Porky's (1981)
Trivia
Writer/director Bob Clark gathered material for the movie over a 15 year period. The story is composite of incidents collected from the males of his generation along with some of his own personal memories from growing up in high school.
The picture was a box-office smash hit despite being generally lambasted by film critics. For example, Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert called it one of the worst films of 1982.
This was the highest-grossing movie from Canada for 24 years. As of 2010, it is now third highest, having been beaten by Bon Cop Bad Cop (2006) and Resident Evil: Afterlife (2010).
In 1982, Porky's (1981) was the top movie in the USA for eight weeks and was second only to the sixteen weeks that Steven Spielberg's E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) held the No. #1 box-office spot.
Bob Clark stated in the 2006 DVD commentary that he used his real-life high school and college experience as the basis for various characters, and compares himself closest to Pee Wee, Billy and Tommy (the brains); others characters were based in real life friends or people he went to school and college with.
According to the '80s Rewind' website, the studio did not want to make A Christmas Story (1983) but allowed it, so Bob Clark would make the sequel Porky's II: The Next Day (1983).
For many years Howard Stern tried to produce a reboot of the film but was not able to find a studio to back him. He had the blessing of Bob Clark.
This is the first movie to gross over £1 million at the Irish box office, despite having being banned initially and only released after appeal.
Originally given an 'X' rating by the MPAA and required two major revisions before it was assured an 'R' rating.
The real name of Pee Wee (Dan Monahan) was given at the beginning - it's Edward Morris.
Chuck Mitchell wasn't the only one considered for the role of "Porky". Broward county sheriff's Deputy Don Lydanne, who was also the personal Bodyguard of the Sheriff of Broward County Ken Jenne, stood at 6'8 and 320 lbs. However, he was turned down for the role due to his "slimmer" physique and lack of a huge stomach.
Actors Alex Karras and Susan Clark are married, and have worked together on numerous productions. This film is the second one about teen misfits in Miami they worked on together that year. The first was Nobody's Perfekt (1981).
This American-looking movie was produced by a Canadian outfit, Astral Bellevue Pathe Inc., and was essentially a Canadian production despite being financed by American company Melvin Simon Productions and entirely shot in Florida.
Initially banned in Ireland but was re-rated 16 on appeal, despite a higher 18 rating being available at the time.
Actor Scott Colomby was in his late 20s when he played teenager Brian Schwartz.
According to 'Time Out', the movie was "The National Lampoon's Animal House (1978) of 1982" and shifted "the American Graffiti (1973) formula to a '50s Florida".
Included among the American Film Institute's 2000 list of the 500 movies nominated for the Top 100 Funniest American Movies.
Director Bob Clark and actress Kim Cattrall had previously worked together on Tribute (1980). Porky's (1981) was the second of four collaborations, the others being Turk 182 (1985) and Baby Geniuses (1999).
Brian Schwartz had a 1953 Jaguar XK 120. This model was produced from 1949 to 1954 and had a six cylinder engine with a top speed of 122 mph.
Director Bob Clark brought back two actors, Art Hindle and Doug McGrath, from one of his previous films Black Christmas (1974). Art Hindle also briefly appeared in the sequel, Porky's II: The Next Day.
Actor Dan Monahan, who played Pee Wee, later worked with director Bob Clark again on Baby Geniuses (1999), From the Hip (1987) and Porky's II: The Next Day (1983).
First of two "Porky's" movies directed by Bob Clark who directed the picture's sequel Porky's II: The Next Day (1983) the following year. Clark did not want to direct a third film in the series so he did not direct Porky's Revenge (1985).
The name of the top-floor secret-room at Porky's bar and club was "Porky's Pen". The room however is only ever referred to in the film's story and is never actually seen in the movie.
A few shots of scenes from this movie are played during the opening credits of this film's sequel Porky's II: The Next Day (1983).
The $10 that the black man was paid to scare off the naked men (pretending to be Cherry Forever's "husband") comes out to $95.16 in 2019.
The meaning and relevance of this film's "Porky's" title was explained by 'Halliwells' who explicated that the "title refers to a redneck establishment out in the everglades known for its available women".
