Original theatrical trailer for the 1987 film "Less Than Zero." Starring Andrew McCarthy, Jami Gertz, Robert Downey, Jr., James Spader. Based on the novel by Bret Easton Ellis. Directed by Marek Kanievska.
Yep. 1987 is when I got out of high school and into coke at 18. I didn't see the movie till decades later and my circumstances were similar but significantly different in ways.
The Novelist Jackie Collins was like that as well. In her Bestselling Novel Hollywood Wives (1983) she wrote about The "Real Life Housewives" when the "Current" Cast were still in High School, then she wrote about Pedophelia when a minor character was introduced to Cocaine in the 1970's and got raped and murdered. Then in Rock Star in 1987 she writes about how one of the Minor Characters Sharleen dies of a Drug Overdose and lo and behold Whitney Houston dies.
Never did drugs, and was far from a rich kid in the 80s, but this movie captures the mood of the time period so well. It's a feeling I had in those days, a feeling I can only experience flashes of when I watch this movie, especially the scenes between Blair and Clay....the intensity of young love...makes your head spin. Its always bittersweet though, because those days are gone forever. I've probably watched this movie 15 times or more.
I wasn’t born till 99. I still get a feeling of nostalgia for the 80s and I wasn’t even born yet. Can’t Imagine having lived through it. Really think 70-80s was the best time to have been born. It’s sad I won’t ever get to experience a period of time like that. 😊
I was living in L.A. the summer this film was made, and worked as an extra on it. I'm in the party scene at the warehouse with all the TV screens when a fight breaks out between James Spader & Andrew McCarthy characters. I saw the young up & coming RDJR too who had a real life drug problem back then. It was a very interesting experience....
Yeah, RDJR really had a drug problem back then; and that role he played was SOOOOO realistic. I literally cried every time I watched the movie. And to see those 2 actors come so far: RDJR & James Spader, it's amazing!!!
This film made me realize Downey Jr.'s talent. It’s one of those excellent films that may be too depressing for me to rewatch. Very underrated, if you ask me!
One of my favorite 80s movies. Tragic and well acted but true to the times. Though I never personally did drugs, I was in a noted New Wave band performing all over the Southland and was fortunate to be making a lot of money. I remember many nights with my partner dancing the night away at Videopolis, hotel party trips to Palm Springs, Dancing at the Beverly Wilshire and clubs in LA, and hanging out with celebs. James Spader occasionally came into Westin Bonaventure the years I used to entertain there. I met Robert Downey Jr. once when I was about 18 right after the movie came out . Great free times but often crazy . I was class mates in high school with Scott Weiland of Stone Temple Pilots and several others noted artists .. .. The 80s were a wild trip. And I so miss the money, the fashions and the glamour. The 2020s and the fucked up Covid Epidemic makes many of us Gen Xers long to the return to the fun of the 80s.
I was born in 1990 and I miss the 80's for likely many of the reasons that you do. While many many things are better now than they were then, there are many things good, bad, neutral and ugly that have come about and shaped our society's trajectory. Much has been lost, especially in terms of hope and enthusiasm and our environmental health.
You should read the book of the same name by Bret Easton Ellis of which the film was loosely based on. He is the highly controversial author of books such as: “American Psycho,” “The Rules of Attraction,” and “The Informers” to name a few. The book was much better in my opinion, and the author actually disavowed the film for along time, but he eventually “came around” to it. His book “Imperial Bedrooms” is a sequel to the novel “Less Than Zero” and it references the original novel and it’s film adaptation as if they were created in the semi-fictional universe of “Imperial Bedrooms,” and this intrigued me a whole lot!
This movie still touches my heart and soul. It brings back so many great mid 80’s memories. The score alone is Untouchable til this day. Movies like this will NEVER EVER be made again.🍿🍅 It’s %100 pure 80’s Gold despite what the critics gave it back in the day. And it only gets better with time. 🎥✨✨✨✨
It was no surprise to see Spader cast as the villain in "Avengers 2," because he was one of the great villains of the 1980s, in this and "Pretty In Pink."
Hazy shade of winter - the Bangles ... Saw this in 1987 when I was in Highscool and it was a bomb, it is really a worth a view even today ... No spoilers for anyone who haven't seen it, but its griddy grim and hardcore
This was a damn good movie for its time, hard hitting and doesn't pull any punches. Addiction wrecks your life, period. Even when you have friends willing to risk it all, ultimately it's up to YOU to make the change. No one can do it for you. Hard hitting.
amazing flick.... and seeing the shape that downey was in during the making, it's such a positive spin to see him up on his feet and shining brighter than ever now. god, i love that guy.
This movie really exemplifies the 80s club seen. The absolute best time for the disco/dance club scene was the late 70s thru 87/88. You cannot get that feeling back...you had to be there. Getting to the club was everything...The glamour was real ....no matter how much money you had. No cell phones, no texting no emailing. The connections you made were real and memorable. Today is toxic attitude mixed with Madonna and Kardashian(s)..
@Alonzo L Alonzo yes.50s.. But damn I look good. Honestly...the world has changed. Because of technology ...the clubs have changed. Nothing is real nostalgic about the 2000s. Look on youtube...all over I see teens and 20 somethings say over and over again they wish they could have experienced the 80s on DOWN. There is nothing sentimental about the 2000s.
@@michaelglenn367 there’s a lot nostalgic about the 2000s especially for 20 year olds who grew up during it. you just wouldn’t understand it because you’re too old and stuck in the past detached from the current world. I’m surprised you even knew how to leave a RU-vid comment 🤣
As I remember this was one of those movies that that came and went from the movies (I was 17 and chasing girls at the time so didn't really care). But when I watched it again last week I came away thinking this is an absolutely criminally underrated movie. This movie is just that good. Every teenager should watch it. If you have a teen ask, trick or bribe them into watching it. This ad barely scratches the surface of the life altering things that happen in your teens/early 20s & how the decisions you make shape your life.
I was 14 when the movie came out! I saw it in the theater and THAT was MY teenage years with the drugs, drinking, party lifestyle minus the MONEY and living in Beverly Hills! I of course own the Blu-Ray and just watched it for the trillionth time today, I STILL tear up at the END as the movie NOW gives me a feeling of reflection of my own life and people I've lost, friends, my sister to addiction to even my own parents who didn't pass to addiction! Great chemistry with the 4 main cast members, but the standout performance is EASILY HANDS DOWN Robert Downey Jr who played "Julian" a little "TOO REAL" if you know Robert Downey Jr's PAST battles with addiction you'll know what I mean! I LOVE the on-screen chemistry between Downey Jr & Spader's characters! It's simply incredible! The movie was and is incredible to me! I LOVE IT!🙂
You know what's crazy is this movie is not on any format it's totally unavailable to watch you only have to buy the DVD in order to see it and that's a shame... it's probably one of the most intense roles Robert Downey Jr ever played mostly because it's truly himself as an addict he said that he was doing drugs while making the movie. Some format needs to pick this up so people can watch it!
The most iconic piece of dialog in a movie, " You don't look happy. .." But do I look good?". I used to say that all the time and smile. Iconic movie. First time I saw it was with my boyfriend when it first came out, who would be my future husband. He died on his birthday. I miss him alot🙏😔
everybody out here in the comments talking about robert downey jr... but i've always had a thing for young andrew mccarthy lol, he was cute in a kind of rich white boy way (see pretty in pink)
I've never watched the movie, but numerous times reading the book, and always pictured Blake Lively as Blair. Mickey Rouke as Julian in Imperial Bedrooms And The Beek in everything!
This movie looks good. I saw some of "The Brat Pack" at a convention this weekend including Andrew McCarthy and I've seen some of his movies including Weekend at Bernie's which I used to watch a lot when I was a kid. I went to his booth and saw a lot of photos from his movies including a "Less Than Zero" poster and I liked the look of it so I searched it when I got home. The music in this trailer is great and I like the 80's lighting and style. Also seeing James Spader and Robert Downey Jr. together makes me think maybe RDJ recommended him to play Ultron in Age of Ultron.
My dad rented this movie [late 1980s], and he said the star actor [Robert Downey Jr] was something special, and that I should watch it with him; I vaguely remember the ending the most, because somehow that's what the world I grew up in felt like, a world of desperate reckless people [drug addict BIG*BROTHER] behavior. My [best] friends in high school [seemed to] always had a BIG SISTER [and Irish/English NAMES], and the worse my life became the more this phenomenon occurred. they were the only_ones who ACCOMMODATED ME, everyone else was too busy. . my father grew up near Chicago, and his family had a condo in Florida throughout the 1950s, when he was 16 they drove a convertible Jaguar from the UK factory down to Italy with his mother and little brother, my grandma, and uncle. and with my grandfather, they flew around the world visiting everywhere. I grew up in "little Mexico" near Steve Jobs secretary, my sister was their long-term babysitter shortly after this movie was released, and my brother was in a very serious accident right around this time, 2 months induced coma; he left the hospital 99lbs and READY TO PARTY [#Beetlejuice rings a bell, Mr mom]
Good spotting, it's a 1959 c1 corvette, I fell in love with this car in the movie when I was in my early 20''s and then bought one 30 years later to fulfill my dream of owning one
that movie was really Robert's downfall that was when he fell into that trap🤦 but he got out of it some way and stopped it now he's been clean ever since kudos to him👍 but such a sad ending and the drug dealer didn't care kept pushing it to make the guy feel worse so sad and the guy was getting sicker and sicker because of the drugs in his system made it hard to control awful🤦
