Weird Science is the name of: Weird Science (film), a 1985 film directed by John Hughes Weird Science (TV series), a television series based on the film 'Weird Science' (song), the theme song to the film and the TV series by Oingo Boingo 'Weird Science' (Does It Offend You, Yeah?), a song by Does It Offend You, Yeah? From You Have No Idea What You're Getting Yourself Into Weird Science (comic. Script Al Feldstein, Ray Bradbury, Albert B. Feldstein Pencils Wally Wood, Jack Kamen, Al Williamson, Frank Frazetta, Joe Orlando Inks. Weird Science #21.
What a disappointment 'Weird Science' is! A wonderful writer-director has taken a cute idea about two teenage Dr. Frankensteins creating a perfect woman by computer and turned it into a vulgar, mindless, special-effects-cluttered wasteland.
The writer-director is Northbrook`s John Hughes, a hometown boy who made very good with such fine, sensitive and funny teenage films as 'Sixteen Candles' and 'The Breakfast Club.' Once again, Hughes calls upon actor Anthony Michael Hall (the nerd in those other two films) to play a leading role, but this time there is no sweetness to the character. Much of his screen time has been turned over to participating in wild parties, toilet humor and sexual teasing.
Of course, the reason that many young and not-so-young people will be lured into seeing 'Weird Science' has nothing to do with Hall. They want to see the woman he and his equally nerdy friend create. Lisa is her name, and she`s quite a package as she bursts through Hall`s bedroom door in a plume of smoke. Her sultry looks should be familiar, because gorgeous model Kelly LeBrock plays Lisa, and she played a similar bombshell role in the even more pathetic comedy 'The Woman in Red.'
So we can say this much about Kelly LeBrock: looks great, lacks taste--in scripts. And don`t expect to see much skin either. She`s a bigger star now than she was when she made 'The Woman in Red,' and in Hollywood the bigger your star power the fewer nude scenes you are forced to do to get the part. In dirty book lingo, the only 'good part' in 'Weird Science' is a very brief shower scene shot from the side of her body.
And there`s a more sophisticated problem with the movie, too. At first Hughes` script appears to give the boys unlimited power over their creation, and that could have led to some terrifically funny situations. But it doesn`t. Instead, Hughes switches the rules. Suddenly Lisa develops a mind of her own and begins playing, in effect, a sexy Blue Fairy to the boys, who have become a pair of shy but naughty Pinocchios.
To me, the film`s concluding 'respect yourself' message smacks of Hughes trying to add redeeming social value to what previously has been a tasteless romp through tired, grade-B teen movie situations, including the boys confronting their square parents, jealous classmates and a brutish motorcycle gang.
Ultimately, 'Weird Science' left me feeling that Hughes might have needed to agree to make this ostensibly more commercial picture in order to be able to make the more serious 'The Breakfast Club.' If so, it`s a case of win one and lose another. For him and for us.
'WEIRD SCIENCE' (STAR) 1/2
MINI-REVIEW: SAVE THE WOMAN; KILL THE KIDS
Written and directed by John Hughes; photographed by Matthew F. Leonetti; edited by Mark Warner, Christopher Lebenzon and Scott Wallace; music by Ira Newborn; produced by Joel Silver; a Universal release at the United Artists, Water Tower and outlying theaters. Rated PG-13.
THE CAST
Gary.........Anthony Michael Hall
Lisa.........Kelly LeBrock
Wyatt........Ilan Mitchell-Smith
Chet.........Bill Paxton
Deb..........Suzanne Snyder
Hilly........Judie Aronson
Ian..........Robert Downey
Weird Science Screenplay
- Weird Science Script PDF at Script Fly ($)
- Weird Science Transcript at scripts.com
Note: Multiple links are listed since (a) different versions exist and (b) many scripts posted become unavailable over time. Please notify me if you encounter a stale link.
Other Links:
- Weird Science ( tt0090305 ) at IMDb
- Weird Science ( 11814 ) at TheMovieDB.org