HAIR METAL MOVIE MADNESS #6: Need inspiration to get in shape? VISION QUEST has it! by COOP

Many of us grew up in the 80’s watching the movies and listening to music.  One song from that era can bring back so many great memories.  Sometimes…  songs remind us of movies (or vice-versa).  HAIR METAL MOVIE MADNESS brings back those memories by connecting the songs we loved from the 80’s to the movie(s) they were attached to.  Visit The Small Town Critic every Saturday (in this case, Friday) to rock out with us to the songs and movies that shaped a generation…

Sports movies reached a pinnacle in the 80’s with many shining examples of how underdogs can triumph through sportsmanship, hard work and the desire to “win or die in the attempt” (something my old football coached turned into the acronym “W.O.D.I.T.A.”). 

Vision Quest (1985) is the best of these films. 

Matthew Modine plays Louden Swain, a smart and precocious beanpole who suddenly decides to give his high school career meaning by performing a near impossible feat.  His goal:  To lose a dangerous amount of weight and undergo merciless, self-imposed training in order to wrestle at the most competitive weight in his team’s division.  His obstacle:  Shute, a monster of a teenage wrestler who is undefeated in his weight class.  Louden isn’t eligible to challenge Shute until he makes the weight, so he spends most of the film working out and making the audience feel fat and lazy.  By chance he meets a tough, down-on-her-luck artist named Carla (Linda Fiorentino) who is stranded in his hometown on her way to California.  Louden falls in love with Carla which distracts from his training and puts his goals in jeopardy. 

The film is also notable for giving Madonna her first sliver screen appearance.  Performing her hits “Crazy for You” and “Gambler,” she shows up in a cameo as a night club singer.  She would go on later that year to star in her first major role in “Desperately Seeking Susan.” 

It also co-stars Michael Schoeflling, as Louden’s half-American Indian friend Kuch.  Schoeflling, a mysterious 1980’s heartthrob who starred in Sixteen Candles and Mermaids, suddenly disappeared from the limelight in 1991.  IMDB says he’s now a furniture salesman (what’s the story with that?). 

The tracklisting for the soundtrack contains some of the best music of 1985.  Fellow contributor Jay considers this movie soundtrack to be one of the best of the 1980’s…  and I agree:

The standout song for me was “Change” by John Waite which appears in one of the best scenes of the film:  Louden’s coach has just ordered him to stop his brutal training regimen because he’s putting his health at risk and putting the team’s championship chances in jeopardy.  Louden returns to practice frustrated only to face more stern words from his teammates.  In response, Louden climbs the pegboard all the way to the top, something none of his other teammates can do.  With his teammates now cheering him, the coach comes out and tells Louden he’s changed his mind.  He wants Louden to make the weight and wrestle the champ.  Afterwards, Louden goes on a celebratory run, smiling from ear to ear.

Anytime I ever felt like I couldn’t accomplish something physically, Vision Quest gave me the inspiration to accomplish my own goals.  I have the soundtrack in my iPhone and playing it the gym always gives me the much-needed push I need to get through the workout.

The song “Change” in particular is the one that pushes me that much further. 

Here’s a thoughtfully-edited movie montage of “Vision Quest” featuring John Waite’s song “Change”…

-Coop

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