12 What are the references to "See You Next Wednesday" in John Landis's movies?
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This article is from the rec.arts.movies.past-films FAQ, by Evelyn C. Leeper evelynleeper@geocities.com with numerous contributions by others.
12 What are the references to "See You Next Wednesday" in John Landis's movies?
(Jerry Boyajian says it should be noted that the *original*
"See you next Wednesday" line comes from 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY.
But Dianne Cosner (dcosner@tcsc3b2.tcsc.com) reports, "The line "See
You Next Wednesday", is used when John Landis uses an idea from a
screen play that he wrote when he was 15 that was called "See You Next
Wednesday." At a convention, Landis said that the movie was very
adolescent, just like something a 15-year-old boy would write, and he
will never make this film, but he does use ideas from it sometimes, and
when he uses an idea from that screen play he gives it credit by
inserting a reference to it when he uses it. It's not from 2001,
that's just coincidence.")
There are actually three trademarks in Landis's movies: Steven Bishop
("Charming Wildcard"), "See You Next Wednesday" previews, posters, or
references, and "Girl from Ipanema" music in the background.
SCHLOCK (1971):
Two promotional blurbs for SYNW during a newscast for the "movie at 6 on 6"
and on a poster in a theatre lobby (the real poster was for "King Kong vs.
Godzilla").
KENTUCKY FRIED MOVIE (1977):
Steven Bishop plays the "charming guy":
"Show me your nuts!"
"oooo, hey, how ya doing? Surfing U.S.A..."
SYNW is the title of the "Feel-a-Rama" movie.
ANIMAL HOUSE (1978):
Bishop plays the "I gave my love a cherry" man. The credit is "Charming
Guy," as usual. SYNW does not appear anywhere in this film. However,
that is not to say there is no reference to Landis' SCHLOCK, which was
the only film he made before ANIMAL HOUSE. [Moderator's note--not true;
he also made KENTUCKY FRIED MOVIE.] The actress who plays the girl with
whom the Schlockthropus (a "missing link"/ape type) falls in love also
appears in ANIMAL HOUSE as the girl who is at the desk of the girls'
school dorm where Otter (Tim Matheson) and company go to pick up dates
on their road trip. In a later scene, she is asked what she is studying
and she replies, "Primitive cultures," which has to be a reference to
SCHLOCK. At the end of ANIMAL HOUSE when the one or two lines
describes the future of each character for Nedermeir (sp?) it said that
Nedermeir was "killed by his own troops in Vietnam." During the part of
TWILIGHT ZONE when the person is in a swamp in Vietnam and some US
troops come by they can be heard to say "I told you we shouldn't have
shot Neidermeyer."
THE BLUES BROTHERS (1980):
On a billboard where two Illinois state troopers are lying in wait. It's
only there for a second as Jake and Elwood are speeding away from Bob's
Country Bunker. The billboard also pictures a large ape and looks like an
ad for a bad horror flick. Bishop plays the Charming Trooper in the mall
chase. "Girl From Ipanema" is playing in the elevator as they go to the
office with Spielberg (someone else claims it's Frank Oz, but Frank Oz is
the one who plays the prison official right at the beginning of the
movie who returns "one prophylatic, used" [along with his other
disreputable belongings] to Jake) in it.
(Also: on the laserdisc version, after the credits, there is a plug
to go visit Universal Studios with the line "Ask for Babs" (a reference
to the "Where are they now" part of ANIMAL HOUSE))
AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON (1981):
SYNW is the name of the porno film that is playing in the Picadilly Circus
theatre where David meets with Jack and his zombie friends. The movie bill
also appears in the London underground when the man is killed.
TRADING PLACES (1983):
SYNW is on a poster in Jamie Lee Curtis' apartment. No ape, just the
silhouette of two people.
Michael Jackson's "Thriller" (1983):
SYNW is in lines of dialogue from the movie within the video. "...scrawled
in blood...", "What does it say?", "It says, 'See you next Wednesday'."
(Also, if you look close enough, there is a poster for SCHLOCK in the
lobby as Michael and his date leave the theatre.)
TWILIGHT ZONE - THE MOVIE (1983):
Steven Bishop plays "Charming G.I." (bad pun)
INTO THE NIGHT (1985):
There are actually two posters in INTO THE NIGHT for SYNW. Both are in
the movie producer's office where Michelle Pfeiffer and Jeff Goldblum make a
phone call about a half hour or so into the film.
SPIES LIKE US (1985):
In one scene, Chevy Chase and Dan Aykroyd are in the office of the commander
of the army training post that is the site of their training. There is a
shot of the commander lecturing them, and on the office wall behind him is a
recruitment poster bearing the legend "See You Next Wednesday."
COMING TO AMERICA:
A movie poster in the subway station where the Prince's bride-to-be
returns her earring gift. (The movie claims to star Jamie Lee Curtis,
who starred in TRADING PLACES.) Later, the Prince, to prove to his
girlfriend that money isn't important to him, gives his sizable roll
of pocket money to a pair of street people, who turn out to be the
Duke brothers (Don Ameche and Ralph Bellamy) from TRADING PLACES.
They even appear in the credits! You might recall that the Dukes are
destitute at the end of TRADING PLACES, so the plotlines are
consistent. It is also amusing that Eddie Murphy, who made them poor
in the former movie, made them rich in the latter.
INNOCENT BLOOD:
The marquee across the street from the Melody Lounge exotic dance bar.
(Visible over the shoulders of the Mafia folks the first time they
enter the bar.)
(Interestingly, that was not the only movie marquee set up to display
the SYNW title. The "car crash at the Shadyside gas station" scene
was filmed down the street from Stewart M. Clamen's residence (in
Squirrel Hill), and the nearby multiplex changed its marquee
appropriately every night after closing. The movie itself featured no
footage of that theatre (or the street on which it resides), although
it is possible that it was edited out.
This leads one to believe that Landis inserts many SYNW references in
the backgrounds of his scenes, so as not to constrain himself (and his
film editor) during editing.)
THE STUPIDS (1996):
There's a poster on the back of the bus that the kids chain their bikes
to. The Ipanema music is playing when a woman gets into her car, just
before she sets off an explosion with her cigarette lighter. Didn't notice
a Charming Wildcard in the credits.
In Landis's "Dream On" series on HBO there are two references (according to
Jeff Greenstein, Supervising Producer "Dream On," sjg@netcom.com): "The
first is in the episode "The Trojan War", from 1990, our first season. The
phrase "See You Next Wednesday" is written on a chalkboard in a delicatessen
in an early scene. God knows why. The second time is in the episode
"Futile Attraction", from 1991. John plays Judith's therapist, Herb. At
the end of their session, I believe he tells her "See you next Wednesday."
Interestingly enough, John didn't direct either one of these episodes."
[Thanks to Randy Spencer, spencer@usc-oberon.UUCP, Stewart M. Clamen,
clamen@cs.cmu.edu, Jerry Boyajian, and others for this answer.]
[And regarding the John Landis stuff, I wonder if anyone has compiled a list
of the films that feature the "When In Hollywood Visit Universal City
Studios (Ask for Babs)" card at the end of the closing credits.]
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