Re: Rollercoaster!

Rollercoaster is on Cinemax right now, and a young Helen Hunt is rocking out to Sparks playing "Fill 'er Up!"

I don't think I've ever actually seen this movie, but I recall being very excited back in 1977 that Sparks had landed a cameo in a Major Motion Picture.

Now the bomb squad is dismantling a bomb accompanied by the longest version ever of "Big Boy." And Ron just smashed his piano bench! And if I'm not mistaken, he was wearing sandals with red socks as he did so, but I'll have to back up the DVR to be sure.

I used to love that movie, coaster buff that I was - Magic Mountain, the park where it was filmed, was my fave park, the closest to us Valley boys, much better, scary rides than Disneyland. Saw this film twice, in fact, at the local $1 second run movie house. My first exposure to Sparks - I liked "Big Boys." As I was only 11 or 12 I knew nothing about modern music, was much more into things like monster movies at the time.

When I did become a music fan a few years later and Sparks started blowing up the LA scene, I remembered them from this film. Didnt remember Helen Hunt when she got big, tho...

MrFab wrote:

> I used to love that movie, coaster buff that I was - Magic
> Mountain, the park where it was filmed, was my fave park, the
> closest to us Valley boys, much better, scary rides than
> Disneyland.

Where in the valley did you grow up, Fab? My family lived in Arleta for 10 years back when I was in elementary school.

Arleta! I'm afraid I'm not too familiar with that neighborhood, didn't know anyone there. I grew up in Northridge, which does have nice areas (like where Richard Pryon burnt himself up) but we lived in a far more humble area off Reseda Blvd. I mentioned Northridge's musical legacy (such as it is) here:
[www.trouserpress.com]

Sparks played Magic Mountian regularly throughout the years:

[www.youtube.com]

which I guess is how they ended up in the film. In fact, they had all kinds of crazy shit there:
[blogs.laweekly.com]

Can you imagine Lords of the New Church playing Disneyland? Nina Hagen?
Suburban Lawns? Take that, Mouse!



Post Edited (09-24-12 12:58)

Actually have that flick on DVD. Vive le Sparks, and always good to see Richard Widmark as well.