Fast Times At Ridgemont High in theaters

[Al Bundy]

https://www.fathomevents.com/events/...ate=2017-07-30

IN THEATERS JUL 30, AUG 2

TCM Big Screen Classics Presents
Fast Times at Ridgemont High
A Special 35th Anniversary Event

Follow a group of Southern California high school students as they explore their most important subjects: sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll. Directed by Amy Heckerling (Clueless) and written by Cameron Crowe (Almost Famous), this hilarious portrait of 1980s American teen life features film debuts of future stars Nicolas Cage and Forest Whitaker, plus decade-defining music from The Go-Go's, Oingo Boingo and The Cars.

[Pepe Silvia]

The first 80's movie I ever saw in theaters was "Beetlejuice".

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Fast Times or FX?

Fast Times.

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by PackerinMo

The first 80's movie I ever saw in theaters was "Beetlejuice".

Revenge of the Nerds for me!!

[Bowser]

I keep hearing it every time I see the thread title -

[KChiefs1]

Can't embed but this song comes to mind when I think of Fast Times.

https://youtu.be/VUMTshUflTg

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by lewdog

Fast Times.

You may be able to see it through a different lens, but I never connected with or liked Fast Times.

Besides the fact that I was in high school in metropolitan KC, which had zero in common with the Sherman Oaks Galleria or life in the San Fernando Valley, none of the characters, IMO, were likable. Not only were they unlikeable, I couldn't relate to any of them, as their personalities and lifestyle choices were completely different than me and my friends as teenagers in Kansas.

Also, they seemed so much more mature than any of the kids I went to school with, which of course, was due to the fact that all of them, outside of Phoebe Cates (19 at the time), where into their 20's or well into their 20's (Forrest Whitaker was 26, Brian Backer and Robert Romanus 27 and Judge Reinhold 25). That maturity constantly took me out of the moment.

Also, it was too realistic and felt like a drama to me and not a comedy. Cameron Crowe, the young and excellent Rolling Stone writer, enrolled in a San Fernando Valley high school and the stories and characters are composites of those he met at the time. He adapted the book into the screenplay and had a large role in choosing the music for each scene (even though he's not listed as the Music Supervisor), which at times, eerily supported certain scenes.

Even though it was set a nearly a decade before I was in high school, Dazed and Confused was much, much closer to my experiences in junior high and high school.

[Al Bundy]

I saw it this afternoon. It was fun. Although I was the only one in the theater.

[Deberg_1990]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

You may be able to see it through a different lens, but I never connected with or liked Fast Times.

Besides the fact that I was in high school in metropolitan KC, which had zero in common with the Sherman Oaks Galleria or life in the San Fernando Valley, none of the characters, IMO, were likable. Not only were they unlikeable, I couldn't relate to any of them, as their personalities and lifestyle choices were completely different than me and my friends as teenagers in Kansas.

Also, they seemed so much more mature than any of the kids I went to school with, which of course, was due to the fact that all of them, outside of Phoebe Cates (19 at the time), where into their 20's or well into their 20's (Forrest Whitaker was 26, Brian Backer and Robert Romanus 27 and Judge Reinhold 25). That maturity constantly took me out of the moment.

Also, it was too realistic and felt like a drama to me and not a comedy. Cameron Crowe, the young and excellent Rolling Stone writer, enrolled in a San Fernando Valley high school and the stories and characters are composites of those he met at the time. He adapted the book into the screenplay and had a large role in choosing the music for each scene (even though he's not listed as the Music Supervisor), which at times, eerily supported certain scenes.

Even though it was set a nearly a decade before I was in high school, Dazed and Confused was much, much closer to my experiences in junior high and high school.

It's an 80s classic for sure. But I alway thought the abrupt shifts in tone were strange. They go from the hilarious Spicoli stuff to the super serious Jennifer Jason Lee abortion stuff. Like they couldn't decide what they wanted 100%??

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

It's an 80s classic for sure. But I alway thought the abrupt shifts in tone were strange. They go from the hilarious Spicoli stuff to the super serious Jennifer Jason Lee abortion stuff. Like they couldn't decide what they wanted 100%??

It was just too dark for me. Abortion, ticket scalping, drug use, football players being paid off, dating old guys at the mall, etc.

If those are the way things were in the Valley back in the 80's, I'm glad I didn't grow up there.

I'd be even more jaded and skeptical of people than I am now.

[Al Bundy]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

It was just too dark for me. Abortion, ticket scalping, drug use, football players being paid off, dating old guys at the mall, etc.

If those are the way things were in the Valley back in the 80's, I'm glad I didn't grow up there.

I'd be even more jaded and skeptical of people than I am now.

Happened in Kansas City as well.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Al Bundy

Happened in Kansas City as well.

Man, not in my junior high or high school

[Al Bundy]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Man, not in my junior high or high school

I was only in KC for my Junior and Senior year of high school. I knew a few girls that got abortions, I bought tickets from a scalper, a girl I knew dated some 21+ year old guy that worked at Fun Factory, and I knew a few people that did drugs. Plus the 2 idiots that were killed driving drunk over on Santa Fe trail.

[Chief Pagan]

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

It's an 80s classic for sure. But I alway thought the abrupt shifts in tone were strange. They go from the hilarious Spicoli stuff to the super serious Jennifer Jason Lee abortion stuff. Like they couldn't decide what they wanted 100%??

Fast Times has a more serious side. It isn't just a frivolous teen comedy. (Not that there is anything wrong with frivolous teen comedies.)

If Fast Times only had the serious parts without the comedy, it would have been a heavy film and probably not commercially successful.

I didn't mind how they jumped around, but I can see the point.

I don't think they were trying to pretend that that was exactly what American high schools were like at the time. The characters were mostly stereotypes and a bit over the top at that. But I think you could find people similar to those stereotypes at many high schools. And high school wasn't all funny, Spicoli stuff. I thought the abortion stuff was treated seriously in an appropriate manner without making the film a downer.

[Chief Pagan]

I'll throw the movie Heathers out again. Dark but very funny.

It was a good role for Winona Ryder and it was a great role for Christian Slater.

Given the general freakout over school violence/guns at schools, I doubt you could get a Hollywood studio to make a film like that today...

[Pepe Silvia]

Originally Posted by Chief Pagan

I'll throw the movie Heathers out again. Dark but very funny.

It was a good role for Winona Ryder and it was a great role for Christian Slater.

Given the general freakout over school violence/guns at schools, I doubt you could get a Hollywood studio to make a film like that today...

"I love my dead gay son."