Visitors Review

(2012-05-25 21:34)

Where are the deleted scenes?

I first saw this movie when I was in 9th grade. I loved it. Over the past 21 years I have watched it many times. I practically have it memorized. It is a true classic. When they released this version I thought for sure they would have the deleted scenes that were only shown on the cable tv version. I was very upset. I have only seen the deleted scenes one time. I wanted to see them again. Why even release this movie again without the deleted scenes? I don't understand. Sure there is some different commentary. But, the movie is the exact same as before. Releasing it again the way they did this time is just a waste of time. Chad Smalley

vamp88 (2012-05-25 07:32)

doesn't anybody knock anymore!

I was watching this movie the other day again, and I realized something. Yesit was one of the first teen comedies, yes it's one of the best,and also thebest written. The characters act like real teenagers. The situations for themost part and the way they deal with them are realistic, and because ofthat, this movie sets a standard not often reached. The main reason to watchthis film however is that it's funny as hell, and in a good comedy that allthat really matters.

tygor88 (2012-05-24 18:14)

Cameron Crowe not so talented writer

After watching "Fast times at Ridgemont High", i came to the conclusionthatCameron Crowe isn't very talented at all at writing.All his movies are pretty predictable, mundane, or downright copiesofan original.Vanilla Sky , a remake.Almost Famous , a movie about HIS life. doesn't require much creativitythere.Jerry Macguire, a movie loosely about a real life sports agent.Say Anything , quite possibly the most boring romance movie ever made. iturned it off after 45 min into it.Fast times: he had to go undercover as a student just to get ideas towritehis stupid book.not very original or creative indeed.

rapistnextdoor (2012-05-24 09:38)

keeps ya smilin'

Fast times is definitely a movie for the more layed back type ofperson. Anyone who just wants to sit back, chill out and have a goodtime watching these interesting breeds of characters just live life. Itis quite similar to Dazed and Confused yet a little more of a socialcritique than Dazed is. The movie does a good job at juxtaposing the'fake' with the 'true'. We see how the more "mature & sophisticated"crowd (Linda, Mike, Brad and Mr. Hand) all have biased morals and thinkvery highly of their social status. Whereas Spicoli, Stacy and Mark alllet loose and have morals they themselves have established. So whetheryou're in a serious mood and are interested in a quite interestingcharacter and moral study or just chillin at home watchin the moviewith Mary Jane for some laughs, this movie delivers!

GeneralDisarray (2012-05-23 18:34)

i love this movie

this movie is so cool for 3 reasons:1)a stoned sean penn which is hilarious2)its hella funny3) Pheobe Cates' boobsi give it 5/5

Jacobi1 (2012-05-23 11:04)

Painfully Bad!

Fast Times At Ridgemont High *Fast Times At Ridgemont High is considered a cult classic and a comedy.Where is the comedy? No, I'm serious, where is the comedy? The movie ismore of a drama then a comedy. Plus this movie is really stupid and itis sometimes very hard to comprehend. At first I though it was me andwatched the movie a second time and realized, no, it's not me, it'sthis movie.Judge Reinhold plays Brad Hamilton. He maybe the most awkward teenagecharacter in a teenage movie. He works at a fast food restaurant butwhen he is hackled by a customer and decides to defend himself, he getsfired. As a result, he works at another food place witch is just asawkward and just as humiliating. Then he works at a store which heeventually becomes manager of. Maybe that is a good thing.Jennifer Jason Leigh plays Reinholds younger sister, Stacy Hamilton.She is the most saddest character in this movie and ever in a teenagemovie. She has low self-esteem and she's easy. She lets Mike Damone,played by Robert Romanus, have his way with her and then gets pregnant,or at least thats what I got from it. She tricks her brother to driveher to meet her friends but as he drives away, she heads for theabortion clinic which Brad sees in his rear view mirror.Phoebe Cates plays Linda Barrett, Stacy's best friend, and the mainsubject of Brad's sexual fantasy. There is a scene where Linda teachesStacy how to preform oral sex on a carrot. I got the impression thatLinda is a bit of a whore. However she is in the only scene in the filmthat is worth watching. Brad fantasies about her where she takes offher top and kisses him. But other than that, the movie is dead in thewater.Sean Penn plays the famous Jeff Spicoli. He is a very interestingcharacter but is wasted in this movie. He has a bit of a confusingrelationship with his history teacher Mr. Hand plays be Ray Walston.The relationship between the two is very shaky where it ends with Mr.Hand showing up at Jeff's house and forces him to review everything hewas tough in this class. When the scene was over, I though what was thepoint of that.According to Fast Times At Ridgemont High, life is already a Cozmo soapopera at the age of 18. This reminded me of a similar movie entitledCrossroads with Britney Spears. Both films are not similar but theyhave the same message. Life is hard but it won't be like Fast Times AtRidgemont High or Crossroads. Fast Times At Ridgemont High is painfullybad and reprehensible.

(2012-05-23 02:23)

Okay for its time, but not that Good!

I just saw this movie for the first time straight through and really wasn't that impressed. It does capture the 80's spirit and High School life during this decade as expected. The movie really needed more Sean Penn as Jeff Spicoli! He was very funny and believable as a stoner and managed to hold my interest in his brief appearances. Phoebe Cates is very cute, but her topless scene is a tad bit overhyped through the years because it lasts a total of 10 seconds tops. This is a definite fun rental, but I wouldn't add this one to my 200+ Dvd Collection.

(2012-05-22 09:17)

80's hit

If you were growing up the 80's, you will love this movie. This is not necessarily a family movie. There is one scene that has to do with Judege Nielson stimulating himself (not graphic) while fantasizing about Phoebe Cates who happened to be over at the house swimming. Jennifer Jason Leigh is nude in one scene.

(2012-05-22 10:26)

good movie

THIS FILM IS ANOTHER OF MY FAV FILMS I JUST LOVE THE PLOT AND THE CAST AND MUSIC IS SUPER OR AWESOME DUDE AS SEAN PENN JENNIFER JASON LEIGH JUDGE REINHOLD PHEOBE CATES ARE SUPER AS CAST MEMBERS I LAUGH SO HARD EVERY TIME I SEE THIS ON TV OR RENT IT IT IS A KILLER 80'S FILM AND THE BEST STAR IS SEAN PENN AS THE SPICOLI MAN AND RAY WALSTON AS MR HAND THIS MOVIE I HAVE TO SAY KICKS BUTT IT IS SO RAD ANYWAY 4 STARS FOR ME AGAIN IN THIS FILM TO SAY THE LEAST AND BE PREPARED TO LAUGH OUT LOUD LIKE CRAZY

(2012-05-21 22:19)

funny movies

you can watch again and again. Sean penn is really a joker.was this review helpful to you ?

(2012-05-20 22:04)

It's a very good movie!

I have seen this movie unless three times and each time,this movie is always good!Why I really liked Fast times at Ridgemont high,because this film show really the attitude of many kind of students! My favorite character is Jeff Spicoli because all jokes he make,it's always funny.For conclusion:Fast times at Ridgemont high is one of the best movie I ever seen!

tpellerito (2012-05-20 15:02)

Have owned it for 4 days & watched it SEVEN times!!

Must see! Must see!! I can't believe this movie has been out for 24years, and I just now viewed it! I am a big fan of John Hughes--and nowCameron Crowe is a close second. Great soundtrack, great nostalgia(even if you were in grade school when it came out!)--I forked over $35for the paperback on eBay and even bought the soundtrack! Some of the highlights include: first-time roles for many future stars,sexual instruction with a carrot in the cafeteria, and "cultivating thePat Benetar look"!If you love Sixteen Candles, Breakfast Club, St. Elmo's Fire, Pretty inPink, Weird Science, Some Kind of Wonderful, Ferris Bueller's Day Off,Little Darlings, Foxes...see this!

(2012-05-20 02:31)

Not the Collectors Edition you expect it to be!!!

This is really a fun movie, like many High School movies of the 80's, this one really hits home, it is likely the movie that inspired John Hughes to make what seemed an endless stream of movies about High School that followed in the years after this one, come to think of it, I can't recall movies like these before Fast Times in 1982, anyway this movie has it all, just about every personality you can think of is here, with Sean Penn in his star-making role as a stoned surfer dude that is funny in just about every scene he is in, Penn has since become a hardcore serious actor, but here he shows his comedic charm, especially his run-in with Mr.Hand(Ray Walston) a strict history teacher that echoes many teachers we all remember, Jennifer Jason Leigh also got notoriety here as a sexually curious young woman who will sleep with just about anyone, as if she is searching for love & attention, Judge Reinhold(Bevery Hills Cop)is on hand as Leigh's brother Brad who worships his 1960's automobile(can't remember year & make), with Forrest Whiitaker who like Brad worships his Iroc-Z Camaro that gets destroyed by Penn & Whittaker's younger brother, Phoebe Cates is Leigh's best friend who gives her advice on sex, Cates' pool scene is a classic that has Iggy Pop playing "life is strange", a song that fits the scene perfectly as Reinhold fantasizes about her, there are many future stars here such as Anthony Edwards(ER)as one of Penn's pals who is sort of unnoticeable here, as is Eric Stolz sporting long hippie-like hair, Nicholas Cage is here as an unknown, which brings me to my gripe about the Collector's Edition, when this movie aired on the USA Network or TBS or even TNT, there is at least 15 to 20 minutes of additional footage, that for some reason or another is non-existent on this DVD, WHY???? , one of these scenes shows Cage standing in line with Reinhold at the cafeteria, who is talking to Leigh about her first day in Mr. Hand's classroom, they jokely mock Mr.Hand, which is funny, although the scene is somewhat in the movie, it is cut short, another scene has Penn is the men's room telling Stolz & Edwards that he is getting a hit before going to class, this sets up the scene later when Penn shows up late, why Universal or should I say the filmakers didn't include these scenes is a mystery to me, I won't buy this until they do, these scenes add many more comical moments, one scene has Cates talking to Leigh about her first date over the telephone in which she is sporting her legs, a scene designed to make any man google, until they do a director's cut, I will not buy it, it is a shame they didn't include these scenes.

lewiskendell (2012-05-19 10:09)

Proof that regardless of the era, high school has never been a simple experience.

"In Ridgemont? We can't even get cable TV here, Stacy, and you wantromance."I have a budding appreciation for the 80's. I was just a wee tykeduring the later part of that decade, so I don't remember anythingabout those years. But all the teen movies that I've seen have led meto believe it was an awesome and corny time to be an adolescent.Fast Times at Ridgemont High is one of the iconic movies from that era,and that reputation is richly deserved. It still holds up very welltoday. It starred younger versions of a bevy of today's biggest stars,like Forest Whitaker and Sean Penn, alongside some of the names thatwere synonymous with the 80's, like Jennifer Jason Leigh and PhoebeCates. It's very much an ensemble movie, with a collection ofcharacters and scenarios that range from light-hearted (Penn) to moredramatic (Leigh).   The script was courtesy of the talented Cameron Crowe, who adapted itfrom a book that he re-entered high school to research as he waswriting it. As a result, this wasn't a simple sex romp or teen comedy.Sure, it was pretty funny in parts, but it also dealt with thesometimes heavy issues that teens were wrestling with back then (andare still tackling today). The twists and turns of teenagerelationships, unplanned pregnancies, jobs, abortions, and the like,are touched on in a genuine (if simplified) manner. Even so, this movieis a lot more evenly split between comedy and social commentary thanThe Breakfast Club was, for example.  Movies like Fast Times at Ridgemont High are pretty ageless. It's not abad idea to give it a viewing if you missed it the first time around.I'm glad that I did.

LeRoyMarko (2012-05-19 18:57)

Just another teen movie from the 80's

Nothing special to this one. Your typical teen movie from the 80's. Sex,music, nerdy teachers, dope, what else... Seem like the ultimate goal inlife is to coast through high school and life. The grande finale: thegraduation of course! What a pity!Out of 100, I gave it a generous 57. That's good for * on a **** starsrating system.Seen at home in Welland, July 28th, 2001. Marko Roy.

Scarecrow-88 (2012-05-19 07:17)

Fast Times at Ridgemont High

You always hear talk about certain movies which define a generationregarding high school life. I can't really say "Fast Times at RidgemontHigh" was that way with me as it was others, but watching it again latetonight, I realize it is one for many a few years older than myself. Itpreceded me, as one of my film's was Sixteen Candles and The BreakfastClub. Those were movies which I watched multiple times as a kid, thenrevisited them as my years in high school were coming to an end. But,to see all the names associated with "Fast Times at Ridgemont High", itcertainly had a groundswell of talent which would blossom in years tocome. While actors with careers like Nicholas Cage, Anthony Edwards,and Eric Stoltz wouldn't exactly flourish until years afterward(..theirroles are all quite small, or cameos of little significance to thisfilm's plot), others like Jennifer Jason Leigh, Phoebe Cates, JudgeReinhold, Forest Whitaker, and Sean Penn has sizable roles which onlyopened larger doors, and we can only grin at their future success,knowing this was a place where they got their start. Like many teenmovies in this decade and the previous 70's, "Fast Times at RidgemontHigh" had a provocative script with great emphasis on sex and drugs.It's really a scattershot series of events in the lives of teenagersduring a particular school year.A fifteen year old experiments with sex(JJL), getting pregnant by a boywho only lasted a few seconds, and, without his help, had to get anabortion on her own. A theater patron(Brian Backer)carries a torch forJJL. Phoebe Cates is JJL's pal and she is always commenting on her sexlife with an older "mature" man. Judge Reinhold's life becomes quitecomplicated when he loses a managerial job at a hamburger joint and hisgirlfriend of two years(Amanda Wyss;A Nightmare on Elm Street, BetterOff Dead)calls off their relationship. Sean Penn is a pothead surferwho raises the ire of his uptight teacher Mr. Hand(Ray Walston). ForestWhitaker is a star football player who demolishes the opponent team,believing they trashed his car(..Penn and Whitaker's little brotherwere the actual culprits!). Robert Romanus is a ticket scalper who getspal Backer's potential love interest pregnant. These specificcharacters are the main ones focused on at times during the movie.I can see why this might be offensive. JJL's awkward scenes involvingsex and nudity even had me a little uneasy. How Romanus gets off with aslap on the wrist for his part in JJL's pregnancy(..although, sheplayed a heavy part in this, one has to admit). While a popular sceneforever remembered, the pizza delivery in the classroom, while funny,is highly unlikely. I wasn't as bothered by some of the sexually frankdialogue as others for I recognize that these conversations occur byboth sexes(..the experiences, such as delivering oral pleasure and thecomplete sexual act as well)in school as teenagers ponder what "itfeels like". While seemingly neat and tidy a resolution, I have a hardtime believing JJL's Stacy would recover from that abortion so quicklyand easily. As a whole, I enjoy this movie, reliving that periodfondly, the cast is a delight, and the music is terrific. I can see whyit's embraced still after all these years, even if I have my share ofproblems with the film. The scene with Cates, Reinhold's "fantasy" is ariot and a pleasure to behold. It was cool seeing both Backer andRomanus together again after appearing in The Burning, knowing thatseveral familiar faces in my favorite genre, horror, pop up(..such asPamela Springsteen as the psycho Angela in the subsequent SleepawayCamp sequels, Kelli Maroney as, you guessed it, a cheerleader who takesher position seriously, and, as already mentioned, Wyss as Reinhold'sformer girlfriend who wouldn't put out for him). V Schiavelli has amemorable part as a biology teacher notorious for taking his class to areal dissection of a human corpse(..and his wife is a babe). I thinkthe culture clash between Walston and Penn is timeless(..and I can justfeel his pain as he must grade such poor work despite all his effortsto teach these kids).

(2012-05-18 02:18)

Those times did go by fast

This review is from: Fast Times at Ridgemont High (Widescreen Special Edition) (DVD) I can still remember when this movie came out. I was in high school and it caused quite a stir. My friends began constantly saying "narly," sometimes re-enacting scenes from the movie. It took me 20+ years, but I finally got around to seeing it for myself.Come to find out, I had some misconceptions about the film. First of all, I knew that it was Sean Penn's breakthrough flick, but I had no idea it had so many other big names. Judge Reinhold, Ray Walston, Jennifer Jason Lee, Phoebe Cates, Eric Stoltz, Forrest Whittaker, Nicholas Cage and Anthony Edwards all had parts that ranged from major to ornamental.I also did not realize what the film was about. I always figured it was all about Penn's character (Spigolli). After all, mugs of Sean Penn are what're most closely associated with FAST TIMES. I was a bit surprised to find out that Spigolli was not the focus of the film. Rather, he is a character who more-or-less kind of floats through the storyline.Perhaps most unexpected was that the movie is more of a satire than anything else. From the cover one would think that it glorifies teen sex, drug addiction, reckless driving, skipping school & other juvenile pranks. Instead, it has a subtle message that says "If this is what you do, this is what will happen." It does not become preachy, but it does show the downside of what many highschoolers would call "good fun."While I am usually not too big on bonus features, the DVD does have a good (although a bit long-winded) "retrospective" of many of the major actors from the movie. Sean Penn, Judge Reinhold and Eric Stoltz (among others) share their thoughts on the film 20 years later. The only disappointing thing is that they were apparently unable to track down (or coerce?) Jennifer Jason Lee & Phoebe Cates to come back & offer their points of view on FAST TIMES.If you're looking for a good party movie that actually has some social commentary, FAST TIMES is a film worth checking out. The fact that Jennifer Jason Lee & Phoebe Cates remove their tops only adds to the allure of this DVD. In the end, there are those who graduate from Ridgemont High and there are those who don't. Which are you going to be?

(2012-05-17 08:25)

Empty Comedy? Maybe Not.

This is actually more of an interesting movie than we would be inclined to give it credit for. It basically shows us the lives of different types of high school students. (Not to mention some teachers.) Stacey and Linda are interesting. Stacey is the young naive girl ever ready to shed her virginity. She follows the advice of her friend Linda (who means well), but does not think as much as she should. Stacey ends up getting hurt, but she grows to the point where she sees that having love and friendship is much nicer than simple sex. Linda is the more sexually experienced girl, but rather predictably, she gets hurt with her own fascination. Mark and Damone are an interesting pair. Damone is the ever sexual predator. But he carries a charm despite his repulsive actions. And to some extent, he does realize that some of his actions were wrong. Mark is the 'geek.' But we also come to realize that he is not only on the smarter side, but he is in fact a really nice person. Undoubtedly, under Linda's advice, Stacey gets upset when Mark isn't ready for sex. But the truth is that just because Mark wasn't ready for sex, that did NOT mean he didn't care about Stacey. And soon afterwards, Stacey gets HURT badly. (Going back to Mark, there is something really funny about how everyone tries to see his answers during the final exam.) Charles Jefferson is the one weak link here. He is a stereotypical Jock, and he offers no real personality. The wreck of his car is an annoying intrusion, and it really doesn't fit. Unlike the other characters, he does no real growing. Undoubtedly, the favorite pair in this movie is Sean Penn and Mr. Hand. While they have a bad teacher/student relationship, at times it looks like a father/son relationship. Mr. Hand is hard, but he is fair: "Get used to doing your own business on your own time. You wouldn't want me to come to your house some evening and discuss U.S. History would you?" As hard as Mr. Hand gets, he is right when he says: "This class is for your own benefit." The reconciliation of Mr. Hand and Sean Penn is drawn rather well. Moving on, Stacey's brother Brad is worth mentioning as well. He is probably the closest to a 'normal kid.' He works hard in jobs he really doesn't like; but he knows he needs the money. In an especially sympathetic moment, he is brutally fired from his job for a DUMB reason. And he is especially helpful to Stacey when she has BIG problem. In many ways, it's so appropriate that Brad has his moment of glory in the last scene. Another character worth mentioning is the eccentric Mr. Vargas. He appears to be a strange teacher, but he is really likable: "Look, I am a little slow today. I just switched to SANKA. So PLEASE, have a heart." There is something utterly comical about how the students are shocked when they see that Mr. Vargas's wife is especially beautiful. Like Mark, he is strange, but nice, as well as smart.In all honesty, this is not just empty comedy. It shows us real students who have weaknesses and problems. But they are also likable and even Damone has some notable redeeming qualities. The teachers are not without likable qualities either. This movie is worthy of at least a chance.

(2012-05-17 12:44)

Excellent Movie But The DVD Lacks

FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH is a classic teen film. Its like the CITIZEN KANE of the "Rated R Teen Films". FAST TIMES is a timeless classic. I was somewhat dissapointed at the DVD. I was dissapointed cause they didn't bother to put any of the "deleted scenes" or "additional scenes" on this disc. I think they should have put out a Director's Cut of this movie cause evendentally they show alot of deleted stuff on TV. The commentary track on this DVD is great also, the commentary track was longer than the movie. What was with the "HANGOUTS" featurette thing. The featurette was informative. Overall the movie is excellent but the DVD is missing a lot.

(2012-05-17 09:24)

The movie is a hoot, the disc has a lot to offer.

A lot has been said about the film- it's often funny and has some memorable lines. About the disc- the video is great, clean and anamorphic. The audio is a bit disappointing, but as the film was recorded in mono that's what you've got to work with. Dubbing in new versions of the songs would be distracting and probably expensive (licensing).... The commentary is a hoot. Heckerling and Crowe both praise and diss the cast (Heckerling says Jennifer Jason Leigh was "happy as a clam to to take her clothes off.") They both worship Sean Penn. Heckerling often sounds amazed that the movie even got made and is quite self-effacing.