(Welcome to Best Actor Ever, an ongoing series where we explore the careers and performances of the greatest performers to ever grace the screen.)
There is not an actor in the history of moving pictures who has been more egregiously taken for granted by her industry than Jennifer Jason Leigh.
Critics have always had her back. The New York Times' Janet Maslin got it from the jump when she singled Leigh out as "the only thing worth seeing" in her film debut "Eyes of a Stranger." The better-than-average 1981 slasher film set the tone for Leigh's career in that she plays a victim. Her character is a blind-deaf mute whose condition was brought on by being kidnapped and raped at an early age. The 19-year-old Leigh projects sweetness and innocence, but this young woman is all serrated edges. Because she isn't just a victim. She's a survivor.
Roger Ebert was also an early admirer of Leigh,...
There is not an actor in the history of moving pictures who has been more egregiously taken for granted by her industry than Jennifer Jason Leigh.
Critics have always had her back. The New York Times' Janet Maslin got it from the jump when she singled Leigh out as "the only thing worth seeing" in her film debut "Eyes of a Stranger." The better-than-average 1981 slasher film set the tone for Leigh's career in that she plays a victim. Her character is a blind-deaf mute whose condition was brought on by being kidnapped and raped at an early age. The 19-year-old Leigh projects sweetness and innocence, but this young woman is all serrated edges. Because she isn't just a victim. She's a survivor.
Roger Ebert was also an early admirer of Leigh,...
- 3/24/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
When something is labeled as "based on a true story," they tend to lean toward epic war heroes, an uplifting sports victory, or the doom and gloom of a gruesome murder. But that isn't always the case -- the likes of "The Farewell," "Van Wilder," and "Almost Famous" are exceptions to the rule. These are all films that are relatively light-hearted and yet were inspired by real life.
Speaking of "Almost Famous," before Cameron Crowe told the semi-autobiographical story of a young journalist traveling with a band and learning about life on the road in the entertainment industry, he penned the seminal coming-of-age teen movie "Fast Times At Ridgemont High." Wanting to put an extra emphasis on the "true" part of this true story, the then-22-year-old music journalist pulled a "Never Been Kissed" -- two decades before that Drew Barrymore-led movie was a thing -- and went undercover...
Speaking of "Almost Famous," before Cameron Crowe told the semi-autobiographical story of a young journalist traveling with a band and learning about life on the road in the entertainment industry, he penned the seminal coming-of-age teen movie "Fast Times At Ridgemont High." Wanting to put an extra emphasis on the "true" part of this true story, the then-22-year-old music journalist pulled a "Never Been Kissed" -- two decades before that Drew Barrymore-led movie was a thing -- and went undercover...
- 2/4/2023
- by Ben F. Silverio
- Slash Film
Click here to read the full article.
Fast Times at Ridgemont High’s ascension to comedy classic was a slow process.
Amy Heckerling, who had only directed student work to that point, was set to helm an MGM project when it was scrapped amid an actors strike. During the hiatus, producer Art Linson introduced her to Cameron Crowe’s 1981 book, Fast Times at Ridgemont High: A True Story, which the young journalist wrote after spending a year undercover as a high school student.
Linson asked Heckerling to direct Crowe’s screenplay, a fictionalization of real students that focused on Stacy Hamilton (Jennifer Jason Leigh), a sophomore navigating social dynamics and early sexual experiences. The comedy launched the careers of future Oscar winners Sean Penn, as lovable stoner Jeff Spicoli, and Forest Whitaker, playing jock Charles Jefferson — not to mention a teenage Nicolas Cage, credited as Nicolas Coppola in a small role for his first film.
Fast Times at Ridgemont High’s ascension to comedy classic was a slow process.
Amy Heckerling, who had only directed student work to that point, was set to helm an MGM project when it was scrapped amid an actors strike. During the hiatus, producer Art Linson introduced her to Cameron Crowe’s 1981 book, Fast Times at Ridgemont High: A True Story, which the young journalist wrote after spending a year undercover as a high school student.
Linson asked Heckerling to direct Crowe’s screenplay, a fictionalization of real students that focused on Stacy Hamilton (Jennifer Jason Leigh), a sophomore navigating social dynamics and early sexual experiences. The comedy launched the careers of future Oscar winners Sean Penn, as lovable stoner Jeff Spicoli, and Forest Whitaker, playing jock Charles Jefferson — not to mention a teenage Nicolas Cage, credited as Nicolas Coppola in a small role for his first film.
- 8/13/2022
- by Ryan Gajewski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
“Learn it. Know it. Live it!” The best-remembered teen comedy of the ’80s is also an insightful and unabashed look at real attitudes, behaviors and motivations of young people learning to deal with adult issues. Beyond the hilarious Sean Penn and the luscious Phoebe Cates lies a talent squad of notables and stars-to-be like Jennifer Jason Leigh, Judge Reinhold and Robert Romanus, with appearances by Amanda Wyss, Forest Whitaker, Eric Stoltz, Nicolas Coppola and Anthony Edwards. The stunning feature directing debut of Amy Heckerling, from Cameron Crowe’s undercover high school exposé, should be acknowledged as a modern classic.
Fast Times at Ridgemont High
Blu-ray
The Criterion Collection 1075
1982 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 89 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date May 11, 2021 / 39.95
Starring: Sean Penn, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Judge Reinhold, Robert Romanus, Brian Backer, Phoebe Cates, Ray Walston, Scott Thomson, Vincent Schiavelli, Amanda Wyss, Forest Whitaker, Kelli Maroney, Eric Stoltz, James Russo,...
Fast Times at Ridgemont High
Blu-ray
The Criterion Collection 1075
1982 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 89 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date May 11, 2021 / 39.95
Starring: Sean Penn, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Judge Reinhold, Robert Romanus, Brian Backer, Phoebe Cates, Ray Walston, Scott Thomson, Vincent Schiavelli, Amanda Wyss, Forest Whitaker, Kelli Maroney, Eric Stoltz, James Russo,...
- 5/29/2021
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
The 1982 world of “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” came to life Thursday night in a fundraising table read that included Brad Pitt, Jennifer Aniston, Jimmy Kimmel, John Legend, Ray Liotta, Julia Roberts, Shia Labeouf, Morgan Freeman and Henry Golding.
The hour-long streaming event took place on the Facebook page for Penn’s nonprofit Core (Community Organized Relief Effort) and LiveXLive as well as criminal justice reform group Reform Alliance. Dane Cook hosted and Freeman narrated the unrehearsed read, which came off with no noticeable fumbles in a dozen key scenes from the coming-of-age dramedy.
Much of the attention paid to the starry event — originally scheduled for a month ago but delayed by “technical difficulties” — focused on Pitt and Aniston performing together, 15 years after their divorce. Pitt voiced Brad Hamilton, played by Judge Reinhold in the film, and Aniston played Phoebe Cates’ Linda Barrett character. The duo re-enacted the movie’s deeply embarrassing swimsuit sequence.
The hour-long streaming event took place on the Facebook page for Penn’s nonprofit Core (Community Organized Relief Effort) and LiveXLive as well as criminal justice reform group Reform Alliance. Dane Cook hosted and Freeman narrated the unrehearsed read, which came off with no noticeable fumbles in a dozen key scenes from the coming-of-age dramedy.
Much of the attention paid to the starry event — originally scheduled for a month ago but delayed by “technical difficulties” — focused on Pitt and Aniston performing together, 15 years after their divorce. Pitt voiced Brad Hamilton, played by Judge Reinhold in the film, and Aniston played Phoebe Cates’ Linda Barrett character. The duo re-enacted the movie’s deeply embarrassing swimsuit sequence.
- 9/18/2020
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
Fans remember”Fast Times at Ridgemont High” for its raunchy humor, loaded soundtrack and clever storyline, but an underlying subplot involving underage sex and abortion often flies under the radar — and that might be a good thing.
According to screenwriter Cameron Crowe, the film’s abortion side-story wouldn’t hold up with a modern audience.
“It would be outrageously controversial, and it would be protested, and there would be a mess over it,” Crowe said during an interview with Yahoo.
The storyline in question follows 15-year-old sophomore Stacy Hamilton (Jennifer Jason Leigh) who starts off the school year as a virgin, only to become impregnated by fellow classmate Mike Damone (Robert Romanus). Following the pregnancy news, Stacy undergoes an abortion, which the film treats with a surprising lack of fanfare — a detail that Crowe attributes to director Amy Heckerling.
“We asked her about the abortion scene, and she said ‘you know what,...
According to screenwriter Cameron Crowe, the film’s abortion side-story wouldn’t hold up with a modern audience.
“It would be outrageously controversial, and it would be protested, and there would be a mess over it,” Crowe said during an interview with Yahoo.
The storyline in question follows 15-year-old sophomore Stacy Hamilton (Jennifer Jason Leigh) who starts off the school year as a virgin, only to become impregnated by fellow classmate Mike Damone (Robert Romanus). Following the pregnancy news, Stacy undergoes an abortion, which the film treats with a surprising lack of fanfare — a detail that Crowe attributes to director Amy Heckerling.
“We asked her about the abortion scene, and she said ‘you know what,...
- 7/26/2019
- by Nate Nickolai
- Variety Film + TV
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