Weird Science: 30th Anniversary Quote-along!

Back to the Future was the big movie of 1985, possibly of the Eighties, but Weird Science was and has always been my personal favorite for that particular year. Better Off Dead is a close second, it falls behind because it didn’t make it to my neck of the woods (the boonies of North Dakota) until early 1986. Besides, Weird addressed the bigger issues I often had in high school: not making a successful connection with a girl, dealing with the cool-kids clique and personal insecurities we all have. Of all the John Hughes flicks covering teenagers, this one was his best too. The Breakfast Club got nauseatingly preachy at the end, Pretty in Pink‘s ending sucked, I’ve never liked Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Sixteen Candles is his other masterpiece. Some Kind of Wonderful doesn’t count, it’s Pretty in Pink with the ending Hughes wanted.

I didn’t have the chance to see Weird when it was initially released despite having a flyer from Tampa. Grandma Maggi passed away in early-to-mid August plus the Battle of 1985 was being waged from the day we left Tampa and then some in Bloomington. I think I was still spinning my wheels trying to get a part-time job too. As we all know, I eventually ended up returning to Beulah and when Weird appeared in Hazen, I pounced on it ASAP, selfishly making it a part of my homecoming date with Mary Davis. The following Saturday, those of us who saw it were talking it up with our fellow Beulah nerds (they were enough of us to make a clique) and this led to us going again that evening. Part of its appeal was how Gary and Wyatt came out ahead of the bullies Ian and Max. Trust me, Beulah had an institutionalized group of kids who “ruled” the school. We knew our revenge was going to be leaving for college but still, having a genie like Lisa would’ve been cool.

My shirt to celebrate. I went with the Mucha style.

I can’t remember when was the last time I’ve seen this movie. It continues to hold up despite the changes in technology (Wyatt’s computer and the graphics were primitive within 10 years), fashion (I’m glad I never had Morrissey hair, the layers and pins!) and of the language. The issues Weird addresses are universal, it’s why it succeeded as a sitcom nine years later. According to imdb.com, Weird Science the Series lasted five seasons/88 episodes. Pretty good for USA. Meanwhile Uncle Buck and Ferris Bueller received one season at most. Cable is what boosted Weird over to help it find its audience. Anyway, I like how it painted the picture of Hughes’ fictionalized/ideal Chicago I somehow missed and longed for while I was in ND. If you were from “civilization,” it was easy to feel like you were missing out in Beulah, the place could’ve been the moon it was so far removed in 1985. It probably isn’t as much thanks to the Internet but my friend Cindy says cell-phone coverage remains spotty. Let’s see if Cindy can clarify because she does continue to visit family who chose to remain there.

In an era of remaking/rebooting, I haven’t heard a peep regarding Weird Science. Thank the movie gods and those remaining representing good taste. I may be jinxing it now. One element in Weird‘s defense, it could handle today’s changes. All the douchebags taking (rude) selfies with Lisa and moving the story to LA (as the series did) are the only key changes I can predict. Being uncool and getting harassed (as the scene I chose shows) haven’t changed.

The one sad change after 30 years I have come to realize is where the computer nerds are in the pecking order. Many have clawed their way up to the top (Zuckerberg, the Google jerks) and they didn’t learn a damned thing. They’ve proven how power and money bring out people’s inner asshole; many get corporate welfare to “create jerbs.” This happened to the boys in Weird briefly but when they failed to make another Lisa, they had one epiphany. The real-world versions will continue to crap on everybody a la Jack Welch and Jamie Dimon until they’re dead. Few will receive posthumous, white-washed movies about them like Jobs.

I apologize for the little screed there. Weird Science remains a part of my DNA. I’m also annoyed over how today’s Technoratti have become today’s Robber Barons.

Below is the who cool prop they handed out for everyone to wear during Lisa’s creation.

There were these popping things filled with confetti to use during Lisa’s debut (you can figure out why, we’re adults here) and when the ICBM broke through the floors, the hostess threw blue glow bands at us. Another showing has a special menu, sadly, I had to attend this showing all the way down at Slaughter due to the meal one starting late on a Wednesday afternoon. Work or healthcare squashed this on top of the Slaughter location. Maybe in September the Alamos closer to home will do this.

Thanks Alamo! Next to Back to the Future, Weird Science was another bright spot in a rather dark period we’re all supposed to enjoy according to lying adults…you know, the best years of our life. Maybe they’re correct when you look back. By now I do have 30 years of practicing redaction. One day I hope to meet the stars Hall and Mitchell-Smith, the latter is tricky since he quit acting to become a college professor.

Alamo Extras (Pre-Show): A John Hughes interview (couldn’t make out the audio); Jimmy Fallon and Robert Downey doing a bit on The Tonight Show; The Breakfast Club trailer; Bill Paxton on Craig Kilbourn’s show; the original Frankenstein movie’s key scene; Mr. Wizard showing how flash paper works; Michael-Anthony Hall’s segment on Mortified for Sundance Channel; The Sixteen Candles trailer (practically shows the whole movie and misrepresents it, you’d think it was a standard teen-sex romp); The Bride of Frankenstein‘s key scene; Oingo Boingo’s video for Weird Science minus the joke ending.