My movie review procrastination is semi-over! It was mostly driven by way too many things but I’m using the Texas Snowmageddon 2021 – Volume II‘s conclusion to get this new overdue subcategory rolling It’s based my attempt to bring Jennifer up to speed on Eighties movies; seems she missed out on like 90% of them.
Many entries have been hunted down through her DVR and the multiple Stars channels (nice to know cable isn’t a complete wasteland of advertising). The first flick I tormented Jennifer with was Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure. I clearly remember what a surprise hit it became when I was in college. Excellent was one of those films that got made when Alex Winter was the bigger star due to The Lost Boys, got shelved because a focus group didn’t “get it,” and then revived via Keanu Reeves’ scene-stealing part from Parenthood. It’s a familiar story: see Teen Wolf for Michael J. Fox and Bachelor Party for Tom Hanks.
Everybody knows the plot and damn! it still holds up after 30-plus years, unlike Wayne’s World and all the other movies in which the leads are Heshers (in my day and region, we call them Burnouts). I did laugh at Stars’ “trigger warning” about, what was it? dated depictions or references…I think. In short, Bill and Ted calling each other “fag,” might cause certain, ignorant Millenials’ heads to explode since they never heard of the word “connotation.” Ergo, Stars must warn the morons to avoid legal liability. Next up, Stars will need to explain how the Scots utilize the C word and “fanny.”
With my mocking of thin-skinned, easily offended “culture,” out of the way, I forgot how clever Excellent really was and its numerous surprise cast members besides George Carlin. Time-travel flicks used to be rather too high brow and over complicated for general audiences unless it involved Mr. Spock learning how to curse Eighties style! Maybe Bill and Ted paved the way for Doctor Who‘s recent success? Excellent did cater to my love of History so their choices on who to “borrow” were interesting, amusing and forgivable despite the inaccuracies. Regarding the cast, it was great to see the late Bernie Casey again (their History teacher), the man was B-movie royalty! Revenge of the Nerds wouldn’t be the same without him! Diane Franklin was also one of the princesses they hooked up with later; Better Off Dead and Last American Virgin. Somebody involved must’ve loved music too. Joan of Arc was played by Jane Wiedlin (Go Gos guitarist/singer), the future government was composed of Clarence Clemons (Springsteen’s saxophonist), Martha Davis (Motels’ lead singer) and Fee Waybill (Tubes’ lead singer).
Jennifer’s reaction? She liked it well enough, between her Tik Tok viewings. At least she understands the references Bill and Ted added to the American lexicon.
If you have a suggestion, send it my way. The movie doesn’t necessarily have to be locked exactly in the Eighties. Just a close association you can rationalize or films which have a great impact on popular culture, like how The Simpsons could probably reconstruct Citizen Kane if put your mind to it!