FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH

US, 1982, 85 minutes, Colour.
Sean Penn, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Judge Reinhold, Phoebe Cates, Forest Whitaker, Eric Stoltz.
Directed by Amy Heckerling.

Fast Times is a teen exploitation film, bigger budget and Universal Studio production in comparison with so many of the small budget sex films exploiting youth. Porky's was popular in 1982 and, while rough, had a great deal of humour. The Israeli popsicle films were at the other extreme, mere exploitation with conventional characters. This film is somewhere in the middle - more direct in language, less direct and prurient in visuals. It takes the fictional school (American Graffiti memories) and shows kids preoccupied with friendship, sexuality - though not violent. Sean Penn (so effective in Taps) plays a seemingly moronic surfie. Jennifer Jason Leigh plays a chubby heroine who loses her virginity, has an abortion and seeks out relationships without too much trauma. Phoebe Cates is an attractive girl of the world. The rest of the cast are conventional types illustrating various stances on teenage freedom. Ray Walston appears as a harassed teacher.

The film has a musical score which became a hit record. People responsible for production and writing are from Rolling Stone Magazine - which indicates the tone and the direction of the film. Direction is by Amy Heckerling. The film gives a pop magazine view of the mores and styles (hopefully quite fictional) of the American teenagers of the early 1980s. Comparisons might be made with Mark L. Lester's Class of 1984, released at the same time - a more stylised film highlighting violence and confrontation. The present film, while stylised, seems to be passing itself off as realism.

The main stars went on to extensive careers.