Foxes (1980)

User Rating:

6.0/10   

Director:

Adrian Lyne

Writer:

Gerald Ayres (written by)

Release Date:

29 February 1980 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Daring To Do It!

Plot:

A group of friends come of age in the asphalt desert of the San Fernando Valley set to a blazing soundtrack and endless drinking, drugs and sex.

Plot Keywords:

Drugs | Overweight | Teenager | Teenage Girl | Wedding

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Jodie Foster	...	Jeanie
Cherie Currie	...	Annie
Marilyn Kagan	...	Madge
Kandice Stroh	...	Deirdre
Scott Baio	...	Brad
Sally Kellerman	...	Mary
Randy Quaid	...	Jay
Lois Smith	...	Mrs. Axman
Adam Faith	...	Bryan
Sloan Roberts	...	Loser (as Jon Sloan)
Jill Barrie Bogart	...	Sissie
Wayne Storm	...	Frank
Mary Margaret Lewis	...	Gladys
Grant Wilson	...	Greg
Fredric Lehne	...	Bobby

Also Known As:

Twentieth Century Foxes (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Australia:M | Sweden:15 | UK:15 (video rating) (1986) | UK:AA (original rating) | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Casablanca Filmworks

Trivia:

The original title was "20th Century Foxes" but was shortened to "Foxes" to avoid a lawsuit from film studio 20th Century Fox.

Goofs:

Continuity: Brad's hair changes during shots, while riding home with the girls after the Angel concert.

Quotes:

[closing narration]
Jeanie: Back in the heavy stoned days, when we used to stay up and talk a lot, Annie and me, we were talking about dying, how it feels and all. I said I'd never get buried. I couldn't stand them shoveling dirt in my face. Like, I know I'd be dead, but I still might have this strong compulsion to breathe...

Movie Connections:

Featured in "The Directors: The Films of Adrian Lyne" (????)

Soundtrack:

More Than A Feeling

Pretty accurate

Story about four teenage girls growing up in California. Jeanie (Jodie Foster) is the most level-headed of the bunch--but wants to move out of her house where she lives with her divorced mother (Sally Kellerman). Annie (Cherie Currie) is addicted to drugs, alcohol and bad boys and is beaten up by her father. Madge (Marilyn Kagan) has overprotective parents. Deirde (Kandice Stroh) thinks she's more mature than the rest of them.

This is nothing new from what we've seen plenty of times before--but this one has one big difference--it's accurate. I graduated from high school in 1980 (when I first saw the film) and I was surprised at how realistic it was. They got the dialogue, clothes and attitudes down completely right. Even the main song of the movie ("On the Radio" by Donna Summer) was a big hit before this came out. This film hit me harder than any other teen film of the time because I could understand and relate to the characters. I knew girls in high school who were just like this! The film is (of course) dated but it captures a time we will never see again.

The acting is good on all counts with Foster giving the best performance. The relationship between her and Kellerman (who was excellent) was realistic and well-done. Even Scott Baio (who has a small role as a friend of the girls) more or less realistically played a teen boy.

A very good movie--essential viewing if you came of age in 1980. The film has a deserved R rating (plenty of drug use and swearing) but should be seen by all teens. I give it a 8.