The Legend of Billie Jean

The Legend of Billie Jean
This movie is my earliest recollection of a drama that did not include people with special powers (like Superman) or high tech stuff (like Star Trek) or who would spontaneously burst into song (every Disney movie from my childhood). It taught me that normal people can be heroes when they stand up for what is right. It taught me that one person can start a revolution. It also taught me that you can get an awesome soundtrack from one distinctive anthem, and that anthem can stick with you your entire life.
I was so glad when I found you could buy this movie as a Manufacture-on-Demand DVD. This movie was a piece of my childhood and I wanted to remember it.

Since this movie is from 1985 and is not meant to be suspenseful and doesn't have any twists, I'm going to forgo the Spoiler Alerts and just put everything out there.


I know this is an uncomfortable topic, but since it happens early in the movie, let's talk about when Mr. Pyatt tries to force Bille Jean to sleep with him. I think I was 7-8 when I first saw this movie, but I'm glad that I saw it so young because this scene helped teach me that forcing yourself on someone is just plain wrong. I already knew that as a piece of knowledge, but it didn't really resonate with an emotional response until I saw this scene in the movie. Even though the scene was very mild for the subject, it had a pretty powerful influence on a boy of my age at the time. I never wanted to make any woman feel as powerless as Billie Jean did when Mr. Pyatt was holding her arms and wouldn't let her go.
But enough about that, let's move on with the movie: now they've accidentally shot Mr. Pyatt (not that he didn't totally deserve it) and they're fugitives.

The scene at the mall was really cool. They planned out everything so in the event that things went badly, which they did, they had an escape route ready to go, complete with pitfalls for those chasing them. I love when Billie Jean dumps out Putter's marbles to trip up Hubie's cronies and the police chasing after her. And of course, it is always good to see the bad kid Hubie kicked in the groin again.

Billie Jean's revolution really begins when she cuts her hair and makes a video proclaiming their side of the story. She utters the phrase "Fair is Fair!" and holds up her arms prompting responses from all the teenagers watching the newscast with the video. Then Billie Jean gets recruited to rescue a boy from an abusive father. Along the way she attracts dozens of followers walking through the neighborhood, and it is that group of people that convinces that father that she really is Billie Jean prompting him to let his son go live with his grandmother.

We hear Pat Benetar's "Invincible" which is the anthem for the movie while Billie Jean is ferried all over Texas around the police by countless supporters until finally everything is in place to turn themselves in and get the repaired scooter. Things go badly (again) and Binx gets shot in the opposite shoulder from where he shot Mr. Pyatt. Trying to chase after the ambulance in disguise Billie Jean stops outside Mr. Pyatt's store and confronts that man that started the whole situation. The scene that unfolds is awesome, Billie Jean exposes him for the creep that he is (and not in a cool Radiohead way) and everyone burns every piece of merchandise that he has sold, making money off Billie Jean's tragedy. Then the climactic scene of the giant paper mache model of Billie Jean burns, alluding to burning Joan of Arc at the stake.

All in all it was a great movie and I will gladly watch it again and again.