And Happy 40th Anniversary also to WEIRD SCIENCE (1985). High school nerds Gary (Anthony Michael Hall) and Wyatt (Ian Mitchell-Smith) are tired of being unlucky-in-love dorks so they set out to create their ideal dream woman on a computer -- albeit in digital Frankenstein fashion by hacking into a government mainframe system (a slight nod to Matthew Broderick's role of David in 1983's WARGAMES). Complete with electrodes hooked to a barbie doll while finally wearing bras over their heads, they are more than pleasantly surprised when a freak electrical surge from a conducted experiment brings her to life. They name the stunningly gorgeous superbabe Lisa (Kelly LeBrock). A virtual genie who can grant wishes at will, she immediately sets to work using her powers to transform them from geeks-to-cool with new clothes, a revolving rotation of ever-expensive flashy cars, and the confidence to stand up to bullying pricks Ian (Robert Downey Jr.) and Max (Robert Rusler) who never cease to embarrass & humiliate them. But Gary and Wyatt have an ultimate mission: for both to find a real girlfriend. That opportunity for true young love arrives in the form of Deb (Suzanne Snyder) and Hilly (Judie Aronson). Along the way are a memorable night at a blues bar with some colorful patrons of which the hilarious jive exchange just may be the single greatest unsung case for race relations ever presented, Lisa's presence standing as a veiled implication of being a human sex toy for the boys, trying to sidestep Wyatt's nightmarish asshole big brother Chet (Bill Paxton), and a raucous house party gatecrashed by a gang of mutant bikers (featuring Vernon Wells and Michael Berryman). Hilarity and chaos abound, balanced by some tempered self-reflection, subtle maturity and a sobering lecture from Lisa about basically abusing magic -- how cause & effect from all the wizardry without restraint, and irresponsible application carries consequences & repercussions. Still, bummer aside, romance happily blooms for the boys. The film's title is from the 1950's EC Comics magazine of the same name, with one of its stories (1951's 'Made of the Future' by Al Feldstein) expanded & modernized to loosely serve as the basic premise for the film's plotline). The mostly new wave soundtrack features Killing Joke, General Public, Wall of Voodoo, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Van Halen, Ratt, Mike Oldfield's "Tubular Bells" (best known as the theme to The Exorcist), Los Lobos, The Lords of the New Church, Kim Wilde, and the bouncy title track by Oingo Boingo (fronted by Danny Elfman, who would later go on to frequently collaborate with Director Tim Burton). The movie also spawned a TV series sitcom that ran for 5 seasons from 1994-98, starring in particular Vanessa Angel as Lisa and Lee Tergesen as Chet.
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