I'll be playing the Bananarama tune below in the background while I'm creating this thread.. if this doesn't get you craving "The Wild Life".. nothing will!
Bill Conrad (Eric Stoltz) has just graduated from high school, moved into his new apartment, and requested a little freedom from his girlfriend Anita (Lea Thompson) who currently works at the local donut shop.
Bill's younger brother Jim (Ilan Mitchell-Smith) enjoys being a rebel, getting high, listening to heavy metal, and hanging out with Vietnam vet Charlie (Randy Quaid).
Then there is Tom (Chris Penn) a crazy go lucky high-school wrestling champ who just wants to be engaged 'so he says' to Eileen (Jenny Wright) who works at a department store. Hold on.. in the meantime Tom just convinced Bill to let him move into his new apartment with him.
"The Wild Life" is such an underrated flick from the creative mind of Cameron Crowe. This movie was considered somewhat of a continuation of "Fast Times At Ridgemont High", but with a totally different set of characters. I clearly remember it failing at the box office.. watching it now.. it rates as a total hidden gem.
My thought is the fact that Chris Penn took on the role of the wild and crazy Tom made it seem like a "Fast Times" rip-off because Sean Penn became such an icon as Jeff Spicoli.
Either way.. "It's Casual"
I mentioned recently that I have a Pioneer Laserdisc player... well it is movies such as "The Wild Life" that never got a DVD release that still make it a worthy component.
"Guys live it up..it's on me!"
I love the scene in the clothing store when Tom suddenly appears after Eileen and her boss Harry (Rick Moranis) have convinced the guy to purchase that snazzy jacket.. Tom see the guy with the jacket and the rest is classic.
Some great trivia:
Eddie Van Halen did the score for the movie. You can even hear a rough cut instrumental that eventually became the Van Halen tune "Right Now".
I'm usually all about the original theatrical version of a soundtrack, but I must admit the use of "Burning Up" by Madonna on the laserdisc it quite awesome!
Okay.. I'm switching to this tune for rest of the thread..
And how incredibly slimely is David (Hart Bochner) as the married cop that messes around with Anita. And how about Cameron Crowe playing a cop and his future wife Nancy Wilson playing David's wife.
So many great cameos.. Ben Stein, Ron Wood, Lee Ving.. but the best has to be the real life father of Chris Penn (Leo Penn) showing up at the party.
"Hey man, this guy Billy Conrad is having a party.. it's great!"
The party scenes toward the end are 80's legendary..
"You do not put a poodle in a microwave!"
Cindy Mancini recently asked me if I would choose Anita or Eileen? Such a tough choice because I appreciate them both for quite different reasons..
So I went with Penny (Sherilyn Fenn) in the closet at the party instead!
And finally.. this is totally how I remember the 80's..
"Hi, I'm Bill Conrad and you are?"
"Not Interested"
Wait.. the scene in the convertible when Tom, Vince (Michael Bowen), Benny (Angel Salazar), and Bill are out cruising and they see the cops.. So Awesome!
[ 17. September 2010, 18:29: Message edited by: Valley ]
Posted by Muffy Tepperman (Member # 1551) on :
I watched this movie a few years back for the first time and I can't remember what I even thought of it? I didn't race out to buy it? so i'm gonna get on that and add it to the list all I remember is Stoltz and Ilan Micheal Smith in a house that was trashed am I right? lol
Posted by Valley (Member # 1322) on :
Muffy.. I think you might have watched "Wild Science"?
Definitely give "The Wild Life" another chance because it is a movie that grows on you each time you watch it. I enjoyed Ilan Mitchell-Smith in the movie "Weird Science", but this movie actually is a much more indepth role for him. I forgot to mention it.. but the bowling alley had some great stuff going on.
Posted by Veronica Sawyer (Member # 2221) on :
This is an epic post valley! Always liked this movie....used to have "it's casual" pop up on my cell phone whenever I turned it on. Wish this was would be released on DVD.
Posted by Secret Admirer (Member # 3574) on :
quote:Originally posted by Valley: I think you might have watched "Wild Science"?
haha, good one, Val.
How could you NOT like this movie? It's everything I love about 80s movies.
Posted by Muffy Tepperman (Member # 1551) on :
Wild Science blah blah blabbyed blah Valley!!
I can't remember if I saw it or meant to see it.....really really..honest...haha It sounds like everything I would want to see I love Jenny Wright now.........Nothing you said sounds familiar either Valley...?? So i'm going with "I haven't seen it" haha
Posted by Riptide (Member # 457) on :
This has always been one of my favorites, I get the low rent Fast Times angle, but I never get tored of it. I mean Jenny Wright, Elan Michael Smith, Randy Quaid, Penn, Stoltz, Fenn, Thompson, Moranis, and cameos from Lee Ving and Ron Wood, c'mon! Funny, lately I have been listening to the soundtrack in the car, Eddie Van Halen's Donut City sounds a bit like Loverboy's Turn me Loose. Anyway, it's been 9 years now I've been waiting for a DVD, so I've given up.
Posted by Valley (Member # 1322) on :
thanks everyone.. it was a blast making this thread. I'm going to try a similar approach in the future!
Posted by Ronnie (Member # 465) on :
while i like that this movie is cleverly casted with a lot of our favorite 80s actors and has a kickin' soundtrack, i feel that The Wild Life is is an ok movie for what it is, but not a favorite of mine...(makes sense seeing as how i feel the same about Fast Times...so-so). i have an old vhs copy, that i haven't watched in forever. and though the soundtrack was out of print and hard to obtain for years, the internet has made it possible to get a hold of...finally!
i do remember liking wyatt from weird science in this one. and to be honest i would have to watch it again, because i don't remember much about it.
but i just might have to watch it now, thanks to you, Valley. Posted by Muffy Tepperman (Member # 1551) on :
I watched it!
I did remember parts of it....the first time must have been late at night on tv because I hadn't seen all of it. I felt like Chris Penn stole the movie his zany character Tommy....haha
totally get the comparison to Fast Times....I actually didn't realize Crowe wrote it but then I should have....being Nancy Wilson played her little bit part......I was just talking about that last night then I read in my email news Nancy filed for divorce from Crowe after 24 years today........weird twilight zoney thing when your talking about something and it randomly appears in your life again...... haha get me?
I really liked Eric Stolz and Lea Thompson also....cool not so known flick.
Posted by logan5 (Member # 1467) on :
quote:I was just talking about that last night then I read in my email news Nancy filed for divorce from Crowe after 24 years today........
Noooooooooo!!!!!
I hope it's an amicable split!
Posted by Valley (Member # 1322) on :
Sad about the Cameron Crowe / Nancy Wilson split.. I read about earlier today and totally thought about Fast Times and The Wild Life. I wish them both the best in the future.
Posted by Valley (Member # 1322) on :
"Excuse me Miss, but could I check the security on your back entrance? We've had some prowler reports in the neighborhood."
Watching "The Wild Life" this morning.
So cool to hear what was the beginning of the Van Halen tune "Right Now"
ILan Mitchell-Smith shows so much more of his acting skills in this movie. Particularly enjoyed the scenes with ILan and the girl at the bowling alley. If you are a fan of his.. please take the time to watch this movie and "The Chocolate War" sometime.
"If you ask any one of those people ten years from now what the highlight of this year was.. they'd have to say Bill Conrad's party. We gave them the best time they've ever had!"
In way that statement is true.. I'm sure all of us can remember a certain party from our youth that just brings back great memories. Posted by the young warrior (Member # 9554) on :
great movie valley,i still have the original uk vhs release of it from 1985,for 26 yrs old it's still in pretty good condition but if they ever released it on dvd or blu ray i'd buy it in an instant. plus the uk version i own of it is cut by 1 min 7 seconds,no idea what offended the british censors at the time,personally i just think they needed to get a sense of humour!
Posted by aTomiK (Member # 6575) on :
This is such a fantastic movie! I own the very rare Finnish VHS tape and also the excellent soundtrack lp.
Canīt believe that it was cut in the UK, warrior.
Amazing cast, cool screenplay and great music. I need to watch this again asap!
Posted by the young warrior (Member # 9554) on :
http://www.bbfc.co.uk/AVV070284/ .yeh i find it strange they cut this one atomik ,i'm quite curious to find out what was cut. what ever it was i think if it was reissued for dvd classification today it would easily pass uncut as our censors have eased up a lot in the time. the only film lately to come under fire from the bbfc is the human centipede 2 which has landed an outright ban. http://www.bbfc.co.uk/BVV278459/ .
Posted by aTomiK (Member # 6575) on :
I also think that it would pass uncut today. Heard about the THC 2 ban too.
Posted by cindymancini (Member # 679) on :
quote:Originally posted by Valley: "Excuse me Miss, but could I check the security on your back entrance? We've had some prowler reports in the neighborhood."
Hahaha..this made me laugh Valley!
I always enjoyed "What do you got that's fresh?"
I love The Wild Life and it's definitely up there on my list of fantasy DVD/Blu-Ray releases but since Cameron Crowe has pretty much disowned this film as his own, chances are the push & interest to have it see a respectful release are slim to none!
Thing about this movie is, it feels authentic! The characters are all different in their own way & interesting. I thought Eileen was a great choice as one of the lead females because she just looked unique & had a presence all her own.
Chris Penn shines! He's a disaster, inappropriate & immature, but you can't help but like him anyways (smokin' hot in this one too IMO)!
Ilan-Mitchell Smith...oh Wyatt, so good to see you in something else besides Weird Science or the dreary Chocolate War (which I do enjoy from time to time). Loved his bad attitude in this! Great role that had alot of potential!!
Thompson & Stoltz don't disappoint...just like seeing two of your old familiar friends again!
I love this movie! Soundtrack is fun! And Riptide, good call with "Donut City"! It really does sound ALOT like "Turn Me Loose" by Loverboy! I enjoy the tune "In The Metal of The Night" myself.
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all I remember is Stoltz and Ilan Micheal Smith in a house that was trashed am I right? lol
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