Reeling Backward: Fandango (1985)
The 1985 coming-of-age comedy that launched Kevin Costner's career is now out in a new Blu-ray edition. Matthew Socey calls it enjoyable tomfoolery.
Fandango (noun)
fan·dan·go | \ fan-ˈdaŋ-(ˌ)gō
Definition:
1. A lively Spanish dance in rhythm varying from slow to quick in 3/4 time.
2. Music for this
3. A foolish act
This film called "Fandango" contains all the definitions of the word, mostly of the third. This coming-of-age story received praise from critics who saw it but barely got a release in cinemas, even though it had the label of Amblin Entertainment, the still-new production company led by Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall (Kennedy and Marshall were credited as executive producers).
"Fandango" was Amblin's fifth film released, and if you ask Spielberg and "Fandango" writer/director Kevin Reynolds about the experience, you'll probably get a "no comment."
Which is a shame, because the film (released in January of 1985) did gain a cult following on home video and cable. I remember renting "Fandango" in high school and liking it and moving on. When I attended The Ball State University, I came across guys who were fiercely devoted to the film, quoting it more than “Animal House” and “Slap Shot.” My fandom of the film grew as an undergrad and even more so after graduation college. It is now a film watching tradition on graduation weekend.
Another example of how the art doesn't change, but you do.
Warner Archives has recently released "Fandango" on Blu-Ray, and while this is appreciated, it only contains the trailer just like the DVD release. Dear Criterion...
(Now I ask for "Fandango" to get the Criterion treatment not so much to dig up any dirt on Spielberg/Reynolds, but a commentary track, documentaries about the film and its legacy, interviews with the actors. They're still around. C'mon, Criterion, do a release of "Fandango" and "Big Night" and I'll shut up... for a while)
The University of Texas, graduation weekend, 1971. A farewell fandango (you would call it a road trip) for The Groovers (was this a name they came up with themselves or by others?) before they go their separate ways. One of the paths includes reporting for military service and heading to Vietnam. The Groovers pile into a car and head to the desert to find one of their favorite watering holes in Earth. A road trip that leads them further into Mexico to find their old friend Dom.
Your Groovers are...
Lester Griffin (Brian Cesak) graduated summa cum laude in accounting. He's passed out drunk during the majority of the film. This is Cesak's sole film credit. It works.
Dorman (Chuck Bush) studied to be a minister. He's the largest guy in the group and only uses his size when it's absolutely necessary. You don't want to get in the way of his reading. He's constantly reading everything from the novel Steppenwolf to a Hulk comic. A man of few words.
Kenneth Waggener (Sam Robards, son of Jason Robards and Lauren Bacall) is supposed to get married to Debbie (Suzi Amis, also early in her career), but calls off the wedding because of his draft notice. Robards and Amis would in real life get married a year after the film's release. They divorced in 1994.
Phil Hicks (Judd Nelson) is the sensible one of the group. We know because he wears glasses. His parents also visit the frat house (not a good idea). Phil is a little too eager to begin his military career and has to actually say the words, "I'm not a weenie." The sensible one, who knows exactly how many pizzas he had to make to get his Cadillac car, is also the butt of most of the jokes.
At the time of the film Nelson was the most-known of the actors. He starred in the comedy "Making the Grade" the year before. Later in 1985, Nelson would also appear and in John Hughes suburban fairytale "The Breakfast Club" and the "woe is me, growing up is hard" whinefest known as "St. Elmo's Fire."
Gardner Barnes (Kevin Costner) is the party guy. The impulsive guy. A summa cum laude in schmooze. The one who sells his car to throw a party even though he didn't graduate. The one who brags about having never been serious about a woman in his life (or has he?). Plus after not advancing academically for three years, Gardner also receives his draft notice.
Gardner joins an illustrious group of cinema academics that includes John Blutarsky (John Belushi in "Animal House"), Tommy Callahan III (Chris Farley in "Tommy Boy") and Chet (Eric Stoltz in Noah Baumbach's "Kicking and Screaming").
Costner gained notoriety for his role as Alex, the one who kills himself at the beginning of the film "The Big Chill." His role (in one flashback scene which would have been in the final ten minutes of the film) was taken out. Yes, that's Costner’s body parts being prepared at the start of the film. Writer/director Lawrence Kasdan would make it up to Costner by casting him (and keeping him) in his next project, the rollicking western "Silverado" in 1985. Then that Costner guy's career really took off.
By the way, Costner was 30 when he made "Fandango." It helps that Gardner hadn't academically advanced for three years. Three years after "Fandango," Costner would play seasoned, minor-league baseball sage Crash Davis in "Bull Durham." It's all in the timing.
"Fandango" was the written and directed by Kevin Reynolds, who had a story credit on "Red Dawn" the year before. Reynolds would later be known for directing much bigger films like "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves" and "Waterworld" (both with longtime friend and creative differences opponent Costner), "Rapa-Nui" (produced by Costner), "187," "The Count of Monte Cristo" (2002), "Tristan & Isolde" (2006), "Risen" and the 2012 mini-series "Hatfields & McCoys."
With all these famous and infamous productions on his resume, "Fandango" still remains my favorite Kevin Reynolds film.
"Fandango" was released during an film era filled with horny teenager films ("Porky's" knockoffs galore) and sometimes gets lumped into that section of the video store. Do not do this. Yes, these college graduates can have urges (which they don't act upon), but the heart and emotions, the laughs and fears of The Groovers balance out the college-level hi-jinks. Judd Apatow's films are Led Zeppelin and "Fandango" is Willie Dixon.
Oh, and Fandango is only 91 minutes. Please take note, Mr. Apatow.
The film also has great use of music from the era. If a filmmaker uses a song well, the audience from here on out when hearing that song, the first image will be of the song's use from the film. "Fandango" has several. "Badge" by Cream (opening scene involving a photo and a dart, setting up a quiet triangle); "Saturday Night's All Right (For Fighting)" by Elton John (one of my favorite opening credit sequences ever, and I hate using the word "ever"); "It's Too Late" by Carol King (flashback involving Costner and Amis); and "Can't Find My Way Home" by Blind Faith (the final image).
This episodic road trip includes visiting the dilapidated house used in the film "Giant." An evening of shooting off fireworks with high school girls (including Elizabeth Daily aka Dottie from "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure"). An attempt to literally tie the car to a moving train (fine editing in this scene). An impromptu skydiving course taught by a brain-fried hippy (Marvin J. McIntyre) and his laundry-centric "old lady" (the late, great That Lady Glenne Headley, early in her career). The Groovers also organize an impromptu wedding in a small Texas town. A new take on the folk story "Stone Soup" using the friendly power of bullshit.
"Fandango" captures the balance of the bliss of leaving a major life chapter (graduation) and the fear of the next life chapter that is coming and coming at you faster than you expect. For me, this is the definitive guys road trip film, sharing that title with Alexander Payne's "Sideways." The female road trip film is still "Thelma & Louise."
If it's graduation weekend in any way (student, parent of student, teacher, etc.) for you, I raise my bottle of Dom to you. If you're of a certain age, maybe check in with your fellow Groovers.
Hopefully they have not turned out like Kevin Costner's screen time or his character of Alex in "The Big Chill." To quote the recently departed William Hurt (as Nick in TBC): "Wise up, folks. We're alone out there and tomorrow we're going out there again."
Matthew Socey is host of the Film Soceyology podcast for WFYI 90.1 FM and wfyi.org.