FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH
Release Year: 1982

A funny, heartfelt, observant, wise-before-its-time script by Cameron Crowe and crisp, thoughtful direction by Amy Hecklering make Fast Times at Ridgemont High the best teen film of the eighties. Period.

Cameron Crowe was 22, but still looked like a teenager when came up with the idea to pose undercover as a high school student and write about his experiences. He had been writing for Rolling Stone magazine as a freelancer for a few years, but now wanted to tackle a book. After Simon & Schuster bit at the idea and awarded him a contract, Crowe moved back in with his parents and enrolled at Clairemont High School in San Diego as Dave Cameron.

The novel Fast Times at Ridgemont High: A True Story came out in 1981, but was optioned for a film even before publication. Fast Times at Ridgemont High, the film, was released in 1982, featured no big-name stars, and lacked the backing of its studio. Nevertheless, it became a hit in late summer just due to word of mouth of teenagers that snuck into theatres to see it.

 Fast Times at Ridgemont High launched the careers of some of the previously unknown actors, including Jennifer Jason Leigh, Eric Stoltz, Judge Reinhold, Phoebe Cates, and Anthony Edwards. Additionally, its cast boosted three future Oscar-winners: Nicolas Cage (using his birth name, Nicolas Coppola), Forest Whitaker, and Sean Penn (a two-time winner). Crowe himself would go on to be nominated for writing Jerry Maguire and Almost Famous and winner for the latter.

Fast Times is really the story of two freshmen, Stacy Hamilton (Jennifer Jason Leigh) and Mark Ratner (Brian Backer) and their struggles to get together, as several obstacles (namely, their friends) get in the way. Stacey’s older friend Linda Barrett (Phoebe Cates) is sexually experienced and dates college guys, and Rat’s older friend, Damone (Robert Romanus), is a know-it-all wise guy ticket scalper who nearly ruins several lives and their friendship. The film’s subplots involve Stacey’s brother, Brad, “the fast food king,” Jeff Spicoli (Sean Penn), the almost always blazin’ surfer, and of course, Mr. Hand (Ray Walston), the history teacher whose time will NOT be wasted. Plus, "Somebody's baby" by Jackson Browne

A little more than a decade later, Amy Hecklering would direct (and write) another teen classic, 1995’s Clueless.

The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. - Psalm 37:23

JUST ONE OF THE GUYS

Release Year: 1985

Starring: Joyce Hyser, Clayton Rohner, Billy Jacoby, Toni Hudson, Leigh McCloskey, and William Zabka (The Karate Kid, The Karate Kid II, National Lampoon's European Vacation, Back to School)

"Terri Griffith is about to go where no woman has gone before."

Terry Griffith (Joyce Hyser) is a High School senior and aspiring journalist living in the Arizona suburbs, ticked off because her teachers dismiss her articles because of her good looks. After failing to get her dream job as a newspaper intern, she blames sexism and schemes to go undercover as a boy at the rival high school to prove her point.

Terry's only confidants are her sex-obsessed loudmouth little brother, Buddy (Billy Jacoby) and her best friend Denise (Toni Hudson), check in on her throughout the experiment. At the new school, Terry she meets Rick (Clayton Rohner), a nerd with a heart of gold (cliché alert!) who becomes her pet project. After getting to know Rick, giving him an "eighties-cool-guy" makeover, encouraging him to talk to girls (even scoring a date with the most popular girl in school), Terry starts to fall for him (wouldn't ya know it!).

Director Lisa Gottlieb's film is one of the 80's best teen comedies. The jokes are a cut above and the script is filled with a huge range of pop-culture references: Kurt Vonnegut, J.D. Salinger, Tootsie, Elvis Costello, James Brown, Yentl, Chris Evert-Lloyd, bodybuilding, Cyndi Lauper, Wimbledon, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, and so much more. It also has good early performances from Sherilyn Fenn and Arye Gross, and the villain is 80’s teen bad guy extraordinaire, the great William Zabka (“Cobra Kai!”). The soundtrack is filled with a diverse group of artists: Lindsey Buckingham, Midnight Star, Berling, Shalamar, Dwight Tilley, and Paul Shaffer's band, Private Domain.

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! - Isaiah 26:3

LABYRINTH

Release Year: 1986

Starring: Jennifer Connelly, David Bowie, Frank Oz, Warwick Davis

15-year-old girl Sarah Williams is shocked to learn that her little brother, Toby, is missing after her anger makes her “wish the goblins would come and take you away. Right now."  Her shock only deepens when an owl flies through the open window and transforms into Jareth, King of Goblins. Jareth tells her that he taken Toby, as she requested, but if she can traverse successfully through his great maze, the Labyrinth, within thirteen hours, she can have Toby back. If not, Toby will be turned into a goblin and Jareth will keep him forever.

The audience is then treated to such Jim Henson/George Lucas inspired wonders as Hoggle, the grumpy dwarf guide, Sir Didymus, a chivalrous, fox-like knight, Ludo, the gentle beast, The Fire Gang, the Bog of Eternal Stench, and Jareth's killer multi-dimensional castle, which looks like something created by M.C. Escher or the production designer from Inception.

A fun, imaginative film with a great, atmospheric score by Trevor Jones and some excellent voice work by Bowie on the songs “Dance Magic” and “As the World Falls Down.”

Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.  -  1 Corinthians 13:7

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOHN HUGHES!!!!!

Not really much to say about John Hughes that the world doesn't already know: he grew up in Northbrook, Illinois (for his films, he created a fictionalized version of Northbrook called Shermer, Illinois and Weird Science, The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink, and National Lampoon's Vacation are all set there).

He dropped out of Arizona State University to be a fulltime comedy writer after selling jokes to Joan Rivers and Rodney Dangerfield. His article for National Lampoon Magazine was then turned into Nation Lampoon's Vacation and the Kevin Bacon/Elizabeth McGovern film, She's Having a Baby is very close to his real life with his wife, Nancy. Before hitting it real big with teen-oriented films, Hughes wrote Mr. Mom (a big hit), Nation Lampoon's Vacation (a bigger hit), and the pirate move, Nates and Hayes (a huge flop). And then came Molly Ringwald…and the rest was History 101, I mean, just history. When I say “Eighties teen movies,” people usually say “John Hughes!”

·         Sixteen Candles (1984) (he also directed)

·         The Breakfast Club (1985) (he also directed)

·         Weird Science (1985) (he also directed)

·         Pretty in Pink (1986)

·         Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986) (he also directed)

·         Some Kind of Wonderful (1987)

After great success in the 80’s, Hughes wrote Home Alone in 1990, and struck gold again. He later wrote films (Beethoven, Maid in Manhattan, and Drillbit Taylor) under the pseudonym Edmund Dantes, the name of the hero of Alexandre Dumas's novel The Count of Monte Cristo.

Anyway, Happy Birthday, Mr. Hughes! Thank you for all the memories, and R.I.P.!

No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us. - 1 John 4:12

TEEN WOLF

Release Year: 1985

Starring: Michael J. Fox, James Hampton, Susan Ursitti, Jerry Levine, Lorie Griffin

TEEN WOLF TOO

Release Year: 1987

Starring: Jason Bateman, Estee Chandler, Kim Darby, James Hampton, Paul Sand, John Astin

Scott Howard (Michael J. Fox), a 17-year old high school basketball player, is sick of being an ordinary student stuck on a crappy team (the Beavers) His dream-girl, Pamela (Lorie Griffin), is dating Mick, a jackass from a rival high school team (of course), the Dragons.

Scott begins to notice weird changes to his body, until ultimately, he transforms into a werewolf. Scott's dad, Harold, knows what is occurring and presents himself to Scott as a werewolf as well, stating that he never told Scott about the Howard family curse condition because "sometimes it skips a generation." Scott is publicly outed at a basketball game after getting piled on. Naturally, the crowd is initially freaked, but he wins them over by finishing the game with a quadruple double.

Scott then learns how to transform at will, and starts using his alter-ego, "The Wolf" to become popular and wins the heart of Pamela while ignoring the affections of his best friend, Boof (Susan Ursitti), who has loved him since childhood (teen flick subplot #211).Scott's other best friend, a sleazy entrepreneur-type, Stiles (Jerry Levine), cashes in on Scott's new popularity, selling Teen Wolf T-shirts and other merchandise.

By the end of the film, Scott is put into positions where his "friends'" loyalties are tested and he comes to find out who he can really trust. ABC Afterschool Special stuff aside, TEEN WOLF is a silly, goofy, fun time-waster that doesn't take itself too seriously (or at all). Some clever jokes, a good cast and brisk direction complete the mix. Plus, Scott dumps Pamela and hooks up with Boof at the end.

When TEEN WOLF opened in August of 1985, it was the #2 film. The #1 film that week? BACK TO THE FUTURE!

The sequel, TEEN WOLF TOO, was released in 1987, starred Jason Bateman as Todd Howard, Scott's cousin, and was a flop, but not a bad film, relatively speaking. Plotwise, it is pretty much the same as the first, except instead of basketball, Todd is on the boxing team. Plus, there is more emphasis on the love story between Todd and Nikki (cutie Estee Chandler).

The was a another sequel planned with Alyssa Milano planned, but that never materialized.  However, MTV is now filming a new Teen Wolf T.V. show to air this summer.  MTV syas that it will not be a comedy show, but a reimagining "with a greater emphasis on romance, horror and werewolf mythology". Here's waht the new TEEN WOLF looks like:

We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this. We must not just please ourselves. - Romans 15:1

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

SECRET ADMIRER

Release Year: 1985

Starring: C. Thomas Howell, Lori Loughlin, Kelly Preston, Dee Wallace, Casey Siemaszko, Fred Ward and Corey Haim

On the last day of school before Summer, Michael Ryan (C. Thomas Howell) receives a love letter in his locker from a secret admirer. His best friend, Roger (Casey Siemaszko), convinces him that the letter is from class beauty Deborah Ann Fimple (Kelly Preston).

Michael writes Deborah Ann an anonymous love letter in return, and asks his female best friend, Toni (Lori Loughlin) to give it to her. Toni rewrites the letter, which is found by different people, most notably some idiot ‘80s movies parents and all manner of hilarious misunderstandings and sitcom hi-jinks and wackiness ensues.

This is the type of film where the protagonist’s gorgeous, long-suffering best friend (Toni) is in love with him, but he is totally oblivious until the romcom race to the airport, um, I mean race to the docks (Toni is leaving for a study abroad program).

An excellent supporting cast, great jokes, unique situations, and a young Corey Haim set this teen romantic comedy apart from the pack.

The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their cry. - Psalms 34:15

BREAKIN’

Release Year: 1984

BREAKIN’ 2: ELECTRIC BOOGALOO

Release Year: 1985

Starring: Lucinda Dickey, Adolfo Quiñones, Michael Chambers, Ice-T, Christopher McDonald (from Grease 2, Thelma And Louise, and Happy Gilmore)

Two films produced by The Cannon Group, known for their low budget b-movies that were made to cash in on the latest pop culture craze (Ninjas, Cyborgs, Barbarians, and in this case, break dancing).  Although initially greeted with jeers when first released, because of Cannon Films’ reputation of putting out cinematic trash, Breakin’1 and 2 grossed almost $75 million against tiny budgets and have become cult classics (the first more so than the second, but still…) because of their energy and vitality.

The plot of the first film (such as it is) involves Kelly, a struggling young dancer (the radiant Lucinda Dickey) who meets up with two breakers, Ozone (Adolfo Quiñones) and Turbo (Michael Chambers – my sister Mylee and I went to school with him) and her attempts to enter the burgeoning hip hop subculture.

As Kelly (now christened, “Special K”) immerses herself in Ozone’s and Turbo’s lives, she discovers that they have a bitter ongoing rivalry with another dance crew, Electro Rock, and when her talents help her new friends defeat their poppin’ and lockin’ adversaries, she becomes their hero and a big hit on the streets and clubs of Los Angeles.

The first film boasts groundbreaking choreography, a killer, platinum-selling soundtrack, the first performance by Ice-T, and cameos by then unknown stars Lela Rochon and Jean-Claude Van Damme.

BREAKIN’ 2: ELECTRIC BOOGALOO, released less than a year later, involves our three protagonists from the first film helping some kids keep their neighborhood community center open and blah, blah, blah…

The plot is still threadbare thin, the dialogue is still flat, and the budget is still low (even lower than the first?) but the soundtrack and dancing are still on fire.

 

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person's strength. -Proverbs 17:22