80's Teen Movies :: the classic, the obscure & everything in between: new wave

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Weekend Pass [1984]

"72 hours of liberty to forget everything the Navy ever taught them"

Three navy recruits - Webster, Bunker and Fricker - are given their first weekend pass which they use to spend 72 hours partying in LA. But before leaving boot camp, the guys decide to have a little mercy on fellow recruit and friendless nerd, Lester Gidley, who ends up tagging along on their party-hard three day trip.

First stop - unsurprisingly - strip club, where they fail in their attempts to pick up any women. So it's off to Venice beach, girl picking-up attempt #2, where Bunker sets his sights on aerobics instructor Tina Wells. Trying to impress her and failing miserably leads the boys to their next stop, an aerobics center where Bunker's dream girl works. Again, Bunker's offers for a date are turned down, but he isn't about to give up.

Back at the motel, Webster is scouring the newspaper and finds an ad for 'Kimono My Place Massage', which he and the guys decide to call, setting Lester up a date with 'Chop Suzi'. They have a fun time of spying on him while the Thai massage 'pro' does her stuff.

Next day and the boys are off on a tour around LA with Bunker leading the way through Melrose Avenue, home to 'the baddest clothes in all of Los Angeles'. Once they leave the New Wave neighbourhood, they head off to Bunker's old turf, which turns out to be a bad idea when the guys come face to face with a gang from Bunker's past, known as the Mau Maus. Dressed (badly) in bright orange and animal print with cut off vests and headbands, the Mau Maus, complete with war drums blasting out of their boom box, challenge Bunker to a fight. Alls well that ends well when the cops show up just in time to stop a fist bashing.

Later that evening, the arrogant Fricker gets himself a stand up gig at a place known as the comedy castle, which is again another bad idea when he stinks out the audience totally and completely. The only upside is the fact he meets fellow comedienne and Catholic girl Heidi. Meanwhile, Webster is on a disastrous date with the annoyingly fake Cindy, who he ditches at the last minute.

Sunday - the final day of freedom - and the guys go along to a dance. Fricker inviting Heidi, Bunker convincing Tina to show, Lester miraculously setting up his own date with a girl called Tawny, and Webster going alone until meeting Tawny's pretty cousin Maxine. Finally, the guys have fulfilled their wishes for the weekend, and, having each met the girl of their dreams, it's off to boot camp once again.

VERDICT: ★

I don't think it can be put much simpler: don't see it. Weekend Pass is an indistinguishably boring flick from Crown that has virtually no redeeming qualities. The only novelty and plus note about the whole movie is the array of early '80s LA scenery - beaches, nightlife, and especially the underground hotspot, Melrose Avenue, which was a real fun little segment of film. It really captures the New Wave crowd of the times (if only for a few minutes) and it's great to catch a glimpse of what is described on Wikipedia as:

"The eastern end of the district, which runs from Fairfax to Highland Avenue, became a popular underground and new wave shopping area in the early 1980s, featuring the opening of stores such as Vinyl Fetish and Retail Slut, both of which closed several years ago. The Burger That Ate L.A., a landmark fast food stand, was replaced with a Starbucks in recent years, and the area has witnessed an upsurge in tourism and a significant decrease of the underground and countercultural elements. The original Johnny Rockets opened in this part of Melrose in 1986."

IMAGES/VIDEOS: [trailer]

SOUNDTRACK:

1. Weekend Pass - Robbie Baer
2. All Night Love - Robbie Baer & Beth Beaudin
3. Hard As A Rock - Michael Fennelly
4. Beach Nut - John & Robbie Baer
5. LA Extra (Read About Me) - John Baer
6. Free Me From The Night Life - Andrea Robinson

Valley Girl [1983]

"She's cool. He's Hot. She's from the Valley. He's not."

In true val style, the movie opens with best girl friends Julie (Deborah Foreman), Loryn (Elizabeth Daily), Stacey (Heidi Holicker) and Suzi (Michelle Meyrink) out shopping at the mall. With a good supply of plastic in their pockets, they whiz past various oh-so-eighties fashions - chunky rainbow-coloured bangles, patterned-pastel blouses and bright red patent heels - before stopping off for shakes and a good ol' girly gossip. Not long after, the girls bump into Julie's preppy "his brains are bad news" boyfriend, Tommy (Michael Bowen). Having had enough of him acting the jerk as usual, Julie dumps him, and the girls head off to the beach.

Busy scouting for boys, the girls set eyes on Randy (Nicolas Cage). Looking hunky enough half-naked, none of them realise that he is in fact the complete opposite of a valley girls' ideal guy - a Hollywood punk. Conversations switch to the big val party taking place that evening and before long, news of the event has gotten round to Randy through the eavesdropping of his pal Fred.

The party is in full swing, with jerk Tommy showing his face, much to Julie's frustration. Acting as a perfect distraction, the punked-up Randy and Fred crash the scene, the mouthy prepster boys not too pleased to see them. From across the room, Julie and Randy's eyes meet, immediately attracted to one another. But when ex-boyfriend Tommy catches wind of the fact his girl is being swooned by some kid from the wrong side of the valley, fists begin to clench. A rowdy confrontation forces Randy and Fred to make a quick exit, leaving Julie alone. Some time passes and she retreats up to the bathroom to spruce herself up, where she is shocked to find Randy hiding in the shower waiting to whisk her away.

Sneaking off to see some Hollywood nightlife, Randy, Fred, Julie and a rather annoyed Stacey stop off at one of the guys' regular haunts, a backdrop of alternative tunes and wildy-dressed kids. This is the setting for the beginning of Randy and Julie's Romeo and Juliet-like relationship, and match made in heaven.

But wherever Romeo and Juliet is concerned there's tragedy, with Julie's girl pals choosing to gossip about the pair behind her back, convincing each other that Randy is no good. Attempting to lure Julie back in with the val crowd, they try hooking her and Tommy up again. Their constant harassment leads Julie to a miserable downward spiral, refusing to see Randy, making herself feel worse. Eventually, Tommy schemes his way back into his ex-girlfriends life, pleasing the girls no end.. but what about Julie?

Prom night arrives. Everyone is excited, except a saddened Julie, who is on Tommy's arm. Putting on fake smiles all the way to school, things are looking dull. The prom King and Queen are ready to be announced.. Surprise! It's Julie and Tommy for the win. Just as her prom night is becoming the worst night of her life, Randy and Fred burst in, knocking Tommy out. This is Julie's chance. Time to decide whether to trust her heart, or her friends.

VERDICT: ★★★★ ½

Valley Girl is one of the definitive teen movies of the '80s. Of the Romeo & Juliet genre, Valley Girl is a prime example, easily one of the best teen movies of it's kind, parallel with the likes of Can't Buy Me Love and Sixteen Candles. One thing Valley Girl beats the two comparative movies on is the pure '80s-ness and the nostalgia brought about by almost every aspect of the film. The fashions, the slang, the hangouts - all practically sum up the early eighties in one movie. Showing the trials and tribulations of life in the valley in 1983, the pressure of social circles, expectancies of so-called friends, and generally making it through your teenage years and trying to come out on the other side with as least permanent damage as possible!

A fantastically enjoyable and classic movie about teenage love!

IMAGES/VIDEOS: [trailer]

SOUNDTRACK:

The soundtrack is one of the most outstanding of it's time, too, although the original LP is super rare and sought-after. So, for those of us not fortunate enough to be able to splash out on the real thing, two different CD compilations were released, crammed full with danceable, sing-alongable tunes. There are a lot of questions over what tracks are actually featured in the movie, as every version - the theatrical release, the original VHS tape, and the DVD - seems to differ on the music side of things. But these two tripendicular CD's are, along with Modern Girls and Electric Dreams, about the only soundtracks that a new wave lover needs in their collection!

1. A Million Miles Away - The Plimsouls
2. Johnny, Are You Queer? - Josie Cotton
3. Eyes Of A Stranger - Payolas
4. Angst In My Pants - Sparks
5. Who Can It Be Now? - Men At Work
6. Everywhere At Once - The Plimsouls
7. I La La La Love You - Pat Travers' Black Pearl
8. He Could Be The One - Josie Cotton

9. Love My Way - Psychedelic Furs
10. Jukebox (Don't Put Another Dime) - The Flirts
11. The Fanatic - Felony
12. She Talks In Stereo - Gary Myrick & The Figures
13. Oldest Story In The World - The Plimsouls
14. School Is In - Josie Cotton
15. I Melt With You - Modern English

1. Girls Like Me - Bonnie Hayes With The Wild Combo
2. Eaten By The Monster Of Love - Sparks
3. Mickey - Toni Basil
4. Zero Hour (Original Version) - The Plimsouls
5. He Was Really Sayin' Somethin' - Bananarama
6. In The Name Of Love - Thompson Twins
7. The Earthquake Song - Little Girls
8. Do You Really Want To Hurt Me - Culture Club
9. Cool Places - Sparks & Jane Wiedlin
10. Town Called Malice - The Jam
11. I Eat Cannibals - Total Coelo
12. Time To Win - Gary Myrick & The Figures
13. Voo Doo - Rachel Sweet
14. Marina Men - Valley Girls
15. Pocket Pool - Killer Pussy
16. Shelly's Boyfriend - Bonnie Hayes With The Wild Combo

Picking favourites from the soundtracks is an almost impossible task, what with the huge amount of bands and unforgettable songs featured (although if I had to pick one, it'd have to be The Psychedelic Furs and 'Love My Way').

Modern Girls [1986]

"They're old enough to know better, and young enough not to care!"

Margo, CeCe and Kelly are best girlfriends. With boring nine to five jobs, they take full advantage of the LA nightlife at every opportunity. It begins on an average day; pretty Kelly (Virginia Madsen) is busy at work in the pet store - the guys outside more interested in her than the kittens in the window. Glamorous Margo (Daphne Zuniga), bored to death with her less-than-glamorous occupancy as a telephone salesgirl. And finally, the carefree CeCe (Cynthia Gibb), having a blast as a department-store worker, making-over customers in the beauty section - until her boss sacks her for transforming a middle-aged customer into an unsightly and brightly coloured punk!

When work hours are over and the sun goes down, the girls return to their apartment, and after a quick power-nap, are getting ready for a night on the town. Kelly, ditching Margo and CeCe, decides to take the car and whiz over to a club where her kinda-boyfriend-kinda-not - DJ, local legend, and asshole, Brad - is playing a set. There's soon a knock on the door from Kelly's so-called date, Clifford (Clayton Rohner). Margo glances out of the window, noticing Clifford's convertible and, realising her and CeCe have no car for the evening, invite him in. He asks after Kelly, with Margo replying; "didn't you know? We're meeting her later".

Clifford - CeCe soon nicknaming him Cliffy - doesn't seem too pleased about being roped into giving the girls a lift, but, believing he still has a date with Kelly, goes along with it. Turning up at a club, the girls and Cliffy approach Kelly who is across the room, all over her DJ kinda-boyfriend kinda-not. Cliffy is gutted, but Margo convinces him to cheer up and forget about it. Margo, Cliffy and CeCe dance & drink the night away, unaware that asshole Brad has done his usual stunt and rejected Kelly, leaving her alone and miserable. All of a sudden, the club begins to buzz and CeCe is ecstatic when the chart-topping rock star Bruno X (Clayton Rohner.. yup, he plays duel roles!) appears. Attempting to grab his attention but with no avail, she literally throws herself on him.. BOOM! Love at first sight. The club then gets raided and everyone scarpers, Cece and Margo following Cliffy back out to his car. After a heck of negotiation, the three go on a hunt for Bruno X, failing miserably on first attempt and almost getting shot off the road by terrorists!

Gasping for another drink, they wind up in a club full of goths - not the happiest of environments! Suddenly CeCe's brain clicks, finding a pack of matches with the name and number of a hotel on - the matches Bruno had given her earlier on! In another bid to track down CeCe's apparent true love, Cliffy poses as Bruno in order to call the hotel and listen to his messages. Succeeding, they rush downtown to the location of his video shoot, hoping to find the rock superstar.. but he is nowhere to be seen. Quickly switching their priorities, the gang of three start to worry about Kelly and, rather than wasting more of their time searching for Bruno, drive off to find her.

Arriving just in time to rescue Kelly from a sticky situation involving ecstasy and a pool table, they bundle into the car. Putting two and two together, they come up with and idea that CeCe won't let go of, in the hope that it'll lead her to Bruno X. Turning up at an exclusive club where they believe Bruno might be hanging out, they swindle their way in with Cliffy being passed off as a cool Bruno X lookalike. Again, their search seems to be getting them nowhere, and CeCe's patience is running thin. When all seems lost - by a stroke of luck - she runs into a guy who seems to have just the information she wants about the whereabouts of the love of her life. Just when she thinks the guy of her dreams is within her grasp, Kelly disappears, whisked away by a guy she'd met earlier that evening. Cliffy and the girls start to worry about her and another mad chase ensues, leading to all four being held up in the police station.

Tired, weary and out of luck, Cliffy, Margo, CeCe and Kelly have just about had enough for the night. But CeCe won't give in that easily and, knowing Bruno X might be closer than they think, they give it one last go at finding the MTV star.

VERDICT: ★★★ ½

Granted, Modern Girls doesn't have the greatest plot, and to some may feel a little pointless at the end of the hour and twenty minutes. But, you will honestly not find a more '80s movie anywhere, ever. You've got LA nightlife, you've got clubkids and their outrageous outfits, you've got a bunch of girls living in just about the most trendily decorated and furnished apartment of 1986, you've got one of the most well-assembled soundtracks of the decade, you've got essential '80s stars.. The list could go on and on and on. Every single aspect of the movie is something that, today, wouldn't be seen anywhere. And for that, Modern Girls deserves to be bought a drink.

If you can't appreciate this movie for what it is, for the fact that it carries you right back to the neon-lit decade of synth-pop and flame-coloured eyeshadow, then you really shouldn't bother with '80s movies at all. You gotta dust your tape machine off for this one too, still out of print and unlikely to be released on any shiny little disks anytime soon. But, once the credits roll and you press rewind, the whirring in your ears of those reels winding themselves backwards just adds to the once contemporary, now wickedly outdated (and all the better for it!) experience of Modern Girls.

You'd be silly not to check out the treasure trove of a site dedicated to this movie, moderngirlsmovie.com. How cool is that?!

IMAGES/VIDEOS: [movie clip]

SOUNDTRACK:

The Modern Girls soundtrack is a great mix of new-wave and synth-pop tunes, and usually you'll find more than one LP/cassette up on ebay for less than the price of a hamburger. A great soundtrack, standout tune being But Not Tonight by Depeche Mode - then again, each and every song fits perfectly with the accompanying scenes, for example Weak in the Presence of Beauty which plays during CeCe & Bruno's first kiss.

1. But Not Tonight - Depeche Mode
2. How Many Lovers - Anthony & the Camp
3. Weak in the Presence of Beauty - Floy Joy
4. Girl Pulled a Dog - Femal Body Inspectors
5. Girls Night Out - Toni Basil
6. Concentration Breakdown - George Black
7. Jealousy - Club Nouveau
8. No Promises - Icehouse
9. One Way Love - TKA
10. Some Candy Talking - The Jesus and Mary Chain

The soundtrack is excellent, but is unfortunately incomplete, with many songs featured in the movie now near-impossible to get your hands on. Modern Girls lovers are often on the lookout for tracks performed by the voice behind Bruno X, Scott Rogness, however they seem to have faded into total obscurity - much to the disappointment of Bruno X fangirls (including myself).