Buckle up because I’ve got a lot to say about this studio abused, often overlooked 90s horror movie from the best year of the 90s - 1998.
All images from / of Disturbing Behavior are owned by MGM Distribution Co.
If you’re not familiar with this movie, in a nutshell after Steve’s brother’s suicide, he and his family move to Cradle Bay island, where we find the town is being taken over by a cheery robotic pep squad called The Blue Ribbons. If you are familiar with this movie, you were probably a teen in the late 90s and may have ambivalent feelings about it or you may love it. Either way, let’s get into it.
I read the only script available online from 1997 that appears to be a pre-production draft based on Gavin’s character, but also reads close to the director’s cut (if you have the work print / director’s cut, email me). My personal opinion, as an OG fan, neither the script or the official cut are perfect, but I’m willing to bet the director’s cut is amazing. That said, I love Disturbing Behavior. I love the story of this average kid arriving to this pacific northwest town befriending a couple burnouts with a conspiracy theory behind the pep squad. I love the music, the feel, the wardrobe, it’s all so 1998 I could cry elder millennial tears.
James Marsden is the perfect average teen entering a new world, attractive, but not over the top, he could easily slip into any friend grouping with his nondescript clothes that also look like the most comfortable thing this side of October.
Next to him is Nick Stahl (I wonder if he and Rider Strong auditioned for the same roles) in his very classic stoner clothes, including the knockoff Dickies jacket that sits on his shoulders barely even on. The original script called for Gavin to be an overweight loudmouth, but they did right with Nick Stahl.
Shout out to Chad Donella as U.V. Another oft underrated actor, I suggest his episode of ER (also directed by David Nutter).
Katie Holmes, of course, stole the show and made my teenage bi-curious soul flutter as Rachel with her husky voice, very 90s cropped sweaters paired with that leather jacket, and tribal tattoo danced her way in.
So, let’s talk about the best character who was criminally cut short in the theatrical cut - Mr. Newberry, the janitor. Let’s have a standing ovation for William Saddler because hot damn, that didn’t even sound like him. The glasses, the grime, the “Boo Radley, village idiot, Quasimoto thing”, even the way he holds the cigarette - *swoon*. There were more scenes involving Newberry that gave us exposition and explanation about Cradle Bay, but much like the rest of the scenes featuring adult interaction, those were cut.
I will argue that the exposition wasn’t necessary and that the bones of the story work with having Dr. Caldicot on a lone mission with this experiment to make the perfect students and the reveal of his daughter in Bishop Flats works just as well as having her existence revealed earlier. The only thing I would have liked to see more of is Steve’s family grieving for his brother. The moments we get shot on a VHS camcorder are effective and I truly appreciate that the flashbacks aren’t dreamy like most movies do. There is a cut scene showing more of the brother via Steve’s nightmare that is chilling and graphic, to have had it included may have sent this movie to cult status. At the same time, we can’t overlook the “bad, bad, wrong, bad” mirror smash scene as being a bit twisted. The nightmare and mirror scenes could have co-existed in the same cut with another disturbingly chilling scene to work in the rule of 3’s, but I’m not here to remake movies that don’t need remade. (Please, hook a sister up with that director’s cut)
Okay, let’s get to the awards.
The dialogue in this movie is a smash. Do real people talk this? No, but the beautiful thing about Disturbing Behavior is it’s based in a reality that altered just so slightly it’s uncomfortable.
Honorable mentions for best quote go to Mr. Newberry “You like Vonnegut, Lunchboy?” And UV / Steve for “Wait man, what's the capital of North Dakota?” “How the fuck should I know?” “All right. You're still okay.” But I can’t let go of Steve’s brother, Allan, saying “Don’t worry about the snakes in the garden when there’s spiders in your bed.” I will also mention, “Come meet the musical little creatures that hide among the flowers” because I can’t not.
The predictable thing to do would be to pick a Gavin quote, specifically from the cafeteria, but it’s actually going to Gavin’s last words - “I guess this diminishes my chances of ever meeting Trent Reznor…”
Best overall scene, I will fight you all on this, goes to Rachel and Steve running down the halls of the Bishop institution to Harvey Danger “Flagpole Sitta”. Tiniest of easter eggs, on the VHS there’s a two second pause before they bust through the doors like they’re waiting for their cue.
Runner-up for best scene is the sequence in which Steve is kidnapped and taken in for brainwashing. How classically creepy, Clockwork Orange, and absolutely love when he frees his hand and wallops the guy with the armrest.
I have a lot of feelings about the wardrobe choices of this movie, so I need to take a moment to appreciate a few pieces before handing out the most anticipated of awards.
Dickie Atkinson gets major props for his entire outfit, from the crisp trucker hat and engineer boots to his cool car, but he mostly almost wins because of his sideburns. He would have taken home “best dressed” had he not joined The Blue Ribbons and smashed his car wearing safety goggles… what a geek.
Next is Steve’s sister Lindsey’s “Blossom” hat, which I’m adding a category for - Best Accessory. Thank you, Lindsey for keeping that hat alive this far into the 90s decade, for that you take home best accessory.
Best Dressed, obviously, goes to Rachel Wagner. She blew away the boys with her Alterna-Palooza chick style - nose ring, no bra tank tops, leather jacket, and she drives a cool pickup. Not only was Katie Holmes was part of my, and many others’, bi-awakening, but she was an inspiration to accept my androgyny. She was presented to us in such a not femme way, I longed for her style even though this was the era of Snack Wells and body shaming, there wasn’t a chance you’d catch me in her cropped sweaters.
Runner-up goes to The Blue Ribbons. I can’t deny how cool those variety jackets are and we haven’t even mentioned how metal of a name Cradle Bay is. Can we get a metal band together called Cradle Bay dressed like the Blue Ribbons?
Best Everything goes to Mr. Newbury. The janitor get-up completed with the dirty hat and glasses, the limp and car that looks like he’s had since he got back from the war. The man was the hero of the movie, both in the sense that he killed the Blue Ribbons and changed the most on his hero’s journey. He went from a doddering kook to befriending Steve and showing his true self.
Bottomline, I love Disturbing Behavior despite the studio butchering it and sending it out to die with a very cheesy studio executive ending, it’s an insult.
If you have a work print / director’s cut that is not the fan cut using the DVD deleted scenes, get at me.