Vision Quest (film)

Vision Quest (released in the United Kingdom and Australia as Crazy for You) is a 1985 American coming-of-age romantic drama film starring Matthew Modine, Linda Fiorentino, Michael Schoeffling and Ronny Cox. It is based on Terry Davis's 1979 novel of the same name.[1] Modine plays a Spokane high school wrestler who falls in love with an older woman, an aspiring artist from New Jersey on her way to San Francisco.

Vision Quest
Theatrical release poster
Directed byHarold Becker
Screenplay byDarryl Ponicsan
Based onVision Quest
by Terry Davis
Produced byJon Peters
Peter Guber
Starring
CinematographyOwen Roizman
Edited byMaury Winetrobe
Music byTangerine Dream
Distributed byWarner Bros.
Release date
  • February 15, 1985 (1985-02-15)
Running time
107 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$13 million

The film includes an appearance by Madonna, her first in a major motion picture, playing a singer at a local bar, where she performs the songs "Crazy for You" and "Gambler". In some countries, the title of the film was changed to capitalize on Madonna's emerging fame and the popularity of the song "Crazy for You".[2] The film would become a cult classic.[3]

Plot

Louden Swain is a wrestler at Thompson High School who has just turned 18 years old. He has decided that he needs to do something truly meaningful in his life. He embarks on a mission or, in a Native American term, a vision quest. His goal is to drop two weight classes to challenge the area's toughest opponent, Brian Shute, a menacing three-time state champion from nearby rival Hoover High School, who has never been defeated in his high school career. In his zeal to drop from 190 pounds (86 kilograms) to 168 pounds (76 kg), against the wishes of his coach and teammates, he disrupts the team around him and creates health problems of his own.

Meanwhile, his father has taken on a boarder named Carla from Trenton, New Jersey, passing through on her way to San Francisco. Louden falls in love with her and begins to lose sight of his goals as a wrestler. Worse, his drastic weight loss culminates in an unhealthy situation, where he gets frequent nosebleeds which, Louden assumes, is due to a lack of iron in his diet (and results in him having to forfeit a match he was winning). The two finally admit their love for each other, but Carla realizes she is distracting him from his goals.

Carla decides to move out and continue on to San Francisco, but not before seeing Louden's big match, in which he makes a comeback from losing and pins Shute in the final seconds with a hip throw. As Louden celebrates his victory, he monologues to the audience, "...I guess that's why we got to love those people who deserve it like there's no tomorrow. 'Cause when you get right down to it—there isn't."

Cast

Production

Production took place in Spokane, Washington, in the fall of 1983.[4][5] The film was shot at Rogers High School in northeast Spokane, referred to as "Thompson High School" in the film.[4] Interior cafeteria scenes were filmed at Ferris High School on Spokane's South Hill. Some of the locker room scenes were filmed in the boys' locker room of Shadle Park High School in northwest Spokane. Madonna's scene was filmed at the Big Foot Tavern on North Division Street in Spokane.[5] Other scenes were shot at The Onion Restaurant downtown and the North Central High School gym. The scene where Louden's big match happens was shot in the gym of Spokane Falls Community College.[6] Erik Abbey consulted on the wrestling scenes to verify their authenticity.

Reception

The film had moderate success in theaters in the U.S. in 1985, earning a gross of $13 million. It has received a rating of 60% at Rotten Tomatoes from 15 reviews,[7] and has become a cult classic.[8]

Roger Ebert of The Chicago Sun-Times gave the film 3.5 stars out of a possible 4, saying while the core storyline was a formulaic sports drama "it is nevertheless a movie with some nice surprises, mostly because it takes the time to create some interesting characters", with standout performances from Modine, Cox and Fiorentino.[9]

Soundtrack
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[10]

The soundtrack to the motion picture was released by Geffen Records on February 12, 1985; the movie was renamed Crazy for You in some countries such as Australia and the UK due to the new popularity of pop singer Madonna and her song "Crazy for You".

The soundtrack does not include "No More Words" by Berlin, nor tracks from REO Speedwagon, and Quarterflash, which had appeared in the film. The background instrumental music by Tangerine Dream is not included, but was later released on the fan project Tangerine Tree 73: Soundtrax.

Track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)PerformerLength
1."Only the Young"
Journey4:01
2."Change"Holly KnightJohn Waite3:14
3."Shout to the Top!"Paul WellerThe Style Council4:18
4."Gambler"MadonnaMadonna3:54
5."She's On the Zoom"
Don Henley3:18
6."Hungry for Heaven"
Dio4:12
7."Lunatic Fringe"Tom CochraneRed Rider4:20
8."I'll Fall in Love Again"Sammy HagarSammy Hagar4:11
9."Hot Blooded"
Foreigner4:24
10."Crazy for You"
Madonna4:08
Total length:40:24

Charts
Chart (1985) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[11] 46
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[12] 42
US (Billboard 200)[13] 11

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[14] Platinum 1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Potential remake

In 2009, interest in a remake was generated after Taylor Lautner of Twilight fame expressed interest. E! News claimed a script existed which Lautner reportedly approved.[15]

References
  1. Edgington, K.; Erskine, Thomas; Welsh, James M. (29 December 2010). Encyclopedia of Sports Films. ISBN 9780810876538.
  2. Guilbert, Georges-Claude (2 October 2015). Madonna as Postmodern Myth. ISBN 9780786480715.
  3. Fontes, Al. (September 12, 2019). Frank Jasper’s Vision Quest: Bridging Multiple Generations. sportsstarmag.com. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  4. Taylor, Kevin (November 20, 1983). "Movies and the mat stuff". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. E16.
  5. Clark, Doug (May 19, 1991). "Spokane saw Madonna's modest start". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. B1.
  6. "Home".
  7. "Vision Quest". Rotten Tomatoes. 15 February 1985.
  8. Loukides, Kaitlin (January 23, 2016). "Spokane to host Vision Quest 30th anniversary". USA Today. Gannett Company. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
  9. "Vision Quest movie review & film summary (1985) | Roger Ebert".
  10. Henderson, Alex. "Vision Quest [Original Soundtrack] > Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  11. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  12. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 0529". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  13. "Vision Quest [Original Soundtrack] - Billboard Albums". Allmusic. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
  14. "American album certifications – Soundtrack – Vision Quest". Recording Industry Association of America.
  15. "Taylor Lautner dans un remake de Vision Quest". LaPresse.ca (in French). Relaxnews. 4 January 2010. Archived from the original on 8 August 2014.
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