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The Wild Life (film)

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For the 2016 animated film, see Robinson Crusoe (2016 film).

The Wild Life
Theatrical release poster
Directed byArt Linson
Written byCameron Crowe
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyJames Glennon
Edited byMichael Jablow
Music by
Distributed byUniversal Pictures
Release date
  • September 28, 1984 (1984-09-28)
Running time
96 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$6 million
Box office$11 million

The Wild Life is a 1984 American comedy-drama film written by Cameron Crowe and directed by Art Linson.[1] It stars Christopher Penn, Lea Thompson, Ilan Mitchell-Smith, Jenny Wright, Eric Stoltz, Rick Moranis, Hart Bochner, and Randy Quaid. Edward Van Halen and Donn Landee composed the film's score.[1] While the film is not a direct sequel to Fast Times At Ridgemont High it was seen by many as a "spiritual" sequel due to Cameron Crowe's involvement in both and the films' shared universe/style of being R-rated comedy/dramas set amongst young people finding their way in Southern California.

Plot summary

The plot concerns three teenagers living in the suburbs of Los Angeles. Bill (Eric Stoltz) has just graduated from high school and got his first apartment. His younger brother Jim (Ilan Mitchell-Smith), who is fixated on Vietnam and the Vietnam war, spends a lot of time practicing with his Nunchakus, getting high, listening to heavy metal on his boombox, and hanging out with Vietnam vet Charlie (Randy Quaid). Other important characters include Tom (Christopher Penn), a hedonistic high-school wrestling champ who works with Bill at a bowling alley, Harry (Rick Moranis) a trendy department store manager, Anita (Lea Thompson), Bill's ex-girlfriend who works at a donut shop, and Eileen (Jenny Wright), Anita's friend and Tommy's girlfriend who works at the department store with Harry. Anita has a fling with a cop named David (Hart Bochner) who, unknown to Anita, is married. The three boys set out for a night of fun and craziness at a strip bar and later on have a party at Bill's apartment.

Cast

Soundtrack

Main article: The Wild Life (song)

"The Wild Life" is a song written and performed by English female pop music vocal group Bananarama. It was composed for and included in the movie and on its soundtrack. The single peaked at number 70 on the Billboard Hot 100 in December 1984.[2]

The film's soundtrack included music by the likes of Prince, Madonna, Little Richard, Van Halen, Billy Idol, Steppenwolf, and Jimi Hendrix. Music licensing fees have prevented The Wild Life from receiving an uncut release on DVD. Universal formerly offered a made-to-order disc in its Vault series, with many of the songs removed.[3]

The alternate soundtrack replaced these songs:
Charlie Sexton's "It's Not Easy" [used when Eric Stoltz tells a bowler "Lady, please don't disturb league lanes"]
The Three O'Clock's "I Go Wild" [used when Jenny Wright tells Lea Thompson "You said you wanted an adventure" when they are in the car together]
Madonna's "Burning Up" [used when Ashley St. Jon is stripping during the strip club scene]
Little Richard's "The Girl Can't Help It" [used when Kitten Natividad is stripping during the strip club scene]
Jimi Hendrix's "Hey Joe" [used when Ilan Mitchell-Smith is laying down on the pavement in front of the car]
Prince's "Dirty Mind" [used when Christopher Penn is carrying beer and straightening the poster on the wall during the party scene at the end]
Billy Idol's "(Do Not) Stand In The Shadows" [used when the Michael Jackson impersonator with the Pepsi can is shown on-screen during the party scene at the end]
Peter Wolf's "Oo-Ee-Diddley-Bop" [used when Sherilyn Fenn tells Christopher Penn "I just think you'd tell everybody" during the party scene at the end]

Little Richard's "Heebie Jeebies" used during the fight at the strip club was not replaced.
Jimi Hendrix's "Foxy Lady" used during the Ilan Mitchell-Smith boombox bowling scene was not replaced.

Song Replacements:
Charlie Sexton's "It's Not Easy" was replaced with silence.
The Three O'Clock's "I Go Wild" was replaced with Eddie Van Halen music.
Madonna's "Burning Up" was replaced with Van Stephenson's "Make It Glamorous".
Little Richard's "The Girl Can't Help It" was replaced with Little Richard's "Slippin' And Slidin'".
Jimi Hendrix's "Hey Joe" was replaced with Eddie Van Halen music.
Prince's "Dirty Mind" was replaced with Eddie Van Halen music.
Billy Idol's "(Do Not) Stand In The Shadows" was replaced with Eddie Van Halen music.
Peter Wolf's "Oo-Ee-Diddley-Bop" was replaced with Eddie Van Halen music.

When Universal created the alternate soundtrack for VHS/Laserdisc/TV broadcast, they also revised the end credits and removed the songs that were replaced on the soundtrack. Universal's "Vault Series" DVD-R didn't use these revised end credits even though it used the alternate soundtrack.

More recently, the HD broadcast version has all of the songs intact.[4]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Maslin, Janet (September 28, 1984). "The Wild Life (1984) 'THE WILD LIFE' OPENS". The New York Times.
  2. ^ "Hot 100". Billboard. December 15, 1984.
  3. ^ Williams, Owen (June 17, 2015). "Distribution Denied! 25 Films You Can't Get on DVD". EmpireOnline. Retrieved March 20, 2019.
  4. ^ https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=17851875&postcount=15
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