Over the Edge is a movie completed in 1979 and released on HBO two years later because its controversial content prohibited a theatrical release. It stars Matt Dillon. The film follows a group of teenagers living in a planned community called New Granada, which is isolated in the middle of the flat countryside of Colorado. Their needs were not considered by those who designed the community, and so there is nothing for them to do but go to school and hang out at the local recreation center, which closes at six o‘clock. The kids turn to substance abuse and petty crime as a way to kill their boredom, but their outcry falls on deaf ears, as the adults are too concerned with pursuing wealth and stomping out the seemingly-senseless rowdy behavior to actually understand the reasons why the adolescents are acting up. After one of the kids is shot and killed by a police officer, the youths violently rebel against their parents and the authorities, an uprising that results in the high school gymnasium being burned to the ground.

Over the Edge was inspired by actual events that took place in Foster City, California in the early 1970s, and in turn was the inspiration for the music video for “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by the band Nirvana, as well as the music video for "1979" by the band the Smashing Pumpkins.

Cast

• Michael Kramer  : Carl
• Matt Dillon : Richie
• Pamela Ludwig  : Cory
• Harry Northrup  : Sgt. Doberman
• Vincent Spano  : Mark
• Tom Fergus  : Claude