Gary Sinise’s reported audition and recommendation of Petersen inform recasting alternatives: Sinise, Andy Garcia and John Malkovich, with Garcia considered too handsome and Pankow’s chase acting defended.
Further Vukovich alternatives include Kelsey Grammer, Jeff Goldblum, Stanley Tucci, Will Patton, Michael Biehn and Bill Paxton, with age, height and attractiveness qualifications; Malkovich remains favored by one participant.
Adolescent fascination with older siblings’ friends is praised as recognizable, with a cologne anecdote illustrating it.
Outdoor lockers and a beach prom are envied, although a real beach prom and the absence of supervising adults are questioned.
The sex comedy is considered more soulful and less uncomfortable than several male-directed contemporaries; female direction is offered as a reason.
Parents absent for the whole movie are praised as a familiar 1980s plot device.
Modern cameras and constant contact would undermine the absent-parent premise; the lack of a huge house party is also surprising.
The rich heroine’s clothing purchase and move between schools support a reading of the story as personal growth beyond a privileged life and poor boyfriend.
The obnoxious older college boyfriend with a convertible is enjoyed as a recurring period archetype.
Sexual nicknames, the virginity line and eccentric insults are praised, particularly the avoidance of a common homophobic slur.
The bluntly tailored title songs are enjoyed as an era-specific soundtrack device.
Hyser reportedly had a no-nudity contract and was persuaded by the director to reconsider.
Rosanna Arquette reportedly advised that the scene would permanently draw attention to her breasts, including in old age.
Interview recollections describe surprise at freeze-frame notoriety and later regret about avoiding other nude scenes.
Clayton Rohner’s description of the breasts as a work of art is recounted with amusement.
Fiorentino’s later Last Seduction and Men in Black compete as peaks; television-first release reportedly barred her Oscar eligibility for the former.
Henry Miller is placed nearer Tropic of Cancer; Heard nearer Home Alone or Cutter’s Way; Cheech and Chong nearer Up in Smoke.
After Hours is initially the best late-night NYC movie, then The Warriors takes first for geographical range, with After Hours close behind.
Unranked additional late-night NYC candidates include Taxi Driver, 25th Hour, Saturday Night Fever, Cruising, Ghostbusters, American Psycho, Good Time, Uncut Gems and Bright Lights Big City; Go is discussed as an influence inheritor rather than a NYC candidate.
Plaster receives a yes. Garr’s Tootsie era is preferred for her; Soho alternatives are the last fifteen years or the earlier period when Basquiat was painting masterpieces.
Orion executive Mike Medavoy proposed OJ Simpson as the Terminator and Arnold as Kyle Reese; Cameron rejected Simpson as too likable at the time and the pursuit image as racially wrong.
Sylvester Stallone and Mel Gibson reportedly declined the Terminator, while Tom Selleck was considered because the machine was originally imagined as an ordinary man able to blend in.
Sting is the one Kyle Reese alternative treated as credible and exciting, though Michael Biehn is defended.
