Earth Girls Are Easy (1988)

Director:

Julien Temple

Writers:

Julie Brown (writer) &
Charlie Coffey (writer) ...
(more)

Release Date:

12 May 1989 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Music | Romance | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

A recent poll showed that 3 out of 4 aliens believe... Earth Girls Are Easy

Plot:

A spaceship with three furry aliens lands in a California girl's swimming pool, so she makes friends with them.

Plot Keywords:

Alien | Spaceship | Swimming Pool | Adulterous Boyfriend | Cult Favorite

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Geena Davis	...	Valerie
Jeff Goldblum	...	Mac
Jim Carrey	...	Wiploc
Damon Wayans	...	Zeebo
Julie Brown	...	Candy
Michael McKean	...	Woody
Charles Rocket	...	Ted
Larry Linville	...	Dr. Bob
Rick Overton	...	Dr. Rick
Diane Stilwell	...	Robin
June C. Ellis	...	Mrs. Merkin
Felix Montano	...	Ramon
Rick Hurst	...	Joe the Cop (as Richard Hurst)
Leslie Morris	...	Mike the Cop
Lisa Fuller	...	Kikki
Stacey Travis	...	Tammy
Nicole Kramer	...	Missy
Wayne 'Crescendo' Ward	...	Demone
Tita Omeze	...	Tanya
T.C. Diamond	...	Deca Dance Dancer
Victor Garron	...	Deca Dance Valet
Steve Lundquist	...	Body Factory Attendant
Angelyne	...	Gas Girl
Joher Coleman	...	Mini Mart Cashier (as Jory Husain)
Jake Jundef	...	Bryan (as Jake Jundeff)
Susan Krebs	...	Bryan's Mother
Lucy Lee Flippin	...	Receptionist
Gail Neely	...	Head Nurse
Rob Large	...	Boy in Body Cast
Terrence E. McNally	...	Soap Opera Doctor
April Giuffria	...	Soap Opera Nurse
Cristy Dawson	...	Soap Opera Wife
Carol Infield Sender	...	Amy
Helen Infield Siff	...	Mamie
Nedra Volz	...	Lana
Yetta	...	Mrs. Gurtzweiller
Crystal Lujan	...	Butch Girl
Ismael Araujo Jr.	...	Gardener
Kimberly Bond	...	Curl Up and Dye Dancer
Lisa Boyle	...	Curl Up and Dye Dancer (as Lisa D. Boyle)
Myria Moore	...	Curl Up and Dye Dancer
Karen Owens	...	Curl Up and Dye Dancer
Sharon Owens	...	Curl Up and Dye Dancer
Larri Thomas	...	Curl Up and Dye Dancer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Robia LaMorte	...	'I'm a Blonde' Dancer (uncredited)
Durga McBroom	...	Club Dancer, Scrub Nurse (uncredited)
Diz McNally	...	Beauty Shop Owner (uncredited)
Andrea Parker	...	Dancer in Beauty salon (uncredited)
Robby the Robot	...	Robot (uncredited)
Donna Spangler	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
Julien Temple

Writing credits
Julie Brown		(writer) &
Charlie Coffey		(writer) &
Terrence E. McNally		(writer)

Produced by
Tony Garnett	....	producer
Duncan Henderson	....	line producer
Terrence E. McNally	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Nile Rodgers

Cinematography by
Oliver Stapleton

Film Editing by
Richard Halsey

Casting by
Wallis Nicita

Production Design by
Dennis Gassner

Art Direction by
Dins W.W. Danielsen

Set Decoration by
Nancy Haigh

Costume Design by
Linda M. Bass		(as Linda Bass)

Makeup Department
Allan A. Apone	....	special makeup designer
Richard Arrington	....	makeup artist
Lorraine S. Cohen-Bontems	....	hair stylist
Jeff Judd	....	alien makeup designer: Roark Productions
Bernhardt Tamme	....	assistant hair stylist
Tim Turner	....	makeup effects assistant: Roark Production (uncredited)

Production Management
Sue Baden-Powell	....	production manager (as Susan Baden-Powell)
Kimberly Cooper	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
J. Stephen Buck	....	first assistant director
John King	....	second assistant director
Josh King	....	second assistant director
Warren Oliver	....	second second assistant director (as Warren S. Oliver)

Art Department
Libet Arnold	....	art department coordinator
Paige Augustine	....	set dresser
Rick Bioni	....	set dresser
Doug B. Dick	....	construction coordinator (as Douglas Dick)
Andrea Dietrich	....	storyboard artist
Doug DuRose	....	assistant property master
Douglas Fox	....	property master
David Halver	....	special set construction (as D.J. Halver)
Tim R. Lafferty	....	construction foreman (as Tim Lafferty)
Cynthia T. Lewis	....	set dresser (as Cindy Trueman)
David B. Long	....	construction foreman (as Dave Long)
Leslie McDonald	....	associate art director
Andrew D. Reidenbaugh	....	head scenic artist
Chris Snyder	....	construction foreman
Sally Thornton	....	draftsman
Frank Viviano	....	construction coordinator
Chris Santini	....	carpenter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Gary C. Bourgeois	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Gary Bourgeois)
Forrest Brakeman	....	boom operator
Chris Carpenter	....	sound re-recording mixer
Derek Casari	....	dubbing engineer
John Elizalde	....	sound designer (as Jon Elizalde)
Douglas Greenfield	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
Jon Huck	....	production sound mixer (as Jon C. Huck)
Sharon Michaels	....	foley artist
Dean Okrand	....	sound re-recording mixer
Kirk Schuler	....	sound editor
Gary Shepherd	....	dialogue editor
Gail Steele	....	foley artist
William L. Stevenson	....	supervising sound editor (as William Stevenson)
Jerry Trent	....	dance foley
Ben Wong	....	foley editor

Special Effects by
James Kagel	....	aliens designer: Roark Productions (as Jim Kagel)
Dennis Petersen	....	special effects coordinator: Roark Productions

Visual Effects by
Dan Askew	....	motion control photographer: DQI
James Balsam	....	animation camera: DQI
Michael Bigelow	....	visual effects supervisor: DQI
Eric Brevig	....	visual effects supervisor: DQI
Dorne Huebler	....	animation supervisor: DQI
Rick Johnson	....	motion control photographer: DQI
Jeff Matakovich	....	optical supervisor
Tim McHugh	....	visual effects supervisor: DQI
Terry Moews	....	motion control photographer: DQI
Richard Mosier	....	visual effects: Vista Vision & Sodium cameras
George Muhs	....	motion control photographer: DQI
Craig Newman	....	effects production supervisor: DQI
Michelle Porter	....	effects production coordinator: DQI
Jeff Pyle	....	modelmaker
Robert Scifo	....	matte artist: DQI
David B. Sharp	....	model supervisor
Keith Shartle	....	effects producer: DQI
Tom Shaughnessy	....	motion control photographer: DQI
Michael Shea	....	motion control supervisor: DQI
Michael Talarico	....	motion control photographer: DQI
James Valentine	....	rotoscope supervisor
Christopher Dusendschon	....	Vistavision title sequence cinematography: Kenimation (uncredited)
Carlyle O. Livingston II	....	model maker (uncredited)

Stunts
Phil Adams	....	stunts
John Cade	....	stunts
Greg Wayne Elam	....	stunts (as Greg W. Elam)
Corey Michael Eubanks	....	stunt coordinator (as Corey Eubanks)
Clifford Happy	....	stunts
Johnny Hock	....	stunts (as John Hock)
Rosemary Johnston	....	stunts
Carolyn Faye Mattson	....	stunts
John Moio	....	stunts
Carol Neilson	....	stunts
Daniel O'Haco	....	stunts
Jeff O'Haco	....	stunts
J. Suzanne Rampe	....	stunts
Tom Sarmento	....	stunts
Ben Scott	....	stunts
Jerry Spicer	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Wayne Baker	....	camera operator: underwater scenes
J. Patrick Daily	....	key grip
Ricardo Jacques Gale	....	Steadicam operator
Allan Gornick Jr.	....	underwater cinematographer
Jim Grce	....	rigging gaffer
Frieder Hocheim	....	gaffer
Greg Hoffman	....	rigging grip
Lawrence Karman	....	first assistant camera
Michael Kelem	....	gyrosphere assistant camera
Ron Kunecke	....	musco light operator
Chris Lombardi	....	first assistant camera (as Cris Lombardi)
James A. Lundin	....	generator operator (as Jim Lundin)
Jeff Mart	....	Steadicam operator
Randy Nolen	....	Steadicam operator (as Randy Nolan)
Charles 'Chaz' Norcross	....	rigging grip
David B. Nowell	....	gyrosphere camera operator (as David Nowell)
Thom Ryan	....	camera loader (as Tom R. Ryan)
Thom Ryan	....	second assistant camera
Tom Ryan	....	loader
Roger Schweitzer	....	video playback operator
Lorey Sebastian	....	still photographer
S. Phillip Sparks	....	additional camera operator
Roger Spurgeon	....	musco light operator
Rob Sweeney	....	second assistant camera
Gary H. Swink	....	best boy electric
Tom West	....	dolly grip
Eric Whitehead	....	best boy grip
Ken Rudolph	....	photographer: main titles (uncredited)

Animation Department
Jim Shaw	....	animation designer

Casting Department
Crystal Lujan	....	extras casting
Joanne Zaluski	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Fred Lloyd	....	wardrobe supervisor
Peggy Stamper	....	costumer
Eileen Sieff Stroup	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Catherine Best	....	assistant editor
Gary Burritt	....	negative cutter
Dale E. Grahn	....	color timer
Colleen Halsey	....	assistant editor
David Jimenez	....	assistant editor
Angie McCartney	....	post-production secretary
Ruth McCartney	....	post-production assistant
Mitch Rosa	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Peter Afterman	....	music supervisor
Martin Blasick	....	music producer: "Cheetah Shuffle"
Martin Blasick	....	music writer: "Cheetah Shuffle"
Sally Boldt	....	music editor
Chaz Jankel	....	composer: additional music
Kenneth Karman	....	supervising music editor (as Kenneth A. Karman)
Wendy J. Plump	....	assistant music editor
David Storrs	....	composer: additional music
Budd Tunick	....	musical production coordinator
Diane DeLouise Wessel	....	assistant music supervisor
Rick Winquest	....	music recording mixer
Wayne Karr	....	music engineer: songs (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Russell McEntyre	....	transportation coordinator
Anthony C. Steere	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Buz Brown	....	aerial ground safety
Helen Caldwell	....	script supervisor
Craig Caton	....	creature crew
Bundy Chanock	....	set medic
Kathie Clark	....	aliens designer: Roark Productions
Robert Clark	....	aliens designer: Roark Productions (as Bob Clark)
Russell Clark	....	choreographer
Nina Correa	....	aliens designer: Roark Productions
Sarah Elgart	....	choreographer
Daniel Ezralow	....	choreographer
Jamie Hampton	....	choreographer
Iso	....	choreographer
Stacy Ivers	....	unit publicist
Karen Altman Morgenstern	....	production coordinator
Donald A. Potts	....	location manager
Wendy Ripley	....	aliens designer: Roark Productions
Ashley Roland	....	choreographer
Morleigh Steinberg	....	choreographer
Wayne 'Crescendo' Ward	....	choreographer
Gaston Wurth	....	stand-in
Robert 'Bobby Z' Zajonc	....	helicopter pilot (as Robert M. Zajonc)
Steve Clayton	....	set security (uncredited)

Production Companies

• De Laurentiis Entertainment Group (DEG)
• Earth Girls
• Kestrel Films

Distributors

• Vestron Pictures (1989) (USA) (theatrical)
• Cineplex Odeon Films (1988) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Artisan Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Astro Distribution (2003) (Germany) (DVD)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Fox Network (1990) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Image Entertainment (1990) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Live Home Video (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Live Home Video (1999) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Maple Pictures (2007) (Canada) (DVD)
• Top Tape (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Vestron Video (1999) (USA) (VHS)
• Vestron Video (19??) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)

Special Effects

• Dream Quest Images (special visual effects)
• Roark Productions (aliens design)
• Image Engineering (special mechanical fabrication and miniatures)
• Makeup Effects Laboratories

Other Companies

• Animal Rentals Unlimited  animal wranglers
• Chapple Design  dvd menu design and fx
• Cherokee Studios  music recorded at
• Comufx  sound design
• Lee Film Design  animated title sequence
• Mark Baron Company, The  global marketing
• Molto Bene Catering Co.  catering
• Mythic Image  dvd production
• Offbeat Systems  streamline scoring systems by
• Pacific Title  titles and opticals
• Preston Camera Systems  gyrosphere provided by
• Sequoia Illumination  grip and electrical equipment
• Serrurier & Associates  spaceship construction
• The Loopies  adr voice consultants

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:12 (video rating) | Iceland:L | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Finland:K-10 | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Griffith Park - 4730 Crystal Springs Drive, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

De Laurentiis Entertainment Group (DEG)

Trivia:

Madonna, Daryl Hannah, Elisabeth Shue, Justine Bateman and Molly Ringwald were each offered the role of Valerie, but all of them turned down the part.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Valerie, Candy and the aliens stop at the club, there is bag of fast-food on the dashboard that wasn't there before.

Quotes:

Valerie: As if things weren't bad enough, now I've been abducted by aliens.

Movie Connections:

References Star Wars (1977)

Soundtrack:

CAUSE I'M A BLOND

The Jeff & Geena Trilogy

Former real life Hollywood couple Jeff Goldblum & Geena Davis made 3 films together, two of them comedies, one of them serious. The first film, also the film where they met, was the horror movie spoof "Transylvania 6-5000" (which I keep looking for but can't seem to find), in which Jeff played a reporter sent to Transylvania to follow a story with partner Ed Begley Jr. and Geena played a sex starved nymph who was convinced she was a vampire. The 2nd one they did and also the only serious one was the 1986 remake of "The Fly", in which Jeff played a good natured but lonely mad scientist who turned into a giant fly monster (that looked nothing like a fly and something more like a killer praying mantis) and Geena played his journalist lover. Then after boldly going where no Hollywood couple had ever gone before in said remake of "The Fly", they returned to light hearted comedy with our film here "Earth Girls Are Easy".

I've often theorized that the reason celebrity couples do films together is because it gives them a chance to spend time together and work together (seeing as how the hectic Hollywood schedule tends to keep people apart for long periods of time) and because studios can cash in on the respective fan bases of both stars. Well, for what it's worth this is a hell of a lot more fun to watch than most celebrity couple films.

Anyway, in this their third and final film together, Geena plays a beautiful but romantically unhappy manicurist Valley Girl who's doctor boyfriend Ted is cheating on her and Jeff plays the blue furred ringleader of three furry aliens, the other two being yellow furred Damon Wayans and pre-movie stardom red furred Jim Carrey (with his hair dyed blond!). Furry aliens Jeff, Jim and Damon crash land in Geena's pool the day after Geena discovers how unfaithful Ted's been and the sight of them understandably throws her for a loop. With their ship down for repairs the boys will have to stay with Geena and, doing her part for interplanetary relations, takes them to her ditzy manicurist cohort Candy (Julie Brown, who also helped write the film) to give the guys make overs so they can pass for Earthlings. Guess what? Geena eventually falls in love with Captain Jeff.

In an unrelated subplot that never quite went anywhere, Julie Brown's character fell for Jim Carrey's alien. Watching this back when it was made, who would have guessed that Jim Carrey would eventually go on to become one of Hollywood's biggest comedic stars and possess a career that would overshadow stars Jeff Goldblum and Geena Davis?

May not be brilliant comedy but like so many other comedies of the 80s this is still a reasonably funny, good natured romp with the cast making the most of it. Geena's easy to like and Jeff's a good straight man to the wild antics of Jim and Damon, who both appear to be having a good time as the nuttier aliens. I don't know why people keep saying bad things about Jeff's performance here, as his quirky style makes him an ideal alien stranger in a strange land and manages some of the film's best bits, like when he uses his "love touch" to get two cops stuck on each other. There's also a funny scene where Jeff offers to make love to Geena to make her feel better about herself and get her mind off her cheating boyfriend and she tries to explain that them making love might not work on account of the fact that he's not of the Earth so not everything may work the same way and the whole time he's undressing off camera and then she gets a look at him and his "equipment" and just sort of trails off. Of course, she has to make sure he doesn't get the impression that "Earth Girls Are Easy".

Bit of a shame that Jeff & Geena's marriage didn't work out.

There are also some funny musical bits.

"Mac is Mr. Right?" - Jeff Goldblum as Mac