Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)

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Directed by Amy Heckerling.

Starring Brian Backer, Phoebe Cates, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Robert Romanus, Ray Walston, Sean Penn, Judge Reinhold.

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Amy Heckerling's adaptation of Cameron Crowe's Fast Times at Ridgemont High is often considered one of the finest films of a disreputable genre (the teen sex comedy), and kick-started the careers of many future stars. The center of this ensemble film is Jennifer Jason Leigh as Stacy Hamilton. She is a young, innocent high-school student who, as the film opens, is asking for advice from her friend, the sexually outspoken Linda Barrett (Phoebe Cates). Stacy takes a liking to nebbish Mark Ratner (Brian Backer), but he is too afraid to make a move even after Stacy all but throws herself at him. She eventually hooks up with Mark's more confident best friend, Mike Damone (Robert Romanus). When not concerning itself with these four characters, the film spends time with stoned surfer dude Jeff Spicoli (Sean Penn) and his ongoing feud with history teacher Mr. Hand (Ray Walston). The film includes brief appearances by such future stars as Nicolas Cage, Eric Stoltz, and Forest Whitaker. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide

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Reviews and discussions

Re:Movies for Animals
by leeroy711 in Movie Games

liked it.

"[quote user="SkyPilot"] Sharks I have known love Speed 2: Cruise Control [/quote] Yeah, I've heard that about sharks. I used to have a gremlin that loved to watch Fast Times at Ridgemont High . He had a thing for Phoebe Cates. He would always say, "Rewind it & let's watch it again!!" And I would say, "Bill, (that was his name) you're sooo 80's. This is a dvd, you don't have to rewind, I can start it from any scene." He was like, "Pool scene! Pool scene!" and I would be like "Bill, you're just too much." I tried turning him on to other Phoebe Cates movies, Drop Dead Fred, Princess Caraboo, but he never really got very excited about anything as much as he did for Fast Times. And that's the story of how George W Bush won the election. " [More]

Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1 ...
by CinemaRian in CinemaRian Blog

hasn't rated it.

Was this review helpful? [Be the first to tell us!]
"Tone and context. That's the problem with this movie, and it's all Amy Heckerling's fault. The material is funny and the actors are great, but the execution results in an rambling and uneven film. I saw this movie as part of my new quest to see popular films that I have never veiwed, to avoid those conversation moments of "You've never seen Napoleon Dynamite?" Other films on this list include Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Garden State, Sixteen Candles, The Notebook and Armageddeon. I hope they are better made than this movie. Fast Times at Ridgemont High is based on the nonfiction book of the same name by Cameron Crowe, who also adapted his work into the screenplay. Crowe, then working as a journalist, posed as a California high school student for a year and recorded his experinces. I have not read the book, I have a strong feeling it is better than the film, because the movie's central problem is that there is no point of view. Heckerling simply records what happens, which is occ ... " [More]

The Hitcher
by El_Aaron in Violence on film

hasn't rated it.

"I've seen all of those films you have just mentioned, except The Hitcher. Are you talking about the version starring Rutger Hauer? If so, I wouldn't be suprised if it was good. Rutger Hauer is not always in great movies, but is a great actor. I enjoyed his role as bounty hunter Nick Randall in Wanted: Dead or Alive. " [More]

#75
by eagle795 in eagle795 Blog

hasn't rated it.

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"Sean Penn before he became a terrorist loving freak. Spicoli’s interactions with Mr. Hand are fantastic. And what red-blooded American boy didn’t get excited when Phoebe Cates came out of the pool? " [More]

Recently Seen Roundup
by sarcastig in As cool as a Fruitstand

liked it.

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"2.50, less than the cost of renting a movie, for a movie a) starring Humphrey Bogart b) directed by John Huston c) with Peter Lorre in a supporting part and as I later found out d) co-written by Truman Capote, how could I resist? I'm glad I didn't, because while Beat the Devil is a mess of a movie with a plot that's both ludicrous and not quite there, the lines and the performances are wonderful. I want to see more of Jennifer Jones now, who's hilarious here, and what about this short bit by Peter Lorre on time:"Time. Time. What is time? Swiss manufacture it. French hoard it. Italians squander it. Americans say it is money. Hindus say it does not exist. Do you know what I say? I say time is a crook. "Also for a mere 2.50, "Reform School Girl". I already had a postcard, two in fact, of the poster, and I just had to see what was behind it. It turns out it's a lovely little B-movie, 73 minutes long, which is a lot less outrageous and sleazy than you'd think, although I'll admit it con ... " [More]

famous stars in the 80's with f ...
by lukasblu in Grew up in the 80's

liked it.

"your favorite stars back then that have a famous brother or sister now or a sibling that was starting out back then;name the stars and their siblings;you can also name some of your fave movies that they have madeexample mat dillion(the outsiders,employee of the month) and kevin dillionriver phoenix(1970-1993)my fave back then (running on empty,little nikita,my own private idaho) and joaquin phoenix (gladiator ,buffalo soldiers)meg tilly(agnes of god) and jennifer tilly(bound)sean penn(fast times at ridgemont high,the falcon and the snowman,racing with the moon,we're no angels,dead man walking,she's so lovely,sweet and lowdown.i am sam,the assasination of richard nixon )and chris penn(1965-2006)(reservoir dogs) " [More]

1982: The Greatest Summer of Th ...
by lbenschwartz in lbenschwartz Blog

hasn't rated it.

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"Summer movie seasons come and go, but there was something the summer of 1982 ranks amongst the greatest. What made 1982 so special? Well, while your standing in line, waiting for the third recycling Spiderman, Shrek, Pirates or Oceans, think about what you could have been going to your, most likely newly opened, suburban Cineplex. These were the movies of 1982:May 14: Conan the BarbarianMay 21: Road WarriorMay 28: Rocky 3June 4: Poltergeist and/or Star Trek: The Wrath of KhanJune 11: E.T.June 25: Blade Runner and/or The ThingJuly 9: TronJuly 23: The World According to GarpJuly 30: Last American Virgin and/or Night ShiftAugust 13: Fast Times at Ridgemont High and/or Officer and a GentlemanNot only did some of the most memorable movies of the 80s meet the public, but this four month period in 1982 set the tone for what Hollywood proceeded to make for the remainder of the decade and beyond.For one, consider the talent introduced here, and what they would go on to accomplish beyond 19 ... " [More]

Re: Top 5 Movies Directed By Women
by Jymkata in Filmspotting

liked it.

"I had to think hard about this because I couldn't figure out why it was so hard for me to answer about female directors. I was hoping it wasn't some unconscious chauvinistic tedencies on my part causing me to devalue movies directed by females. I actually think that many of the female directed movies of the last decade or so tend to be "woman's pictures" that hold little interest for me in terms of style or story. That being said, there are some movies directed by women that I would rate highly regardless of who helms it. Ida Lupino was a real pioneer in female directing (not the first but the best known early director) and she directed a really nifty film noir - 1) The Hitch-hikerThe '80s are generally mocked as a shallow time in film, but at least women were given a chance to direct mainstream films and a few of the movies are among my favorite 80's and early 90's films:Amy Heckerling - (4 tie) Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Look Who's Talking, and Clue ... " [More]

Review by All Movie Guide

All Movie Guide

loved it.

Many teen comedies of the 1980s and 1990s tried to imitate the verve and nerve of Fast Times at Ridgemont High, but few succeeded. Films by John Hughes, such as The Breakfast Club, were much tamer. Others were much more gross and not as well-written. First-time director Amy Heckerling took a typical teen story penned by Cameron Crowe, a gabfest about sex, school, and status, and turned it into a film that is emblematic of an era. The Southern California suburban mall teen scene and its accompanying "Valley Girl" lingo were spreading widely, and this film both nails and lampoons this subculture with knowing effect. With only Taps behind him, Fast Times at Ridgemont High helped a young Sean Penn become the brightest star of a new Hollywood "rat pack" of sassy young actors. Many others, including Phoebe Cates and Judge Reinhold, also were boosted by their roles in the large and talented ensemble cast. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide

Tags: teenagers , dude , outofcontrol , badbehavior , surfer
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