Fast Times and Excellent Adventures: The Surprising History of the '80s Teen Movie

by James King

'Brilliant' Mail on Sunday Take a trip back to the era of troubled teens and awesome soundtracks; of Reagan, rap and Ridgemont High; of MTV, VHS and 'Axel F'; of outsiders, lost boys and dead poets; of Bill and Ted, Brooke Shields and the Brat Pack; of three Porky's , two Coreys and one summer when everyone called her Baby . . . Fast Times and Excellent Adventures goes behind the scenes of a genre where cult hits mingled with studio blockbusters, where giants like Spielberg and Coppola rubbed shoulders with baby-faced first-timers and where ambitious future superstars Sean, Demi and Tom all got their big break. Music, comedy and politics - all play a part in the surprisingly complex history of the '80s teen movie. And while the films might have been aimed primarily at adolescents, the best tackle universal issues and remain a magnet to all ages. Time of your life, huh kid? From a late '70s Hollywood in flux to an early '90s indie scene that gave youth cinema a timely reboot, respected film expert James King smartly highlights the personal struggles, the social changes and the boardroom shake-ups that produced an iconic time in movie history.

Genres: Nonfiction, Film

464 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2018

About the author

James King is a writer, broadcaster and film critic whose book about 1980s teen Hollywood, Fast Times & Excellent Adventures, was published in the UK and US in 2018. He is the resident movie reviewer on BBC Radio 2, having spent many years in the same position at Radio 1 (where he made documentaries on, among other things, The Matrix). He has met and interviewed Keanu Reeves on several occasions: twice in London, once in Berlin and once at the Cannes Film Festival.

Reviews

[Daniel Archer · Rating 5 out of 5]

My new favorite film history book. From Saturday Nigh Fever to Slackers, very readable, well-researched and organized evolution of youth movies throughout the 80s. John Hughes is here, of course, getting two chapters, but just as much time spent on earlier, edgier films like Foxes and Fast Times, and later cynical fare like Rivers Edge and Heathers. Part film and cultural analysis, part overview of changes within the film industry, offset by interviews with those involved: Jodie Foster, Elizabeth Shue, Alex Winter among many others. Perfect for cinephiles or Gen X kids who grew up with these movies.

[JennieWithTheBooks☮️(◕‿◕✿) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed stepping back in time with this read.

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s extraordinarily refreshing to read a film book on the late ‘70s and 80s that DOESN’T focus on Spielberg or Lucas or fantasy films or critical faves/Oscar winners. This book exclusively focuses on late ‘70s and ‘80s teen movies - movies about teens and/or for teens. The writing is nothing special, no wit or style, and some of the segueways are a bit laboured BUT that’s both understandable and forgivable because SO MUCH content is crammed in here, in an extremely comprehensive, mostly logical fashion. Travolta bookends, but the Pulp Fiction tail is a mere brief nod to the substantial Saturday Night Fever opening chapter. In between we’ve got every teen flick from the era you’d care to mention, nothing gets neglected really, but (justifiably?) John Hughes and his output is patently the author’s favourite stomping ground. I loved some John Hughes flicks more than others - and only really LOVED a few teen flicks from the era. But this book has been a sensational way to revisit them all. A great nostalgic trip.






9/10

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exciting and thoughtful overview of both the youth films of the 80s, themselves, and the people involved (Cameron Crowe, Alan Carr, John Hughes). Some of the producers completely lost in their less-than-youthful marketing ideas. The writer lends a compelling organization to all the multiple threads of movies, with chapters covering everything from the John Travolta frenzy in the late 70s through the Brat Pack, Sean Penn and Madonna, complete with time devoted to novelty popcorn hits like "The Lost Boys" and the "Bill and Ted" franchise. Very few 80s actors and their orbits into fame are neglected, and there is colorful attention paid to the actresses, who had their own unique paths to follow through the malls and pop culture stereotypes (Valley Girls) of the decade.

[Loki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meticulously researched, but weirdly paced look at how many (but by no means all) of the great teen movies of the Eighties were made. Each movie tends to serve as a way of examining the previous career of one or more of the creators involved - mostly the writers, directors and actors, but also the odd composer or costume designer. It's an odd book, loosely chronological, but as noted, jumping all over the place to back fill for each new movie. It runs from Saturday Night Fever to, uh, Pulp Fiction, but although there's plenty of meat along the way, I'd rather have seen this as a series of books talking in greater depth about individual films.

[Matthew Ogborn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dipped in and out of this over several months and learned some fun new facts about the films that shaped my childhood. Really enjoyed the Brat Pack era reflection, which is clearly where author King has a big passion for based on his deep dive into how music, politics, equality and the like affected how movie executives developed them. Book falls down more when it tries to pack in too many other genres or time periods with some sections essentially listing films. Well researched and incredible how many actors criss-crossed either in films or romantically.

[Grindy Stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

The scope of this book is far more than just 1980s’ teen movies. The subject matter is films made with main characters under the age of 25, and the entire industry is the background. It might be the best book I have read about movie-making in the 1980s, with clever connections made and previously unheard anecdotes. My only beef is the publishers should have found an American proofreader because there are some typos that might elude a British editor but are glaring to a Yank - “Santa Carla” for Santa Clara, for instance.

[Malcolm Frawley · Rating 3 out of 5]

A thorough, & entertaining, trawl through the 1980s, examining movies aimed at a teen audience. There were plenty of good ones, & more than a few dogs, stretching from Porky's to Say Anything. For film fans, obviously, but those who were teens during this time, or had children who were teens during this time, will probably enjoy it more.

[Nick Vossen · Rating 4 out of 5]

King's historiographic overview of the rise of teen movies is filled with interesting, funny and insighful film history anecdotes. The book is an influential peek into this great niche genre. I certainly hope a similar work is being written on the 90s as there are just as many timeless classics from that era as well.

[Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting era albeit a belaboured book that would have benefitted with zeroing in on a few interesting specifics rather than such a broadly banal history.

For every great section there's a subsequent slow trawl.

[Andee Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastically researched and written book. So many great stories behind scenes of my favourite movies, it also reminded me of some forgotten gems and introduced so quite a few films I'd not heard heard of, which I've enjoyed tracking down and watching.
A must for 80s movie fans.

[Chris Scian · Rating 4 out of 5]

An informative and entertaining read on (primarily) American "teen" movies throughout the '80s. On par with "Easy Riders, Raging Bulls", & "Down & Dirty Pictures" by Peter Biskind.

[Mira · Rating 3 out of 5]

An exhaustive look at teen movies from the eighties.

[Chris Warnock · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just felt maybe 100 words too long, but that might be more because I wasn’t interested in hearing about the MTV and music elements of the time.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Just makes you want to settle down on the sofa and go on an 80s movie binge. And I do love me a footnote!

[Nicolas Olivari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant.