All hail the American Cinematheque at the Aero Theatre for this genius bit of programming:
Wednesday, July 9 – 7:30 PMDouble Feature:
VALLEY GIRL, 1983, MGM Repertory, 99 min. Dir. Martha Coolidge. Perky teenage Valley girl Deborah Foreman falls for unkempt punk rocker Nicolas Cage, and the young lovers struggle to stay together amidst the disapproval of their peers and their own cultural prejudices. In director Martha Coolidge’s hands, what could have been just another teen exploitation film becomes a winning romantic comedy with charming heroes and a gallery of beautifully drawn supporting characters (Frederic Forrest and Colleen Camp are particular standouts as Foreman’s parents.)
REAL GENIUS, 1985, Sony Repertory, 108 min. Dir. Martha Coolidge. After their pompous professor takes advantage of their skills, a pair of brilliant science students (Gabe Jarret and Val Kilmer) decide to use their knowledge to get revenge in this irresistible comedy. Once again director Coolidge demonstrates her flair for simple but expressive gestures that define character, and her ability to capture the social insecurities of adolescence is evident in Jarret’s subtle, endearing performance.
And that's why keeping your repertory prints safe from fires and floods is so important, boys and girls. Because you can't tell me the studios would prioritize two 1980s teen comedies by a woman director when triaging which damaged or destroyed prints to restrike and when.