Fast Times at Ridgemont High is a 1982 American coming-of-age comedy-drama film directed by Amy Heckerling in her feature directorial debut. The screenplay was written by Cameron Crowe, based on his 1981 book Fast Times at Ridgemont High: A True Story, and the film stars Sean Penn, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Judge Reinhold, Phoebe Cates, Brian Backer, Robert Romanus, and Ray Walston. Crowe went undercover as a student at Clairemont High School in San Diego and wrote about his experiences.
The film chronicles a school year in the lives of underclassmen Stacy Hamilton and Mark Ratner, and their older friends Linda Barrett and Mike Damone, both of whom believe themselves wiser in the ways of romance than their younger counterparts. The ensemble cast of characters form two subplots with Jeff Spicoli, a perpetually stoned surfer facing off against history teacher Mr. Hand; and Stacy's older brother Brad, a popular senior who works in entry-level jobs to pay for his car and ponders ending his two-year relationship with his girlfriend Lisa.
In addition to Penn, Reinhold, Cates, and Leigh, the film marks early appearances by several actors who later became stars, including Nicolas Cage, Eric Stoltz, Forest Whitaker, and Anthony Edwards (the first two in their feature-film debuts).
Fast Times at Ridgemont High was released by Universal Pictures on August 13, 1982. The film received positive reviews from critics and was a box office success. In 2005, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
Plot
In the San Fernando Valley, popular Ridgemont High student Brad Hamilton has a job at All-American Burger, his 1960 Buick is almost paid off, and he plans to break up with his girlfriend Lisa to fully enjoy his senior year. Brad's sister Stacy is a 15-year-old freshman, working at Perry's Pizza at Ridgemont Mall alongside her senior friend Linda Barrett. Stacy envies Linda's supposed sexual experience, so Linda—who claims to be engaged to college-student Doug—gives her pointers. Smooth-talker Mike Damone fancies himself a worldly ladies' man, earns money taking sports bets and scalping concert tickets. Mark "Rat" Ratner, Damone's best friend, is an usher at the movie theater across from Perry's Pizza. Stoner Jeff Spicoli is a slacker who lives only for surfing and getting high. On the first day of class, he clashes with history teacher Mr. Hand by arriving late for class. Mr. Hand attempts to get Spicoli to take his studies more seriously.
At Perry's Pizza, 26-year-old stereo salesman Ron Johnson asks Stacy for a date. She lies about her age and ends up losing her virginity to him in a baseball field dugout. Ron sends her flowers the next day, but soon disappears.
When Rat meets Stacy in a biology class taught by Mr. Vargas, he is smitten, and takes her on a date. Stacy invites Rat into her bedroom after the date, but he nervously makes up an excuse and leaves before they get beyond kissing. She takes his shyness as lack of interest. Linda suggests that she forget him.
Brad is fired after arguing with a customer. He seeks Lisa's support during a pep rally, but she instead breaks up with him. He gets a new job at Captain Hook Fish & Chips.
Spicoli accidentally wrecks the Camaro of Ridgemont star football player Charles Jefferson while driving Jefferson's younger brother to a party. Spicoli makes it seem like Lincoln High School fans destroyed Jefferson's car, inspiring Jefferson to make numerous brutal tackles in the game against Lincoln, blowing them out 42–0.
Rat and Damone join Stacy and Linda after school in the Hamiltons' pool, as Brad masturbates in the bathroom while imagining Linda undressing, only to get caught when Linda accidentally walks in.
Stacy rebounds from Rat with Damone by inviting him over to go swimming. The two have sex in the Hamiltons' pool house and Damone ejaculates prematurely and immediately leaves. Embarrassed, he avoids her at school, though Stacy has no idea why.
Brad quits his new job due to people constantly mocking his pirate uniform. When Stacy informs Damone he has gotten her pregnant, she asks him to help finance an abortion and take her to a clinic. Unable to come up with his half, he blows her off. Stacy asks Brad to drive her, supposedly to go bowling with friends, but he watches her enter the abortion clinic. Afterwards, Brad reveals that he knows the truth. He promises not to tell their parents, but she does not divulge who impregnated her. Stacy instead tells Linda, who in revenge spray-paints "Prick" on Damone's car and school locker. After hearing about it, Rat angrily confronts Damone about his involvement with Stacy and they nearly get into a fist fight in the school locker room.
On the evening of the last dance of the year, Mr. Hand forces Spicoli to endure a lengthy history lecture to make up for the hours of class time he had wasted until he is satisfied Spicoli has learned his lesson. Rat and Damone make peace. Stacy comforts Linda when she receives a breakup letter from her supposed fiancé Doug.
Stacy later professes feelings for Rat. At Brad's new job at Mi-T-Mart, he foils an armed robbery with help from Spicoli who inadvertently distracts the robber.
A postscript reveals that Brad was promoted to manager of Mi-T-Mart. Damone got busted for scalping Ozzy Osbourne tickets and is now working at a 7-Eleven. Mr. Vargas switched back to coffee. Linda attended college in Riverside and started living with her abnormal psychology professor. Rat and Stacy have a passionate love affair, but have not yet gone all the way. Mr. Hand believes that everyone is on dope. Spicoli saves Brooke Shields from drowning and blows the reward money hiring Van Halen to play his birthday party.
Cast
Other minor appearances include: Anthony Edwards as one of Spicoli's stoner buds Pamela Springsteen as Dina Phillips Stuart Cornfeld as the Pirate King, the proprietor of "Captain Hook's Fish & Chips" Michael Wyle as one of Brad's Buds Sonny Carl Davis as an obnoxious customer who argues with Brad about his order, leading to Brad getting fired David E. Price as Desmond Patrick Brennan as Curtis Spicoli, Jeff's younger brother. Stu Nahan as himself Duane Tucker as Dr. Brandt Martin Brest as Dr. Miller Taylor Negron as the pizza deliveryman from the "Pizza Guy" restaurant who crashes Mr. Hand's class Nancy Wilson as a "Beautiful Girl In Car" who laughs at Brad's pirate costume Ellen Fenwick as Brad and Stacy's mother Lana Clarkson as Mrs. Vargas, wife of the science teacher Roy Holmer Wallac as a Mall Santa Claus Jason Bernard as the gym teacher (uncredited) Hallie Todd as Carrie Fraser (uncredited), a friend of Linda
Production Writing and development The film is adapted from a book Cameron Crowe wrote after spending a year at Clairemont High School in San Diego, California. He went undercover to do research for his 1981 book, Fast Times at Ridgemont High: A True Story, about his observations of the high school and the students that he befriended there, including then-student Andy Rathbone, on whom the character Mark "Rat" Ratner was modeled.
Universal executives recommended David Lynch as a director, and Crowe met with Lynch. Though Lynch liked the idea, he passed on directing. Producer Art Linson showed Crowe's script to Amy Heckerling, who at that point had directed only student films. Heckerling then met with Crowe, and the two began brainstorming different ideas for the film. Heckerling thought the book "had just such an amazing wealth of material" that could be incorporated more into the script." She liked how much of the book's action is centered on a mall, and suggested featuring the mall setting even more prominently in the film. Said Crowe, "Amy completely got it and we were up and running."
Casting Nicolas Cage made his feature-film debut, portraying an unnamed co-worker of Brad's at All-American Burger, credited as "Nicolas Coppola". Cage originally auditioned for the role of Brad Hamilton, but he was not cast due to his age. It was also the film debut for Eric Stoltz and provided early roles for Anthony Edwards and Forest Whitaker. Crowe's future wife, Nancy Wilson of Heart, has a cameo as the "Beautiful Girl in Car" who laughs at Brad in his Captain Hook uniform during a traffic-light stop.
Tom Hanks was considered for the role of Brad Hamilton. Justine Bateman was offered the role of Linda Barrett, but she turned it down to star in Family Ties. Matthew Broderick was offered the role of Jeff Spicoli, but he turned it down. Jodie Foster was considered for the role of Stacy Hamilton. Ally Sheedy, Meg Tilly, and Ralph Macchio also auditioned for roles but were not cast. Fred Gwynne was offered the role of Mr. Hand, but turned it down, as he felt that the script had "too much nasty stuff". In a scene in Spicoli's dream where he was originally going to be on The Tonight Show, Johnny Carson passed on a cameo appearance, as did Tom Snyder. Jennifer Jason Leigh stated that she prepared for the role of Stacy by rereading her own high school diaries and letters, as well as taking a job at the Sherman Oaks Galleria Perry's Pizza restaurant for three weeks.
Filming Mall scenes were filmed at the Sherman Oaks Galleria after hours. Principal photography began on November 2, 1981, and lasted for a total of 8 weeks. Scenes at Ridgemont High School were filmed at Van Nuys High School.
Universal test-screened an early cut of the film in Orange County, California. Heckerling said feedback from audiences and the studio was worrying because "people were like, 'We teenagers are not like that,' 'You think all we care about is sex and drugs,' and blah, blah, blah. And we were worried that we would have to cut out a lot of stuff." However, producer Art Linson, who maintained that conservative audiences in Orange County were not the film's target audience, ensured that no major cuts or edits were made.
Soundtrack
The soundtrack album Fast Times at Ridgemont High: Music from the Motion Picture was released by Elektra Records on July 30, 1982. It peaked at #54 on the US Billboard 200 album chart. The soundtrack features the work of many quintessential 1980s rock artists.
Several of the movie's songs were released as singles, including Jackson Browne's "Somebody's Baby", which reached #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. Other singles were the title track by Sammy Hagar, a cover of The Tymes' "So Much in Love" by Timothy B. Schmit which reached #59 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, "Raised on the Radio" by the Ravyns and "Waffle Stomp" by Joe Walsh. In addition to Schmit and Walsh, the album features solo tracks by other members of the Eagles: Don Henley and Don Felder. The soundtrack also included "I Don't Know (Spicoli's Theme)" by Jimmy Buffett and "Goodbye Goodbye" by Oingo Boingo (led by Danny Elfman).
Five tracks in the film not included on the soundtrack are "Moving in Stereo" by the Cars; "American Girl" by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers; "We Got the Beat" by the Go Go's, which is the movie's opening theme; Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir"; and "Winter Wonderland" by Darlene Love. In addition, the live band at the prom dance during the end of the film played two songs also not on the soundtrack: The Eagles' "Life in the Fast Lane" and Sam the Sham's "Wooly Bully".
The Donna Summer track "Highway Runner", was recorded in 1981 for her double album titled I'm a Rainbow; however, the album was shelved by Geffen Records but ultimately released in 1996 by Mercury Records.
Todd Rundgren also recorded the song "Attitude" for the film at Crowe's request. It was not included in the film, but was released on Rundgren's Demos and Lost Albums in 2001. A track titled "Fast Times" was recorded by Heart but was not used in the film. The track ended up on their 1982 album Private Audition.