Initial release date: August 13, 1982
Studios: Universal Pictures/Refugee Films
Tagline: At Ridgemont High Only the Rules Get Busted!
Plot: Stacey Hamilton is a pretty, but inexperienced teen interested in dating. Given advice by her uninhibited friend, Linda Barrett, Stacey gets trapped in a love triangle with nice guy Mark Ratner and his more assured buddy Mike Damone. Meanwhile, Stacey's classmate Jeff Spocili, who lives for surfing and being stoned, faces off against Mr. Hand, a strict teacher, who has no time for the slacker's antics.
Cast
Sean Penn - Jeff Spicoli
Jennifer Jason Leigh - Stacey Hamilton
Judge Rinehold - Brad Hamilton
Robert Romanus - Mike Damone
Brian Backer - Mark 'Rat' Ratner
Phoebe Cates - Linda Barrett
Ray Walston - Mr. Hand
Scott Thomson - Arnold
Vincent Schiavalli - Mr. Vargas
Amanda Wyss - Lisa
Forest Whitaker - Charles Jefferson
Nicholas Cage - Brad's Bud
Writer: Cameron Crowe (Aloha; We Bought A Zoo)
Director: Amy Heckerling (Vamps; I Could Never Be Your Woman; Clueless; Loser)
Rated R (90 minutes)
The 1980s had quite a few teen comedies released during the decade. And one of the most popular teen comedies ever released came from this decade - Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Believe it or not, this was actually the first time I have ever seen this comedy!
Since this is an 80s movie, the soundtrack is really awesome. The music soundtrack feature Jackson Browne, Billy Squierer, Sammy Hagar and numerous others!
Ridgemont High has quite a few memorable moments, some of which are really hilarious. Just seeing a young Sean Penn playing a high school stoner/surfer is funny enough. His character's conflict with high school teacher Mr. Hand is both light-hearted and humorous. It's also really funny when Spicoli has a pizza delivered to him during class.
The 1980s comedy can also get a little deeper than expected with a few moments here and there. One thing that works with this movie is that it really doesn't have a plot in a way and it just follows the life on 80s teens. Also I had no idea that Forest Whitaker was in this movie!
Sure, Fast Times at Ridgemont High is sort of dated now, but it's still entertaining and funny. This 80s comedy can be streamed on Peacock through the end of the month!
Here are some fun tidbits for Fast Times at Ridgemont High!
First time director Amy Heckerling said she was seeking to make a comedy that was less structured than conventional ones, and more like American Graffiti.
Universal originally planned to only release the movie in the Western part of the US for a few weeks before sending it off to cable (regional releases were still common at the time) due to the belief that there was no audience for it. After an excellent response, the movie went wide three weeks later with a big opening in the Eastern US and had a long theatrical run.
Nicolas Cage lied about his age so that he could get a bigger part, but the producers eventually found out that he was only 17.
According to Heckerling, Sean Penn and pals were actually smoking marijuana in the van as they exited for the prom.
Ray Walston was, at the time, best known for his role as Uncle Martin on My Favorite Martian. Unfortunately Walston, like many actors of that era, was typecast in the role and couldn't book serious roles until the decade ended.
Penn improvised during his takes and tried to find ways to aggravate actor Ray Walston, who played Mr. Hand, even off camera. He also did things to get genuinely startled reactions from the extras who played his classmates through unexpected improvisations.
Jennifer Jason Leigh's father Vic Morrow died in a helicopter accident on the set of The Twilight Zone: The Movie about three weeks before the US release of this movie.
Ranked at No. 2 on Entertainment Weekly's 50 Best High School Movies in 2006.
Alternate takes of several scenes were filmed for use on broadcast TV.
Included among the AFI's 2000 list of the Top 100 Funniest American Movies.
Tom Hanks was considered for the role of Brad. Two years later, he was cast in another popular 80s comedy Bachelor Party (another hilarious movie).
A short-lived TV series Fast Times (1986) was spun off from this movie.
Phoebe Cates and Judge Reinhold would later co-star in another popular 80s movie - Gremlins.
On its opening weekend, the movie earned $2.5 million. The release was widened to 713 theaters, earning $3.25 million. It ranked 29th among US releases in 1982, earning $27.1 million, six times its $4.5 million budget, and later gaining popularity through TV and home video releases.
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