drejr1977

Wow, in this day and age of the "postmodern" pop-culture and media, this show (from 1986) WAS actually better written than almost any teen/young adult show on television today. If you want to see where Courtney-Thorne Smith (Melrose Place, Ally McBeal) got her start, check this out! Ever wondered what happened to the Michael J. Fox's girlfriend from the 1st Back To The Future film? Check this out! Obviously this short-lived series was based on the cult classic film "Fast Times At Ridgemont High", which was of course based on the novel by Cameron Crowe. For a mid-80's t.v. show to based on a film with such memorable characters, obviously was a difficult vision to translate to the small screen. It must have been, because CBS pulled the plug on it after airing only 7 episodes in the spring of 1986. Too bad, too. They even got Ray "My Favorite Martian" Walston to reprise his role of Mr. Hand for this t.v. version. 80's buffs will also be interested in the fact that the theme song for the show was done by the classic 80's band Oingo Boingo. Apparently T.V. Land airs this show every so often. Hey, there were only 7 episodes, so it makes for a brief, but enjoyable viewing experience!

Without question, this has to be one of the most overrated movies in recent memory. I'm a not that familiar with Anderson's other films, but I sincerely hope if he has tackled any other "based on a true story" themes, he has indeed been more ACCURATE! For starters, the film claims to have been based "loosely" on the famous (or infamous) porn star, John C. Holmes, and his turbulent life. They may have gotten the "meteoric rise and fall" part right, but in no way did this film reflect anywhere close to what John Holmes' life was like, especially in the pornography industry. I guess Anderson must have felt, for the public to truly accept it, he must sugarcoat (if that's possible) the story a little. It wasn't nearly as tragic or brutal as Holmes' life, so apparently that would never sell. More so, everybody has raved about the cinematography of this film, and to be honest, it's just average. That goes to show that in the post-modern world we live in, people's standards have slipped, have less knowledge about art and art in film, and are obviously more easily impressed by not their own opinions, but the media's... Burt Reynolds at least got to salvage his career by not taking a totally cheesy role again, and that's about all the credit I can give Anderson on this film. Mark Wahlberg is clearly a terrible actor, and anybody who believes he IS good, must be in the 14-21 year old demographic somewhere. Further evidence this film is a lemon, long time porn star Juliet "Aunt Peg" Anderson clearly stated that the film's "behind-the-scenes" vibe regarding the industry in the late 70's/early 80's was vehemently wrong!