“Excellent!”
Hard to believe its been 30 years since Wayne and Garth burst out of “Saturday Night Live” and onto the big screen with the classic comedy “Wayne’s World!”
It’s the story of two friends who put on a show – from Wayne’s basement!
Let’s dive in to some great trivia about the film – but first, the trailer:
Released on Feb. 14, 1992, the film was a massive box office success, raking in $183 million worldwide on a $20 million budget.
The movie would become an instant pop-culture staple because of these catchy phrases:
“Party on Wayne! Party On Garth!”
“Shwing!”
“We’re Not Worthy!”
Here’s Director Penelope Sheeris on the legacy of the film:
“I am absolutely astounded and amazed that it has survived these 30 years and is still in good favor. We had no idea when we made the movie that it would even be around for a week, and now here it is 30 years later. It is indescribably gratifying. It was a magical combination of cast and crew and a magical moment. There is no other way to explain it.”
All Hail “Bohemian Rhapsody!”
Of course, the most iconic scene in the film is this one – as they sing along with Queen’s epic “Bohemian Rhapsody!”
As the Director remembers:
“We were towing the car down the streets in Covina. I had cameras all over the car because I needed the coverage for the title sequence. The guys were complaining after a while — and I don’t blame them — as they were headbanging for six or eight hours. Unless you’re Dave [Mustaine] from Megadeth, you’re not used to having your head bang about like that. So it was very uncomfortable for them and, I was asked to stop a couple of times. And the rest of history.”
Here is that classic scene from the film:
The sequel the following year, however, had issues…and Paramount head Sherry Lansing dishes all in her memoir!
Here’s a snippet:
When Lansing was in charge of Paramount Studios, Mike Myers was ready to begin filming the sequel to his massive comedy hit “Wayne’s World” – but there was a BIG problem:
“The then-Paramount chairman made an unfortunate discovery weeks before shooting was due to commence: Myers had heavily based the sequel on the 1949 British comedy ‘Passport to Pimlico’ — only nobody had bought the underlying rights.”
Uh oh!
Here is an in-depth look at the book and the rest of this wild story – and Lansing’s volatile meeting with Myers – click here:
Wow. Just this year, Wayne and Garth reunited for some food ads, but the day of partying in Wayne’s basement are over…still, Myers did make a great documentary that is worth checking out:
Shep Gordon is a great documentary about Hollywood and entertainment, and the colorful people who work in them – see the trailer and more by clicking here:
As for Dana Carvey, he made a primetime television show that was one of the biggest bombs ever – and there is a terrific documentary that tells the story – with his participation!
Click here for the trailer and more:
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Categories: 70's Music, Books / Media, Classic Rock, Comedy Movies, Cult Movies, Film Fight Club, Great Films, Hollywood, Movies, Pop Culture, Talent/Celebrities
HI John, that was a bit of a big oversight. It must have caused panic. I never watched Wayne’s World but I know of it.
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I never knew much of the backstory, so I enjoyed reading about Myers’s run-in with Sherry Lansing. I also never saw the sequel. I don’t remember Dana Carvey’s show, but I plan to check out the documentary.
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If you have an interest, the documentary is really terrific – everyone takes part in telling the story of how an idea can go so far off the rails!
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Wow, 30 years old… Party time 🙂 Excellent 🙂 I once read that just before he died, Freddie Mercury approved the use of Bohemian Rhapsody in the movie. Another “excellent”! 🙂
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Thanks for that! Always great to hear from you!
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I love this story, and the movie was a classic. These guys were hilarious. I’m having a flashback to ‘the church lady’ on Saturday Night Live.
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Yes indeed! Thanks for commenting!
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My pleasure, John.
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Such a cult classic!
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30 years ago, I completely surprised myself by laughing at Wayne’s World, and enjoying it immensely. But I never bothered with the sequel.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Pete, the success and failure ration for Saturday Night Live movie spinoffs was very low, but this first one was goofy fun!
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