What the Hell Happened to Cameron Crowe, Matt Dillion & Bridget Fonda?

https://lebeauleblog.com/2016/02/01/what-the-hell-happened-to-cameron-crowe/2/

Singles follows the love lives of a group of Seattle twenty-somethings, many of whom are connected with the local music scene. It stars Matt Dillon, Bridget Fonda, Kyra Sedgwick and Campbell Scott.

Crowe filmed Singles in 1990. The film was completed in early 1991. But release was delayed as Warner Brothers tried to figure out how to market it. That problem would solve itself later that year with the explosion in popularity of a certain style of rock music beginning with G.

Yes, the breakthroughs of Nirvana and Pearl Jam and Soundgarden and the accompanying arrival of grunge meant that now there was something they could tie Singles into. Pearl Jam members Eddie Vedder, Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament actually appear in the film as members of Citizen Dick, the Dillon character’s band. Pearl Jam also contributed two songs to the soundtrack. So did fellow Seattle rockers Soundgarden and Alice In Chains. The soundtrack also featured non-Seattle rockers Smashing Pumpkins before they really took off. Paul Westerberg, former frontman of The Replacements, also contributed songs to the soundtrack and wrote the films score.

The one unfortunate side effect of the grunge explosion for Singles was that it was no longer possible to use Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” in the film because the rights had become too expensive. But oh well whatever. Nevermind.

The buzz of the soundtrack and the Seattle association helped market Singles upon its release in September 1992. Reviews were mostly positive, but the soundtrack buzz ended up overshadowing the movie. It opened in third place at the box office and ended up grossing under $20 million dollars. Its poor box office performance actually became an obstacle for similarly themed Gen-X movies like Reality Bites. However, Singles has gathered something of a cult following over the years and it holds up reasonably well despite the end of grunge.

At one point, there was talk of developing Singles into a TV show. Although that didn’t come to pass, rumor has it that the movie was an inspiration for the sitcom Friends which also centered on six twenty-somethings living in close proximity.

After Singles, Crowe was relatively quiet for the next three years. But when he came back in 1996, everyone felt it. With a scream of “Show Me The Money!”

In 1992, Dillon starred opposite Bridget Fonda in Cameron Crowe‘s grunge comedy, Singles.

Singles focused on six twenty-somethings who live in the same apartment complex. Sound familiar? These friends lived in Seattle as the grunge scene was hitting it big. Dillon’s character represented the grunge movement.

Singles was the first of Hollywood’s attempts to lure Gen-X audiences to the movies. Expectations were high that the film and its grunge-infused soundtrack would connect with the youth audience. But like just about every movie aimed at Gen X, Singles missed the mark. In fact, it’s failure at the box office nearly derailed production of Ben Stiller’s slacker rom com, Reality Bites.

Reviews for Singles were mostly positive and the film has developed a cult following. The soundtrack was a best seller three months before the movie was even released. Although Singles failed, some point to the popular TV show Friends as a reinvention of the failed movie.

Later that year, Fonda continued her “single” theme with Cameron Crowe‘s slacker comedy, Singles.

Singles focused on six twenty-somethings who live in the same apartment complex. Sound familiar? These friends lived in Seattle as the grunge scene was hitting it big. Fonda played a coffee-bar waitress with a crush on a rocker played by Matt Dillon. Campbell Scott and Kyra Sedgwick co-starred. Fonda’s boyfriend, Eric Stoltz, appeared as a mime.

Singles was the first of Hollywood’s attempts to lure Gen-X audiences to the movies. Expectations were high that the film and its grunge-infused soundtrack would connect with the youth audience. But like just about every movie aimed at Gen X, Singles missed the mark. In fact, it’s failure at the box office nearly derailed production of Ben Stiller’s slacker rom com, Reality Bites.

Reviews for Singles were mostly positive and the film has developed a cult following. The soundtrack was a best seller three months before the movie was even released. Although Singles failed, some point to the popular TV show Friends as a reinvention of the failed movie.