FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH Criterion Review: Moving In Stereo

It’s indisputable that Amy Heckerling’s coming-of-age masterpiece Fast Times at Ridgemont High is one of the absolute best that the genre has ever produced in its many decades of existence and evolution. Based on the book of the same name by writer Cameron Crowe (who would pen the screenplay as his feature debut and later go on to become an accomplished filmmaker in his own right), the 1982 classic is undoubtedly a staple of its time yet still holds up decades after it burst onto the scene.

Fast Times at Ridgemont High follows various groups of teens in the ’80s, their lives consistently crisscrossing both in and outside of the titular high school despite being from different social crowds. Jeff Spicoli (Sean Penn), a carefree stoner, spends his days running wild with friends and goofing off in class. Brad (Judge Reinhold) is juggling work and relationship pressures, while his naive younger sister Stacy (Jennifer Jason Leigh) is navigating her own path under the guise of her best friend Linda (Phoebe Cates). Mark Ratner (Brian Backer) takes an interest in Stacy but his relationship with her is thrown into imbalance when his friend Mike Damone (Robert Romanus) meets her.

These characters all intersect with each other in unique (and often amusing) scenarios, but Heckerling and Crowe’s film is equally honest as it is hysterical, a wonderfully vibrant portrait of youth that also planted many of its then-unknown stars on the map, from Penn to Leigh to Forest Whitaker. Fast Times at Ridgemont High has been due for an upgrade for a while now, with the prior standard Universal Blu-Ray turning ten years old later this year, so when it was announced as part of Criterion’s May 2021 lineup, fans of the movie were rightfully ecstatic. Unsurprisingly, it’s a fantastic release of a genre staple that is worth the wait entirely. Inside the traditional Criterion Blu-Ray packaging (which has been given a timely ’80s cover and insert), a booklet can be found, the front featuring a still photo of Penn‘s Spicoli and two friends (Anthony Edwards and Eric Stoltz) and the back featuring Cates‘ Linda, along with individual set photos peppered throughout the pages.

Video: 4/5

Fast Times at Ridgemont High is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1:85:1. This restoration was supervised by Amy Heckerling and as stated in the booklet, the transfer was created in 16-bit 4K resolution on a Lasergraphics Director film scanner from the original 35mm camera negative. Additionally noted is that “thousands of instances of dirt, debris, scratches, splices, and warps” were manually removed using MTI Film’s DRS, while Digital Vision’s Phoenix was used for “jitter, flicker, and small dirt”.

Side-by-side, there is a multitude of changes from the Universal transfer. This edition of the film is virtually a complete overhaul when contrasted with Universal’s original 2011 release, and since viewers’ mileages vary, these changes are bound to be divisive. From an objective standpoint, Criterion’s transfer is much crisper than Universal’s, boasting greater definition and clarity. The image carries a more naturalistic feel overall and visual density is clearly given more emphasis.

The visual incongruence between the two releases can essentially be boiled down to the color grading and picture framing. For almost a decade, Universal’s release of Fast Times at Ridgemont High has been the default, so it’s only natural that viewers over the years have adjusted to its many anomalies and abnormalities. Looking at it now, it’s painstakingly clear how oversaturated the original release was, which resulted in washed-out colors and numerous visual discrepancies. Criterion’s release provides a substantial improvement on that, and while the regrading may not initially look wholly appealing when shown out of context, it definitely provides a more pellucid viewing experience.

The framing was also noticeably altered for the new edition and while those in opposition to it have a point, I wouldn’t say it’s a dealbreaker. The film still looks fantastic and the cropping essentially falls into the same category as the regrading, where the changes are noticeable side-by-side but far from any measure of atrocity. In the end, it’s a great presentation that looks a lot healthier and more organic than the previously available release of the film.

Audio: 4.5/5

This edition of Fast Times at Ridgemont High comes included with a 5.1 surround sound audio track, which, as noted in the release’s booklet, was created almost twenty years ago in 2004 by the Universal Studios Sound Department. It was mastered from the original 35mm DME magnetic track and the half-inch magnetic music masters, while additional work was done by the Criterion Collection themselves.

It’s no surprise that an ’80s classic like this is absolutely stacked with tunes from the time period and the new audio track really hammers home the weight that these songs play during the film’s runtime. Moments such as the iconic “Moving in Stereo” scene and the “We Got the Beat”-set opening is more immersive sound-wise but the dialogue feels a lot further utilized and cogent than it was in the previous release as well. The soundscape of Fast Times is filled with your traditional high school effects, from football game cheers to bustling mall conversations, and here, each is as stable as the last.

Special Features: 4/5

Compared to past Criterion editions, Fast Times at Ridgemont High certainly isn’t as jam-packed with supplements as some are, but the features that are included are satisfactory enough and are welcome inclusions. Since this release only comes with one disc, they can be found in the same tab as the film itself. All descriptions below are taken directly from the discs themselves.

• Commentary: This commentary track, recorded in 1999, features Director Amy Heckerling and screenwriter Cameron Crowe.
• Reliving Our Fast Times At Ridgemont High: This 1999 documentary features director Amy Heckerling, screenwriter Cameron Crowe, producer Art Linson, casting director Don Philips, and actors Brian Backer, Sean Penn, Judge Reinhold, Robert Romanus, Eric Stoltz, Scott Thomson, and Ray Walston.
• The TV Version: Presented here is the ninety-five-minute version of Fast Times at Ridgemont High that was edited and dubbed for television broadcast in the 1980s. It includes some alternate footage not in the theatrical version.
• Interviews
  • Olivia Wilde, Amy Heckerling, and Cameron Crowe, 2020
  • Amy Heckerling at the AFI, 1982

Contained within the pages of the packaging leaflet is an essay by critic Dana Stevens titled “A Kid’s Eye View”, and a new introduction by Crowe titled “When We Were Freshmen”.

Overall Score: 4.5/5

With Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Amy Heckerling and Cameron Crowe unleashed a whip-smart, hilarious, and truthful look at high school and everything that surrounds it. Crowe’s script depicts numerous moments of honesty within the lives of a selection of people trying to find their identity and place in the world. It’s a film that stands the test of time as both a capsule of the period and a universal portrait of teenage culture.

Criterion’s new edition of the movie arrives with a new 4K digital transfer, supervised by Heckerling, and a 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack. Significantly restored for Blu-Ray, the film has never looked or sounded better, and this release comes included with a handful of notable supplements including commentary, a documentary, and a restored edited-for-television version of the film. Fast Times at Ridgemont High remains just as essential as ever and Criterion’s new release is an outstanding addition to their growing oeuvre.

Fast Times at Ridgemont High will be released on Blu-Ray on May 11, courtesy of Criterion.