The Task: Watch and write about every movie on my shelf, in order (Blu-rays are sorted after DVDs), by June 10, 2015. Remaining movies: 144 Days to go: 97
Movie #294: Wayne’s World
As far as striking while the iron is hot goes, Wayne’s World maybe takes the cake. This silly little SNL skit from a post-Weekend Update time slot, that became a pop culture phenomenon among teens, took advantage of its popularity and released a movie (filmed in 34 days, because fame is fickle) at its height. It was a huge success, reeling in the eighth highest box office of the year and earning itself a far less satisfying sequel. It’s full of lines and references that still get quoted, and it still holds up really well as just a very funny film, but maybe it’s most underrated impact was on the popular music of the day.
Two months before Wayne’s World came out in theaters, the year-end top 100 songs of 1991 featured TWO SONGS BY COLOR ME BADD IN THE TOP TWENTY. There are also multiple songs by Bryan Adams, Michael Bolton, Mariah Carey, Paula Abdul, Roxette and C+C Music Factory. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing — these are my teen years and I listened to and loved all (or most) of these songs. But Wayne’s World came out and suddenly kids in high school were rocking out to music from the ’70s — wildly different stuff than was popular at the time. “Foxy Lady” came out in 1970. “Ballroom Blitz” came out in 1974. “Dreamweaver” came out in 1975. And I don’t know a single person who didn’t loudly sing along and headbang to “Bohemian Rhapsody” in their car in 1992, even though it was a glam rock song from 1975. Which is probably why it ended the year in the Top 40. Yes, 1992 was also the year of “Baby Got Back” and “Achy Breaky Heart,” so it’s not like popular music became less goofy — honestly “Bohemian Rhapsody” probably pushes it far into “more goofy” — but the landscape definitely changed.
The music is also important to the movie because the band Crucial Taunt, fronted by Cassandra (robo-babe Tia Carrere), really does wail. I mean, I could listen to her scream sing for hours on end. She’s great.
GRATUITOUS SEX SCENE. (“Excellent.”)
I could probably go on about every single funny line in this movie for a while, but we don’t really have time for all that. Suffice it to say it’s funny as hell, with lots of silliness and lots of laugh-out-loud moments and lots of clever little jabs or winks. I love it all. And anyone who’s ever made or laughed at a foreign language translation joke in which a two-syllable response converts to a full paragraph of text, or vice versa, loves Wayne’s World too. But what I’m maybe most impressed by, in terms of committing to a comedic idea, is that a guy is introduced as Old Man Withers very early in the film for the sole purpose of a Scooby-Doo alternate ending. That’s fucking fantastic, I don’t care what anybody else says.
It’s also pretty impressive that Wayne (Mike Myers) can be goofy and sweet and fun but he also has a moment of true dickishness in his fight with Cassandra, which, honestly, most comedies are hesitant to do. Sure, he redeems himself pretty quickly, but that’s a bold move for such a seemingly frivolous flick. Likewise, I adore Garth (Dana Carvey) for his meekness but also his mental acuity, his willingness to stand up to Wayne, and his eventual wooing of his dream woman (Donna Dixon). Mostly, though, I like how Rob Lowe (a robo-babe in his own right, let’s be honest) shows up as the slimy, underhanded Benjamin. (“If Benjamin were an ice cream flavor, he’d be pralines and dick.”) He gets a full-body cavity search and has the walk to prove it, he speaks douchey Cantonese (“I’d like the cream of some young guy.”), he has a dick that can be mistaken for a snake (no doubt why he gets Cassandra in the super awful bad ending), and he even uses the word “litrally” just like his Parks & Recreation character Chris Traeger. (And considering I’m still feeling bittersweet over the series finale of that show, his “litrally” couldn’t have been more welcome today.)
(He doesn’t blow goats, though. I have proof.)
Add a psycho hose beast (Lara Flynn Boyle), and you kind of have a perfect comedy. (No way? Way.)
Viable Option 