Zapped!
Encyclopedia
Zapped! is a 1982 teen sex comedy starring Scott Baio
as a teen who acquires telekinetic powers. The film is regarded as a parody of Carrie but also includes spoofs of The Exorcist
, Taxi Driver
, Star Trek
and the 1969 Kurt Russell
film The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes
.
castmate Willie Aames
. The usual high school stereotypes appear, including the feminist class president, played by Felice Schachter
, the snobby cheerleader prom queen, portrayed by Heather Thomas
in one of her earliest film roles, and her mean-spirited jock boyfriend Greg Bradford. Filling out the cast are the lovelorn maiden teacher Sue Ane Langdon
, the befuddled principal Robert Mandan
, the hard-drinking coach Scatman Crothers
, and Baio's clueless parents Roger Bowen
and Marya Small. Eddie Deezen
has a cameo appearance, while Merritt Butrick
plays the school greaser.
's Carrie, Barney comes to realize that the best girl for him is actually Bernadette (Schachter).
setting for nostalgic fans. It was filmed in large part at John Marshall High School in Los Angeles
with the students as extras. The story line rarely leaves the high school. The students talk mostly about social life and college plans, while the prom is in the gym. The senior trip is to the local amusement park
. Of the major stars, however, only Felice Schachter was still a high school student when the movie was filmed. In fact, she missed her own prom to film the prom sequence in the movie.
The movie used a body-double for Thomas' nude scenes, as she refused to remove her own clothes; further controversy was generated when a complaint was filed by Thomas about a likeness of her head being pasted onto someone else's nude body.
.
(with only Sue Ane Langdon returning from the original cast).
and featured performances by Joe "Bean" Esposito
("Updike's Theme") and David Pomeranz
("Got to Believe in Magic", "King and Queen of Hearts"), which were big hits in the Philippines
. A band by the name of The Twisters also played in this movie.
for "Worst Actor" for his performance in Zapped! but lost to Sir Laurence Olivier
in Inchon
. A notable edition of The Onion
shows a tuxedoed Baio holding multiple Oscars, with the spoof headline "Zapped! Overtakes Oscars!"
and on Laserdisc
by Embassy Pictures
and reissued by MGM Home Entertainment
on VHS. It was released on DVD
on February 12, 2008.
Scott Baio
Scott Vincent James Baio is an American actor and television director, best known for his roles as Chachi Arcola on the sitcom Happy Days and its spin-off, Joanie Loves Chachi, and as the title character on the sitcom Charles in Charge....
as a teen who acquires telekinetic powers. The film is regarded as a parody of Carrie but also includes spoofs of The Exorcist
The Exorcist (film)
The Exorcist is a 1973 American horror film directed by William Friedkin, adapted from the 1971 novel of the same name by William Peter Blatty and based on the exorcism case of Robbie Mannheim, dealing with the demonic possession of a young girl and her mother’s desperate attempts to win back her...
, Taxi Driver
Taxi Driver
Taxi Driver is a 1976 American drama film directed by Martin Scorsese and written by Paul Schrader. The film is set in New York City, soon after the Vietnam War. The film stars Robert De Niro and features Jodie Foster, Harvey Keitel, and Cybill Shepherd. The film was nominated for four Academy...
, Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
and the 1969 Kurt Russell
Kurt Russell
Kurt Vogel Russell is an American television and film actor. His first acting roles were as a child in television series, including a lead role in the Western series The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters...
film The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes
The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes
The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes is a Disney film from 1969, starring Alan Hewitt, Kurt Russell, Frank Webb, and Joe Flynn. It is released by Buena Vista Distribution Company....
.
Cast
Baio stars as Barney Springboro, a student/science lab nerd who is teamed up with his future Charles in ChargeCharles in Charge
Charles in Charge is an American sitcom series which starred Scott Baio as Charles, a 19-year-old student at the fictional Copeland College in New Jersey, who worked as a live-in babysitter in exchange for room and board...
castmate Willie Aames
Willie Aames
Willie Aames is an American actor, film and television director, television producer, and screenwriter. He played Tommy Bradford on the 1970s’ Eight Is Enough and Buddy Lembeck on the 1980s’ Charles in Charge.-Early life:...
. The usual high school stereotypes appear, including the feminist class president, played by Felice Schachter
Felice Schachter
Felice Schachter is an American actress who is known for her role as Nancy on the sitcom The Facts of Life for its first season, appearing sporadically afterward.-Early life and career:...
, the snobby cheerleader prom queen, portrayed by Heather Thomas
Heather Thomas
Heather Anne Thomas is an American actress, screenwriter, author and political activist, best known for her co-starring role as Jody Banks on the TV series The Fall Guy.-Early life:...
in one of her earliest film roles, and her mean-spirited jock boyfriend Greg Bradford. Filling out the cast are the lovelorn maiden teacher Sue Ane Langdon
Sue Ane Langdon
Sue Ane Langdon is a retired American actress.She began her performing career singing at Radio City Music Hall and acting in stage productions. In the mid-1960s she acted at Manhattan's Schubert Theatre in The Apple Tree musical, which starred a young Alan Alda...
, the befuddled principal Robert Mandan
Robert Mandan
Robert Mandan is an American actor, most famous for his portrayals of playwright David Allen on the NBC serial From These Roots from 1958–1961, businessman Sam Reynolds on the serial Search for Tomorrow from 1965 to 1970, and his subsequent satire of the genre playing Chester Tate on the sitcom...
, the hard-drinking coach Scatman Crothers
Scatman Crothers
Benjamin Sherman "Scatman" Crothers was an American actor, singer, dancer and musician known for his work as Louie the Garbage Man on the TV show Chico and the Man, and as Dick Hallorann in The Shining in 1980...
, and Baio's clueless parents Roger Bowen
Roger Bowen
Roger Bowen was an American comedic actor and novelist, known for his portrayal of Lt. Col. Henry Blake in the 1970 film MASH. He often portrayed roles as a stuffy defender of the upper class and had regular roles on a number of television series...
and Marya Small. Eddie Deezen
Eddie Deezen
Eddie Deezen is an American character actor, voice actor and comedian, best known for his bit parts as nerd characters in 1970s and 1980s films such as Grease, Grease 2, Midnight Madness, 1941 and WarGames, as well as for larger roles in a number of independent cult films, including Surf II: The...
has a cameo appearance, while Merritt Butrick
Merritt Butrick
Merritt R. Butrick was an American actor, known for his roles on the 1982 teen sitcom Square Pegs, in two Star Trek feature films, and a variety of other acting roles in the 1980s.-Early life and career:...
plays the school greaser.
Plot
Barney is a student/science lab nerd who obtains telekinetic powers after a lab accident. Along with his best friend Peyton Nichols (Aames), a wealthy playboy with a dirty mind, Barney uses his new powers to take revenge upon bullies, cheat at sports, and expose attractive female flesh, particularly the beautiful but snobby Jane (Thomas). After typical hijinks, including an episode at the prom strangely similar to the ending of Stephen KingStephen King
Stephen Edwin King is an American author of contemporary horror, suspense, science fiction and fantasy fiction. His books have sold more than 350 million copies and have been adapted into a number of feature films, television movies and comic books...
's Carrie, Barney comes to realize that the best girl for him is actually Bernadette (Schachter).
Filming
The film used several techniques to capture the feel of its high schoolHigh school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
setting for nostalgic fans. It was filmed in large part at John Marshall High School in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
with the students as extras. The story line rarely leaves the high school. The students talk mostly about social life and college plans, while the prom is in the gym. The senior trip is to the local amusement park
Amusement park
thumb|Cinderella Castle in [[Magic Kingdom]], [[Disney World]]Amusement and theme parks are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and other events in a location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people...
. Of the major stars, however, only Felice Schachter was still a high school student when the movie was filmed. In fact, she missed her own prom to film the prom sequence in the movie.
The movie used a body-double for Thomas' nude scenes, as she refused to remove her own clothes; further controversy was generated when a complaint was filed by Thomas about a likeness of her head being pasted onto someone else's nude body.
Reception
Targeted to teens-teens, Zapped! received generally negative reviews at the time of its release. It has an overall approval rating of 0% on Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
.
Sequel
Zapped! was made in 1981 by Embassy Pictures for $2 million and was released the following year, making $15 million in its initial release. Critics generally panned Zapped! for a weak story line and for relying on gratuitous nudity. However, over the years it sold heavily in videos and spawned a 1990 direct-to-video sequel, Zapped Again!Zapped Again!
Zapped Again!, directed by Doug Campbell, is a 1990 direct-to-video film. It was the sequel to Zapped! . It is marketed with the tagline "Emerson High has raised more than its academic standards."-Plot:...
(with only Sue Ane Langdon returning from the original cast).
Music
The movie soundtrack was composed by Charles FoxCharles Fox
Charles Fox may refer to:*Charles Fox Mathematician*Charles Douglas Fox , British civil engineer*Charles James Fox , British politician*Charles Fox , film and television composer...
and featured performances by Joe "Bean" Esposito
Joe Esposito (singer)
Joe Esposito is a Grammy winning American singer/songwriter whose career spans from the 1970s to the present day. Esposito's songs have been recorded by Donna Summer, Aretha Franklin, Labelle, and Stephen Stills and others.-Biography:...
("Updike's Theme") and David Pomeranz
David Pomeranz
David Pomeranz is an American singer, composer, lyricist, and writer for musical theatre. He is also ambassador for Operation SmileBorn in Reno and raised on Long Island, Pomeranz expressed interest in music from an early age, singing in the synagogue choir, learning to play the piano, guitar, and...
("Got to Believe in Magic", "King and Queen of Hearts"), which were big hits in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. A band by the name of The Twisters also played in this movie.
Awards and honors
Willie Aames was nominated by the Golden Raspberry AwardsGolden Raspberry Awards
A Golden Raspberry Award, or Razzie for short, is an award presented in recognition of the worst in movies. Founded by American copywriter and publicist John J.B. Wilson in 1981, the annual Razzie Awards ceremony in Los Angeles precedes the corresponding Academy Awards ceremony by one day...
for "Worst Actor" for his performance in Zapped! but lost to Sir Laurence Olivier
Laurence Olivier
Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier, OM was an English actor, director, and producer. He was one of the most famous and revered actors of the 20th century. He married three times, to fellow actors Jill Esmond, Vivien Leigh, and Joan Plowright...
in Inchon
Inchon (film)
Inchon is a 1982 war film about the Battle of Inchon, considered to be the turning point of the Korean War. The film was directed by Terence Young and financed by Unification Church founder Sun Myung Moon. It stars Laurence Olivier as General Douglas MacArthur, who led the United States surprise...
. A notable edition of The Onion
The Onion
The Onion is an American news satire organization. It is an entertainment newspaper and a website featuring satirical articles reporting on international, national, and local news, in addition to a non-satirical entertainment section known as The A.V. Club...
shows a tuxedoed Baio holding multiple Oscars, with the spoof headline "Zapped! Overtakes Oscars!"
Home video
Zapped! was initially released on VHSVHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
and on Laserdisc
Laserdisc
LaserDisc was a home video format and the first commercial optical disc storage medium. Initially licensed, sold, and marketed as MCA DiscoVision in North America in 1978, the technology was previously referred to interally as Optical Videodisc System, Reflective Optical Videodisc, Laser Optical...
by Embassy Pictures
Embassy Pictures
Embassy Pictures Corporation was an independent studio and distributor responsible for such films as The Graduate, The Lion in Winter, This Is Spinal Tap and Escape from New York.-Founding:The company was founded in 1942 by producer Joseph E...
and reissued by MGM Home Entertainment
MGM Home Entertainment
MGM Home Entertainment is the home video and DVD arm of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.-History:The home video division of MGM started in 1979 as MGM Home Video, releasing all the movies and TV shows by MGM. In 1980, MGM joined forces with CBS Video Enterprises, the home video division of the CBS television...
on VHS. It was released on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
on February 12, 2008.