Party On: Wayne's World Turns 20
By Jon Graef in Arts & Entertainment on Feb 14, 2012 4:00PM
This Valentine's Day, laugh, cry, and hurl again, as Wayne's World celebrates the 20th anniversary of its theatrical release. Just maybe don't order the Cream of Sum Yung Guy.
On Feb. 14, 1992, Wayne's World, about two endearing lunkheads (Dana Carvey and Mike Myers) who host their own public access TV show in suburban Aurora, IL, only to find both their friendship and show tested by an exploitative producer (Rob Lowe), was released in about 1,800 theaters.
During it's theatrical run, the film made $119 million, which, adjusted for inflation, is almost $230 million. Crazy, right?
Now, Wayne's World is by no means a cinematic classic the way that say, Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven or the film adaptation of David Mamet's Glengarry Glen Ross—just to name two other 1992 films—are. But its comedic pleasures are impressively durable, especially considering it's based off of a TV sketch that averaged around 5 minutes per show.
Here are but some of the not-so-modest accomplishments of this "Saturday Night Live" offshoot: Introducing the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Alice Cooper, and Gary Wright to a whole new generation of filmgoers through memorable sequences; immortalizing the phrase "that's what she said" on film; goofing on Twilight Zone episodes that don't actually exist; capturing the Spindle sculpture in suburban Berwyn, which was dismantled in 2007, on film.
And, of course, this:
Not to mention this:
And, last, this:
And many, many more.
Watching it today, it's interesting to see how many bits of Chicago pop up, like Chicago Joe's on Irving Park Road, Six Corners (which Wayne and the gang drive by at least three or four times, it seems), and the 90/94 bypass, just to name the more obvious ones. It gives the film an added bonus that wasn't apparent (at least to younger whippersnappers like this writer) back in the day.
Here's the opening paragraph of Roger Ebert's review:
I walked into "Wayne's World" expecting a lot of dumb, vulgar comedy, and I got plenty, but I also found what I didn't expect: a genuinely amusing, sometimes even intelligent, undercurrent. Like the "Bill & Ted" movies, this one works on its intended level and then sneaks in excursions to some other levels, too.
Speaking of Ebert, here's the "Siskel and Ebert" segment on Wayne's World from 1992:
So, whether you're a member of the Shitty Beetles, or just so happen to think that it's not just a clever name, watch Wayne's World today. If nothing else, you can make fake googly-eyes at your partner when the "Dream Weaver" POV shots come up. And if that goes bad, just dismiss that person by saying if they were an ice cream flavor, they'd be pralines and dick. Either way, party on!