Foxes

It would be a shame if disco-era time capsules neglected to include a VHS copy of 1980's Foxes, in which the music, fashion, youthful folly, tonsorial excess, and party-crazed zeitgeist of the end of the 1970s are vividly captured in the antics of a group of wild and crazy high school girls. Jodie Foster is the sensible one with maternal control over the group, even as her own mother (Sally Kellerman) still carries on like a teenager. Cherie Curie (from jailbait band The Runaways) is the wild one whose feathery hair and rock 'n roll attitude lends cautionary pathos to this story of female rebellion and self-discovery. Propelled by the disco beat of Giorgio Moroder, who penned the score and co-wrote the anthem “On the Radio” with Donna Summer, the heavy dramatic themes in Foxes—including teen sex, abuse, neglect, delinquency, and drug use—proved to be a marketing challenge for audiences expecting a sexy teen romp, and the movie bombed theatrically. Today, it still plays a little like an R-rated afterschool special, but as the first feature from director Adrian Lyne (Flashdance, Fatal Attraction), it remains notable for its oodles of style. Extras include audio commentary by Lyne, and an interview with Kellerman. A strong optional purchase. (T. Fry)