Fast Times At Ridgemont High
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Amy Heckerling
Sean Penn
Judge Reinhold
Phoebe Cates
Jennifer Jason Leigh
Anthony Edwards
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
Teenagers struggling with independence, sexuality, money, maturity and high school.
Director
Amy Heckerling
Cast
Sean Penn
Judge Reinhold
Phoebe Cates
Jennifer Jason Leigh
Anthony Edwards
Burdette
Ava Lazar
Steven M Martin
Julie Guilmette
John Hollander
James Russo
Eric Stoltz
Robert Romanus
Sonny Davis
Eric Leroy
Martin Brest
Taylor Negron
Douglas Brian Martin
Lori Sutton
Lana Clarkson
Laurie Hendricks
Shelly O'neill
David Resnick
Kenny Lawrence
D. W. Brown
Stu Nahan
Kelli Maroney
Ricky Redlich
David Doolittle
Blair Tefkin
Lois Brandt
Reeves Nevo
Cherie Effron
Roy Holmer Wallack
Michael Wyle
Pamela Springsteen
Virginia Peters
Tom B Bralley
Ellen Fenwick
Scott Thomson
Brian Backer
Nancy Wilson
Nicolas Cage
Patrick Brennan
Stanley Davis
David Price
Tom Nolan
Stu Nahan
Forest Whitaker
Ray Walston
Duane Tucker
Stuart Cornfield
Suzanne Marie Fava
James Bershad
Taylor Negron
Vincent Schiavelli
Reginald H Farmer
Amanda Wyss
Crew
Janna Allen
Joy Anzarouth
Irving Azoff
Donah Bassett
Bernard
Patrick Blymyer
John Bonham
Jan Brandow
Jackson Browne
Jimmy Buffett
Richard E Bulter
Charlotte Caffey
Bob Chase
Ed Cherney
Debra Chiate
Angelo Corallis
Hugo Cortina
Cameron Crowe
Cameron Crowe
Vince Del Castillo
Bob Destocki
James Dillon
Danny Elfman
David Ellis
C. O. Erickson
C. O. Erickson
Marty Ewing
Rob Fahey
Don Felder
Phil Flad
Arthur Forney
Carrie Frazier
Glenn Frey
Mickey Gilbert
Tim Gilbert
Leora Glass
James Glennon
James Glennon
Louise Goffin
Frank Griffin
Ron Grover
Sammy Hagar
Shannan Harrell
Greg Hawker
Brian O Haynes
Roger Heman
Don Henley
R Dudley Holmes
Larry Holt
William Jackson
Eric Jenkins
Dennis Jones
Melvin Jones
Danny Kortchmar
Julius Leflore
John R. Leonetti
Matthew F. Leonetti
Matthew F. Leonetti
John Linder
Art Linson
Donna Linson
Kenny Loggins
Daniel Lomino
Darlene Love
Ken Lubin
Anthony Magro
Gerard Mcmahon
John Moio
John Moio
Graham Nash
Stevie Nicks
Ric Ocasek
Alan Oliney
Michael Ostin
Tommy Overton
Jimmy Page
Tom Petty
Don Phillips
Robert Plant
Glenn Randall
Patti Roberts-nelson
Marv Ross
Domingo Samudio
Jeff Sandler
Bobby Sargent
Marla Denise Schlom
Timothy B Schmit
Ben R Scott
John-clay Scott
Martin Seidman
Albert Shapiro
Rex Slinkard
Billy Squier
Billy Squier
Roy Straigis
James L Thompson
Bonnie Timmermann
Jim Troutman
Marion Tumen
Marion Tumen
Michael Utley
Marilyn Vance-straker
Chuck Velasco
Michael Vendrell
Joe Walsh
Joe Walsh
Joe Walsh
Jim Weidman
Ward Welton
Jane Wiedlin
George Williams
Paul Wittinburg
Allan Wyatt
Rusty Young
Film Details
Technical Specs
Articles
Vincent Schiavelli (1948-2005)
He was born on November 10, 1948 in Brooklyn, New York. After he studied acting at New York University's School of the Arts, he quickly landed a role in Milos Foreman's Taking Off (1971), and his career in the movies seldom dropped a beat. Seriously, to not recognize Schiavelli's presence in a movie or television episode for the last 30 years means you don't watch much of either medium, for his tall, gawky physique (a towering 6'6"), droopy eyes, sagging neck skin, and elongated chin made him a casting director's dream for offbeat and eccentric parts.
But it wasn't just a striking presence that fueled his career, Schiavelli could deliver the fine performances. Foreman would use him again as one of the mental ward inmates in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975); and he was hilarious as the put-upon science teacher, Mr. Vargas in Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982); worked for Foreman again as Salieri's (F. Murray Abraham's) valet in Amadeus (1984); unforgettable as an embittered subway ghost who taunts Patrick Swayze in Ghost (1990); downright creepy as the brooding organ grinder in Batman Returns (1992); worked with Foreman one last time in The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996); and was a dependable eccentric in Death to Smoochy (2002). Television was no stranger to him either. Although he displayed a gift for comedy playing Latka's (Andy Kaufman) confidant priest, "Reverend Gorky" in a recurring role of Taxi, the actor spent much of his time enlivening shows of the other worldly variety such as Star Trek: The Next Generation, Tales from the Crypt, The X Files, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
In recent years, Schiavelli curtailed the acting, and concentrated on writing. He recently relocated to the Sicilian village of Polizzi Generosa, where his grandparents were raised. He concentrated on his love of cooking and in 2002, wrote a highly praised memoir of his family's history as well as some cooking recipes of his grandfather's titled Many Beautiful Things. He is survived by two children.
by Michael T. Toole
Vincent Schiavelli (1948-2005)
Fast Times at Ridgemont High
Anyone who's seen Almost Famous (2000) already knows Cameron Crowe's backstory. The semi-autobiographical Almost Famous, written and directed by Crowe, spins the seemingly fantastic tale of a 15-year old rock journalist -- inspired by Crowe's own teen years. When he was just 16, Crowe wrote his first cover story for Rolling Stone and soon quit high school to go on the road, interviewing bands and musicians the likes of Bob Dylan and Led Zeppelin. At 22, Crowe decided to go back to high school - this time as a journalist. He spent the 1979-80 school year posing as a student at a San Diego high school. Crowe's experiences became the novel Fast Times at Ridgemont High (with names changed to protect the innocent, though Crowe claims "all the incidents are true"). Oddly, Crowe's main discovery about his classmates was how conservative they were. "They're Reagan children," he commented. "It's scary." Crowe was called on to adapt his own work for the screen - unusual for a first time writer - and by age 24 he had a published novel and a produced screenplay to his credit.
Crowe followed Fast Times (and made his directorial debut) with another teen classic Say Anything (1989) and then turned out a little something for the twentysomething GenXers with Singles (1992). But his biggest success came in 1996 with Jerry Maguire. The Tom Cruise sports agent comedy-drama was nominated for five Academy Awards, including one for Crowe's original screenplay. But Crowe would have to wait a few years to finally win an Oscar®. The award for Best Screenplay came in 2000 for Almost Famous.
Crowe wasn't the only film novice at work on Fast Times. It was also director Amy Heckerling's first time out of the gate. She would go on to direct comedies like National Lampoon's European Vacation (1985) and Look Who's Talking(1989), but Heckerling's most notable post-Fast Times success came with another teen hit -- Clueless (1995). Fast Times also featured the work of some talented and relatively unknown young actors. Sean Penn had only Taps (1981) and some TV work to his credit before the film. And likewise, Jennifer Jason Leigh had appeared mainly in TV movies. Fast Times would be a breakthrough film for both stars. Other early performances featured in the film come from actor-director Forest Whitaker and Eric Stoltz. There's also a young Nicolas Cage, credited for the only time as Nicolas Coppola.
Reviews for Fast Times were mixed, though most critics noted it was a grade above typical teen sex romps. Pauline Kael for The New Yorker remarked, "I was surprised at how not-bad it is." Newsweek perhaps put it best, saying, "Fast Times...restores to kids their divine right to be silly, fumbling creatures with their own...dignity."
Producer: Irving Azoff, C.O. Erickson, Art Linson
Director: Amy Heckerling
Screenplay: Cameron Crowe
Cinematography: Matthew F. Leonetti
Film Editing: Eric Jenkins
Art Direction: Dan Lomino
Music: Joe Walsh
Cast: Sean Penn (Jeff Spicoli), Jennifer Jason Leigh (Stacy Hamilton), Judge Reinhold (Brad Hamilton), Robert Romanus (Mike Damone), Brian Backer (Mark Ratner), Phoebe Cates (Linda Barrett).
C-90m. Letterboxed.
by Stephanie Thames
Fast Times at Ridgemont High
Quotes
Trivia
Miscellaneous Notes
Released in United States Summer August 13, 1982
Re-released in United States on Video May 14, 1996
Released in United States August 1997
Released in United States August 1999
Shown at Radio City Film Festival sponsored by Universal Pictures August 20-24, 1997.
Shown at Gen Art Summer Arts Festival in New York City August 5-9, 1999.
Released in United States Summer August 13, 1982
Re-released in United States on Video May 14, 1996
Released in United States August 1997 (Shown at Radio City Film Festival sponsored by Universal Pictures August 20-24, 1997.)
Released in United States August 1999 (Shown at Gen Art Summer Arts Festival in New York City August 5-9, 1999.)