Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)

A group of Southern California high school students are enjoying their most important subjects: sex, drugs, and rock n' roll.

Director:

Amy Heckerling

Writers:

Cameron Crowe (screenplay), Cameron Crowe (book)

Stars:

Sean Penn, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Judge Reinhold

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sean Penn	...	Jeff Spicoli
Jennifer Jason Leigh	...	Stacy Hamilton
Judge Reinhold	...	Brad Hamilton
Robert Romanus	...	Mike Damone
Brian Backer	...	Mark 'Rat' Ratner
Phoebe Cates	...	Linda Barrett
Ray Walston	...	Mr. Hand
Scott Thomson	...	Arnold
Vincent Schiavelli	...	Mr. Vargas
Amanda Wyss	...	Lisa
D.W. Brown	...	Ron Johnson
Forest Whitaker	...	Charles Jefferson
Kelli Maroney	...	Cindy
Tom Nolan	...	Dennis Taylor
Blair Tefkin	...	Pat Bernardo (as Blair Ashleigh)

Storyline

Follows a group of high school students growing up in southern California, based on the real-life adventures chronicled by Cameron Crowe. Stacy Hamilton and Mark Ratner are looking for a love interest, and are helped along by their older classmates, Linda Barrett and Mike Damone, respectively. The center of the film is held by Jeff Spicoli, a perpetually stoned surfer dude who faces off with the resolute Mr. Hand, who is convinced that everyone is on dope.

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Plot Keywords:

high school | females talking about sex | female nudity | caught masturbating | title directed by female | 

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Taglines:

Fast Cars, Fast Girls, Fast Carrots...Fast Carrots?

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 August 1982 (USA)

Also Known As:

Fast Times

Filming Locations:

Van Nuys Blvd & Vose St, Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$4,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$2,545,674, 15 August 1982, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$27,092,880

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures, Refugee Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Stuart Cornfield went to film school with Amy Heckerling.

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Goofs

During the robbery, the robber shoves a box of green-packaged mints onto the counter by the safe. These disappear in the next frame that shows the safe counter.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Perry's Pizza Waitress: Linda, Linda, there he is. There's that guy from the stereo store. Don't you think he looks like Richard Gere?
Linda Barrett: Did you see his cute little butt?

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Crazy Credits

Cruising Vessel......Sheldon

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Alternate Versions

Early VHS releases had the majority of the original music replaced with generic sound-alikes.

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Connections

Features Space Invaders (1978)

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Soundtracks

Don't Be Lonely
Performed by Quarterflash
Written by Marv Ross
Courtesy of Geffen Records

User Reviews

Quite the time

Almost 22 years after it's release – this movie still remains to be great. Amy Heckerling gave us another hit in the 90's – Clueless – so it's no doubt that this too has become a cult classic.

This movie being a high school movie evolving around teenagers, though made in the 80's, contained all the elements that a horny teenage movie would have – topless women, pot smoking, masturbation, cheating on tests, virginity losing and all that sex talk and quite obviously teen pregnancy!!! However they were not extensively used unnecessarily with the intention to make people laugh – they were used at the right time and were very funny.

Sean Penn was excellent – that was quite the performance as Jeff Spicoli – especially now considering he is an Oscar winner – that's quite the long road he has traveled.

This was a great teenager movie – and for people who just love high school movies – this movie should next on their lit.