Wayne's World (1992)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Penelope Spheeris

Writers (WGA):

Mike Myers (characters)
Mike Myers (written by) ...

Release Date:

14 February 1992 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Music

Tagline:

You'll laugh. You'll cry. You'll hurl.

Plot:

Two slacker friends try to promote their public-access cable show.

Plot Keywords:

Heavy Metal | Public Access | Basement | Dog | Concert

Awards:

3 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Mike Myers	...	Wayne Campbell
Dana Carvey	...	Garth Algar
Rob Lowe	...	Benjamin Kane
Tia Carrere	...	Cassandra
Brian Doyle-Murray	...	Noah Vanderhoff
Lara Flynn Boyle	...	Stacy
Michael DeLuise	...	Alan
Dan Bell	...	Neil
Lee Tergesen	...	Terry
Kurt Fuller	...	Russell Finley
Sean Sullivan	...	Phil (as Sean Gregory Sullivan)
Colleen Camp	...	Mrs. Vanderhoff
Donna Dixon	...	Dreamwoman
Frederick Coffin	...	Officer Koharski
Mike Hagerty	...	Davy (as Michael G. Hagerty)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sex related dialogue

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Cantonese

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:PG (Nova Scotia) (re-rating) (1994) | Iceland:L | South Korea:12 | Australia:PG | Canada:G (Nova Scotia) (original rating) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | Finland:S | Germany:12 | Ireland:PG | Netherlands:AL | New Zealand:PG | Singapore:PG | Spain:13 | Sweden:7 | UK:PG | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Aurora, Illinois, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

The movie was shot in 34 days.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Wayne gets pulled over by the cop, the cop is seen (in the mirror) removing his glasses and helmet. When he shows Wayne the picture, the glasses disappear from his left hand. But in the far-away shot when Wayne is zooming away, the glasses are back in his left hand and the picture disappeared.

Quotes:

[first lines]
[in bed, flipping through tv commercials]
Elyse: It's really good seeing you, Benjamin. You haven't been into Shakey's for so long.
Benjamin: Well, I've been real busy.

Movie Connections:

References The Beast of the Yellow Night (1971)

Soundtrack:

STRING QUARTET IN G, OPUS 54, NO.1 - THIRD MOVEMENT

kids go mental

Penelope Spheeris (also of the Decline of Western Civilization Series and Suburbia) was chosen as the director of Mike Myers and Dana Carvey's SNL creation. This is the film that catapulted both comedians' careers into the stratosphere. 1992 is an interesting time in alternative rock history between the peak of grunge in 1991, and the coming crest of the "punk revival" in 1994 with Green Day, Offspring and Rancid. Wayne's World reveled in this new "alternative rock," music a concept which was at the time much more flexible than it is now. Rife with irony, alternative rock was eventually the name given to the music that blended aspects of rock, metal, punk, pop, and eclectic "weirdness." While Wayne is the more metal half of the excellent duo, Garth is the grunge/nerd/"punk" side of the equation.

Heavy metal rock and roll fandom provides the backdrop for a non-stop train wreck of social satire. Only in 1992; and only in Meyer's and Carvey's comedic genius could Aurora, Illinois ever seem so cool. Wayne's World, in the film's plot, is the name of a Cable Access television show (dare I say "DIY") hosted by Wayne Campbell and Garth Algar. Rob Lowe plays Benjamin, an advertising scout/producer who is looking for talent to promote a chain of video game arcade stores. He finds his muse in the low-brow witticism, promptly signs the boys, and sets them up in a proper television studio. A battle ensues between Ben and Wayne for the affection of one way-hot Cassandra (Tia Carrere) who is easily lured away from Wayne at the first flourish of Benjamin's bountiful extravagance. Wayne and Garth's plans to win back Cassandra culminate in the film's tripartite finale.

"...with an underlying revisionist's conceit that belied the film's emotional attachments to the subject matter..." the film was truly entertaining, whimsical, and relevant. And to reassure Garth; No, it did not suck.