Less Than Zero | Gen X's 1987 Gem in its Stunning Excess

One of the most beloved Christmas classics is 1987's Less Than Zero

>> Tiffany Bartok: We've just wrapped another holiday season in which we visited all of our traditions, all of our classic films and movies and music and TV shows and specials that we turned to year after year. The Carpenter's Christmas album, the straightforward Christmas movies that we all know and love, like White Christmas, Christmas Vacation, love actually. And then there's the ones that we debate, like Die Hard, Batman Returns, and even Terry Gilliam's Brazil. One of the most beloved, certainly mine Christmas classics of all time is It's a Wonderful Life, and it was the first of its genre to depict the darker side of what people experience during the holidays. George Bailey's contemplation of his life and learning what it would be like to leave it all behind was a truly remarkable story for its time. Time and not very popular. We all know that the movie bombed at the box office, but has definitely stood the test of time and has some of the most iconic shots in cinema history. Although George Bailey got a happy ending after all, this film brought a deeper poignance to the genre and spurred many others that aim to deal with the heaviness the holiday season brings alongside the joy and excitement for the modern era. The Bears Fishes might be the most depressing Christmas special we've seen in quite some time, resulting in a record breaking number of Emmy nominations. It definitely hit a nerve, but you know me. Let's take it to the 80s for US gen Xers, to a film that will forever be in my top four. Hi Letterbock. This film is an 80s movie, 1987. Though many refer to it as a 90s movie, I don't know if that's a style confusion. It's certainly a sleeker, more sophisticated style than the typical 80s films. The completely neglected, gut wrenching Christmas masterpiece 1987's Less Than Zero. Known for its incredible soundtrack, impeccable style, gorgeous cinematography by Ed Lockman, and powerful performances By Robert Downey Jr. Andrew McCarthy, Jamie Gertz and James Spader. It may even be remembered most for being the film that p***** off a generation of literary majors who loved Bret Easton Ellis work, only to see their beloved book completely absent, save the title and the character names. Andrew McCarthy himself said, I don't think there's a line of the book in the movie. Time has been less than kind to Less than Zero. You cannot stream this film anywhere and not even Gen Z has gotten their hands on it yet. For that reason, I myself have a Burn it and return it Netflix copy of it. For many of us, the movie is still etched into our brains for Eternity and only becomes more relevant with time. So little is known about this film. It's maddening, which makes it all the more deserving of a bite sized deep dive. I've compiled as much as I can source and put it all in one place in the hopes of relieving all of you who are somehow watching this film and googling what lipstick is Jami Gertz wearing? Or how did Andrew McCarthy and Robert Downey Jr get along while filming this? Just so you know, they got along.

Less Than Zero portrays addiction as a sensitive topic that can be challenging to portray

Let's dive into my all time favorite movie An Ultimate Excess that is Less Than Zero Addiction is a sensitive topic that can be challenging to portray in media. Often these depictions are melodramatic, highly inaccurate, or downright offensive to those who experience addiction or care. For those who do, however, Less Than Zero took that subject matter and managed to poignantly balance the extravagant lifestyle of Beverly Hills youth with the stark reality that wealth does not protect them from the dark, unforgiving underbelly that can consume them at any moment. On paper, the plot is thin, but it's the characters and their dynamics that truly drive the story. In the film, Julian is in the throes of addiction while caught in a love triangle with his best friends. Clay, the Ivy League freshman making his prodigal return with a veneer of distinguishment yet still feels the pull of the excess he left behind, and Blair, the beautiful but lost girl paralyzed by the uncertainty of her future, both magnets to their ever present past and navigating their own drug use. Rip, the preppy drug dealer h*** bent on controlling Julian, is more concerned with his influence over him than getting back what he is owed. And of course their parents, whose non existent presence and support physically and emotionally cannot be compensated even by their exorbitant wealth or endless get out of jail free cards. The film nails the unrelenting vicious cycle these affluent teens are trapped in and destined never to escape. Despite Clay's willingness to cover Julian's debts and remove him from the dangerous situations and Blair providing him love and a place to stay, they ultimately cannot save their friend Julian or shield him from the repercussions of his choices. The relationship between Julian, Clay and Blair is a unique character study of love triangles and the unconditional love of the found family that they have in each other. On the surface, these three young adults lack stability, purpose and a broader understanding of the world beyond their privileged lives, all juxtaposed with their interpersonal betrayals, sexual dalliances and complicated dynamics. Yet they provide each other with what nobody else could offer right up to the very end. Love triangles in cinema, literature and otherwise often depict tropes of destructive rivalries and bitter competition. But Less Than Zero presents this trio as the only people they can genuinely trust, regardless of their past or continued betrayals. To me, it's really one of the few, if not only, films that stands out as a story that allows the audience to empathize with each character and understand their relationships with one another.

Robert Downey Jr. discusses his addiction in a new interview

If you know anything about Robert Downey Jr. S life and career, it's been one marked with trauma and resilience. The son of a legendary counterculture filmmaker, Robert Downey Sr. He was, born into Hollywood with a silver spoon, but ended up using it for other purposes. Since 2003, RDJ has maintained his sobriety and mounted one of the greatest comebacks the industry has ever seen. When looking back at the height of his career in the Brat Pack era, fans and critics tend to reference this film as an autobiographical reflection of his addiction. While the film undoubtedly resonates with his personal experiences, not many have discussed the film's remarkable handling of addiction or his incredible performance. For rdj, playing Julian was a pivotal moment in his acting career. In this clip from the off the Camera show, RDJ sits down with Sam Jones and opens up about it.

Marek Kanievska directed a movie called Less Than Zero

>> Robert Downey Jr.: If you want to talk about A real first validator I had was Marek Kanievska directed a movie called Less Than Zero.

>> Tiffany Bartok: Right.

>> Robert Downey Jr.: Marekanyeska hated the studio system so much that the minute he was done directing, Less Than Zero, buggered off. Never to be bothered at interacting with a major studio's take on, what a movie with a message and some heart and some depth was supposed to be by the time it made it to market. So he was also super critical in my development because his process of getting ready to shoot something was unlike anything I'd ever experienced before. Also, when I came on the set, I think it was one of the first days of shooting. I'm supposed to be telling my dad on a tennis court that if he could let me come stay back at the house, it would mean a lot to me. And I've run out of all my options and stuff. And it was the first time that I ever walked onto a film set and the director told everybody to stop what they were doing, be quiet and concentrate, because what I was going to do was going to be special and it was going to be difficult and it was going to be their fault if I wasn't able to get there. Basically, really, he set it up so that I felt like, oh, this is important. And now I have to do my part.

>> Tiffany Bartok: So he gave you some stakes?

>> Robert Downey Jr.: He gave me some stakes. and he knew I was pretty nutty, but he believed in my talent. And, in that moment, I had to develop a system by which I could go from 0 to 60. So people weren't just standing around until I felt it, which is also critical. It's like a great chef. Two, most important things, sense of urgency and attention to detail. Without a sense of urgency, you're never going to be able to survive in the film industry because they're not 112 hour days until you're feeling it, they're 12 hour days. And in that moment I thought, okay, what's my little half early to mid-20s system? And it was, will any father and son ever really be able to connect and understand each other? And five seconds later I went and I was able to do the scene. Now Marekanievska was able to give me the space to have to come up with something that was indelibly watchable and believable in a scene by saying, even though there's a sense of urgency and we have to have an attention to detail, I am stopping the world right now on this tennis court so that you can dig up the goods and bring it to bear.

Less Than Zero's soundtrack reflects the culture and values of its era

>> Tiffany Bartok: A film often acts as a time capsule, reflecting the culture and values of its era, and its soundtrack is no different. The 80s remains one of the most influential decades in music. You know how I feel about 1984 in particular. And one of the key players who emerged in this music scene at the time was producer and Def Jam Records co founder Rick Rubin. He is the legend who shaped the industry as we know it today and served as the music supervisor for this film. He was only 24 at the time. Less Than Zero was his first soundtrack, and he expertly canonized the decade and seamlessly scored the film's high and low points. From the over the top party scenes to the harrowing emotional beats with the creative clairvoyance he is best known for. This score is incredible, and while some complain about it being wall to wall music, I personally love it. Blending the Bangles, Aerosmith, Public Enemy, Slayer, and even Simon and Garfunkel, to name a few. Essentially, it became its own character in a way, a range of artists that may make you scratch your head, but really depicted the late 80s transformation in music from the stronghold of the 60s and 70s rock and subsequent glam rock through most of the decade. Public Enemy, Slayer and LL Cool J have been household names for decades now. Still, at the time, these were new artists that he began to craft into storytelling, all while bringing them into the culture. Cultural zeitgeist and coinciding with the shift in musical sensibilities, especially with teens and young adults. In talking about his process, Rubin shared in an interview with hits. When I read the script, I saw that there was these dressed up, rich Beverly Hills kids going to a party in an art gallery. And to me, that's a foreign image that someone in middle America probably wouldn't like. But if you play Aerosmith at that party, hey, that's a party that he might be at. I wanted there to be a connection where he could say, well, if they listen to that, maybe we're the same kind of people, even though we're all dressed differently. He's got money, I don't. I tried to give the music a real accessible, aggressive, teenage feeling, because the music was supposed to be aggressive and teenage. Ultimately, the soundtrack landed on the top 40 chart and became more successfully commercial than the film at the box office, making for an unforgettable soundtrack, paving the way for a new era of sub genres like rap, metal and kick kicked off what was about to be coming around the Corner in the 90s. The film distinctly emphasized its themes through visuals, music and costumes that reflected the privileged world of Beverly Hills. None of this would have been complete without the exceptional work of production designer Barbara Ling, who skillfully tied together the class indicators and vividly represented the lifestyles of these affluent young people. Barbara Ling immersed herself in the research by attending parties all over Los Angeles to authentically capture the essence of the luxurious circles. How I would have loved to be at these parties. In an interview with Interview magazine, she recalled her experience speaking about working with director Marek Kanievska. It was amazing to work with him because he just kept pushing it and wanting us to go as far as we could go. That makes it, as a designer, absolutely thrilling because you're not being told, oh, no, that's too much. You've gone over the top on this. It was more. Can you push it further? I can't even tell you how many hundreds of clubs and parties Marek and I went to to really get a feel. We didn't push it as far as we could have because, you know, Studio would never have allowed that. It's amazing what the kids were doing. We were looking at high school parties, which looked like a college party. You couldn't believe the money that was involved in a high schooler's graduation. Party. It would be 200 kids in a mansion on their own. I was like, wow, a lot of drugs and a lot of sex. What was amazing was how much sex we were seeing everywhere. And you just have to think, are there any parents around? She went above and beyond to skillfully recreate a fantasy world grounded in reality, complete with opulent centerpieces, nightclubs overflowing with champagne and even faux icebergs. The primary location was architect John Lautner's famous silver top house in Silver Lake, which she brilliantly selected as the perfect backdrop based on her inspired concepts of steel and glass being m metaphors for the isolation and entrapment these individuals imposed upon themselves. I get chills just thinking about this because I can never pinpoint how to describe how the characters and the set design and the cinematography and the styling all come together to really us all the same world. The style is seamless from one craft to the next. It's often said in the text that I read that this was all achieved on a shoestring budget. I don't know if I believe that. I don't know what kind of shoestrings these are. They might be really nice ones. I can just assume and I can't go without mentioning one of my favorite parts of the production design. The unbelievable wall of TVs. Not only did it perfectly encapsulate the era, but it was such a spectacle of these kids lives that you couldn't help but wish you could be invited to that party to experience for yourself. I still would die to have a party with the wall of TVs. And just watch out. I might rule soon. Her ability to create the world based on the very real party she attended while simultaneously making it all feel so otherworldly was a brilliant way to both create a time capsule for the style of the late 80s, but also illustrate what people of that status valued during that time along with the emptiness that came with the excess. No matter how beautiful, luxe, or even untouchable their lives were concocted to be, no amount of money could conceal the void lurking beneath the surface. Ling's instincts and contributions were brilliant and the film would not have been the same without the scenes she had staged so beautifully.

>> Robert Downey Jr.: Impossible.

>> Tiffany Bartok: This is great, isn't it? Three of us together. Seeing you again.

>> Robert Downey Jr.: You happy or sad?

>> Tiffany Bartok: I'm not sad.

>> Robert Downey Jr.: You don't look happy.

>> Tiffany Bartok: But do I look good?

>> Robert Downey Jr.: Always.

All of the people I asked for interviews for this bite size said no

>> Tiffany Bartok: I was nervous to share with you that all of the people I asked for interviews for this bite size said no. I, was nervous to tell you that because. Because honestly, I'm embarrassed to say that I've never been turned down for an interview. but all of the actors, said no and all of the, creatives, they did not get back to me. So, I don't know. We're talking about Hotmail addresses. So, this movie was a long time ago. The reception of the movie thoroughly depressed the director. and so I'm gonna put some articles in the show notes, and the description of this video so you can dive further into that. We tried to keep this bite sized, Kelly and I, but honestly, Kelly and I could have written an hour and a half episode about this film. I would love to hear your questions because I will make a dogged approach to find out things that you want to know questions that you have. But even on Reddit, this whole film has a completely mysterious life. So whatever questions you have, just ask me because I don't think I'm going to give up on this dive. I think I'm going to keep going and we'll have an episode two for you. But I'm sharing with you some of what I know and some of the interviews that we curated that are especially informative, and I'm putting them in the show notes for you fellow divers. So enjoy. And if you haven't seen Less Than zero, tell me how you find it and how you finally get to watch it. And if you have a copy on DVD, on eBay, you might want to let people know where it is.