Alright, fellow tapeheads, rewind your minds with me. Picture this: it’s Friday night, the VCR is humming, and you’ve just popped in a tape promising sun, shenanigans, and maybe a little summer romance. But then… cartoon bunnies start plotting nefarious deeds? A lovelorn rhino laments his solitude? Welcome, my friends, to the gloriously bizarre world of Savage Steve Holland’s 1986 cult classic, One Crazy Summer. This wasn't just another teen comedy flick filling the shelves at Blockbuster; it was a blast of surreal, animated absurdity wrapped around a familiar summer adventure, and it feels like pure, concentrated 80s bottled sunshine (with a healthy dose of weird).
### Off to Nantucket, Straight into Chaos
Our hero is Hoops McCann, played by the effortlessly cool John Cusack in the midst of his iconic run of 80s teen roles (The Sure Thing, Better Off Dead). Hoops is a recent high school grad and aspiring cartoonist, paralyzed by creative block after failing to secure an art school scholarship. His well-meaning but slightly clueless buddy George Calamari (Joel Murray, brother of Bill and equally adept at deadpan) convinces him a summer trip to Nantucket island is just the ticket. Tagging along is George’s sister Squid (Kristen Goelz) and the Ackroyd brothers, Ack Ack (Curtis Armstrong, forever immortalized as Booger from Revenge of the Nerds) and Egg (Bobcat Goldthwait in a typically manic, yet somehow restrained for him, performance).
The setup is classic summer fare: Hoops needs inspiration, finds potential romance with the mysterious aspiring rock singer Cassandra (Demi Moore, radiating star power even then), and gets roped into helping save a sweet old lady’s (Billie Bird as Grandma) house from greedy developers led by the perfectly slimy Aguilla Beckersted (Mark Metcalf, Neidermeyer himself from Animal House!). But it’s the Savage Steve Holland touch that elevates this beyond the standard.
### Animation Gone Wild
Let's talk about those animated sequences. Dropped seemingly at random intervals, often illustrating Hoops's overactive imagination or anxieties, they were unlike anything else in mainstream teen comedies of the time. Created by animator Bill Kopp (who'd later give us Eek! The Cat), these segments – featuring everything from Godzilla-like monsters to those aforementioned scheming bunnies – were jarring, hilarious, and utterly unique. They felt hand-drawn, raw, and completely divorced from the slicker animation we were used to seeing elsewhere. It was a bold move by Holland, who had already experimented with similar, albeit less frequent, animation in his previous collaboration with Cusack, the equally beloved Better Off Dead (1985). It gives One Crazy Summer a scrapbook, almost stream-of-consciousness feel that perfectly captures the chaotic energy of youth and, well, a truly crazy summer.
Interestingly, while Better Off Dead became a cult phenomenon, the working relationship between Holland and Cusack reportedly soured during or after its filming. Cusack allegedly wasn't thrilled with the final product of Better Off Dead (though time seems to have softened that stance) and wasn't initially keen on reteaming for One Crazy Summer. It’s a shame if true, because their slightly awkward, earnest chemistry works wonders here, grounding the film's wilder flights of fancy.
### That 80s Feeling: Practical Fun and Nantucket Charm
Beyond the animation, the film revels in that tangible, practical feel we miss from the era. The climactic boat race, the St. Bernard Stampede fundraiser, Ack Ack’s ramshackle inventions – it all feels wonderfully cobbled together. You can practically smell the salt air and sunscreen wafting off the screen, thanks to the charming Nantucket locations. Filming on the popular island during peak tourist season apparently presented its own set of logistical headaches for the crew, but the authentic backdrop adds immeasurably to the film's atmosphere. It feels like summer.
The supporting cast is a joy. Curtis Armstrong is fantastic as the perpetually optimistic, possibly insane Ack Ack, embodying the spirit of backyard invention. Joel Murray provides the perfect dry counterpoint to Cusack's romantic angst. And Demi Moore, as Cassandra, brings a surprising amount of heart to her role, even while saddled with some truly epic 80s hair and outfits. Her performance of "Would You Like to Dance?" is peak mid-80s movie rock sincerity.
While not a box office juggernaut upon release (pulling in around $13.4 million against its budget), One Crazy Summer found its true home on VHS and cable television. It became one of those movies you stumbled upon late at night or rented repeatedly, drawn in by its sheer unpredictability and goofy charm. It wasn't trying to be cool; it was happy being weird, and that's why we loved it.
### The Verdict
One Crazy Summer isn't high art, and its plot wouldn't win any awards for originality. The humor is scattershot, bouncing between genuinely clever sight gags, surreal animation, and some jokes that land with a bit of a thud today. But its relentless energy, likable cast, unique visual style, and pure, unadulterated 80s spirit make it incredibly endearing. It captures that feeling of a summer where anything felt possible, even saving your grandma’s house with the help of cartoon animals and a homemade speedboat.
Rating: 7/10 - The score reflects its undeniable charm, quotable lines ("A dime? I remember when a dime used to buy you something!"), and unique blend of live-action comedy and gonzo animation, even if the plot is thin and some gags misfire. It earns points for sheer audacity and capturing a specific, bizarre flavor of 80s filmmaking.
Final Thought: For a taste of pure, unfiltered 80s summer silliness where cartoon logic bleeds into reality, One Crazy Summer remains a delightfully weird and wonderful artifact from the golden age of VHS rentals. It's a reminder that sometimes, the craziest ideas make for the most memorable adventures.