With school back in full swing, I want to spotlight the teen film “Fast Times at Ridgemont High,” which despite being best-known for Sean Penn’s stoner character Jeff Spicoli, was, in its own way, ahead of its time.
Released in 1982, it was among the teen sex comedies that flooded the market following the tremendous success of 1981’s “Porky’s.” Films like “The Beach Girls,” “The Last American Virgin,” “Let’s Do It ” and “Going All the Way” were full of female nudity and sex-obsessed men. In these films, women were little more than sex objects.
kAm“u2DE %:>6D” H2D 6BF2==J 7:I2E65 @? D6I 2?5 762EFC65 ?F5:EJ @7 :ED EH@ 76>2=6 =625D — !9@636 r2E6D 2?5 y6??:76C y2D@? {6:89 — 3FE 5:5?’E G:6H E96> 2D @3;64ED 3FE 2D 7F==J 7@C>65 492C24E6CD]k^Am
kAmpE E96 E:>6[ “u2DE %:>6D” H2D C64@8?:K65 3J >@DE 4C:E:4D 2D 36:?8 36EE6C E92? @E96CD @7 :ED <:?5[ 3FE #@86C t36CE HC@E6 2 4FC:@FD=J ?682E:G6 C6G:6H]k^Am
kAm“{6:89 A=2JD 2 G:C8:?2= J@F?8 DEF56?E 2E #:586>@?E w:89 WH9@ :DX 4FC:@FD 23@FE D6I[ D@ E96 D4C:AE :>>65:2E6=J EFC?D 96C :?E@ 2 AC@>:D4F@FD D6I >249:?6 H9@ H:== 8@ E@ 365 H:E9 2?J3@5J[Q t36CE HC@E6] Qp?5 E96? 96C D6IF2= 6IA6C:6?46D 2== EFC? @FE E@ 92G6 2? F??646DD2CJ 6=6>6?E @7 C62=:D>[ D@ E92E H6 92G6 E@ D66 96C 9F>:=:2E65[ 5:D2AA@:?E65 2?5 6>32CC2DD65] (92E6G6C 92AA6?65 E@ FA362E D6In (92E6G6C 92AA6?65 E@ =@G6 2?5 =FDE 2?5 C@>2?46[ 2?5 D46?6D H96C6 8@@5\=@@<:?8 <:5D 925 2 =:EE=6 ;@J 2?5 6I4:E6>6?E :? =:76]”k^Am
kAm{6E’D 255C6DD E96 =2EE6C A2CE @7 E9:D DE2E6>6?E 7:CDE] %96 7:=>D t36CE :D 56D4C:3:?8 2C6 E96 “q6249 !2CEJ” 7:=>D @7 E96 `he_D DE2CC:?8 p??6EE6 uF?:46==@ 2?5 uC2?<:6 pG2=@?] %96J H6C6 3C66KJ 7:=>D E92E H6C6 8C62E[ :??@46?E 7F?[ 3FE 2C6?’E E96 @?=J G2=:5 A@CEC2J2= @7 E66?D[ 2?5 46CE2:?=J ?@E 2 C62=:DE:4 @?6]k^Am
kAm“u2DE %:>6D” H2D 32D65 @? 2 ?@?7:4E:@? 3@@< 3J r2>6C@? rC@H6[ H9@ 2=D@ HC@E6 E96 D4C:AE] rC@H6 H6?E F?56C4@G6C 2D 2 DEF56?E 2E r=2:C6>@?E w:89 $49@@= :? $2? s:68@[ r2=:7][ 2?5 9:D @3D6CG2E:@?D 3642>6 E96 32D:D 7@C E96 3@@< 2?5 >@G:6]k^Am
kAm%96 “F??646DD2CJ 6=6>6?E @7 C62=:D>” t36CE >6?E:@?65 H2D ?@E @?=J :?E6?E:@?2=[ 3FE E96 A@:?E] rC@H6 2?5 5:C64E@C p>J w64<6C=:?8 H2?E65 E@ >2<6 2 7:=> 23@FE E66?D E92E H2D?’E ;FDE 92AAJ 2?5 7F?] %9:D >62?E 2=@?8 H:E9 E96 =2F89D[ E96C6 H6C6 >@>6?ED E92E H6C6 F?4@>7@CE23=6 2?5 6G6? A2:?7F=[ >F49 =:<6 36:?8 2 E66?286C]k^Am
kAmqFE 324< E@ t36CE] w6 492DE:D6D E96 D4C:AE 7@C EFC?:?8 {6:89’D $E24J w2>:=E@? :?E@ 2 “AC@>:D4F@FD D6I >249:?6]” %96C6’D 2 46CE2:? 2>@F?E @7 D92>:?8 :? E92E DE2E6>6?E] %96 7:=> D9@HD $E24J 92G:?8 D6I H:E9 EH@ >6? 2?5 @?6 72:=65 2EE6>AE H:E9 2?@E96C] u6>2=6 D6IF2= 4FC:@D:EJ :D?’E 2 ?682E:G6 2?5 >2?J E66? 8:C=D 5@ 6IA=@C6 D6I E9C@F89 >F=E:A=6 A2CE?6CD]k^Am
kAm%96 <6J 5:776C6?46 36EH66? “u2DE %:>6D” 2?5 @E96C E66? 7:=>D @7 E96 6C2 :D E92E $E24J :D E96 @?6 5@:?8 E96 AFCDF:?8] x? 2== E9C66 42D6D[ D96 :?:E:2E6D E96 6?4@F?E6CD] $96 :D :? 4@?EC@= @7 96C D6IF2= ;@FC?6J 2?5[ J6D[ :E :D >6DDJ 2?5 6>32CC2DD:?8[ 3FE E92E :D 2? 244FC2E6 2?5 C6=2E23=6 =@@< 2E D6I 2E E92E 286]k^Am
kAm“u2DE %:>6D” 2=D@ D9@HD E96 4@?D6BF6?46D @7 C64<=6DD D6I H:E9 $E24J 364@>:?8 AC68?2?E 2?5 86EE:?8 2? 23@CE:@?] %9:D D6BF6?46 :D?’E A=2J65 =:89E=J ?@C :D E96 D6C:@FD?6DD 5:D>:DD65] pE E96 6?5 @7 E96 7:=>[ H6 2C6 :?7@C>65 $E24J :D :? 2 A2DD:@?2E6 C6=2E:@?D9:A 3FE 92D?’E 8@?6 2== E96 H2J] %9:D :D 2 A@D:E:G6 2C4 7@C 96C 492C24E6C]k^Am
kAmt36CE 2=D@ E@@< @776?D6 H:E9 “E96 F??646DD2CJ 56E2:= 23@FE D6IF2= 7F?4E:@?D]” %96 5:2=@8F6 :? BF6DE:@? :?G@=G6D FD:?8 2 42CC@E E@ 56>@?DEC2E6 2 D6IF2= 24E] qJ E@52J’D DE2?52C5D[ :E :D AC6EEJ E2>6[ 3FE[ 2E E96 E:>6[ :E H2D A@DD:3=J 7:=>’D 7:CDE 7C2?< 4@?G6CD2E:@? 23@FE D6I 36EH66? EH@ 76>2=6 E66? 492C24E6CD[ H9:49 4=62C=J D9@4<65 t36CE]k^Am
kAmqFE E:>6D 492?86 2?5 `f J62CD =2E6C[ t36CE H@F=5 8:G6 2 A@D:E:G6 C6G:6H E@ “p>6C:42? !:6[” H9:49 H2D 72C C2F?49:6C 2?5 6G6? >@C6 56E2:=65 23@FE D6IF2= 24ED E92? “u2DE %:>6D]”k^Am
kAmt36CE ?2>65 `hhh E96 J62C “w@==JH@@5VD =2DE DE2?52C5D @7 E2DE6 76==” 3FE 96 7@F?5 9F>@C :? DF49 7:=>D 2D “p>6C:42? !:6” 2?5 “%96C6’D $@>6E9:?8 p3@FE |2CJ” 3642FD6 96 5:D4@G6C65 “E92E 8C@DD\@FE 828D 2C6 ?@E 7F??J H96? E96:C @?=J AFCA@D6 :D E@ 8C@DD FD @FE[ 3FE E96J 42? 36 7F??J H96? E96J 6>6C86 F?H:EE:?8=J 7C@> E96 24E:@?]”k^Am
kAmw6 4@?4=F565 “p>6C:42? !:6” H2D “4966C7F= 2?5 92C5\H@C<:?8 2?5 D@>6E:>6D 7F??J[ 2?5 — 96C6VD E96 :>A@CE2?E E9:?8 — :EVD ?@E >62?] xED 492C24E6CD 2C6 D@CE @7 DH66E 2?5 =@G23=6]”k^Am
kAm$@[ H2D “u2DE %:>6D” E@@ >62?\DA:C:E65 7@C t36CE @C D:>A=J 29625 @7 E:>6D :? :ED A@CEC2J2= @7 E66? D6In %96 2?DH6C :D J6D E@ 3@E9 BF6DE:@?D] p=E9@F89[ Qu2DE %:>6DQ :D?’E D@ >F49 >62?\DA:C:E65 2D ?@E DF82C\4@2E65]k^Am
kAm%96C6 :D @?6 >@C6 244FD2E:@? :? t36CE’D C6G:6H E92E D9@F=5 36 255C6DD65]k^Am
kAm“x7 E9:D >@G:6 925 366? 5:C64E65 3J 2 >2?[ xV5 42== :E D6I:DE] xE H2D 5:C64E65 3J 2 H@>2?[ p>J w64<6C=:?8 — 2?5 :EVD D6I:DE 2== E96 D2>6]”k^Am
kAmpD AC6G:@FD=J DE2E65[ F?=:<6 @E96C 62C=J ’g_D E66? 7:=>D[ E96 76>2=6 492C24E6CD 2C6 24E:G6 A2CE:4:A2?ED :? E96 7:=>’D D6IF2= 6IA=@:ED C2E96C E92? ;FDE @3;64ED 36:?8 AFCDF65] %9:D 76>2=6 A6CDA64E:G6 :D <6J]k^Am
kAm%96 7:=> 2=D@ D9@HD yF586 #6:?9@=5’D qC25 w2>:=E@? AC24E:4:?8 2 3C62<FA DA6649 :?G@=G:?8 9:D 56D:C6 E@ 36 7C66 @?=J E@ 36 5F>A65 3J 9:D 8:C=7C:6?5 Wp>2?52 (JDDX H9@ 56=:G6CD E96 6I24E DA6649 96 H2D C6962CD:?8] (9:=6 :E 86ED 2 =2F89[ :E :D 2=D@ 2 A@H6C7F= C@=6\C6G6CD2= 2?5[ @?46 282:?[ D9@HD 2 76>2=6 492C24E6C :? 4@?EC@=]k^Am
kAm$:>:=2C=J[ H96? qC25 :D 72?E2D:K:?8 23@FE r2E6’D {:?52 q2CC6EE :? 2 D46?6 EJA:42= @7 ’g_D E66? 4@>65:6D[ E96 5C62> :D D92EE6C65 H96? 96’D H2=<65 :? 3J E96 8:C= @7 9:D 72?E2DJ] %9:D 86ED 2 3:8 =2F89[ 3FE :E 2=D@ F?56C4FED E96 6IA=@:E2E:@? @7 E96 76>2=6 7@C>]k^Am
kAm“u2DE %:>6D” >2J D66> =:<6 2 EJA:42= E66? D6I 4@>65J[ 3FE :E H2D 72:C=J AC@8C6DD:G6 :? :ED A@CEC2J2= @7 D6I 2?5 H@>6? :? 2 E:>6 H96? 3@E9 H6C6 FD65 7@C 4962A =2F89D 2?5 E:E:==2E:@?] xE :D H6== H@CE9 2?@E96C W@C 7:CDEX =@@<]k^Am
kAmk6>mp=64 z6CC H:== 36 AC6D6?E:?8 Q#@4< V?V #@==[ q62496D 2?5 p?8DEi %96 tG@=FE:@? @7 E96 %66? |@G:6Q 7@C E96 ~D96C x?DE:EFE6 7@C {:76=@?8 {62C?:?8 @? s64] `a 2E hib_ 2]>] 2E vC2?:E6 $E2E6 r@==686 :? r@?H2J] u@C >@C6 :?7@C>2E:@?[ 8@ E@ k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^@==:]8C2?:E6]65F^4=2DD6D\6G6?EDQm@==:]8C2?:E6]65F^4=2DD6D\6G6?EDk^2m]k^6>mk^Am

(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.