People keep talking about the soundtrack. That's all well and good, but for someone who's never seen the movie (like me!), we wanna hear what you guys think of the movie, not the soundtrack!!
So....is this movie any good? I like Dennis Christopher, is his character, T.T., worthwhile?
Questions! Questions! So many questions!
:P
-Amanda
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Oh yeah, I saw it at the theater twice with my girlfriend when it came out, and I've seen it several times since. I don't normally like sentimental movies or "nerds triumph" stories either, but I love this flick. It has so many little memorable moments, like Reuben's line, "don't hand me no paper bags, man." I haven't read the other thread, but the altered soundtrack is very disappointing. The key difference is the scene where most of the cast is in a movie theater watching a surfing documentary. In the original mix, "California Dreaming" plays during the climactic set of surfing clips (although its not the Mamas and the Papas but a cover version). In the revised soundtrack, this title song never appears at all, which is a very noticeable drag.
shareAs a side note, the cover version of the Mama's and the Papa's song was done very well IMHO by the group America. For more info go to www.venturahighway.com.
Yeah it was a major reason I fell in love with this film!
I WANT THE ORIGINAL VERSION BACK!!!
this is one of my most favorite movies
i wish they would release it on dvd.
I saw this on cable about 30 times (seriously!) in the early 80's when I was a teenager. I loved it. TT was a very sympathetic character, because he started as such a bumbling freak but his confidence and social skills gradually improved throughout the course of the story. A previous poster remarked that by the end, it feels like you're *in* the movie, and I'd have to agree with that. Considering that the trailers for it promoted it as a generic T&A teen movie, there was a lot more going on than that and the story's actually quite good.
shareYeah, I saw this movie back in the early 90's when I rented it on VHS from my local mom and pop video rental outlet. It's a very sweet and engaging film, half funny and half serious in its tone (a delicate balance the film manages to pull off remarkably well), with excellent acting and many nicely observed moments. A true unjustly overlooked and underrated little sleeper, it's definitely worth checking out. Hopefully it'll be reissued on DVD in the immediate future.
shareI saw CALIFORNIA DREAMING a few years ago on one of the movie channels and I really liked it. Even though I never set foot on Cali land and I was probably 10 at the time the film was released, but after seeing the film, I wanted to be there at that time(but a few years older than 10). The only films that made me feel that way are DOGTOWN AND Z-BOYS and THE LORDS OF DOGTOWN(which are actually the same movie).
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Yeah, that is a good moment and it did seem like Southern California in late August. There are so many other great moments I could list. This is one of my top five favorite films.
shareI'm Ned Wynn, I wrote the movie and played the part of Earl Fescue, the garage mechanic (I don't know diddly about cars, never have).
As it happens, it was, in fact, late November when we wrapped the movie. The slanting sunlight and cooling air gave it that feel of autumn which lent itself to the nostalgic, emotional ending.
I wish they would put this out on DVD. I did have a lousy VHS recording of it that I took off television, but it's virtually unwatchable. In fact, I think I gave it away to one of my film students.
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They had it on Netflix streaming a couple of years back. So DVD must be available too. (I know you posted your 'wish' nearly a decade back).
shareLoved your character, and love the movie. Great job, Ned!
shareI have seen this movie several times & even have an Original VHS Tape from when it came out on Video.
I would love to have this movie on DVD, it is a very little good movie & TT is a wonderful character.
I have to admit that I also love Tanya Roberts as Stephanie, the airport scene with Rick is an awesome "ice cube" moment, I would say more, but don't want to give away parts of the movie. (She is the Queen of dropping "Ice Cubes" on Guys, she can freeze them out at 10 paces.)
I would love to have the soundtrack on CD, but not if it's not the Original Movie Soundtrack unaltered!
Glad to know I am not alone in loving this sweet, funny, wonderful little movie from 1979.
Great movie. Lots of tit shots.
I just saw it today on TV. I wouldn't call this the most memorable movie. I think in general that 1970s surf movies aren't good. 1960s surf movies had it with the cheesy-ness factor, so they are amusing. This one was sort of a bad dream relived from the days when I lived in Ventura county. At least they didn't have any disco music in this flick. That would have been the end. The band "America" was a nice choice.