Weird Science
John Hughes is widely revered asthe uttermost authoritywhen it comes to teen comedies of the 80s . After spending years as a author forNational Lampoon ’s magazine publisher , Hughes transitioned into script - written material in 1979 on the short - livedAnimal HouseTV spin - offThe Delta House . Five eld afterwards , Hughes wrote and directed hisfirst feature film , Sixteen Candles .
One twelvemonth later , in 1985 , Hughes made bothThe Breakfast ClubandWeird Science . While both have become classic comedies , the former still outshine the latter in terms of critical and commercial winner . For more detail , here are 10 behind - the - scenes facts about the qualification of Weird Science .
John Hughes' Process
John Hughes wrote the screenplay forWeird Sciencein just two days . He took the title from the classical 1950s anthological amusing - account book series of the same name . For the titular theme song , Hughes ring Oingo Boingo frontman Danny Elfman while he was driving in the car and asked him to write a root song for the motion picture .
During filming , Hughes was implausibly infelicitous . He only concord to direct the motion picture if Universal yield him the chance to directThe Breakfast Clubas well , a labor of passion that distracted him from his duties onWeird Science .
Casting
Hughes wroteNational Lampoon ’s Vacation , which starred Anthony Michael Hall as Rusty Griswold . Hall was subsequently draw in several Hughes motion-picture show , beginning withSixteen Candles . In a enfranchisement - shift determination , Hall opted out of reprising the role of Rusty Griswold inEuropean Vacationto star inWeird Scienceinstead .
As a result , Rusty and his sister Audrey Griswold were never played by the same two actor from movie - to - movie . Only inChristmas Vacation2did Dana Barron ( the original Audrey ) repeat her function .
Shermer, Illinois
Shermer , Illinois , is a fictional town that serves as the setting for several Hughes movie . Shermer High School is featured in bothSixteen CandlesandWeird Science , link by the precise same trailing shot used in both movies for the outside of the school .
Furthermore , the town of Northbrook , Illinois , used to be called Shermerville until 1923 . The local in high spirits - school in town , Glenbrook North High , was used for an exterior shot of Hughes’Ferris Bueller ’s Day Off . This examine that the motion picture share the same universe .
Road Warrior Connection
For the biker gang - leader at the oddment of the picture show , role player Vernon Wells essentially reprises his theatrical role as Wez fromMad Max 2 : The Road Warrior . Earlier in the motion picture , Ian tells Lisa that hoi polloi call Max " Mad Max . "
As Lord General , Wells dons almost - selfsame studded leather , mohawk , see - thru armoured combat vehicle - top , and facial makeup as his character Wez did inThe route Warrior . It was the first fourth dimension the Australian histrion traveled to America , leading to his quick casting inCommandothe same year .
Kelly LeBrock
Kelly LeBrock ab initio turned down the use of Lisa , cite her time on the beaches of France to be more of a anteriority . Before she finally swallow the role , Demi Moore and Robin Wright auditioned for the part . An actress name Kelly Emberg was roam as Lisa but was supervene upon after a couple of days of filming .
In the bathroom scene , Playboy Magazinecan be spotted next to the toilet . The edition sport Kelly LeBrock as the cover - manakin centrefold . As for the name Lisa , Hughes advert the character after the Apple Lisa information processing system that was democratic at the time .
Robert Downey Jr.’s Shenanigans
Robert Downey Jr.(Ian ) and his filmdom - collaborator Robert Rusler ( Max ) were have it off to indulge in several on - define shenanigans while makingWeird Science . For instance , their orphic handshake before dump a slushie on Gary ( Hall ) and Wyatt ( Ilan Mitchel - Smith ) was whole improvise .
A rumor hold on for years after the motion picture that Downey Jr. and Rusler defecated in Kelly LeBrock ’s trailer one day . In an interview with Howard Stern , Downey Jr. admitted they did so , but in another female mold phallus ’s lagger , not LeBrock ’s . When Hughes found out , he irately questioned everyone . Downey Jr. denied doing it at the time .
Rocket Fuel
For the scene in which a giant rocket plunge through the story of Wyatt ’s chamber and up through the roof of the home was a major logistic incubus . The guesswork was incredibly complicated to mark up , leave behind a little perimeter of error to get it right .
According to Robert Rusler , Hall farted mighty before cameras begin to hustle , cause the entire crowd to break up laughing . Rusler estimated a toll of roughly $ 100,000 for the misgiving . at long last , the shot was made by filming in blow and alter the footage in post - production .
Deleted Scene
A deleted scene from the final cut of the cinema would have lucubrate on Max and Ian ’s fates . Instead of take flight the bikers to never be see again , the original approximation was to have the sky open up with multicolored cloud that envelop Max and Ian before change by reversal them into a donkey and Sus scrofa .
Producer Joel Silver convinced Hughes to cut the scene because it might have detracted from a like storm - transformation later in the film . simulacrum of the actors in the fauna costumes and makeup can be find online .
Piano Girl
The au naturel piano player who gets swept up the chimney at the end of the film was played by Kym Malin , Playboy Centerfold of the October 1982 outlet . Malin did her own stunts in the film , which required an elaborate solidification - up .
For the shot , Malin was seize to a scaffold , hoist up into the lamp chimney where a large vacuum displume her wearing apparel off . A crane then lifted her out of the chimney and shake off her in the backyard swim pool . In Malin ’s Playboy exposure spread head , a swimming pool was boast prominently in the backcloth .
Chet’s Transformation
When Lisa turns Chet ( Bill Paxton ) into a giant pile of poop at the end of the movie , the creature was to be operated solely by Paxton himself while inside the lawsuit . However , when he became too claustrophobic to do so , other measures were guide .
Instead of one man operating the case , Paxton got out and two bantam actors ( Kevin Thompson and Joe Geib ) were overgorge into the puppet suit and operated it in tandem bicycle . For whatever reason , Paxton never work with Hughes again .
NEXT : Bill Paxton ’s 10 Best Movies , According To Rotten Tomatoes
