Today’s Feature – Lisa Loeb: Stay (2004) – Reality Bites (1994)

I have a confession.

I wish I was a member of Generation X. No, not Billy Idol’s old band, but the lucky few that got to graduate High School and head into young adulthood in the Nineties. From what I’ve read, I’m a Millennial, but I think there is a distinct difference between those born in the Eighties and the Nineties. While the internet would become an important part of my life, the first dozen years of it didn’t really have much to do with it. My childhood was a mixture of Cold War repeats and the legendary Nineties attitude.

Call us Generation Y: The Last Generation to See the Analog World.

“The answer is…I don’t know.”

Recently, Pete wrote about Clerks and it got me thinking about the movies of the era. Twenty years later, the Nineties indie boom stands as a unique moment in the history of film, allowing wide releases for movies that would have a hard time even getting made today. While there were plenty of blockbusters, the unique aesthetic and more personal stories have become the hallmark of the decade. By maintaining their honesty, they still maintain their relevance. I’m not sure if that can be said anywhere else in film, perhaps the Eighties came closest. Though there are many examples, if there is one film that nails that aforementioned aesthetic, it might be Reality Bites. Ben Stiller’s directorial debut, produced by The Big Chill‘s Michael Schamberg and Danny Devito, features some of the generation’s finest actors. Not only with Winona Rider, Ben Stiller and Ethan Hawke headlining, but Janeane Garofalo and Steve Zahn in their true breakout performances. For the purposes of this piece, I’m going to stop talking about the core aspects film here. Yeah, I know that’s weird but I could go on forever and I need to get to the feature. If you guys like this one, expect something bigger on the era.

Another remarkable aspect of this film is the soundtrack’s enduring connection to the film. One song sticks out specifically, and the fascinating history of the song’s appearance is outlined in the feature Lisa Loeb: Stay. The first artist to reach number one in the U.S. without a record deal, Loeb’s story mirrors the film itself. Having met Ethan Hawke through some mutual friends, the future hit would be dropped onto the soundtrack by Stiller at his cast-mate’s urging.  Stiller would give it the vaunted position of playing over the film’s credit. Though not the first single from the soundtrack (it would follow Crowded House’s Locked Out and The Juliana Hatfield Three’s Spin Bottle), Hawke would personally direct the music video. For those who weren’t around for the mega-hit, they’ve also included the video itself for your viewing pleasure. Neither feature is very long, but well worth your time. You’ll also find an excellent retrospective feature on the disc.

Reality Bites is available on 20th Anniversary Blu-Ray and 10th Anniversary DVD, you’ll find the features on both.