Monday, July 26, 2010

Now Playing: September 3, 1982

Can you imagine movies like Chan is Missing and Gregory's Girl enjoying their "4th Big Month" in August 2010?

I've posted from this set before, but I suppose based on some of the comments, I should offer a reprise:

8 comments:

Mr. Peel aka Peter Avellino said...

Considering the date it looks like Universal was basically dumping FAST TIMES into the New York market. I'm pretty sure it had already opened elsewhere, like California, several weeks earlier.

Ned Merrill said...

That's accurate, Peel. It had opened in CA earlier in the summer, early August, I believe. Universal's distaste for this film has been well-documented on the FAST TIMES DVD supplements as well as the E! TRUE HOLLYWOOD STORY episode on the film. Certain execs felt like it would only play in Southern CA where the film's lingo would be understood, but would leave other audiences baffled and/or offended.

Unknown said...

That's hilarious about FAST TIMES! Of course, time has proven the studio horribly wrong as the film has gone on to become a beloved classic.

Ned Merrill said...

The film was pretty successful right away, in theaters and then on cable and home video (albeit largely re-scored) so it didn't take long for Universal to eat crow and try to entice Penn with offers of a Spicoli-centric sequel--"Spicoli Goes to Hawaii" or some such nonsense...I could believe Penn using such studio correspondence to roll a cigarette or as toilet paper.

Dennis Cozzalio said...

Meet BRIAN BACKER!!!! Whoa! (And who's that chick with him?)

Ned Merrill said...

The chick? Who knows, but an interweb search turned up some halfway decent pictures...

Ty said...

Awesome find! Today movies come out and then they leave in a week.

Ned Merrill said...

Ty,

Yes, I love these original ad mats...makes it easy to know what dates to program into one's figurative DeLorean time machine.