I can check something off the bucket list I didn’t know I had. Finally, twenty nine years after its release date, I saw Fast Times at Ridgemont High. This is one of those movies that most people my age remember fondly, every now and then referencing characters and lines, usually when referring to our own waning youth.
If you haven’t seen this movie in over 20 years and remember it as a tour de force, I encourage you to watch it this weekend and see if it still astounds you with its cinematic greatness.
I’m going to guess no, except for Phoebe Kate’s breasts and how she looked in her red bikini. Both are as great as you remember, so brace yourself for an exercise in humility.
I wonder if the same would happen to me if I re-watched all my favorite movies from the 80s and 90s. I’ve never been one to watch a movie or read a book more than once, but there have been a few where I did. Most of them were John Hughes movies like Pretty in Pink, Some Kind of Wonderful, The Breakfast Club, and Sixteen Candles, but there were a few others.
There are a few that I know I will love even 20 years later. The Princess Bride is one; When Harry Met Sally is another. I mean, come on. The other day I was reading a book where the protagonist flippantly told his girlfriend “as you wish,” and my mind immediately went to a thatched hut, a stone pitcher, a tousle haired Wesley. Some moves withstand the test of time.
But perhaps the movie I loved the most as a teen, and the one I am most nervous about seeing again, is Dogfight with River Phoenix. My friend Tiffany is reading this right now and laughing because I was obsessed with this movie. Obsessed. It’s about a nice girl who wasn’t all that pretty or popular who, kind of, in a round about way, managed to get the guy. Kind of.
Let’s just say I could relate. Except for the part where she got the guy. For that one, I had to wait a while.
Am I the only one who saw this movie? It was an indie movie, so I don’t think it hit the theaters. I going to try to find it see if I love it as much and I swear if it’s stupid I’m going to kick myself for ruining a good memory.
I just watched Dogfight a few months ago. Thank goodness for streaming Netflix – I’m discovering lots of hidden gems. I still dig Fast Times. I don’t think it’s timeless, but it’s a solid piece of 80’s cinema. Your boys would probably love Princess Bride. And we are HUGE fans of the Back to the Future trilogy. We watch them yearly and the kids love them too. But the Big 3 better step it up if we’re only 4 short years away from flying cars.
I just found Dogfight on itunes and bought it, sight unseen, even though I could have rented it. Just watching the preview (twelve times) reminded me of being awkward and 17 all over again…in a good way. :)
Oh, I think I’m gonna have to see that one! It looks like it just might be one that is still good. Actually, I can’t believe I never saw it; I loved … LOVED River Phoenix. Sigh.
The movie I must have seen a bazillion times: One Crazy Summer. For the record, a cinematic masterpiece it is not. A decade or so ago, I decided to take a trip down memory lane and watched it again–it gave me a migraine. Still, I do dream of cross stitching memorable lines on pillows, and giving them as Christmas gifts … if only I could cross stitch …
oh my goodness I forgot all about that movie. I only saw it once but remember it being very interesting. I was obsessed with Heathers with Winona and bad boy Christian Slater. And all the John Hughes movies were on permanent rotation. I especially was fond of Molly Ringwald; she was my first girl crush. I acted out the lipstick and boob scene from Breakfast Club for my HS Drama Club. Oh, and the scene from 16 Candles where the bus pulls away and there is Jake standing in front of his red Porsche waiting for Samantha. Gives me chills!
I think I must have been too young when I saw Fast Times by the way, because I remember it was the first time I saw/heard the word Prick and I didn’t even really know what abortion was. Come to think of it I must have been in 5th or 6th grade?! (I had a sister 9 years older than me; I’ll choose to blame her and not my parents). I remember that I called a boy at school a prick, not even knowing what the word really meant and I got in SO much trouble!
Ha! Thanks for the trip down memory lane :)
P.S. I spent the weekend listening to music from my childhood; Morrissey, The Smiths and The Cure.
Oh, the movies I’ve ruined by re-watching them as an adult! Labyrinth. Ladyhawke. Hm…I see an “L” theme here.
Proceed with caution!
oh River… I have to see this one! I loved Say Anything. I’m the type to buy and rewatch movies but this one hurts too much to watch all the way through. I like that Dogfight was indie. I’ll suggest another indie that NO ONE seems to know but it’s one of my faves. Kicking and Screaming (NOT Will Ferrell). Written and directed by Noah Baumbach in 1995. Rented this on vhs while in college LOL. there are so many quotable lines and the characters are wonderful. just checked and it’s streaming on netflix! do it!
I loved Say Anything! Does is suck now as an adult? Noooo!
Here’s a pen. Ugh! Such heartbreak in that movie. Have you seen Kicking and Screaming? After college angst, what will I do with my life. Of course you have to be in the right mood to watch it :)
I saw Dogfight! I don’t remember loving it but I did like it.
And if you ask me, Say Anything is another one of those movies that somehow manages to stand the test of time. There are a few slightly dated bits, but overall it’s still a wonderful movie, like Princess Bride.
I didn’t see Fast Times till I was an adult, so I had the same reaction to it that you did. I read the book when I was in high school, though. And when I was in college I worked with a couple of women who went to the real high school in San Diego where Cameron Crowe went undercover, they were a big younger than the people who made it into the book & movie, though.
Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken. The story about the diving horses in New Jersey or somewhere on a pier. I was (guess I still am…) somewhat obsessed with horses and that movie I watched whenever I could. Thanks to Netflix Watch Instantly I saw it again….still inspiring and beautiful!
And this all made me think of Dr. Dolittle and how every time we’d go to the local video store (before we got a name brand store, it was this tiny little hole in the wall with a curtained off back closet corner and everything!) we could only choose from the not new releases section and I would immediately go after Dr. Dolittle. The animals and singing and *sigh* wonderful. I need to see it again…..
I ruined Class with Rob Lowe and Andrew McCarthy for myself by watching it recently. But About Last Night definitely stands the test of time. (Are you sensing the Rob Lowe theme here?) Jim Belushi is as funny as you remember him, Demi Moore as beautiful, and Rob Lowe – need I say more? I am thinking about re-watching Less Than Zero next – I hope it is as good as I remember. I loved Dogfight when it was released. I would think that one would hold up well.
You’re ridiculously cool in a indie ‘dog fight’ kind of way.
I ruined my reputation by thinking ‘Somewhere in Time’ was ultra cool and played the theme song at my wedding.
Somewhere in Time is my mom’s favorite movie EVER. I just read this to her and she insisted, “It WAS ultra cool!”
Stand By Me was one my favorite movies, and my best friend and I were obsessed with River Phoenix because of it, so whenever we rented movies we’d try to see anything with him in it [especially sad since he’d already passed by then and we knew no more would be made]. Dogfight wasn’t enjoyable for us to watch as awkward non-dating teenagers — it hit too close to home, I think.
I’m going to have to watch Somewhere in Time. I just finished watching Dogfight, and I still love it. There are definitely some awkward, terrible moments, but for some reason, I just can’t get enough of that movie. It’s funny, even though Rose is supposed to be the awkward one, the one who makes me feel most uncomfortable is Eddie. He’s like a naive, scared little boy trying to bluff his way through life. And the worst part is that he has no clue!
I seem to remember Dog Fight starting a Lilly Allen obsession. I loved it and will now have to see if it is still streaming on Netflix.
That was Lili Taylor. Lilly Allen is the singer. :)
I read this really lovely remembrance from Wil Wheaton a few weeks back. River is very much still missed.
http://wilwheaton.typepad.com/wwdnbackup/2011/03/though-i-hadnt-seen-him-in-over-twenty-years-i-knew-id-miss-him-forever.html
I think the memory of Fast Times is better than the sitting through it all again : )
B
I read that blog post from Wil Wheaton when he posted it & cried & cried!
I loved Dogfight! I haven’t thought of that movie in ages. I have Say Anything on dvd and still watch it from time to time. I really did love almost anything John Cusack… another one I really liked of his was The Sure Thing. So fun to think of all of these old movies. My sister and I must have watched Grease a thousand times when we were younger.
“Dude”. Glad you finally got around to seeing that masterpiece. I am so with you, I rarely watch or read books over, with the exception of the movies you mentioned. I should just get used to the fact that we are basically the same person. When are you going to write our memoir?
I gotta say, I love Fast Times now as much as I did when I was 16. and make no apologies.
Don’t stop now – if you loved John Hughes movies, you’ve got to see Easy A (http://www.sonypictures.com/homevideo/easya/). I didn’t initially think I would like it but it is like a reinvented John Hughes movie. And I didn’t just like it – I loved it!