One Crazy Summer movie storyline. Cartoonist “Hoops” McCann (John Cusack) works on a scholarship application to the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), before rushing off to attend his high school graduation ceremony. Hoops comes from a long-line of professional basketball players (his father and grandfather, great-grandfather, etc.) but was rejected for a sports scholarship to his college of choice due to his poor basketball performance on the school team of not scoring a single hoop. Hoops can’t even throw a paper wad into a wastebasket from three feet away (a running gag used throughout the movie).
At school, Hoops joins his best friend, George Calamari (Joel Murray), who persuades Hoops to spend two weeks partying on Nantucket Island. George stops to pick up his 10-year-old sister, Squid (Kristen Goelz), after school. She and her injured dog, Bosco, join George and Hoops for the trip to Nantucket after Squid shows that she does not tolerate any verbal abuse from others over her dog’s ugly appearance. When two young girls make fun of Bosco and contort their faces, Squid slaps them on their backs and their faces stay that way. They both run off screaming.
They stop for gas, and Hoops uses the restroom. A group of bikers led by Stain (John Matuszak) check the stalls looking for a woman named Cassandra (Demi Moore). As Stain demands his money, Hoops finds Cassandra’s cash hidden in the towel dispenser, and throws the bills up in the air. He runs out, grabs Cassandra, and they jump into George’s car. George speeds to the ferry, which is leaving the dock. George’s car lands on the ferry deck, while the lead biker, Stain, falls into the bay (and getting little fish harpooned to his spiked pink-colored hairstyle).
During the ferry ride, Cassandra informs them that she is visiting her grandfather, Mr. Eldridge, who lives on the island. When they arrive, she suggests they might meet again. George introduces Hoops to his friends, fraternal Stork twins Clay (Tom Villard) and Egg (Bobcat Goldthwait), who are working as private security guards on a Hollywood film set filming a movie titled ‘Foam 2’ a horror film about a dolphin with rabies attacking people. The group arrives at the home of George’s grandparents. Grandma (Billie Bird) fusses over Squid while George’s insane Uncle Frank (Bruce Wagner) listens obsessively to the local radio station, trying to win an on-air contest. The crotchety man tells his nephew and Hoops to scram.
George and Hoops go to Target Beach and meet another friend, Ack Ack “Acky” Raymond (Curtis Armstrong), who collects mortar shells for his father, General Raymond (Joe Flaherty), the owner of the local guns and ammunition store. As they drive past a cemetery, Hoops notices Cassandra at her grandfather’s funeral.
Meanwhile, at the estate of the island’s richest and most powerful family, the Beckersteds, Aguilla Beckersted (Mark Metcalf) asks his spoiled son, Teddy (Matt Mulhern), if he is prepared to win this year’s sailing regatta. Teddy has a new sailboat but the stakes are high. Old Man Beckersted (William Hickey), Teddy’s wealthy grandfather, has vowed to disown Aguilla and Teddy, if the young man does not win the trophy. Aguilla wants to use his father’s resources to purchase the late Mr. Eldridge’s property and build condominiums. However, his plan will be foiled if Cassandra raises $3,000 to pay Eldridge’s back taxes.
As Hoops walks with Cassandra on the beach, she explains her financial predicament. In addition, she worries that the friends her grandfather invited to live at the house will soon be homeless. Cassandra decides to sell some of her grandfather’s furniture to raise money. Hoops draws cartoons to cheer her up (showing one of several animated sequences throughout the film of a “Lonely Rhino” searching for “Love” a blind cupid, while evading the evil and wealthy “Funny Bunnies”).
Meanwhile, Uncle Frank is determined to phone in to the radio contest. He takes the phone and radio into the bathroom but slips on a bar of soap and shocks himself. On the beach, Hoops works at his drawings until George suggests that the Stork twins entertain his friend. As they chat, Teddy’s girl friend, Cookie Cambell (Kimberly Foster), asks Hoops, Clay, and Egg to help her launch her boyfriend’s sailboat. Hoops declines Cookie’s offer to go sailing but agrees to go to the movies. Later, Hoops learns that Cassandra has raised some money selling her grandfather’s furniture.
Cassandra invites him to the Dew Drop Inn to hear her play guitar, where she hopes to raise more money. Hoops promises to be there, but has already made the movie date with Cookie. He tells his friends that he prefers to watch Cassandra perform, but Cookie shows up at the door, and he feels obligated to go to the movies with her. He asks the Storks to keep an eye on Teddy at his family’s house in case he leaves to look for Cookie. Egg takes over for his brother, watching the costume trailer and gets himself stuck in a Godzilla costume. When he realizes he has to be at the Beckerstead’s party to watch Teddy, he is forced to go in the costume.
One Crazy Summer is a 1986 romantic comedy film written and directed by Savage Steve Holland, and starring John Cusack, Demi Moore, Linda Warren, Joel Murray, Grenville Cuyler, Bobcat Goldthwait, Kristen Goelz, Tom Villard, Curtis Armstrong, Laura Waterbury and Jennifer Yahoodik. The original film score was composed by Cory Lerios.
One Crazy Summer (1986)
Directed by: Savage Steve Holland
Starring: John Cusack, Demi Moore, Linda Warren, Joel Murray, Grenville Cuyler, Bobcat Goldthwait, Kristen Goelz, Tom Villard, Curtis Armstrong, Laura Waterbury, Jennifer Yahoodik
Screenplay by: Savage Steve Holland
Production Design by: Herman F. Zimmerman
Cinematography by: Isidore Mankofsky
Film Editing by: Alan Balsam
Costume Design by: Brad R. Loman
Set Decoration by: Gary Moreno
Music by: Cory Lerios
MPAA Rating: None.
Distributed by: Warner Bros. Pictures
Release Date: August 8, 1986
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