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John Hughes went teen sci fi fantasy and employed a lot of great special effects that still look good some 30 years later.
What I really love about this movie is how much spirit it has. It just goes for it. It defies logic and just goes right into the ultimate teen male fantasy. It seems like every single scene is written well and has some sort of laugh going on in it. Every second feels classic. I remember seeing this back in 1986 on VHS dozens of times, and remembering even then, every scene was classic. The comedy writing from Hughes, and ad-libbing from Anthony Michael Hall is awesome.
Anthony Michael Hall always seemed to be an intelligent and funny adult, even as a teen. Weird Science was literally his physical transition from Farmer Ted into beefcake Johnny B. Goode, and minus a few pounds of lean muscle, he was well on his way. He had an ego in this film, but he wasn't completely arrogant. It allowed him to carry the movie, and really add a great deal of charm to it. One scene, in particular; a blonde girl he's met comments on how Lisa (the computer fantasy woman) has such a nice body. Hall pauses for a moment and replies in an agreeable but almost patronizing tone "she has a good figure". She has a good figure. That's not something a teenager says, but Hall sells it and has this kind of endearing way all over this movie.
Every character in this movie was a treat, including all of the blues bar patrons who sat around with a drunk Gary Wallace and let him wear shades and talk like one of the bluesmen. Riffing on the pains of teenage life. Some people think this scene is racist or inappropriate. I'd have to say in a very exhausted tone "get real". Big eye roll for those who simply cannot grasp this movie. Guess ya had to be there. But anyway, yes. This is among one of the highlights of the film. Gary Wallace drunk and acting a damn fool, but everybody still playing along because, hey, Gary is kind of cool, after all.
There are too many great bits to mention about Weird Science, but I have to say that this picture always seems like a complete dream, just the way it gets its momentum. Complete lack of padding. The editing goes right for the gold, and there is no time to soak much in until the shenanigans are well underway. In other words, the movie becomes maybe a bit more "comforting" once the party starts.
I think this is a silly but great movie, and I'm now 41 years old and cannot see my mind changing about that. It's one of my favorites, and for me to call this a guilty pleasure would be a lie. I have no shame in liking this movie. In fact, I'd make it a point to avoid anyone who thought poorly of it. This is a gauge, this film. It's a social gauge for me.
Weird Science (1985)
Director: John Hughes
Rated: PG-13
Director: John Hughes
Rated: PG-13
John Hughes went teen sci fi fantasy and employed a lot of great special effects that still look good some 30 years later.
What I really love about this movie is how much spirit it has. It just goes for it. It defies logic and just goes right into the ultimate teen male fantasy. It seems like every single scene is written well and has some sort of laugh going on in it. Every second feels classic. I remember seeing this back in 1986 on VHS dozens of times, and remembering even then, every scene was classic. The comedy writing from Hughes, and ad-libbing from Anthony Michael Hall is awesome.
Anthony Michael Hall always seemed to be an intelligent and funny adult, even as a teen. Weird Science was literally his physical transition from Farmer Ted into beefcake Johnny B. Goode, and minus a few pounds of lean muscle, he was well on his way. He had an ego in this film, but he wasn't completely arrogant. It allowed him to carry the movie, and really add a great deal of charm to it. One scene, in particular; a blonde girl he's met comments on how Lisa (the computer fantasy woman) has such a nice body. Hall pauses for a moment and replies in an agreeable but almost patronizing tone "she has a good figure". She has a good figure. That's not something a teenager says, but Hall sells it and has this kind of endearing way all over this movie.
Every character in this movie was a treat, including all of the blues bar patrons who sat around with a drunk Gary Wallace and let him wear shades and talk like one of the bluesmen. Riffing on the pains of teenage life. Some people think this scene is racist or inappropriate. I'd have to say in a very exhausted tone "get real". Big eye roll for those who simply cannot grasp this movie. Guess ya had to be there. But anyway, yes. This is among one of the highlights of the film. Gary Wallace drunk and acting a damn fool, but everybody still playing along because, hey, Gary is kind of cool, after all.
There are too many great bits to mention about Weird Science, but I have to say that this picture always seems like a complete dream, just the way it gets its momentum. Complete lack of padding. The editing goes right for the gold, and there is no time to soak much in until the shenanigans are well underway. In other words, the movie becomes maybe a bit more "comforting" once the party starts.
I think this is a silly but great movie, and I'm now 41 years old and cannot see my mind changing about that. It's one of my favorites, and for me to call this a guilty pleasure would be a lie. I have no shame in liking this movie. In fact, I'd make it a point to avoid anyone who thought poorly of it. This is a gauge, this film. It's a social gauge for me.