New Fangled Box: Same Ol' Movie
If you're one of the two people who read this site, you should have known this was coming. But first, let's take a crack at that box. To the newcomers, the original art for "Perfect" didn't look like this, nothing did in 1985. This box looks to be a product of the early '90s used to "freshen up" a going-gone title to make it more palatable. Me? I liked the original Rolling Stone type artwork.
Review: This 1985 clinker starred John traveled and Jamie Lee Curtis. It's about a Rolling Stone reporter, Adam Roth (Travolta) who was given the assignment to cover the hot new trend of exercise places as pick up joints. Thrilling. In his reporting duties he meets up with Curtis who happens to be a former Olympian with a past she'd rather not talk about. Believe it or not, the movie isn't as gruesome as the premise. But then again I didn't stay up for it either. I've seen this a good five times, but I haven't watched the whole thing, here's what I remember.
John Travolta-Travolta's a long way from his "Staying Alive" fighting shape. In fact he's a vacant-eyed, paunchy, pasty thing throughout this movie. As Roth, Travolta doesn't seem to go for a journalistic nebbishness (not a word) or a certain cool some writers use to compensate their geek origins, he's just there.
Jamie Lee Curtis- Let's face it, she's the movie. With her impeccable shape, hard/soft persona she's a joy to watch. It's great seeing her workout too although the scenes with her leading her aerobics group are certainly cringe worthy, but also great fun. As for the acting chops, for a minute I thought she was the character she played. Not bad at all.
Jann Wenner-Every semi-train wreck needs a conductor and of "catch-all" entity to blame for the tragedy. Meet Jann Wenner. He essentially played himself and he was awful. With his telegraphed dialogue and will o' the wisp energy isn't a wonder James Bridges didn't include a scene of Wenner spinning himself in the ground. And what an editor this guy played. Glad handing, self-aggrandizing, the only thing missing was the inapproriate 4 Am coked-out "pep talk" and the missing money in a check that's two weeks late. Yick.
Add-On's: I did like the scene with Wenner and Lauren Hutton and Susie Coelho. Talk about '80s fun. I...(edited for the Too Much Information files.)
More Stuff: For some reason when I think of "Perfect" I think of that "anthem" from that 1983 Travolta and Olivia Newton-John goner, "Twist Of Fate." I don't know why, maybe it's the hair. You can also find the "Perfect" soundtrack at eBay or wherever. Although the soundtrack is a perfect '80s, whatever, with Lou Reed, Jermaine Jackson and the Thompson Twins (don't even have to look), it's never getting in print again. The album cover was also used as the original promo.
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