The international language of virginity

We now break away from my Sylvester Stallone movie marathon (just another excuse for me to watch "Victory") for this informative letter sent by uber-fan Don:

"Hey Steve, I've been listening to the podcast for a few months and after listening to a few of the older shows I decided to go back and start at the beginning. I had been doing this and it was time to go on vacation. My wife is from Peru and had not been back there since she came to America 6 years ago. We decided to go so that her family could see her and our son who was 13 months old at the time."

"A few days before we came back we were watching some television as she and our son were going to sleep. I flipped through the channels and came upon the movie 'The Last American Virgin.' It was showing the scene right before Rick breaks up with Karen. At that moment deep inside I knew I had to watch the rest of the movie just for the ending."

"At this point the movie had changed from being a 80s teen sex comedy into an 80s teen movie that dealt with serious issues. Keep in mind I had not seen the movie in some time but for some reason I invented in my mind that the song playing while Gary drove away with his heart completely and totally ripped from his chest was a slow Journey song. I was sure of this. Instead of course it is James Ingram as we all now know."

"As a side note for you guys, a lot of channels in Peru play American movies in English and they are unedited for content. This movie was no exception. I spoke with my brother-in-law about it and he said that in Peru it wasn't considered a big deal to show nudity or have cursing on television. I didn't even have the words to try to explain how there is an entire industry dedicated to preventing these things in America. Man, we are so repressed here."

Comments

[Blaine]

Not to hijack the topic, but, speaking of TV, anyone else happen to catch the "ALF" mini-marathon on WGN tonight? That rocked.

[don in tulsa]

i'm with you there neil. i definately felt like gary. i was shy and insecure and for too many years the phrase i heard most from girls was "you're like a brother to me." what a kiss of death.

[Neil]

That movie actually got a bit too real for me at the end. I always sort of felt like the Gary character and my friend Matt was the Rick character. I was always a nice guy to all the girls Matt would break up with and treat really bad(although he never got anyone pregnant as far as I know). I would be super nice and these girls would just treat me as a friend but they would go back to Matt in a hearbeat becaues he was a really good looking guy. I learned early in life that the Rick's of the world would get the girls.

[Benji]

I watched this film nearly a year ago after Spears mentioned it in a couple of his podcasts. For some reason, it seems more relevant today than in the early 80's. It's a harsh and sadly accurate portrayal of life as a teenager advertised as sweet slapstick film. I went from hating Gary and his sidekicks to wanting to console them. The last scene is brutal.

I want to recommend this film to my friends but I'm afraid only a select few well get anything out of it.

[Miguel]

Off topic thing(maybe not totally,because Diane Franklin was in it too).Check Ebert and Siskel review on Better Off Dead.And The Journey Of Natty Gann(also with John Cusack).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcpkuJPLz6E

[don in tulsa]

thanks guys. in peru they do offer subtitles and spanish if your tv is equipped for this but i agree, it's better with subtitles. i watched some tv shows in spanish and it's just not the same. the family guy, the simpsons, etc, part of the fun is their unique voices. nothing like watching a good movie that's dubbed and the voice sounds the furthest from what the actor looks like. you know like a huge guy who has a shrill high pitched voice. what makes it worse is if you really know what the actor sounds like. ah well, peru was a blast and i can't wait to go back.

[Mike in Austin]

Miguel, my opinions aside from nudity, violence, sex, Anita Bryant, etc...you are correct, several inconsistencies in our society as far as what is or is not shown/acceptable/hang-ups on TV. Nowadays you can pretty much see the same "stuff" on TV as in a rated R movie. Indeed you'll get a rated R movie on TV with dubbed/voice overs, change the channel and see some reality show running full force.

[jane]

surfdog, you made me guffaw out loud with that comment -- and I think you might be right ;-)

And I much prefer subtitles over voice dubs.

Great letter, Don...

[Miguel]

Portugal i meant,no jokes,folks!

[Miguel]

Damn,i still didn`t watch The Last American Virgin.
About the last part of your letter Don,here the movies are subtitled too.Many european countries have voice actors to double the original voices into their own language(never understood that,the movies loose all the quality with voiceover).In Porugal and the Scandinavian coutries,we subtitle the movies.And yes,no editing content either.We see it all!I never understood the problems America has with nudity and sex in movies,and be so easy going on the violence issues.

[Marissa]

Don is so right regarding the direction the movie takes. I watched it only a few months ago for what I believe to be the first time. Naturally, viewing TLAV with adult eyes is a totally different perspective than that of a horned up teen.

When Gary goes to Karen's aide it's a whole new ballgame. I got angry when she went back to Rick. I recall cursing at her and weeping (yes, weeping) for Gary.

[surfdog]

It's all Anita Bryant's fault!