What the Hell Happened to Phoebe Cates?

In the early 1980’s Phoebe Cates was one of the hottest rising stars in Hollywood.  After memorable roles in two Hollywood blockbusters, her career cooled off.  In the early 1990s, she went into retirement and has rarely been seen or heard from since.

What the hell happened?

Cates got her start as a dancer.  However, an injury ended her dancing career at a young age.  Next, Cates went into modeling.  Although she was successful, she did not find it to be fulfilling.  According to Cates,  “It was just the same thing, over and over.  After a while I did it solely for the money.”

Phoebe Cates - Paradise - 1982
Phoebe Cates – Paradise – 1982

In 1982, Cates made her film debut in the tropical romance, The Blue Lagoon.  No wait, that’s not right.  It was a Blue Lagoon rip-off called Paradise which co-starred Scott Baio’s sidekick, Willie Aames.

At the time, Aames was a relatively popular TV actor having appeared in the long-running series, Eight is Enough.  The producers were looking for an attractive young actress to cast opposite Aames in a role that required quite a bit of nudity.  Cates was 17-years old at the time.  Her modeling career prepared her for the requirements of the role.

During the production, Aames and Cates decided the movie didn’t require as much nudity as the script called for.  The producers responded by shooting additional nude scenes with body doubles.  Cates wasn’t happy when she saw the final film, “They weren’t in the version of the film they showed us for approval. When I finally got to see the final print months later, I flipped.”

In spite of his reservations, Aames agreed to promote the movie.  Cates refused to have anything to do with Paradise.  Probably a wise move.  Aarmes was nominated for a Golden Raspberry for Wost Actor for Paradise.  His movie career stalled out and he ended up playing second banana to Chachi on Charles in Charge.  Eventually, he became the writer, director and star of the direct-to-video Christian super hero series, Bibleman which does not include nude scenes performed by body doubles.

Cates - Fast Times
Phoebe Cates – Fast Times at Ridgemont High – 1982

Later that year, Cates appeared as part of the ensemble in Amy Heckerling’s classic high school comedy, Fast Times at Ridgemont High.

Cates played Jennifer Jason Leigh’s best friend and the object of Judge Reinhold’s fantasies.  The famous “pool scene” in which Reinhold’s character imagines Cates removing her red bikini is one of the funniest and most memorable scenes in the movie.  Over thirty years later, it’s still memorable.

Fast Times was written by Cameron Crowe.  Crowe went undercover as a high school student and wrote a tell-all book which he adapted into a screenplay.  The result is a comedy that is edgier and more true-to-life than your average high school comedy.

cates - private school
Phoebe Cates – Private School – 1983

In 1983, Cates starred opposite Matthew Modine in another teen sex comedy, Private School.

Private School was one of those forgettable Fast Times rip-offs.  The cast also included Ray Walston who memorably played Sean Penn’s teacher in Fast Times.  But the presence of two Fast Times alumni couldn’t save Private School.  It is the kind of sex comedy in which the jokes come from characters reacting orgasmically to the sight of a girl in her under wear, boys dress in incredibly unconvincing drag in order to sneak into the girls’ dormitory and the girls play pranks on each other by pulling off their tops in public.

Reviews were mixed to negative.  While most critics disapproved of the movie, a few noted that it was better than the average teen sex comedy of the time.  Which tells you just how bad most of these teen sex comedies were, because Private School is awful.

Phoebe Cates - Lace - 1984
Phoebe Cates – Lace – 1984

In 1984, Cates appeared in the TV mini-series, Lace.  The series was based on a novel of the same name.  Cates played a sex symbol looking for her mother who had given her up for adoption as a baby.

Cates took the role because she was growing bored with “the sameness” of her movie roles.  The mini-series was one of the highest-rated of the 83-84 season.

cates - gremlins
Phoebe Cates – Gremlins – 1984

Later that year, Cates starred opposite Zach Galligan in Joe Dante’s horror/comedy, Gremlins.

Gremlins was a Steven Spielberg production at a time when everything Spielberg touched turned to gold.  Chris Columbus wrote Gremlins as a spec script to show potential employers what he was capable of.  At the time, he had no expectation that the film would ever be produced.  But Spielberg took an interest in the scripts mixture of horror and comedy.

The original script for Gremlins was far darker than the movie that was ultimately made.  In the original script, Gizmo and Spike are the same character.  The cute, cuddly Gizmo turns into the evil Gremlin, Spike.  Spielberg over-ruled this plot point on the basis that he felt audiences would want Gizmo to stick around for the entire film.  He probably also realized that turning Gizmo evil would negatively impact toy sales.

Spielberg decided to executive produce Gremlins rather than direct it himself.  He chose Joe Dante to handle the directing duties.  It was an inspired choice as Dante is known for his blend of humorous horror.  Dante has the mentality of a gremlin.  Dante and Spielberg toned down the violence while keeping the fun house-style scares.

In spite of the changes, Gremlins opened to controversy.  The Spielberg name and the film’s marketing material suggested a cuddly family film.  So some audiences and critics were upset when gremlins started blowing up in microwaves.  You can only imagine what the reaction would have been if the scene of Billy’s mom being decapitated had remained in the film.

Gremlins along with the Spielberg-directed Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom resulted in the creation of the PG-13 rating for movies that did not require an R but were not appropriate for young children.  In spite of the film’s horror elements, Gizmo toys were sold to children everywhere.

Reviews for Gremlins were mixed to positive.  Many of the negative reviews focused on the film’s violence.  Over the years, Gremlins has come to be regarded more positively as the violence has become less polarizing.  Due to the Spielberg name and the marketing push, Gremlins was also a hit at the box office. 

cates - lace 2
Phoebe Cates – Lace II – 1985

In 1985, Cates starred in a sequel to her hit mini-series.  In Lace II, her character went searching for her biological father.  The sequel failed to duplicate the success of the original mini-series.  It had only half the ratings of the first Lace.  Unfortunately there would never be a Lace III in which Cates goes searching for her long-lost cousin who could have been played by Willie Aaames.

In 1986, Cates made her stage debut in the Off Broadway play, Rich Relations.

cates -date with an angel
Phoebe Cates – Date With an Angel – 1987

In 1987, Cates returned to movies for the first time in three years in the romantic comedy, Date With an Angel.

Date With an Angel was sort of like Splash except instead of a guy falling in love with a mythical mermaid, he falls for a heavenly angel.  Cates had the thankless role of playing Michael E. Knight’s fiancée whom he dumps in favor of his angelic girlfriend played by Emmanuelle Béart.

Date With an Angel received mixed to negative reviews and was barely noticed at the box office.

Phoebe Cates - Bright Lights, Big City - 1988
Phoebe Cates – Bright Lights, Big City – 1988

In 1988, Cates appeared opposite Michael J. Fox and Kiefer Sutherland in the drama, Bright Lights, Big City.

The movie was based on a novel of the same name about a fact-checker for a New York newspaper who spends his nights partying and doing drugs.  Cates played Fox’s wife, a model whose career is on the rise.  She leaves Fox whose career at the paper seems to be going nowhere.

The movie had a troubled production.  Originally, Joel Schumacher was attached to direct.  Tom Cruise was given first right of refusal to play the lead.  Numerous Brat Pack actors including Emilio Estevez, Judd Nelson and Rob Lowe were all considered for the best friend role that was ultimately played by Sutherland.

After several rewrites, Schumacher and Cruise left the project.  It was going to be shot in Toronto with unknown actors until Fox took an interest in the lead role.  Fox was still appearing on Family Ties and had a box office smash with Back to the Furture.  His involvement resulted in a bigger budget for Bright Lights, Big City.

Fox had a short window during which to make the movie.  The original director, Joyce Chopra, was taking too long to shoot and was replaced one week into filming.  The new director, James Bridges, had no script and only seven weeks in which to finish shooting due to an impending strike.  Bridges replaced much of the cast and reverted to an older draft of the script to which he made revisions.

The film received mixed reviews but was a flop at the box office.  Critics complained that Fox was miscast as a cocaine addict and audiences weren’t interested in seeing Alex Keaton/Marty McFly doing lines of coke.

cates - shag
Phoebe Cates – Shag – 1989

In 1989, Cates appeared in the coming of age road movie, Shag, opposite Bridget Fonda, Annabeth Gish and Page Hannah.

The light-hearted story centers on a group of friends who go on a road trip to the beach in 1963.  Cates played a young socialite engaged to a rich but dull young man.

Shag got mostly positive reviews, but flopped at the box office.  It has developed a cult following in the years since its release.

MSDHEOF EC023
Phoebe Cates – Heart of Dixie – 1989

Later that year, Cates appeared opposite Ally Sheedy and Virginia Madsen in another period drama, Heart of Dixie.

The movie is based on the 1976 novel, Heartbreak Hotel by Anne Rivers Siddons.  Sheedy, Cates and Madsen played sorority sisters at Randolph College in 1957.  When Sheedy meets a handsome photographer played by Treat Williams, he opens her eyes to the struggles of the Civil Rights movement.

Reviews were mixed to negative.  The Washington Post trashed the film saying:

“Ally Sheedy, Virginia Madsen and Phoebe Cates combine their negligible talents in Heart of Dixie — a melodrama so full of hams, it oinks. Led by Sheedy, the tedious trio plays giddy coeds caught up in the racist and sexist traditions of the South in the late ’50s. They all sound like they’ve been gulping hush puppy batter…Working from McCown’s histrionic screenplay, Martin Davidson of Eddie and the Cruisers proves once again that he don’t know nothing ’bout directing no movies.”

Heart of Dixie received a limited theatrical release during which it grossed around one million dollars.

Also in 1989, Cates married actor Kevin Kline.  Cates met Kline while auditioning for the Meg Tilly role in The Big Chill in 1983.

cates - i love you to death
Phoebe Cates – I Love You To Death – 1990

In 1990, Cates had an uncredited cameo in Kline’s dark comedy, I Love You to Death.  She played one of Kline’s character’s many girl friends.

Cates - Gremlins 2
Phoebe Cates – Gremlins 2: The New Batch – 1990

Later that year, Cates appeared in Joe Dante’s Gremlins sequel, Gremlins 2: The New Batch.

After the success of the original Gremlins, Warner Brothers was very excited to make a Gremlins sequel.  You can hardly blame them given all the Gremlins knock-offs that were flooding the market.  They offered Dante the chance to direct the sequel, but initially he turned them down.  He didn’t enjoy making the original movie and felt a sequel was unnecessary.

Warner Brother proceeded without Dante, but to no avail.  Eventually, they came back to Dante and offered him both a larger budget and complete creative control.  Despite his misgivings about filming a sequel, Dante couldn’t turn down the chance to make a big budget studio film with creative control.  So he set about making Gremlins 2 a very unconventional sequel.

Most sequels try to recreate what made the original movie a success.  But Gremlins 2 is more like a satire of the original film than a sequel.  As the film progresses, it becomes more cartoonish in tone.  Animator Chuck Jones came out of retirement to make new Looney Tunes segments for the film.  There are several meta references to the original Gremlins poking fun at the ridiculous rules.  At one point, Dante even breaks the fourth wall as the gremlins cause the film to break.

Critics and audiences weren’t sure how to react to the silly sequel.  Many critics who complained about the dark tone of the original film gave the sequel better reviews.  One such critic, Leonard Maltin, even appeared in Gremlins 2 in which he gives a negative review of the original film only to be eaten by gremlins.

Other critics complained that the sequel lacked a coherent plot and that it devolved into a series of gags once the gremlins appeared.  It’s a valid criticism, but it was also the entire point of the movie.  Audiences who enjoy the anarchic tone of the Looney Tunes found a lot to like in the sequel.  But those expecting a retread of the original were left scratching their heads.

You can probably guess which camp I fit in.  The movie is worth watching just for John Glover’s take on a Donald Trump-like mogul named Daniel Clamp. 

Unfortunately, too much time had passed between the original and the sequel.  Audiences weren’t interested in more Gremlins – especially a Gremlins satires masquerading as a sequel.  The movie got mixed reviews and disappointed at the box office.

cates - drop dead fred
Phoebe Cates – Drop Dead Fred – 1991

 In 1991, Cates appeared in the independently produced fantasy-comedy, Drop Dead Fred.

Cates played a woman controlled by a domineering mother.  After a string of bad luck results in Cates’ character losing her job, she returns to her childhood home where she in reunited with her imaginary friend.  Drop Dead Fred, played by English comedian, Rik Mayall, pledges to help make the adult Cates happy again.  But his shenanigans do more harm than good.

The movie opened to really bad reviews.  Critics didn’t know what to make of what seemed like a children’s movie with dark, psychological subtext about child abuse.  The movie did reasonably well at the box office for an independent film on a low budget.  Over the years, it has attracted a devoted cult following.

Also in 1991, Cates and Kline had their first child.  The birth of their son side-lined Cates’ acting career as she chose to focus on her family instead.

cates - bodies rest and motion
Phoebe Cates – Bodies, Rest and Motion – 1993

In 1993, Cates returned to the big screen opposite Eric Stoltz, Tim Roth and Bridget Fonda in the drama, Bodies, Rest and Motion.

Phoebe Cates - Princess Caraboo - 1994
Phoebe Cates – Princess Caraboo – 1994

In 1994, Cates appeared in her final lead role in the comedy-drama, Princess Caraboo.  The film was based on a real story about a women in the 19th century who passed herself off as the princess of an exotic country.

Her husband, Kline, appeared in a supporting role.  Reviews were mixed to positive, but the movie was not a hit at the box office.

That year, Cates also gave birth to her second child with Kline.  This effectively ended Cates’ acting career.

cates - anniversary party
Phoebe Cates – The Anniversary Party – 2001

In 2001, Cates temporarily came out of retirement to appear in The Anniversary Party which was co-written, co-directed and co-starring Cates’ best friend and Fast Times co-star, Jennifer Jason Leigh.  Cates appeared opposite her husband and their two kids (pictured above).  The entire cast consisted of friends of Leigh and co-star Alan Cumming.

cates - blue true boutique
Blue Tree

In 2005, Cates opened the Blue Tree boutique in the Upper East Side of New York City.

According to Cates, the store is the realization of a life-long dream.

So, what the hell happened?

I’m afraid there isn’t a lot of mystery behind this one.

In spite of being a beautiful girl, Cates never really caught on as an actress.  As she did with modeling, she seemed to lose interest in the repetitive nature of her film roles.  Her early movies emphasized her sexuality.  But when she tried to shift into different kinds of movies, she met with limited success.

Eventually, Cates decided that family life was more important to her than her  acting career.  After being out of the spotlight for a while, she found a second career as a shop-owner.

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Tom
Tom
10 years ago

Good read, another fine job. I always liked her as an actress; but that could be more for her sexuality than her acting prowess. I was shocked to hear she married Kline; just because of the age difference. But good for them they have made it last. Kline is a favorite of mine.

Again, nice job with a good subject..

admin
Admin
admin
10 years ago
Reply to  Tom

Thanks, glad you liked it. Cates is one of those actresses everyone expected to hit it big. But for some reason, it just never happened. The marriage to Kline is one of those things everyone finds surprising because of the age difference. Not only is Kline older, Cates looks younger than her age. She looks like she could be his granddaughter. But you have to hand it to them. Their marriage has outlasted so many celebrity marriages. I expect to write-up Kline before the end of the year. I’m looking to add the entire cast of The Big Chill in… Read more »

Craig Hansen
Craig Hansen
10 years ago
Reply to  admin

I’ve always been aware of The Big Chill, but I’ve never seen it. It certainly has an impressive cast, and I’m a fan of Lawrence Kasdan. Is it still worth checking out? Doing write-ups of the cast members is a good idea, I look forward to Jeff Goldblum’s in particular, he’s had an interesting career over the years. In the mid 90’s, after Jurassic Park and Independence Day, for a minute I thought he might capatalize on those blockbusters and become an A-lister, but maybe that’s just me.

admin
Admin
admin
10 years ago
Reply to  Craig Hansen

For a moment, Goldblum may have been A-list. It’s debatable. People were definitely looking for him to make more blockbusters.

The Big Chill is definitely worth watching. Especially if you are a Kasdan fan. Check it out. There’s some great work there.

Amy J
Amy J
5 years ago
Reply to  Craig Hansen

Secaucus Seven by John Sayles, is a slightly better film than “The Big Chill” and is the movie that “The Big Chill” ripped off, not that the “Big Chill” doesn’t have it’s moments, but it lacks warmth, which really makes the title apt. seven was a low budget affair with no big mashes and Sayles was then unknown, Chill is the polar oppsitte. That’s not a compliment though. But some really feel it capture baby boomers really well. I’m not a boomer, though my parents are, and they were nothing like these characters.

Rusty
Rusty
10 years ago
Reply to  admin

I’m really not surprised that their marriage lasted. Neither of them are the pretentious, drug addled Hollywood types, and the age difference shouldn’t be surprising…or should I say that the fact that their marriage lasted is not surprising, despite the age difference. You see, popular culture wants to push this younger man older woman thing on us, but the truth is, those marriages rarely last. Oh sure, you can pull out the occasional anecdotal evidence…yes, occasionally there is a couple you know where the man is 7 or more years younger than his wife, and it appears to be lasting,… Read more »

admin
Admin
admin
10 years ago
Reply to  Rusty

I don’t know what their secret is, but I congratulate them on their successful marriage. In or out of Hollywood, that is something to be celebrated.

I have a bit of a trophy wife situation myself. So, yay younger women and older men! 😉

RB
RB
10 years ago
Reply to  admin

Oddly enough I know a Rusty from Ohio State 🙂 Anyway…. This sounds like an example of how Hollywood helps distort people’s thinking, more than science. I’ve no problem believing that younger women are going to be more attractive to older men, but how that translates numbers-wise into marriage success, is harder to discern. As stated by Rusty, there is anecdotal evidence aplenty, I submit there is anecdotal evidence actually in all directions. We all know marriages that work where the man is older, younger, the same age, etc. There was some evidence cited a while back that the #1… Read more »

Rusty
Rusty
10 years ago
Reply to  RB

Well there is science involved, and some research was behind a documentary that I saw several years ago. They researched couples that had between 20 to 60+ years married. Yes, 60 years. What they found did surprise them greatly. In fact it was the opposite of what they thought would be the case. It involved what ALL of the couples had in common. When they met and were dating, ALL of the men had considered the woman to be their ideal woman. Not one of the women considered the man to be their ideal man, but over time, saw him… Read more »

Honeycombe8
Honeycombe8
10 years ago
Reply to  Rusty

Older woman-younger man relationships may be hard to name, as far as lasting ability, because they are rare, period. The fact that those marriages face more acceptance issues by society means that more of those marriages will fail, I think. But consider this: MOST marriages fail, period. The lesson is, I suppose, that if you fall in love, go for it. True love is not that easy to find. Sometimes the person happens to be older or younger than you are, but so what? Many people marry people their own age and are miserable. When Cates met Kline, he was… Read more »

admin
Admin
admin
10 years ago
Reply to  Honeycombe8

Put me down as pro-love.

RustyLH
RustyLH
9 years ago
Reply to  Honeycombe8

It has nothing to do with “social conditioning.” If anything, this proves that social conditioning doesn’t work. For decades now, they have been trying to portray older woman-younger man relationships as cool, hip, the In-Thing. But it hasn’t taken off. They even tried to do a spin-off of The Bachelor, with an older woman selecting from among a bunch of younger guys, all of them at least 7 or 8 years younger and some as young as 21. She was 40. She ended up choosing the 21 year old. Not sure if he was actually the youngest, but I think… Read more »

RB
RB
9 years ago
Reply to  RustyLH

Aw, Rusty, You can’t base your conclusions on anecdotes, worse, anecdotes stemming from “reality” TV shows. Well… I mean, you can…but I think you’re wrong. There is no poetic justice about how women over 50 are invisible, and romance is the last thing to worry about as sadly, that applies in the job market as well. (“Overqualified.”) Besides, the illustration you gave makes it sound like older women are alone because they’re interested in younger men they can’t have. I don’t think that’s true. We are not disappointed because we can’t get Matthew McConaghey, or Leo DiCaprio. We are disappointed… Read more »

Sam
Sam
8 years ago
Reply to  Rusty

I’m well aware that marriages between an older men and younger women tend to be prevalent.But I wouldn’t ncessarily said they tend to be succesfull especially most of cuckolded men I know tend to be older men with younger wives.My neighbour recently admitted to a nursing home by his wife who’s too busy having an affair with a younger military guy.Whether or not these guys have cuckolded fetish or perhaps they really haven’t caught on their wives yet,that’s another story.It is really rare to see an older women having a long lasting relationship with a younger guy but then again… Read more »

admin
Admin
admin
10 years ago

Yep, I remember when Cates was expected to be the next breakout star after Gremlins. And I will never understand what she sees in Kevin Kline, but what the hey.. she has 2 cute kids and things could always be worse for a former young star.
And, ROTFL Lebeau, even the trailer for Private Lessons was awful!! More ROTFL at the Post review of Dixie… never even heard of the movie, sounds like it could have been an interesting project that instead turned out worse than a high school drama class production.
Review was entertaining, anyway 😉

admin
Admin
admin
10 years ago
Reply to  admin

Thanks, Ramona. I was a huge fan of Kline’s back in the day. I liked The Big Chill a lot for some strange reason. I say that not because it was a bad movie but because I am not a Baby Boomer and I had only seen the cut version on TV. But still, I liked it quite a bit. However, I loved (and still love) A Fish Called Wanda. Kline’s comedic performance in Wanda wins him a permanent cool card with me. Although I almost revoked it after Wild, Wild West. I didn’t see Fast Times until college and… Read more »

admin
Admin
admin
10 years ago

I was really excited when Drop Dead Fred was first announced. Phoebe Cates was always appealing and we were going to get her in a lead role. Also, I was really interested to see what Rik Mayall could do in a Hollywood comedy. I was a big fan of The Young Ones and he was one big reason why.
As soon as I saw the first commercial though, I knew it was going to be a disappointment.

What the Cates/Kline pairing says to me is that versatile actors are cool. And that Cates is cool for knowing it.

admin
Admin
admin
10 years ago
Reply to  admin

I can support that theory.

HHGeek
HHGeek
9 years ago
Reply to  admin

Now. Rik Mayall. I’ve not seen DDF, but obviously there was UK nationwide mourning after his untimely death. Why did he never crack the US?

admin
Admin
admin
9 years ago
Reply to  HHGeek

DDF was the only movie I am aware of that even attempted to establish him in thd US. And it bombed.

Terrence Michael Clay
10 years ago

Phoebe Cates – Brooke Shields Wannabe:
http://salvagedstars.wordpress.com/2011/04/05/phoebe-cates-brooke-shields-wannabe/

Now Phoebe would have us believe that after she and Kevin had two children she semi-retired from acting to raise her family. Sounds lovely, but the truth is she sucked. Phoebe snagged roles because she was cute and she was willing to take her clothes off. The girl couldn’t act her way out of a paper bag. After she acted in Princess Caraboo her career took a series nosedive.

admin
Admin
admin
10 years ago

The other day over at the Meg Ryan comments section we were talking about the style I use for these articles. Personally, I don’t feel like the writing is anything special. If I pride myself on anything, it’s the tone. Specifically, I’m proud I don’t write like this guy. (not you, Terrence, the guy who wrote the article you linked) I find most career retrospective articles take one of two extremes. Either they praise the subject to high heaven or they drag them through the mud. This Phoebe Cates article is just mean-spirited and wrong. He makes fun of her… Read more »

Terrence Michael Clay
10 years ago
Reply to  admin

Yeah, it’s awfully ignorant to immediately expect for Phoebe Cates to still look the way that she looked during her ’80s heyday/prime (e.g. the famous red bikini scene in “Fast Times…”). Especially considering that she hasn’t acted regularly in almost 20 years. I rather have that then look at the other extreme and see actresses who desperately try to cling on to their youth by getting ultimately unflattering cosmetic surgery like Meg Ryan, Nicole Kidman, or Melanie Griffith.

admin
Admin
admin
10 years ago

Absolutely. Cates looks amazing. Kline is a lucky man. I was put off by the entire tone of this guy’s article on Cates. Yes, I’m sure Cates’ box office track record and the failure of Princess Caraboo probably weighed in Cates’ decision to retire. If she was outgrossing Kline at the box office, maybe she would have kept working. But this article is very snide in asserting that Cates is lying about why she left acting. It was all very off-putting. I looked at the comments section of the article and it looks like I was not alone in thinking… Read more »

tbob1
10 years ago
Reply to  admin

I think the only movie I’ve seen her in is Fast Times and like every other male on the planet fell immidiately in lust. Never did see Gremlins. Therefore I don’t have much to say about her here. Based on those coming to her rescue in that hatchet article however she obviously inspired a loyal legion of fans! They sure torched the author of that write-up didn’t they? Kind of funny actually.

admin
Admin
admin
10 years ago
Reply to  tbob1

I don’t want to over-sell Gremlins, because it’s not a great movie. But you should check it out sometime. Seems like it is always on cable. It’s fun for what it is. I was surprised by the vitrol in the comments section of that article. Even though I think it is deserved. He’s doing more or less the same kind of thing I do over here. But the way he did it is all wrong. There are some fans who are going to take offense if you write anything less than a love letter to their favorite star. For this… Read more »

Terrence Michael Clay
10 years ago

PRETTY IN THE PAST: PHOEBE CATES: http://www.xojane.co.uk/beauty/pretty-in-the-past-phoebe-cates It is true, Phoebe Cates is still very much an extremely beautiful woman with many years left to live, but – I would argue – the Phoebe Cates we all remember and whose name, to this day, still manages to inspire a feeling of communal reverence, essentially ceased to be 18 years ago, when she retired from show business to raise her family with her husband, Kevin Kline. That Phoebe Cates is the one to whom this post is dedicated and she is very much a perfect example of what this series is… Read more »

Prince of a Thousand Frenemies
Prince of a Thousand Frenemies
10 years ago

I confess I was surprised Lebeau never brought up “that” scene from Gremlins. Love it or hate it (and either way it’s hard to deny that it’s jarring tonally), it stands out. And she really does sell it…no weepies, no setup/punchline rhythm, just a straight-up “This is why I hate the sort of schlock of which this very movie may well be viewed as an example.” I’m in the minority regarding FTaRH, but the blogger Terrence quotes makes a good case for how the raw, memorable, time-stopping power of her famous scene manages to transcend the objectification of women that… Read more »

admin
Admin
admin
10 years ago

She definitely did all right. How many actresses can lay claim to one scene like FTaRH? I came very close to writing about the famous Gremlins scene. Spielberg and Dante fought over it with Dante fighting for its inclusion. Eventually, Spielberg caved and let Dante include it even though he didn’t like it. It’s a strange scene that Cates handles very well. I’m going to give Dante a lot of credit for directing her. It sounds like the scene was important to him. I love the fact that Dante and Cates parodied the scene in Gremlins 2. I mean, it… Read more »

Mastro
Mastro
10 years ago
Reply to  admin

Its a wonderful dark story that Hollywood usually stays miles away from (the Brits have more of this)

I love it- and – in a crazy way- it actually is a parody in itself of bad holidays that many people have- without seeming like an after-school special.

admin
Admin
admin
10 years ago
Reply to  Mastro

It’s pure Dante. Which is why Gremlins holds up better than all the knock-offs. It has teeth.

cinemarchaeologist
10 years ago

“her long-lost cousin who could have been played by Willie Aaames.”

That made me laugh really hard.

admin
Admin
admin
10 years ago

Thanks. When I wrote that line, I wasn’t sure if it was funny or why. But I thought it was funny and that’s my only criteria. I’m glad you got a laugh out of it.

Stoich
10 years ago

Good read as always. Definitely not the best WTHH but that’s because this chick’s career isn’t all that interesting. She’s no Seagal. I’m hoping eventually you’ll get to all the 80s action starts. You’ve done Arnold and Seagal. Stallone is an obvious choice – I’ve mentioned him before I believe. But you’ve also got your Van Damme and Dolph and Norris. They guys weren’t that big – especially Dolph but he’s a personal favorite of mine. Back to Cates: I don’t thing I’ve seen any of her movies but I’ve always wondered where that famous pool scene came from. Now… Read more »

admin
Admin
admin
10 years ago
Reply to  Stoich

After I finished the Cates article, I went out to mow the lawn before my neighbors formed a mob, As I was pushing the mower up hill (my yard is all hill) I was contemplating who to write up next. Should I follow the poll results (which would put Matt Dillon next) or pick someone else before going back to the poll? The 80s/90s action stars are always in the back of my mind. I was thinking about how Wesley Snipes was recently added to The Expendables 3 and how The Expendables series is basically a giant home for WTHH… Read more »

Craig Hansen
Craig Hansen
10 years ago
Reply to  admin

Stallone has had one of the more impressive combacks that I’ve ever seen. Stallone had a great run from the mid-70’s to the mid-90’s, and at his peak he was one of the biggest movie stars in the world, but after too many flops his career hit the skids and by the turn of the century he was starring in direct-to-DVD dreck. That’s it, career over. Then I remember for years reading that Stallone was working on a 6th Rocky and even I thought to myself “Oh, give it a rest already”. But a strange thing happened in 2006: Rocky… Read more »

admin
Admin
admin
10 years ago
Reply to  Craig Hansen

Absolutely. I had the exact same reaction. And Rocky Balboa really was a pleasant surprise.

Terrence Michael Clay
10 years ago
Reply to  Stoich

I think Phoebe Cates is good enough for a WTHHT profile because I’m very sure that most people are wondering why she doesn’t act anymore (and hasn’t regularly since 1994) and what she has been up too. Phoebe was a rising star/sex symbol in the ’80s w/ one of the most iconic scenes in film history (the red bikini scene in “Fast Times at Ridgemont High”). Add to the fact that Phoebe was also the female lead in one of the biggest blockbusters of the decade in “Gremlins”. But just like Steve Guttenberg, once the ’90s rolled around, it seemed… Read more »

admin
Admin
admin
10 years ago

I think the comparisson to the Gutte is accurate. They both were in the right movies at the right time to advance their careers. And then, their time was up.

I get the sense a lot of people wonder what happened to Cates because she disappeared from the public eye while she was still in her prime. As far as most people were concerned, she disappeared after Gremlins since most people never saw her later movies.

admin
Admin
admin
10 years ago

Drop Dead Fred and Princess Caraboo were definitely blows to her career. They were her bids at being a leading lady and neither one was especially successful. But they were also both independent films with relatively low budgets. They really weren’t expected to set the box office on fire.

admin
Admin
admin
10 years ago

I have not seen it. I remember wanting to see it based on the cast. But if it came out where I
was living at the time, I missed it. I have never tracked it down, but I’ll keep an eye out for it.

RB
RB
10 years ago

I’m glad I’m not the only one who thought that “Bodies, Rest and Motion” had an intriguing title. No clue what it’s about. It’s funny how a movie title with the right accents on the right syllables just draws you in. Sometimes it’s iambic and sometimes not. One all time great title is “Dances With Wolves.” Just the right impact plus it’s both a noun and a verb. The other night I picked up “Lay the Favorite” from Redbox just because of the title and it being in Vegas. I was hoping to review it for my new movie blog… Read more »

admin
Admin
admin
10 years ago
Reply to  RB

Lay the Favorite is available on Netflix. I had been thinking about watching it. But that doesn’t sound like a ringing endorsement.

RB
RB
10 years ago
Reply to  admin

You might be able to stay awake for it, I might have just been tired. Or maybe I just expected too much of the movie.

admin
Admin
admin
10 years ago
Reply to  RB

I haven’t watched it because the reviews were pretty bad. But I’ll probably check it out eventually because of the cast.

RB
RB
10 years ago

And, I am constantly amazed at the relentless attacks on celebrities if they gain 2 pounds or eat a cheeseburger. Whatever else you can say about Phoebe Cates’ career, she still looks great. It must get tiresome being under that microscope. What few celebrities I have ever seen in person almost always look much smaller than they do onscreen, and that’s saying something.

admin
Admin
admin
10 years ago
Reply to  RB

I have seen pictures of Cates with a little extra weight. But the woman gave birth twice. For all I know, those pictures were taken around the time of one of her kids’ births. She looks absolutely fantastic in the most recent pictures I have seen. Not that it should be any kind of issue if she had put on a few pounds. Especially considering she retired from acting decades ago.

You are right. People are strangely obsessed with image.

Terrence Michael Clay
10 years ago

25 Forgotten Sexy Actresses: http://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2013/05/25-forgotten-sexy-actresses/phoebe-cates Phoebe Cates Most famous role: Linda Barrett in Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) Utter the title Fast Times at Ridgemont High and one image springs to mind: Phoebe Cates’ red bikini! Though her role as wise-beyond-her-years high schooler Linda Barrett quickly made her one of Hollywood’s most sought-after actresses, Cates gave it all up after 1994’s Princess Caraboo in order to raise her two sons with actor Kevin Kline (to whom she has been married since 1989). Cates has appeared in one role in the near-20 years since her retirement: in 2001’s The Anniversary… Read more »

Terrence Clay (@TMC1982)

Film ‘stars’ you thought were going to be massive, and really weren’t:
http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showpost.php?p=72725928&postcount=83

Phoebe Cates retired while on the cusp of moving to the next level. She was moving up headlining smaller mainstream films and really all she needed was that one role in the right film to launch her into the stratosphere.

But she quit it all to raise her family.

Terrence Clay (@TMC1982)

Actors Who Disappeared After Hit Movies http://screenrant.com/actors-who-disappeared-after-hit-movies-brea5 Akout-roles-retired/ PHOEBE CATES– LAST SEEN IN 2001 IN THE ANNIVERSARY PARTY Phoebe Cates was the ultimate ‘80s babe. Her scene-stealing ways in 1982’s epic teen flick, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, catapulted her into stardom. From there, she of course went on to star in other hits like Gremlins (as well as Gremlins 2: The New Batch), Bright Lights, Big City, Shag and Drop Dead Fred. According to her IMDB, she was even originally set to play the role of “Annie Banks” in the remake of Father of the Bride, but she had… Read more »

Terrence Clay (@TMC1982)

Re: Actors whose careers you would have thought would have been bigger

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showpost.php?p=46610214&postcount=204

I really liked Anniversary Party, and the scene with Cates explaining how she gave up her career to let Kevin Kline pursue his is particularly resonant, and a little bit heartbreaking.

Terrence Clay (@TMC1982)

Most rewatched movie moments http://www.looper.com/40571/rewatched-movie-moments/ Pool fantasies at Ridgemont High In the history of cinema, is there any single moment that turned more boys into men than Phoebe Cates’ slow-mo strut from the pool in Fast Times at Ridgemont High? You probably don’t need much explanation as to why this moment is one of the most rewatched in movie history, but just imagine if director Amy Heckerling had gotten her first choice for the role: Justine Bateman. That’s right, Family Ties’ lovable misfit daughter could have been haunting Generation Xer’s minds for the past three decades instead of the future… Read more »

admin
Admin
admin
7 years ago

I always thought Justine Bateman was pretty hot, but I’m all set with Phoebe Cates in that Fast Times role.

Jake
Jake
10 years ago

I HATED “Date with an Angel,” but will always love Phoebe thanks to “Ridgemont” & the 2 “Gremlilns” films

admin
Admin
admin
10 years ago
Reply to  Jake

I considered subjecting myself to Date With an Angel in the name of research. But there are limits to what I will do. Ultimately, I decided Date wasn’t important enough to Cates’ career to justify my time.

Fast Times and Gremlins earned Cates a spot in pop culture history even if nothing much came of her career after that.

Gerald
Gerald
10 years ago

Great article, love all the insight. I always thought it was kind of sad that she started with so much promise to them eventually go nowhere. I mean, there was a time where she was basically everywhere. I love Lace, such soapy fun, the second one was awful and it’s no wonder it didn’t do nearly as well. Any chance you can post the whole article scan of Lace?

Dave
Dave
10 years ago

My second-faveorite Phoebe Cates movie (after FTaRH) is “Shag: The Movie.” Yes, it’s a little corny and a little contrived, but I like it anyway. Have you ever seen it?

admin
Admin
admin
10 years ago
Reply to  Dave

I admit I have not. I may have seen pieces, but I haven’t watched it all the way through. I need to track it down and watch it. I have heard mostly good things. But more importantly, it stars WTHH faves Cates and Fonda.

robin
robin
10 years ago

Love the movie shag, my kids also loved this movie. In fact when my son was in college, he used one of the lines from the movie ” maybe in one of your better dreams” and the girl he was talking to stopped him and said oh my god! Have you seen the movie shag? He replied I have 2 older sisters and a mom that played that movie all the time when I was little!

Helen
Helen
10 years ago

Saw Phoebe Cates in I Love You To Death with hubby Kevin Kline.

admin
Admin
admin
10 years ago
Reply to  Helen

They have appeared in a coupe movies together. They could have appeared in The Big Chill together had Cates landed the role she auditioned for.

Chris
Chris
10 years ago

I can’t hear “Moving In Stereo” without thinking of Phoebe in that scene. I’ve always had a soft spot for “Fast Times”, mostly because I was in high school myself when it came out, and because it is so spot-on in the way it captured what life was like for the typical middle-class American teenager in the early 80’s, better than any of the Hughes films did.

admin
Admin
admin
10 years ago
Reply to  Chris

I will go further than that. Fast Times has an edge and reality that very few teen movies have. I can’t think of another mainstream Hollywood movie since Fast Times that was anywhere near as truthful as it was. And in spite of dealing with some pretty weighty issues, it’s funnier than most teen comedies too. It is a great movie.

netizen1
netizen1
10 years ago

Very very thanks for the story of PB. Long curiosity & question are resolved.

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