You're not old enough for cherry bombs

July 4, 2024 12:57 PM

The Great American Fourth Of July and Other Disasters (1982) starring Matt Dillon, James Broderick, Barbara Bolton, Jay Ine, and Jean Shepherd. Directed by Robert Bartlett. [YouTube, 57 minutes]

Happy 🧨 4th of 💥 July!

posted by chavenet (7 comments total)

I adored this when I was a kid, even if I didn't get some of the jokes. We taped it (on VHS, for the younger among us) and watched it several times before it accidentally was taped over. I despaired of ever seeing it again until I found a grainy copy on YT a few years ago, which may well be the same one linked.

If you like A Christmas Story, you'll like this!
posted by Ickster at 1:53 PM on July 4 [2 favorites]

Fishigan, Michigan
posted by She Vaped An Entire Sock! at 2:04 PM on July 4 [1 favorite]

Two other Shepherd adaptions done around this time were The Phantom of the Open Hearth (1978) and The Star-Crossed Romance of Josephine Cosnowski (1985). Sadly there appears to be no trace of either production.
posted by Insert Clever Name Here at 3:37 PM on July 4 [2 favorites]

I sang, I did good clean material, I did bad clean material, I tried to find people who would take my call in America and no one wanted to pick up the phone. Metafilter: maybe July 18th from 8pm GMT?
posted by parmanparman at 4:19 PM on July 4 [1 favorite]

Jean Shepherd was the Tsar Bomba.
posted by y2karl at 4:19 PM on July 4 [2 favorites]

I don't buy that (a) Matt Dillon was Ralphie as a teen, or that (b) HE was the blind date. Matt Dillon is too hot for that. Clearly wish fulfillment on casting there.

I cannot conceive of (a) a chain letter working, (b) someone wanting to send washcloths, (c) much less being thrilled to get 17000+ of them. Then I was all, "oh damn, chain letters, I forgot about those."
posted by jenfullmoon at 5:40 PM on July 4 [1 favorite]

We taped it (on VHS, for the younger among us)

You know BETAMAX has better video quality, right?
posted by stet at 8:40 PM on July 4 [5 favorites]