"Can't Buy Me Love" (1987) with Bethany Wells

Tim Williams: In the eighties, the high school hierarchy was absolute. You were either a brain, a jock or completely invisible. But for Ronald Miller, being invisible was no longer an option. He had a plan, a lawnmower and exactly $1,000 in cold hard cash, which started as a desperate deal to buy a month of cool turned into a classic eighties lesson on identity. From the awkwardness of the African and eater dance to the romantic moments at the aircraft graveyard, this movie captured the high stakes drama of the cafeteria lunch table like few others. So crank up the riding lawnmower, pull out the suede white jacket and get ready to ride the Ronnie Express as Bethany Wells and I discuss, Can't Buy Me Love from 1987 on this episode of the 80s flick flashback podcast. Well, welcome to the show everybody. I'm so glad to have you with us. I'm your host, Tim Williams. Climbing the social ladder is this quickly requires a partner who knows how to navigate the clicks and the classics. Joining me today to talk about the true cost of being cool is someone who always brings a fresh perspective and a lot of heart to our discussions. Please welcome back to the show, Bethany Wells. How you doing, Bethany?

Bethany: I'm just fine Tim, think it's funny that you picked me to be the person to help you with cool considering I was famous for writing rent backwards on a piece of paper in my math class. So obviously yes, you were correct. I'm very cool.

Tim Williams: Exactly. Yeah. Hahaha! That's right. Yeah. The coolest of the cool. So yeah, I knew exactly where to look. So yeah, but we've we've been looking forward to this episode for a while. I told Bethany before we started recording. I have wanted to do this one. This is this is kind of the year I've been trying to do the ones that I've kind of kept on the back burner. And I'm like, I'm just going to do it. I don't need a reason like it doesn't have to fall during a certain season. I'm just going to do these movies. And so this is definitely a favorite of mine from my preteen years. And Bethany was quick to Put her name on the list when I put it out there for who wanted to join. So glad to have you here. So let's jump in. When did you see Can't buy me love for the very first time.

Bethany: So the first time I saw it, it was probably in like middle school or high school. Just I think it came on TBS and yeah, my stepmom saw it and she was like, ⁓ this is that funny movie where they do the dance. And I was like, the what? And so I watch it now. Like I've I had previously when I was talking about the movie ages ago to Ruby.

Tim Williams: ⁓ I'm sure. Right.

Bethany: I was like, and then there's this scene where he learns a dance. And I described the whole scene to her and then she was sitting there watching it with me and she goes, ⁓ that's this movie. And I was like, yes.

Tim Williams: Mm-hmm. Love it. Yeah, the African Anteater Dance. yeah. Well, yeah, I'm sure we'll get to that. We come to iconic scenes. think I think we'll both kind of mention that one. So, yeah, I was trying to remember if I saw this from the theater. I think I did, but I think I saw this late. Like it was either at the Dollar Theater or this might have been where we were living on base in Maryland. And they had a theater on base where.

Bethany: So funny. Yeah. Mm-hmm.

Tim Williams: second run movies would play like over a weekend. And so that would play like on Friday night, if it was PG, they do a Saturday matinee and then Saturday night and then sometimes on Sunday. And so I kind of think that's where I saw it, but I remember seeing it. Remember loving it. Remember when it came on cable I think I had a VHS of this. I'm pretty sure I did. ⁓ But I know I had a TV version that I recorded off of TV because ⁓ the part in the when his friend is telling you

Bethany: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Tim Williams: crapped on my house, you know, they couldn't use the word. But I remember that being edited for like, was it? How are they going to edit that? And they tried and it was like, they do this. You it was you dumped on my house. You dumped on my house that that was the TV edit. Yeah, that's like, OK, well, that's one way of doing it. So that's the Disney Plus version.

Bethany: Yeah. I was... Yeah, that's what it was. You dumped on my house. That was a movie. Yeah, it had to have been like it was like sneaky the way like stuff would come up and you'd be like, ⁓ this is inappropriate. Got it. I forget.

Tim Williams: Mm-hmm. Right. Yeah. Oh, yeah. Yeah. And I have it in the notes later, but I'll go ahead and say it now. Like the original script was much raunchier than what it became. right before they were going to film it, the studio was like, yeah, we want to we want this to be more like PG 13. So we need to take some of that stuff out. So the screenwriter had to go and like just take the story down to the bare bones and kind of rewrite it again. without all of the raunchiness. And I was like, I think that's better. think it was like you said, middle school, like early high school, this is like that sweet spot of that type when to watch this movie for sure.

Bethany: Yeah. Mm hmm. Yeah, when you can believe that what they're gaslighting us is that is that Patrick Dempsey is a geek and not hot because he's wearing glasses and a beret and like space and nobody is going to think he's cool, even though objectively it's Patrick Dempsey and he's just a truck. He's an attractive man. Like there's no getting around.

Tim Williams: This was possible. ⁓ Mm-hmm, right. Right. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. They didn't call him McSteamy for nothing, right? Was it McSteamy or McDreamy? I didn't watch Grey's Anatomy, so I don't remember, but he was one of those. Don't send me any hate mail. ⁓

Bethany: So yeah, no kidding. can't remember, I didn't either. But he was one of, he was, he was the McSteamy or McDreamy, one of the two.

Tim Williams: Yeah, he was the first one because he was in the early seasons. remember that. yeah. So yeah. All right. Well, how long has it been since you rewatched it before watching it for the podcast? It's been a while.

Bethany: Mm-hmm. Yeah. It's been a minute. ⁓ I probably watched it in college, probably, but I haven't seen it since. And then when it popped up on your list, I was like, ⁓ I love that movie. And in my head, it was a lot cleaner than it was when I was watching it, because I was like, yeah, kids, come on, let's watch. And I'm sitting here going like, ⁓ OK. It did, thankfully.

Tim Williams: Mm-hmm. Yeah. ⁓ yeah. I'm hopefully it went over their heads. Cause had there, I mean, watching it like same, like it's been a while. I mean, I've watched it in the last, I've probably watched it in the last 10 years for sure. Cause I think it was on one of the streamers like 10 years ago or five or six years ago. I feel like 2020 was 10 years ago, but it was only six years ago. So that's why we say that. Cause that's when I think like, yes.

Bethany: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. It was both yesterday and 100 years ago.

Tim Williams: I was there 86 years ago. I'm sorry, Titanic reference. But yeah, like I think because 2020 is kind like when I, you of course that was when the podcast started, but that was when I was really like, nothing new was coming out and the, because everything was shut down. was like, I want to go back and watch the movies from my childhood. so being able to find stuff on the streamers, I think that's probably when I rewatched it again. But going back to my point, watching it again today,

Bethany: You

Tim Williams: There was a lot of things like, Ooh, I know that had to have gone like right over my head as a preteen. Like that was, I would not have gotten that reference at all, but I was on a dome like, Oh, they said some stuff. talked about some stuff. Yeah. So yeah. So yeah. So yeah. But yeah, for me, it's probably been like I said, maybe like six, I would say six years ago at the earliest, probably. Um, I was able, you can't find it on Blu ray.

Bethany: Yeah. ⁓ my! Ew.

Tim Williams: It's like outer print. I've looked for it several times. You can find the DVD, but it's pretty pricey. think that one's out of print as well. So it popped up on a digital version, maybe a three or four months ago, I think, like after I'd put it on the list and it was like five or six bucks. like, I'm getting it because it's hard to find on streamers now too. So, ⁓ so I was able to, I was able to get it and watch it there, but I will say the digital version that I watched was a, it wasn't the cleanest or like,

Bethany: Mm-hmm.

Tim Williams: It just didn't seem like it was a very good transfer, so, but that's me being picky.

Bethany: Hmm. Well, we, we, probably bought it on DVD at Walmart when it was in like a $5 bin 100 years ago. So we just have it on DVD.

Tim Williams: Mm-hmm. ⁓ for sure. Yeah. ⁓ I mean at your house. I'm shocked if it's I'm shocked if he doesn't have it on DVD somewhere. Yeah, so Right, right

Bethany: It's we have blockbuster. No, this was mine. This was my DVD. So we like combined our DVDs when we got married and his DVD collection was about 95 percent of it, but I had a solid five percent.

Tim Williams: Yeah, I'm sure that probably wasn't very much ⁓ overlap either was there? There was okay.

Bethany: There was a lot of overlap actually. had to get, like we sold a lot of stuff because he had it and I had it. We have a lot in common, weirdly.

Tim Williams: Mm-hmm. Okay, well that's good. Yeah, well, that yeah, that that's on the amount Tyra and my wife is not a collector of videos like I would buy. I would buy DVDs for her like when back when Blockbuster Hollywood video would sell the previous of you. It's like, I got you this movie because you like that. She's like, I'm never going to watch that again. Why did you just spend money on that? And literally, so I'll be watching a movie. She's like, what is this? I'll tell her she's like, I've never seen that. I said, yes, we went to the theater and saw that you don't remember this. I don't remember that. So anyway. Yeah, yeah.

Bethany: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Well, come sit down, watch it again for the first time.

Tim Williams: But there's a few, she's like, ⁓ I love that movie. but then what's really funny is when she's trying to remember a movie, she's like, you know, that one with a thing that happened, you know, you were there. And I'm like, I don't know what you're talking about. But anyway, we have our language. Eventually, eventually the dots ⁓ connect.

Bethany: That is the beautiful thing about marriage is you can describe something terribly, but because you know your partner, you understand what they're saying.

Tim Williams: Mm-hmm. Right, right. Yeah. It's that like she's saying it completely wrong. Nobody else will get them. Like, know, I know where her brain is thinking. So yeah, exactly. So. All right. We broken down the cool factor and revisited the Tuscan scenery, but now it's time to see if we've actually done the homework. Let's play Risky Quizness. I pulled five facts about the making of Can't Buy Me Love. Your job is to tell me if each statement is true or false. Let's see if you're a total pro or if you're headed back to the nerd table. Are you ready? No, no. I think, funny enough, I Laramy is the only one that is the only person that's completely bombed on Risky Quizness, but it was only because he was a last minute addition. So he was not as prepared, which he was quick to point out while we were going through. like, I'm taking these, but I knew I found out I was recording this like six hours ago.

Bethany: If I fail, does the podcast end and I don't get to finish? ⁓ good. What? Laramie complained that he was losing? What?

Tim Williams: Hard to believe I know. All right, here we go. ⁓ Five questions. Here we go. Number one, or false. The movie was originally titled Boy Rents Girl, but the title was changed after the producer secured the rights to the classic Beatles song. True or false?

Bethany: Easy. ⁓ boy, part of me feels like that's true.

Tim Williams: Final answer?

Bethany: I'm gonna say final answer, true.

Tim Williams: Very good, correct. The original title was deemed to be too quote unquote transactional. Once the rights to the Beatles, yeah, yeah, I know, boy rinse girl. ⁓ Once the rights to the Beatles track were cleared, the film was rebranded to be more radio friendly and iconic. ⁓ Amazingly to get Can't Buy Me Love, the filmmakers had to screen the movie for Michael Jackson because he owned the rights to the Beatles songs at that point. Yep.

Bethany: and also terrible. He owns, that's right. Yeah. No, I.

Tim Williams: So he loved the movie and gave them his permission.

Bethany: It's a great song and it's a good title for the movie. So. It works.

Tim Williams: ⁓ yeah, fits. It definitely fits. Yeah. So I know this, like I try not to go too much into the pre-production, but I felt this fit with the question. So the screenwriter's name was Michael Swardlik. And he said the idea for the film originated while he was a mailroom clerk at the William Morris agency. One of the agents invited him and other mailroom staffers to a party on a Saturday night. He brought with him a very attractive female friend and guests took notice. That Monday, he found out that his status at the agency improved right away as quote unquote, everyone wanted to be my friend, he said. When he decided to write a script about high school, he incorporated this experience into the plot. So there you go.

Bethany: Yeah.

Tim Williams: somewhat based on a true story. I'm just kidding. Very loosely based. Yeah. All right. She's got one right. Let's see how she does on number two. True or false? The film was produced by Steven Spielberg's production company Amblin Entertainment as their first venture into the teen romantic comedy genre.

Bethany: Loosely based on a true story. Oh boy, I'm gonna say false.

Tim Williams: You would be correct. While it does have that classic 80s feel, the movie was actually a small independent production by Apollo Pictures before was picked up for distribution by Disney's Buena Vista Touchtone Pictures. So good job. She's two for two. All right. She's on her roll.

Bethany: I was I should have been paying attention to the DVD that would have made the question a lot easier, but I was not

Tim Williams: Right, right. ⁓ Alright, number three, the film was shot entirely on location at a real high school in Tucson, Arizona, and many of the students seen in the background were actual students attending the school. True or false?

Bethany: I like I'd heard that this was true.

Tim Williams: And you would be correct. It was filmed at Tucson High School. The production used the actual campus, which helped give the film its authentic non Hollywood backlot aesthetic. Very much true. All right. You're kicking butt. So three for three. Two more to go. All right. Here we go. True or false. Number four, the famous African Aninder dance was a real cultural dance that Patrick Dempsey learned from professional choreographer.

Bethany: Yay!

Tim Williams: who specialized in world folk dances. True or false?

Bethany: I think that's false cuz wasn't this movie choreographed by Paula Abdul?

Tim Williams: That is correct. The dance was completely made up for the movie. Paul Abdul was the choreographer on the film and the dance was designed to be as weird as possible to highlight Ronald's social awkwardness. Mission accomplished. ⁓ All right, let's see if we get a clean sweep here. Number five, true or false, Anthony Michael Hall was the first choice to play Ronald Miller, but he turned it down because he didn't want to be typecast as the nerd anymore.

Bethany: I love it so much. Knock on wood.

Tim Williams: True or false?

Bethany: Man, it feels true. So I'm gonna say true.

Tim Williams: and she is a clean sweep winner. Congratulations, it is true. Anthony Michael Hall was the top choice given his 80s pedigree, but his refusal opened the door for Patrick Dempsey to take the role and launch his career as a leading man. So there you go. Good job. So tell us how you did. If you played along with us, you can send us an email, reach out to us on social media, or leave us a comment right here on YouTube if that's where you're watching the podcast.

Bethany: That's awesome.

Tim Williams: Good job, good job, good job. All right. ⁓ Very cool under pressure, cool under pressure. all right, well, let's jump into casting because we're kind of, that's kind where we ended the risky quizness anyway. So let's talk about Mr. Dempsey, Patrick Dempsey as Ronald Miller.

Bethany: Thanks! I'm a very good test taker. You

Tim Williams: He was also in Lover Boy in 89. He has since starred in several romantic comedy films such as Sweet Home Alabama in 2002, Made of Honor in 2008, Valentine's Day in 2010, and Bridget Jones' Baby in 2016. He's also taken dramatic roles in Outbreak in 95, Scream 3 in 2000, Freedom Riders in 2007, and Ferrari in 2023. He starred in and produced Fly Paper in 2001, as well as The Art of Racing in the Rain in 2019. And this year he began playing the main role in the Fox crime drama, Memory of a Killer. So I haven't watched that show yet. of course, and of course he was on, ⁓ yeah, yeah, that was a good one. So he did, I think I've seen just about every movie he's been in, least the ones that are listed here. I don't think I saw Ferrari. I didn't see Flypaper or the Art of Racing in the Rain, even though I wanted to, but yeah. But yeah, but he was a complete unknown at the time. So.

Bethany: That's awesome. No, but I loved him in Sweet Home Alabama. Mm-hmm.

Tim Williams: The screenwriter and director both agreed that Ronald Miller needed to be someone who wasn't already famous. They said, if Ronald Miller is a star, when you meet him on his lawnmower, you'll never believe he is a nerd. So you'll never care when he's not a nerd. Even though Dempsey had starred in Fast Times at Ridgemont High, TV adaption, and a few ⁓ other movies, Can't Buy Me Love became his breakout role. yep.

Bethany: did confirm it's He's McDreamy from Craze Anatomy.

Tim Williams: McDreamy, thank you for, yes, thank you all, all Grey's Anatomy fans. Do not boycott the show, because I said it wrong, so, but.

Bethany: Yes, he is. I love him in this movie. Like he is adorable. I do stand by the fact that I don't think he would be such an outcast nerd. Like he's just objectively a good looking human being. And and I just don't believe him as a nerd, even with the glasses and the beret and the lawnmower.

Tim Williams: ⁓ yeah. Mm hmm. Yeah. Yeah, it's funny, like thinking back to what was considered a nerd in 87 versus now. And of course, you know, this is pre Big Bang Theory pre, you know, nerds rule the universe, you know, now, like, what is a nerd? That's, know, it's not as it's not as, ⁓ not as a social, not as social outcast as it used to be. ⁓ but yeah, but like they really had, they did kind of have to nerd him up though, because the beret, ⁓ but like he's mowing lawns. mean, that's, that's

Bethany: Yeah.

Tim Williams: Even though it's a riding lawn where I mowed lawns in high school, that is not an easy job. I wasn't far from it. I was far from a nerd. wasn't athletic, but it was exhausting. Like he had to be in shape. You know, you see a lot when he's like washing her car. I'm like, the dude is like got muscles. It's not like he's, you know, um, I mean, he's thin, but, then, um, you know, he's wearing the astronomy shirt. He's into the stars. Like, but I'm like, is that really a nerd though? Like, I mean, back then, I'm sure that's what we thought because

Bethany: No. Yeah. Yeah

Tim Williams: It wasn't what the cool kids quote unquote were into because he weren't the jocks, but, but yeah.

Bethany: Yeah. But it reminds me of like, she's all that, which I know you were legally not allowed to talk about on your podcast, but just like Rachel Lee Cook is a beautiful woman, whether she's wearing glasses and has a ponytail or not. plays into that, you know, when they did the parody, not another teen movie. It's like her, but she has glasses and a ponytail. It's just like at least at least in this movie, it's

Tim Williams: Let's not. ⁓ yeah, ⁓ yeah yeah. Right, right. Mm-hmm. Right. Right. Mm-hmm.

Bethany: the trope is switched, it's the boy. And he's like, but him? He has on a beret and glasses. He could never be cool.

Tim Williams: Mm-hmm. Right. Right. Right. And he has sleeves on his shirt.

Bethany: Gross. You're gonna tell me that I have to not look at his arms? Gross.

Tim Williams: Right, right, right. So, so yeah, I think, I think he was a perfect choice. This is one of those movies where like, think casting is pretty spot on. mean, there's really nobody on this cast that I felt like was out of place or didn't, didn't belong. Like they all like hit it out of the park. So let's jump to the next person. Amanda Peterson. God bless her. Rest in peace as Cindy Mancini. I mean,

Bethany: Yeah.

Tim Williams: I fell in love with her from day one. Like, of course, that's one of the reasons why I love this movie, because she was just she was gorgeous. She was sincere. I'm amazed that she was 15 years old when this movie was made and he was 20. Yeah. Like she carries herself more mature than like the adults in this movie. Like I when I saw that when I was doing the notes, I was like, I and I saw a couple places I couldn't say it was like it was a misprint. Like she was 15. So.

Bethany: Mm-hmm. What? Yeah. Wow.

Tim Williams: But she's so good in this, like so incredibly good in this, so.

Bethany: She is, like you said, she's very sincere and you get to see so many sides of her and you really don't even get to delve super deep into her and her motivations, unfortunately. But like you see, she's got this mom who makes bad decisions with men and so, yeah, so gross at the very beginning. And then she also is making kind of poor decisions with guys. And she finally meets somebody who

Tim Williams: Mm-hmm. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Very bad decisions. Mm-hmm.

Bethany: Like the way they start out their relationship's not the best, it like you can see why she is drawn to him. It's not just like, ⁓ now he's cool. And so she likes him. Like she doesn't like him when he's being cool. She likes him when they're just the two of them together and he's like being his real self.

Tim Williams: Mm. Right, Mm hmm. Yeah, yeah.

Bethany: and her and her poetry and it's just so sweet and cute. I like, she's very good in it.

Tim Williams: Mm hmm. Mm hmm. Yeah, I agree. wish that I wish. Yeah, I wish they would have given her a little bit more of a backstory. And once again, I mean, it's well, of course, watching it again now, it's like it's very surface, like it's I mean, it moves through a school year pretty quickly. So, you know, of course, you don't want it to be. I don't want a two and a half hour movie about, you know, a romantic comedy. But at the same time, you still I still feel like there was some depth to her character that we I wish we would have gotten a little bit more. But

Bethany: Mm-hmm. Yeah. No.

Tim Williams: I think she brought the character to life, just her, just her talent alone, ⁓ that it's believable. Like even though I wanted to know more, but that's good. It's good that I want to know more. Cause if I didn't, it'd tell you how terrible she was or how terrible the character was. So.

Bethany: Mm-hmm. Right But I mean was she that terrible or was it just a coping mechanism because she's hurting so bad like Like she has a boyfriend, but the boyfriend is away and doesn't seem to really care about her She is a mom who is constantly running off with these guys who are hitting on her just as much as they're hitting on her mom it's and she has all of these friends, but they're super vapid and

Tim Williams: Mm-hmm. Yeah, exactly, Right, right. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Bethany: shallow and not true friends. And she's, yeah.

Tim Williams: Right. Yeah. Which was like, yeah, which was like the click. mean, that was, you you know, thinking back, like thinking back to high school, let's let's let's have a little therapy session here. I was getting thinking back to high school. Like I've had this conversation with my daughter. My daughter's in high school now. She's going to be about to be a junior. And, you know, she's gone through times like I don't have any friends at school. And hopefully none of her friends are watching or listening to this. Probably not. But anyway. ⁓

Bethany: Yeah, let's do it. You

Tim Williams: But, you know, she's like, I don't have any friends. like, I'm like, when I was in high school, I had friends, but the bad thing is I wanted the friends that didn't want to be friends with me. Like I wanted to be friends with the popular kids, even though I knew them. We were nice to each other. They never, I was never bullied or anything like that that I remember. ⁓ but, but it was like, we were, we were, ⁓ cordial and like, we, we kind of ran in some of the same circles. Like we went to church together, things of that nature, but

Bethany: Mm-hmm.

Tim Williams: There was a part of me like, Ooh, I just want to be in that air of popular. But looking back, I'm like, but the guys that I hung out with, those are my real friends. And we were all kind of like misfits and not really outcasts, but like we were, we were the three new guys at school that year. So we kind of, of course we found that commonality. That's why we hung out together. Whereas these other people had been in school together for four or five years. There was, there was depth to their relationship. So.

Bethany: Mm-hmm.

Tim Williams: It's hard to say like, well, that's a clique that just doesn't want us. As you get older, you realize there's just people who have deeper relationships with certain people that they have connections with. And it's not that they're trying to keep you out of their group. just, they have, there's bonds that you're not going to get in a five minute conversation that they've had with for five or six years of their life. So, and I learned that as even as an adult too. So.

Bethany: Mm-hmm. Yeah, I mean, you've got the friends who and friendship also comes in phases. Like sometimes the person that you were the closest to and shared everything with, you just you you grow apart and it doesn't mean you're not friends with them. It doesn't mean you don't love them. You just don't go to them as often as you used to. And then people that you were kind of just like, I don't know, I like them. They seem nice. Now become your confidant and like the person and it doesn't

Tim Williams: Yeah, ⁓ yeah. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Bethany: make either friendship more or less, it just friendships our phases. and, that's hard when you're a kid and everything, everything is the end of the world when you're a kid. It just, it is, and it's, it's impossible to explain to a child. Like, this is just for right now. Like this feels like everything, but it's just right now.

Tim Williams: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm hmm. So thank you for coming to our Ted talk. We appreciate it. But yeah, I agree. I don't want to get too far off on that. once again, it's just like seeing this one of things about watching movies like this as an adult is like seeing it from a different perspective and like, but also remembering as that kid, you know, preteen, I recognize this. ⁓ I recognize myself in this character that like, ⁓ I want to be that would I have ever.

Bethany: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Tim Williams: given a girl a thousand dollars to be popular, make myself popular? Probably not. ⁓ I wouldn't even have the nerve to even talk to her, much less proposition her with money. But anyway, as bad as that sounds, ⁓ yeah, just, but it's a movie and that's what we kind of, lived out some of those ideas through that. But anyway, go ahead.

Bethany: No. Well, I I know it's just a movie, but I feel like movies are important because they offer an opportunity for you to see yourself and see experiences that you have. And when you're in it, it feels very isolating. You feel alone, but to see it reflected back to you, it's just like, ⁓ it's not just me. Somebody else feels just like this, just like me. And so, yes, it's just it's a silly movie named after a Beatles song.

Tim Williams: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Right, right, right. Mm-hmm. Right.

Bethany: thankfully and not the other name you gave. But it's still it helps kids go like, maybe my maybe being popular isn't the thing I need to look into. Maybe it's I need to focus on the true friends that I have.

Tim Williams: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. I know we're jumping, it's like, if I don't mention it now, I'll probably forget later. it, I love another reason why I love this movie and it's the scene towards the end where it's like, you know, the big turning point scene where, you know, he's been outcast because she told that, you know, she was drunk and told the truth in front of everybody. So nobody wants to be and he's now the leper again, you know, for, and not real, not for real, but like he's being treated like a leper.

Bethany: Yeah.

Tim Williams: and the jocks want to, you know, attack his other friend. I can't think of his name right now off the top of my head. ⁓ yeah. Yes. Yes. I'm going to pull it up. ⁓ Kenneth. Yeah. His friend, Kenneth. And so, and he tells the stories like, I'm going to break your arm. Remember like when you broke your arm when we, you know, we were in elementary school and you know, Kenneth carried you all the way to the hospital and you cried the whole way. Like,

Bethany: that redheaded guy that was always the nerd in the movies in the 80s. Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Tim Williams: Let's not forget who we used to be like this. We, we, we kind go into these clicks when we got into high school because I think it makes the comment of beginning, like it was easier in elementary school. Cause they, put, they forced us all to be together. It's when we got into high school where they split us up and everybody kind of went their own way. And I'm like, that's a very adult thing to say, or very like, you know, true statement that that's kind of what happens. And so like, ⁓ I remember friends that I was people that I was friends with in elementary school. And when we got into middle school and high school, just.

Bethany: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Tim Williams: just split, you know, just went different directions because we just didn't see each other like we used to. So, ⁓ so yeah, so I love that scene because that is, that's the heart of the movie. Like if you can realize that at that age, that like, what are we separating ourselves for? Like we were all friends at one point. Do we have different, you know, goals and different interests now than we did back then? Yeah, but let's not become enemies because we don't sit at the same. Yeah.

Bethany: Yeah, we're all still human beings.

Tim Williams: Cause we don't sit at the same table or, know, uh, for lunch. So we can do a whole hour of podcast about high school from this movie. All right. Let me get back to Amanda Peterson. So, uh, she guest starred on father Murphy and silver spoons appeared in over 40, I'm sorry, over 50 commercials. Uh, she was on a TV show called Boone, which was canceled after one season in 1985. She started the movie explorers, uh, as Laurie Swinson.

Bethany: ⁓ lord, please no. ⁓

Tim Williams: also in the the 90s, she appeared on Doogie Howser, M.D. Her final onscreen role was in Windrunner in 1994, filmed at age 22 after a recurring role on Jack's Place in 1993. She kind of left acting for a while, but sadly she passed in July of 2015. Her family revealed that a traumatizing experience on the set of this movie contributed to issues She later faced including addiction to drugs that ultimately ended her acting career, but she died of an accidental morphine overdose in July of 2015 at the age of 43. So I think I read somewhere else she had had, ⁓ she had had a hysterectomy and they had given her, she was on some kind of painkiller, but a friend had given her a morphine pill because she was having trouble sleeping due to paranoia from, but she was not on drugs at the time, but unfortunately it was a drug overdose that killed her.

Bethany: goodness. Mm. Mm-hmm.

Tim Williams: But yeah, very sad, very, very sad. And I remember when she passed, like, it's like, ⁓ yeah, like whatever did happen to her. But yeah, I expected her to be a bigger star than she was. So.

Bethany: ⁓ that's terrible. Yeah. Well, watching the movie, I was like, what else have I seen her in? I feel like I've seen her in so many other things. And I pulled it up and I was like, ⁓ like nothing, really. She was an Annie. She was a dancer and Annie. But that's not what I remember her from. It's just this movie, apparently.

Tim Williams: Mm-hmm. Yes, yes. Yep. Mm hmm. Yeah. I think it was looking at like the TV credits that she had done, being guest. I should guest starred on a ton of TV shows that I probably watched. You've seen like one episode of. All right. Moving down the line, ⁓ Courtney Gaines as Kenneth, we mentioned Kenneth earlier, he achieved success during the 80s with a variety of roles in films such as Children of the Corn.

Bethany: Right.

Tim Williams: Hard Bodies, was in Back to the Future, Secret Admire, Colors, The Burbs in 89 and Memphis Bill. Later films included Sweet Home Alabama, Dorm Days, which he executive produced and Rob Zombie's Halloween remake. but yes, this was the movie that I knew him from though. I mean, I remember seeing him in The Burbs. I remember seeing him in Secret Admire, Memphis Bill, but like this, he was always Kenneth. Like that was just the character that I remembered him from. So, all right.

Bethany: Yeah. He's so iconic in this character.

Tim Williams: ⁓ for sure. Yeah. All right. We'll kind of hit trying to hit some of these pretty quickly. So we got Tina Casperi as Barbara. She's an actress known for my mom's a werewolf and Mack and me. She was also an Annie with Amanda Peterson as well. Fun fact about her. She was originally cast as Kelly Bundy on Married with Children.

Bethany: ⁓ wow, okay.

Tim Williams: Didn't they had her teamed up with a different younger brother and they didn't think their chemistry was well enough. So they brought in Christina Applegate and David Faustino, Faustino. I can't think of his last name, but yeah, they were better. So, yeah. One of my favorites, Seth Green as Chuck Chuckie Miller during. ⁓ really? Yeah.

Bethany: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah, they were great. did not realize it was Seth Green until I was sitting there looking at it I was like, is that, like today, today went like, is it Seth Green?

Tim Williams: Yeah, yeah, right. Right. And I read something like he said, he still gets recognized, like people still bring it up to him. He's like, how? I don't even look like that. Like, I don't even look like that anymore. But it's him. I it's it's totally him. It's so funny. Yeah. So yeah, during the 90s and 2000s, he began starring in comedy films such as Idle Hands in 99, Rat Race in 2001, Without a Paddle in 2004 and Be Cool in 2005.

Bethany: Yeah.

Tim Williams: He was best known for his portrayal as Scott Evil, Dr. Evil's son in Austin Powers film series. He's also the voice of Howard the Duck in a number of the Marvel Cinematic Universe films and series, Guardians of Galaxy one through three and the animated series What If, but yeah. Best younger brother side character ever, every scene. We'll get to him in a minute. We'll talk about him a little bit more.

Bethany: Nice. for sure. Okay.

Tim Williams: Then we've got Sharon Farrell as Mrs. Mancini, her mom. She made her film debut in 1959 in Kiss Her Goodbye followed by roles in 40 Pounds of Trouble in 62, such a weird name for a movie, A Lovely Way to Die in 68 and Marlow in 69. She worked mostly in television with recurring roles on the series Saints and Sinners in 62, Dr. Kildare in 65 and Hawaii Five-O in 1980. So, yeah. She was good as the mom. Yep. Of course, love boat, yeah, exactly. Then you've got Dennis Dugan as David Miller, Ronald's dad. He's known for directing the films, Problem Child, Brain Donors, Beverly Hills Ninja, and National Security. And he's directed most of the Adam Sandler movies, Happy Gilmore, Big Daddy, The Benchwarmers, I now pronounce you Chuck and Larry. You don't mess with the Zohan, Grown Ups, Just Go With It, Jack and Jill, and Grown Ups 2.

Bethany: I everybody was in Hawaii Five-O or Love Boat. ⁓ ⁓ good for him, I had no idea.

Tim Williams: Yeah, like when I saw his name, I was like, I know that name because I've seen probably every ⁓ Adam Sandler movie because it's an Adam Sandler movie. Like, I'm not expecting it to be award winning. mean, he's done some award winning movies, but not these. But like, I know what I'm going to get. It's and it's OK. It's like he's, know.

Bethany: Adam Sandler movie. Yeah. Yeah. Yes. Yeah. quote Big Daddy every day and I don't even realize I'm doing it anymore.

Tim Williams: Yeah. Just go with it is probably me and one of me and Tyra's favorite like Adam Sandler movies like I will agree his chemistry with Jennifer Aniston is pretty great, but that movie is just so ridiculous and funny Nicole Kidman and Dave Matthews ⁓ Just the cameos. It's just great. We love that movie so much fun Then we've got Darcy DeMoss as Patty. She was in Friday the 13th part 6 Jason Lives, which we had talked about on the podcast before ⁓

Bethany: Mm-hmm. I love it.

Tim Williams: That's all I'm gonna mention of hers, because her other movies are not ones that we want to talk about on a family-friendly podcast. Yeah, she went a little more on the spicy side after that, ⁓ Then you've got Devon DeVasquez as Iris. She played the Virgin in House Two. She also played Clarissa Carolyn in the Body Horror Film Society. ⁓ She was also in the third episode of Married with Children. She appeared in other films like Low Down, Dirty Shame.

Bethany: Yeah, got it.

Tim Williams: Busted and guns. Couldn't tell you. I know a little down dirty shame, but I don't know the other ones. Then so those are kind of the those are I Patty and Iris were her friend were. ⁓ The friends Cindy's friends, right? Yeah. Quote of friends, yeah. Not very faithful friends. But anyway, moving on. ⁓ Then we've got Eric Bruss Cotter as Big John Richmond. His first acting gig came in the form of an episode of Amazing Stories.

Bethany: quote unquote friends.

Tim Williams: He was also on the TV show Tour of Duty that came out that same year in 87, which I remember him from. He returned to feature films in the 90s in Crimson Tide and The Line of Fire. He is also known for his role as Rube Baker in Major League Two and Major League back to the minors. So he was also in Starship Troopers, if you are a fan of that movie. But I knew him from Major League Two and Tour of Duty. was a big fan of that show.

Bethany: Nice.

Tim Williams: Then we've got Gerardo Mejia as Ricky. If you did not know, he's the musician that went on to record several albums with Rico Suave as being his most popular song. He actually taught Patrick Dempsey the wavy dance move that Dempsey performs in the scene just before his character Ronald breaks up with Cindy, which is the worst wavy dance like, come on, man. Yeah.

Bethany: Ooh. you

Tim Williams: No, it's when he's standing. He's standing out when she comes up for the breakup and he's doing like the he's trying to do like the break dancing, like the wave thing. Yeah. So yeah. Yeah. All right. Then we got ⁓ court McCall court McCown as Quint. His film debut was in Teen Wolf. One of Michael J. Fox's basketball teammates. He was also in Beverly Hills Bratz. He went on to appear in TV shows like Hunter Jag, Beverly Hills, 90210.

Bethany: Yeah, nice.

Tim Williams: and the FX sitcom, The League. think he was one of Ronald's friends. then Amy Dolenz has a blink and you miss it ⁓ cameo in this movie as Fran. She's the daughter of Mickey Dolenz from the 60s group, The Monkeys. ⁓ She was in a bunch of movies as well, like, you know, B movies basically. but ⁓ yeah, I knew her. And then Max Perlick as Lester. ⁓

Bethany: Yeah. Yeah

Tim Williams: Once again, another high school, one of Ronald's friends. His career began with a small part in Ferris Bueller's Day Off. He went on to be in other film, teen films such as Playing Close in 88, Gleam in the Cube, Lost Angels and Drugstore Cowboy in 89. He was also in the films Rush in 91, The Butcher's Wife in 91, Cliffhanger in 93, Maverick in 94. Yeah, he had a prolific 90s. but yeah, he was the crew cut nerd friend. Yes. Yeah.

Bethany: in the like leather jacket guy. Yeah.

Tim Williams: Yeah, that was him. And then I did not have him on my list until this popped up and I was like, I did not know this. George Gray, the third who plays Bobby, the football player boyfriend that this is kind of on the TV. And I think that's only time he's going to be in the movie. He shows up at the party. He's best known for hosting the game shows, Extreme Gong and weakest link. But he's been the he's been the announcer on the Price is Right since 2011.

Bethany: Mm-hmm. Wow.

Tim Williams: Yep. So the next time you're at home, homesick from work and you you're having that bowl of chicken noodle soup, some ginger ale and watching the prices right like you did when you were in elementary school. When the announcer comes on the prices right, like that dude was in can't buy me love.

Bethany: sick. Mm-hmm. Absolutely. That's awesome. Good for him. That's a that's a pretty good gig. Price is right, announcer. Come on down.

Tim Williams: And any, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Come on down. So yeah, I'll say, yeah, if you ever win that on trivia, please be sure to let them know that you learned it here, folks.

Bethany: Yeah, I'll give you a percentage of my, you know, bar gift card.

Tim Williams: ⁓ I'll buy you some nachos. All right. Anybody else in the cast that I might have missed or anybody you want to mention that stood out to you?

Bethany: Yeah. can't think of anybody. The only person that really stood out to me today watching it was Seth Green. it was just because I was like, ⁓ gosh, she really has been around a long time.

Tim Williams: Mm-hmm. long time. Yep, yep, yep. All right, well, let's talk about iconic and favorite scenes. So if anybody says can't buy me love instead of thinking about the song from the Beatles, what's the first scene that pops in your head?

Bethany: It's the African Anteater dance. Because the hat on top of that beautiful joke mountain that they've built is the nerds recognizing what it is. That's the best.

Tim Williams: Yes, exactly. It's the top of my list for sure. Mm-hmm. Right. Exactly. Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. But I love the setup is like he comes in and once again, why is the TV in the kitchen? Like, don't they have another TV in the house? Only TV is in the kitchen and he's just sitting on the counter and he's like, I got to watch the last 10 minutes of American Bandstand. And so he's just flipping channels. Like, ⁓ spotlight dance. Here you go. And then he's following it. And then, of course, he leaves the room. His brother comes back and it was like, it's, you know, PBS, you know, and ⁓ man, I

Bethany: Yeah. And that's the only TV they have. Yeah. Yeah. It's PBS, yeah.

Tim Williams: Just what a great setup. What a great setup.

Bethany: And it's really, it's not a bit, I don't know how you would do a bit like that now. Like unless it was like on TikTok and you're trying to find like popular dances and you, because you're a nerd, you get fed African anteater dances. But like.

Tim Williams: Right, right. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, definitely dates it like you were going to American Bandstand to find the latest dance moves. That's definitely an 80s reference for sure.

Bethany: Yeah, that's your first. That's your first aging. then there's only one TV and it's in the kitchen. There's your other aging. And then you're flipping the channels because you don't have any kind of guide.

Tim Williams: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah, yeah, like you don't know what channel American Bandstand is on, yeah. ⁓ man, but yeah. Yeah.

Bethany: You don't know what channel you're on. Yeah. It's great. No notes. Fantastic. And it's such a dumb dance, but it like when they're all doing it together, it is like so iconic where like all you have to do when you're talking about it is the like shaking with your hands next to your head.

Tim Williams: Yeah. Mm hmm. And waving your arms like in front and behind you and like put your head down. So, yeah. Yeah.

Bethany: And that's it. And everybody knows the movie you're talking about.

Tim Williams: Exactly. And I love that they bring it back. Like it becomes so popular that he goes home on New Year's Eve and and all the everybody in his house, the friends of his parents are now doing the dance at his house and like, what do you do? Yeah. ⁓ yeah. Yeah. Right. ⁓ Right. Right. And he goes to the.

Bethany: Yeah. And he's all sad. But that's how you know he's not cool anymore. Now the dance that he's made is being done by the middle-aged adults.

Tim Williams: He goes to the shed to sleep with the lawnmower, which is just like that is the lowest of the low. You can't even sneak in the back door to get to your bedroom. You're just going to sleep outside.

Bethany: Yeah. No, you have to sleep in the shed. And I will say he is such a little twerp, like the second they break up, he becomes awful.

Tim Williams: Mm-hmm. ⁓ yeah. ⁓ yeah. So that's my second most iconic scene him walking down the hall after the breakup and that Western outfit his hair like all slicked back and like, hey, you he's like, Mr. Cool. I'm like, you're so slimy, man. You're right. Right.

Bethany: Yeah, what a little prick. I can't even with you like and because and it seems like such a quick turn like it's it goes to his head so fast. And because they break up and it's not even like halfway through the movie and he's just a jerk for the rest of it. And I'll be honest with you, if if my daughter was treated that way, like if

Tim Williams: Mm-hmm. So fast, yes. Right, Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Bethany: If she was what's the name of the character Cindy if she was Cindy in that movie, I would be like absolutely not. He is no longer cutting our grass. I don't care if there's nobody else on the block that cuts grass. I will cut it with scissors myself. That boy does not deserve your time. Like he uses her poem. How awful.

Tim Williams: Cindy, Mm-hmm. Right, right. Mm hmm. ⁓ gosh, that was the lowest of the low. Yeah.

Bethany: He sucks and he deserved it. He deserved to get and it ticked me off that Seth Green. Now let me get on a soapbox that he comes up here and he blames her for it. Absolutely not sir. He created this situation. He saw her in a vulnerable situation. He made a proposition she accepted. And then he took advantage of this situation like

Tim Williams: Mm-hmm. Right. Right. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Bethany: was so ugly to her for no reason but just because he knew it was going to make him more popular and he turned against everybody and so when he finally falls it is hard he falls off that pedestal hard and he deserves it

Tim Williams: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Bethany: I don't think he got like, I don't think the resolution was enough. think he needed, I think he needed to apologize to her because he never truly apologizes to her. Like he has his little speech, but it's, he doesn't apologize. Like she even says, like makes the comment gives him the opportunity to say like, Hey, I heard you use my PO, he doesn't acknowledge that.

Tim Williams: Mm-hmm. Yeah, yeah. Mm-hmm. Right. Right.

Bethany: But it really feels like I just, I don't have any friends now. Please be my friend. I'm sorry. Stop being mad at me. I said I'm sorry. Stop it, no. You deserve to suffer a little bit longer. I'm sorry. And that's my two cents.

Tim Williams: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Right. Right. No, you're not wrong. ⁓ yeah, it like once again, it's hard watching it. It's interesting seeing it from an adult perspective because like I said, when he comes around that corner, like he's so slimy. Like I don't remember if I thought that. I knew it was over the top even as a kid. Like, okay, he's really gone off the deep end. But like it's so slimy now. But then I'm even more like I'm upset at him.

Bethany: Mm-hmm.

Tim Williams: But then I'm even more upset at the friends because they fawn all over him. Like he's like the moat. Now he's become the most popular kid of all of them. And I'm like, why? Like there's no real reason. Like because he. Right. Yeah. Like he like doesn't doesn't just break up with her, but like he makes a scene outside in public with people like that's just.

Bethany: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. He objectively sucks right now.

Tim Williams: That's like the lowest of the low. It's mean. they could have done, of course, you know, it's for a movie and neither drama, like, well, hey, let's break up. Let's just tell people we broke up. You know, this will be our story. It happened somewhere else, like, and that'd be it. you know, gotta have the big breakup moment. But ⁓ then she...

Bethany: It's mean. Yeah. Yeah. But it's like he feels like he can't be popular if she's still on the pedestal that she was at. So in order for him to keep moving up, he has to bring her down.

Tim Williams: Mm-hmm. Yeah. And I think it's too like, I will say like when she's with the other guy, the other college guy, what is his name? Yeah. Yeah. What is his name? Biff? It's Brett. Yeah. He's like, there's a difference. And I read in the notes that if you look, his license plate is BYF. So that's why he called it, his name was Biff. ⁓

Bethany: random weird guy. No, it's Brett.

Tim Williams: But yeah, but like, you know, I kind of feel like he was jealous. Like he was, you know, like he really did like her, but he was too afraid to like, I don't think they exported enough to like, I think he still felt like I am still a nerd on the inside. Yeah. I'm putting up this big facade, but I could never get you even if I wanted to. So I've got to just play this part and ride my 15 minutes of fame, even though he didn't realize it was going to be like 13 and a half minutes, but very.

Bethany: Mm-hmm. Yeah, he was very insecure.

Tim Williams: very so but you know if you're willing to pay to be popular that kind of tells you how insecure you are.

Bethany: but also what a great depiction of like a 16 year old boy, like just completely insecure.

Tim Williams: That doesn't make me feel any better. My daughter's 16. Like, don't stay away from boys until you're at least 32. No, she's got a good head on her shoulder. She's not boy crazy just yet. take your time, girl. Take your time. But she's also much more mature and she thinks they're all goofy and stupid. So I'm like, you're right.

Bethany: Sorry. Just don't talk to people. Ever. Good for her. They are. They are all goofy and stupid and they smell bad.

Tim Williams: Yeah. All right, so what about some favorite scenes?

Bethany: I will say another scene that obviously the dance scene, it's just great. basically when they have the scene where he's trying to get her, and I don't know what her goal was with the dress of like, I'm just gonna give you this ruined dress and you're gonna give me the new one and that's gonna be fine. And it's just such a funny scene of like kind of establishing those characters and

Tim Williams: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Bethany: and where they are, a fun scene to watch and it does a good job of setting the tone of the movie.

Tim Williams: Mm-hmm. Mm hmm. Yeah, for my favorite scenes, I just put every scene with Seth Green, like every scene he was in. He's so funny. Yes, I love like he's talking and his dad said, I was talking to mom like that was like that ongoing bit like I was talking to mom, dad. ⁓ And then the one line that I love. And then once again, you know, he's blaming he's blaming Cindy. But the line was great. You took him from geek status, geek status to king status.

Bethany: Yeah, he's so funny. What a slimy little brother. Yeah To King status to no status. Yeah, that was good.

Tim Williams: to no status. ⁓ And then I love that she puts ⁓ the powder on his face and then he's like, you think that's gonna scare me away? And then she goes with the lipstick and he's like, like his whole manners and everything. Yeah, yeah, it's just, I'm like, how much was that ad libbed? I wanna know how much he ad libbed and how much that was in the script, but he's just, he stole every single scene he was in. which was my favorite, buddy.

Bethany: It's not even for my complexion. He's so cute. I know. He really did. I also loved like at the beginning when Patrick Tempsey is talking about how much money he's raised and he's gonna buy this telescope and then he's gonna put money into like a savings account and he's so excited. And his brother's just like, yeah, no, that's great. Hey, can I borrow 20 bucks? His dad's like, yeah, sure, here you go.

Tim Williams: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Right. Right. Right. Oh, man. I will say like, it's it's still funny to me. And it's the it's the middle school boy in me. But like why the big jock has a gas problem. But every time he has to remove himself, the know, Seth Green gets caught in the in the crossfire or the direct fire, which is hilarious. I was just but it was I was watching it today and maybe some on the DVD.

Bethany: Ha

Tim Williams: Is there any sound like is there a fart sound in the original movie? No, which I was which I was surprised like I was like, felt there was a fart sound there. And when the version I was watching there wasn't, I was like, maybe they took it out. Like, well, why? But anyway, I just I was curious. Like maybe that's the Mandela effect. Like it had to make some kind of sound, but I guess it was silent but deadly ⁓ anyway. It does. How is he popular with that problem?

Bethany: No, it's very weird. I think that guy has a dairy problem and maybe he should stop friend to friend. Cause he's a boy. He's a boy that's good at sports.

Tim Williams: Right, how was he popular with that type of problem? Yeah. All right, football. It's all about the football. So. All right, well, let's hit a couple of trivia things before we jump into box office. I noticed this in the movie and I don't think I ever noticed it until today, or if I did, I didn't care enough to think more about it. But at the beginning of the movie during the cheerleaders practicing, did you notice there were people outside the fence with picket signs? You didn't see that. So these were striking crew members of the film.

Bethany: No.

Tim Williams: because the film was done non-union. The Screen Actors Guild sent representatives of the set to dissuade the students at Tucson High School from being extras. While their plan ultimately failed, the school's drama club decided not to participate. But yeah, there are actual protesters in the background with their sign. You can't read the signs, but they're obviously protesting. was like, who's protesting? was like, yeah, what are they protesting? So I just thought that was interesting.

Bethany: Hmm. Yeah. What are they protesting? I think it's really funny that it's the drama club who said like, we will not participate in the film. We have standard.

Tim Williams: Right. Right. Right. Right. At about an hour into the movie, there are several station wagons parked outside of the local hangout scoops, whereas early in the movie, the cars driven by the high schoolers were sportier. After Ronald became cool, quote unquote, he was driving his dad's station wagon. And apparently all the other cool kids followed suit just like they did with the dance Ronald did at the Columbus Day dance, which I was like, I don't think I ever picked up on that.

Bethany: Never noticed that.

Tim Williams: But ⁓ but yeah, but what a great name for a local business. Tic Tac Tile is the tile man loved it. Yeah, I'm no I'll never forget it. Another fun fact about somebody you did that is more popular now, the song that's playing on the radio when he's making out with one of the friends, I think Iris, there's a song in the background playing playing called French Kissing. And it was written by Chuck Lor, who would later create Big Bang Theory.

Bethany: Great. Iconic, beautiful. Yeah, wow, that's really cool. Maybe there's a lot of overlapping.

Tim Williams: I wonder if he got any inspiration from this movie for that show. Hmm. A nerd and a hot blonde. Yeah. Yeah. I could see that. I could see that. So yeah. So that's what I got for trivia. So box office, box office. There wasn't a whole lot. There's not, there wasn't a whole lot of behind the scenes on here. But Can't Buy Me Love opened in North American theaters on August 14th, 1987. It debuted at number three at the weekend box office.

Bethany: I love it.

Tim Williams: It beat out other new releases for the week, including No Way Out, which came out at number four with Kevin Costner. The Fat Boys led Disorderlies that came in at number seven and The Monster Squad at number 12, but it couldn't overtake the holdovers, The Living Daylights at number two and Stakeout at number one. Have you seen any of those other movies that I mentioned? No Way Out is fantastic. Which one? The Living Daylights?

Bethany: Nice. I am not. But you know what I own on DVD? can't buy me love. There you go.

Tim Williams: Okay, there you go. Yeah, that makes sense. Yeah. No Way Out. Excellent movie. We've covered it. Disorderlies is as terrible as it sounds and as enjoyable as funny as it sounds. Monster Squad is a cult classic we've covered on the podcast. Yeah. Kick him. Kick Wolfman Haznard. That's it. Yeah. Your husband will be proud. You knew that one. ⁓

Bethany: Okay. That's the Nards one. The Wolfman has Nards. Okay. Yes. I just know that quote. That's the only thing I know about that movie. And it's because when I worked at Blockbuster, my boss, she made that, she quoted that movie and I was like, I have no idea what that is. And she told me and she was very disappointed in me for not knowing it. And so that's been seared into my memory.

Tim Williams: ⁓ I'm sure. Wow. Ha ha ha ha. Gotcha. She like, it made me think of like office space where you have to have so many, like so much flair on your, I could see if you had, if you had to have flair on your blockbuster shirt, you would have a pin that said kick him in the nards.

Bethany: Yeah. You got, yeah, you have to have like these merit badges of like understanding what random quote is used. And I did, I just didn't get my monster squad badge. Never got it.

Tim Williams: Yeah, yes, there you go. Yes, yes. You didn't get that one, yeah, so. Well, it's time to take a look at how well this 80s flick holds up today. It's the Rewatchability and Nostalgia Meter. It's our way of measuring how enjoyable a movie is for repeat viewings along with the waves and nostalgia it brings. Here's how it works. It's a one to ten scale. Any number between one and ten will do, but here are a few parameters to help you decide. At the bottom of the meter to number one means I saw it once and that was enough. At the middle is a five. It means it's a good rewatch every couple of years. and the highly coveted top of the meter is a number 10, meaning it's highly rewatchable and full of nostalgia. So Bethany, where does Can't Buy Me Love rank for you on the rewatchability and nostalgia meter?

Bethany: I am gonna say it's a 6.4. It's very nostalgic and I do enjoy rewatching it. I just don't watch it all the time. Like it's not something that I'm just like, oh man, I gotta watch that again. I don't, usually a movie for that, it has to make me feel really good when I'm watching it. There's a lot of scenes in this movie that make me feel really bad.

Tim Williams: Okay. Yep. Right, right. Mm-hmm. Right, right, right. Hehehehehe

Bethany: Will say the slow clap scene at the very end. We're sitting there watching it and Ruby just goes like this is so cringy But then when the movie was over she was like, well that was actually pretty cute I was like, well, I'm glad you appreciated it even though it was cringe but yeah, it's It's good. It's fun. It's got moments that I'm always gonna remember Like I said, I've told my kid about it before she even watched the movie

Tim Williams: ⁓ yeah, the slow clap. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Right, right, right. Yeah, like I said, go ahead.

Bethany: And it's a fun movie. It's just not like, gotta have this on repeat.

Tim Williams: Right, right. Yeah. I'm kind of there with you. think I'm going give it a little bit higher. go to seven just because of nostalgia. mean, this is one that I saw as a kid, you know, when it first came out. it's it's definitely a part of my adolescence for sure. So but yeah, it's it's not it's one that I would like to watch every couple of years, but not one that I want to watch like every year. But.

Bethany: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Tim Williams: Now that I've seen it again, I do want to watch it again with my daughter and kind of get her perspective on it. I've kind of, I thought about asking her to watch with me today, but I knew she wasn't going to be in the mood. So I have to wait till she's, you know, she'll want to watch something with me. ⁓ 16 year olds, you know, that's how it is. but yeah, I think, I think seven is still good for this type of movie. Like I said, there's some things that don't hold up as well as I would like them to, or like don't age as well as I'd like them to, but.

Bethany: Mm-hmm. So good. Mm-hmm.

Tim Williams: It still has the good nostalgia and great, still scenes that made me laugh out loud. ⁓ Lines that I quoted as they were saying it, because I remembered I'd seen it so many times. yeah, so it's a solid seven for me. I think that works.

Bethany: yeah. Nice.

Tim Williams: So let us know where you think Camp By Me Love should rank on the rewatchability and nostalgia meter. Send us an email, let us know on social media or drop us a comment right here on YouTube. So, well, Bethany, anything else you want to say about Camp By Me Love as we wrap it up?

Bethany: I'm just gonna say that if you have a plan to watch American Bandstand, please make sure to set your alarms and reserve the counter space so that your brother can't hog the TV remote.

Tim Williams: Right. Or at least check the TV guide to know which channel it's going to be on. So make sure that you turn to the right channel.

Bethany: Yeah, absolutely.

Tim Williams: All well, that's a wrap on another trip to the greatest decade of cinema. If we sparked a memory or helped you rediscover a classic today, please head over to Apple Podcast and leave us a five star review. truly helps the show reach more fans just like you Make sure you're always in the loop for our next deep dive. Hit that follower subscribe button. And if you want to help keep the show running, consider being a partner at by be a coffee dot com for more eighties. Goodness. Our digital headquarters is always open at eighties flick flashback dot com. While you're there, check out our T-Public store for original designs and a movie inspired merch that'll have you looking like an 80s icon. Thanks again for tuning in everybody. Thank you again, Bethany for being here. Always a pleasure to have you on the show with us.

Bethany: Thanks, Tim. Thanks for having me.

Tim Williams: Yep. I'm Tim Williams for the 80s Flick Flashback Podcast. Me? Change? Never.