Theme Song:
“Where Do You Catch The Bus For Tomorrow” by Henry Mancini.
Interesting Dated References: Shirley MacLaine as a sex symbol.
Best Line: Delivered by confused boyfriend of daughter — “I get it, this is a hold-out from the 60s. Kind of a commune for the Geritol generation.”
Social Context: Absolutely none. Actually, this was probably one of those movies extremely right-leaning televangelists campaigned against because it promotes and endorses married couples having and maintaining affairs.
Summary: I guess back in the early 80s Bo Derek’s breasts were a big deal. One of the movies that made Derek’s breasts so popular was a movie from 1979 named 10, in which her breasts featured top billing. A Change of Seasons was filmed right as 10 was released in theaters and, looking to cash in on a shitty script, the filmmakers went in and added additional breast scenes to try to mask the fact their movie was lacking in other areas. The makers of A Change of Seasons were even sure to put the scenes in right away: during the opening credits.
A Change of Seasons stars Anthony Hopkins as a college professor and Shirley MacLaine as his wife. Shortly into the film, MacLaine confronts Hopkins and asks him if he’s having an affair with Bo Dereck. He admits to it, and takes a devil-may-care hippie attitude to the whole thing. He tries to give that whole “a man can love two women” speech that never works, and then he launches into the “a man’s needs are different” thing. To get even more unrealistic, MacLaine passively accepts the circumstances. She doesn’t throw shit, lock herself in a room and break stuff, run out into the street screaming, none of that stuff you’re used to.
As soon as she can, she shacks up with the young neighborhood handyman. In the midst of all this pseudo-free love bullshit, the married couple decides to take their respective sex toys on vacation. This of course leads to some totally bullshit situations. Hopkins gets all uptight and isn’t able to adjust to his wife banging a handyman, whereas MacLaine starts acting like an out of control teenage girl. Did I mention the totally unrealistic blue screen skiing sequence? Oh, I didn’t? Well there’s one of those, as well. And there’s also Anthony Hopkins getting into a fistfight while disco dancing. So, Hopkins and MacLaine’s daughter comes to the vacation home and gets upset at the affairs each of her parents have going on. Then Bo Derek and her breasts take off. Then she and her dad come back. Then MacLaine and Hopkins daughter’s fiance shows up and delivers the sensible quote cited above. Then MacLaine’s boy toy leaves for good. Then MacLaine falls in love with Bo Derek’s father. Then Bo Derek leaves and Hopkins is all alone. Then I was glad the movie was over.
Poster and Box Art This poster was created solely to cash in on the scenes they added to cash in on Bo Derek’s breasts.
Availability: DVD yes.