The video above is a series of clips from the little-seen 1994 documentary Wildwood, N.J. Directors Carol Weaks/Cassidy and Ruth Leitman took to the boardwalk (and its surrounding area) of resort town/hole in the country Wildwood, N.J., in 1992, to explore the culture of the girls and women who populate it. The results are almost entirely hilarious. Even before my posts about it, I have long been obsessed with Wildwood and its unapologetic trashiness. I've always described it this way: if Jersey is the armpit of the U.S., Wildwood is a louse clinging to one of its hairs. Watching the film today, though, it's hard to say where the trashy begins and the products of the time (be they mousse or gel) end, but I'm pretty sure that halo-like scrunchies and shoulder-less button-up shirts and (maybe) lying about all the girls you've beat up and put in the hospital were never a good idea.
The film has a feminist bent (just the fact that anyone cares enough to talk to these girls about their lives and dreams bespeaks a rare kind of social consciousness) and it's moving at times, especially during a segment where girl after girl talks about her fatherless life. Mostly, though, it's a big laugh. It feels like a missing link for me, as it's full of females so similar to the ones that surrounded me while growing up just 25 minutes away from the profiled town: girls and women who know they're funny but don't quite realize that they're hilarious. Relating to those people introduced me to the strange sensation that occurs when you find yourself simultaneously laughing at and with a person. That same sensation is present when I watch and talk to people on reality TV.
Basically, Wildwood, N.J., feels like it was made for me (much love to John, who hooked me up with a copy). I don't know if people will be as amused as I am by this (some of the clips I included based on accent alone), but I figured with July 4 looming, it's the right week to find out.
Update: Wildwood, N.J., director Ruth Leitman contacted me to say that she's thrilled about the attention this unreleased gem is receiving and that she's going to start to sell copies of the film via her site within the next few days. Here's what Ruth says about procuring your own copy (which I [South Jersey Accent]soooooooow[/SJA] reccomend):
I am really excited that so may of you asked about the film. Because of this I am mastering a new DVD and you can order via PayPal. As we speak, I am having my web designer add a button for this shortly on my website (Ruthless Films). It's $22.99 including shipping & handling. We were in the process of a re-design when this all came up, so that is why there is so little on there now. After you've purchased please allow 3 weeks for delivery.
Update 2: OK, it's available.
Below, some screen shots to celebrate the fashions of the time/location...
Wow, I have not been to Wildwood in...11 years, when I graduated from high school and my friends and I camped there for a week.
I gotta go back! Even though it will never be the same without Dracula's Castle. Rotten kids.
Posted by: heather | July 01, 2009 at 09:57 PM
I was planning to comment this on your other entry (the one that linked to the photo album of that amazing beyond amazing Storybook Land thing) but then I realized it's well over a year old, so I'll write it here. I looked through the album (and loved the cheesiness of it all) but especially loved the (seriously outdated) pictorial of the Presidents of our country. More than that, I loved your caption about your mother having an affair with Taft. Your Simpsons references make life so much better.
Posted by: Christina | July 01, 2009 at 10:22 PM
Confession: I'm a BENNY and so is my husband. We both watched this and had horrifying flashbacks to grade-school family summer vacations. My older South Jersey cousins used to/continue to dress, style and speak in this manner. It reaffirmed our shared belief that the Mason/Dixon line should be re-drawn at Toms River. Also, we need to own this video.
Posted by: Heather | July 01, 2009 at 11:47 PM
Oh lord, the clothes! The hair! The cut outs! This was in the 90's? It feels so 80's to me... although I hope I was never quite THAT bad, I do remember practically living in Issey Miyake clothes in the late 80s and he was extremely popular in the 90s... ah, memories.
The clips were hilarious. Thanks for the laugh Rich! :)
Posted by: Kit | July 02, 2009 at 01:57 AM
Blogs are so interactive where we get lots of informative on any topics nice job keep it up !!
Posted by: Buy Dissertation Online | July 02, 2009 at 05:41 AM
aaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh i have to go on a horrifying trashy family reunion here every year rich!!!!
i got back a couple of days ago - it is like you are in my head. Soooo creepy - wildwood i mean.
Posted by: lady | July 02, 2009 at 08:20 AM
along with the above poster - your storybook land posting is something i remember even now it amused me so greatly.
it was one of the best photo captioning work i have ever read.
your sense of humor really brightens a series of crappy crappy days. bless you and your space alien cat.
Posted by: lady | July 02, 2009 at 08:39 AM
I think I went to high school with the entire cast.
Posted by: lc | July 02, 2009 at 10:32 AM
If people realized how true this documentary actually is, they may fling themselves off a building. Some of these people obviously need talk show counseling. I suggest the networks revive "The Jenny Jones Show" and we get updates on what all these people are doing today!
Posted by: Bjork'sSwanDress | July 02, 2009 at 10:42 AM
This reminds me of Scarborough Ontario when I was in high school. We called the big hair small brained girls and boys Ginas and Ginos. I almost miss them -- except they were dumber than dogshit and it was impossible to have a conversation with any of them unless it was about hair products or fighting.
Posted by: Laura | July 02, 2009 at 11:05 AM
Could we organize a screening of this somewhere this summer? It's amazing.
Posted by: scott | July 02, 2009 at 11:11 AM
HOW HAS NO ONE QUOTED:
"And you've always got.. THE CHECK, TO CASH"
I will always point at my female friends vajeens, and remind them about their checks, they've yet to cash - unless they have of course.
wow. Wow. WOW. Love it.
Posted by: Michael | July 02, 2009 at 12:09 PM
Please, I need to this film in its entirety... NOW. How can I get a copy?
Posted by: HoneyB | July 02, 2009 at 01:54 PM
Ummmmm....Dina from the Real Housewives of New Jersey is 38, which would have made her 21 in 1992, and the girl in the center of the "look at these faces" girls seems a lot younger than that...
Posted by: aj | July 02, 2009 at 02:00 PM
Rich, you need to get a copy of the book 'Teenage', by Joseph Szabo. It's a fantastic photography book taken from the same era.
Posted by: maria c | July 02, 2009 at 02:05 PM
Does the woman in the last screencap talk at all? And does she have a dutch accent? If so she is one of my aunts - Annemarie or Marieanne - twins, as it were.
Posted by: jonnie | July 02, 2009 at 02:17 PM
Wow to the most viral thing of the day...this was emailed to me from people who saw it on Best Week Ever, Buzzfeed, and about a million other places. Rich you are always the most awesome.
Posted by: melisser | July 02, 2009 at 02:18 PM
hahahahahah I just remembered...
"watch the tram car please...wat wat watch the tram car please.."
Posted by: njoy | July 02, 2009 at 03:23 PM
Jersey girl here, too. I moved out in my early twenties (:gasp: ten years ago?!) and when I go back I still see glimmers of this attitude still alive and well (minus the scrunchies). Embarrassingly enough, in my own flesh and blood relatives. Might I suggest you visit Keansburg on A summer's weekend?
Posted by: Melissa | July 02, 2009 at 05:22 PM
Wow, Rich. Thanks for keeping this kind of content close by. In my book, "you've always got the check to cash, no matter which way you look at it."
Posted by: KarinGal | July 02, 2009 at 08:33 PM
Im the chick re; eyebrows and its hysterical to see this all these years later. I did see the full length version back in 94 so i would look forward to ordering that copy when it comes up on the website.
Posted by: april zalusky | July 02, 2009 at 11:08 PM
This is hilarious. Wildwood is so trashy; everyone who grew up near the South Jersey shore knows that most of the people you find in Wildwood are actually Philadelphia residents. Those accents you're hearing, oh yeah, they're straight out of Port Richmond/Fishtown. In fact, they sound just like my next door neighbors!
Posted by: Jill | July 02, 2009 at 11:33 PM
Wildwood in the late 80's/early 90's was truly a place all to its own. Fact is, we just played host. These people are actually from Philly and North Jersey. The locals are far more civilized.
Posted by: scottm - Wildwood High School Class of '93 | July 03, 2009 at 12:03 AM
I mean this in the BEST way, but I thought of you (and my real life friend Rich from NJ) when I first saw this...
Posted by: bevskid1 | July 03, 2009 at 12:58 AM
How true about the striped tube top being the classy alternative to the other outfits.
BTW - after I originally saw this here, I saw it on Dlisted today. It was linked from here to Jezebel to "The Doree Chronicles" to Buzzfeed to Best Week Ever and then to Dlisted, which I thought was an amazing example of the internet's indifference towards primary sources.
Posted by: Dan | July 03, 2009 at 11:26 AM