Weird Science (1985)

Awesome Sauce

Just one of those movies you watched growing up. And then want to buy when your older! Good movie about the early stages of geeks. October 18, 2008

Wyatt, there are killer mutants in your house, OK?

A couple weeks ago I made a list of my top 10 John Hughes movies, and I decided to revisit a lot of his films to ensure I wasn't going on past memories to compile it. WEIRD SCIENCE, one of Hughes' earlier directorial efforts, is probably my favorite of his, because it has the sappy Hughes stuff, the teen angst, sure, but most of all, it is very, very funny. A lot of people who call this film kind of stupid and even (my favorite) unrealistic are kind of missing the point. Two guys create a woman with a computer, which results in missiles, snow, and a kitchen magically painted blue, and you're going to say it's unrealistic? First of all, Hughes supposedly started the whole teen genre with SIXTEEN CANDLES & BREAKFAST CLUB, but even at the time they were not realistic portrayals of teenage life (yep, every stereotype of a high school would share detention together, and uh huh, all nerds and awkward 16-year-old girls end up with the prom king and queen). So at least with WEIRD SCIENCE, Hughes is not denying it's all a fantasy.
Anyway, the plot is pretty well-known: two high school outcasts, Gary (Hughes staple Anthony Michael Hall) and Wyatt (Ilan Mitchell-Smith, who apparently quit acting not long after this, and he was only 15 or 16 here), decide to make what they believe will be a two-dimensional representation of their dream woman, but through a freak lightning storm, actually create a wily, beautiful young woman they call Lisa (Kelly LeBrock). From there, the two initially use Lisa to live out what they wish they could do (go out drinking, drive, have a party, ask girls out, shower with a girl, stand up to Wyatt's military butthead of a brother Chet), often forceably through Lisa, and in the end, they learn to have confidence (and again, sure, those hot girls at school REALLY want two sensitive nerds, not the A-holes who get them into parties, sure, Johnny) and don't need Lisa anymore. Gee whiz.
But wait, before Gary and Wyatt learn to have confidence, Gary gets drunk in an all-black bar (cough, ANIMAL HOUSE)! Gary's father loses all memory of his existence! Wyatt's grandparents are frozen in the blue kitchen because they can't calm down! A missile arrives in Wyatt's bedroom because of a second, less successful making of another woman for the jerks at school! One played by ROBERT DOWNEY JR.! The cast of THE ROAD WARRIOR shows up so Wyatt and Gary can stand up for themselves! Chet (a memorable Bill Paxton) is turned into a toad/pile of you-know-what!!! Leaping lizards!
So in conclusion, yes, this movie is cheesy, kind of outdated (especially near the end), ridiculous, and certainly not as beneficial to the teen genre as films like SIXTEEN CANDLES and THE BREAKFAST CLUB, but what it lacks in meaning and impact it makes up for in just pure fun. John Hughes wrote this movie in 2 days, people. I can't even plan an essay in that amount of time. So in the words of Gary Wallace, why are you messing with the fantasy? We KNOW the reality, so just enjoy some WEIRD SCIENCE, people. Cue Oingo Boingo! October 15, 2008

If you want be a party animal, you have to learn to live in the jungle.

In that classic 80's fashion, only John Hughes can create such a madcap, crazy film such as 'Weird Science'.

Social outcasts Gary (Anthony Michael Hall) and Wyatt(IIan Mitchell-Smith) have a little too much time on their hands, with the lack of friends, hobbies, or even jobs. They spend most of their time concocting what they would do if the sun smiled on them and they could attend parties and date the girls they adore; And that's when the brilliant idea strikes!

They must create their perfect woman! With the help of a computer, a barbie doll, and a little magic (I've yet to test this method myself...) she appears, perfect as a picture, willing to do anything they ask of her!

Lisa(Kelly LeBrock), although just created knows just what to do to help bring these boys into their popularity, and she doesn't take no for an answer!

A classic, un-conventional, crazy film that reminds me of all the great things that were the 80's.

It's no history channel documentary(obviously) but it's a whole lot of fun! September 6, 2008

Weird science and bizarre plot elements

This is not as strong an 80s comedy as some of John Hughes' other work is, but it is all right for a brief comedic diversion. The acting is just okay, Kelly LeBrock is cute but not all that energetic, the music is mostly synth, and the wacko science that disrupts the household does not make a lot of sense, especially during the party scene, when a missile shows up along with some crazed bikers. These distract from the basic storyline.
Otherwise, it is amusing enough for a cheap rental, but I would recommend Hughes' other work instead. September 1, 2008

MISSING DIALOGUE

I recently picked up a copy of weird science on dvd and when watching it noticed some of the original dialogue was cut. The scene when Gary and Wyatt first start to make the girl Gary makes a comment on enlarging the size of her breasts. On this dvd you can see his mouth move but no words are heard. Why this little bit of dialogue would be cut is beyond me but none the less it is so this is really not the movie in its original form. I was 14 when this movie came out and i watched it alot when it came out on vhs and i even have a copy of it on vhs from about 15 years ago with the missing dialogue intact. Hopefully on the new release in september they will have this corrected. September 1, 2008

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