver Cromwell "O.C." Ogilvie (Daniel Jenkins) and Mark Stiggs (Neill Barry). Unlike the typical teenage protagonists of most high school set stories, O.C. and Stiggs are neither nerdy outcasts nor popular jocks. They are free-spirited, irreverent and their own brand of troublemakers, using creative pranks and stunts to create a constant state of chaos for unsuspecting adults.

The two best friends spend their summer vacations crafting devious plots and schemes to torment the unsuspecting and unbearable Schwab family who live next door. Headed by Randall Schwab Sr. (Paul Dooley), the Schwabs epitomize everything O.C. and Stiggs stand against: pretentious snobbery, brooding authority and outright pompousness. Jane Curtin plays the role of Randall Schwab Jr.’s beleaguered wife Elinore Schwab, contributing yet another unforgettable character to her roster of on-screen personas.

Altman’s running commentary on suburban life and teen rebellion is full of hilarious jabs at society as viewed through the eyes of rebellious teenagers. The gags, pranks, and jibes employed by O.C. and Stiggs are crafted with Altman’s characteristic attention to detail and sharp wit, making it a unique addition to the 80s teen-comedy genre. There’s a certain militarism seen in the boys' obsessive determination to upset the order for their neighbors and it introduces us to an exciting but alarmingly anarchic version of adolescence.

The masterstroke of the movie lies in the direction of Oscar-nominated film maestro, Robert Altman. He inflates Carroll's and Mann's original short stories with his own flavor of subversive humor and social commentary, delivering a fascinating journey of disruption and chaos. Altman's patchwork storytelling and unconventional narrative style cater perfectly to the mood of the film, delivering tongue-in-cheek satire blended with hilarity. His method of using overlapping dialogue also contributes to the realistic banter between characters, offering authenticity to the suburban setting and the teenage dialogue.

"O.C. and Stiggs" also brilliantly captures the period’s adolescent spirit through its fitting soundtrack. It features performances from revered musicians like King Sunny Adé, spanning across genres of reggae, punk and country music, echoing the eclectic taste of a teenage rebellion in the mid-80s.

All in all, the film winds up as an odd little gem in the pantheon of 1980s teen comedies. It's unlike your usual high school movie - it doesn’t glorify the popular kids or empathize with the social outcasts, and it certainly doesn't romanticize the high school experience. Instead, it explores the raw adolescent yearning for rebellion, captivated humorously through the pranks of O.C. and Stiggs. Their defiant spirit against all that is phony, pretentious, and adult forms the very core of this uproarious comedy, marking it as a refreshing and distinctly Altmanesque break from the genre's norms.