MovieChat Forums > Reality Bites (1994) Discussion > Reference to The Big Chill?

Reference to The Big Chill?

posted 14 years ago by chapstick55
1 reply | jump to latest

In the beginning graduation speech, Lalaina makes a reference to the older generation as having disemboweled their revolution for a pair of running shoes. I probably wouldn't have noticed this before, despite having seen both movies many times - but is this a reference to The Big Chill?

The characters in The Big Chill were activists when they were in college at the University of Michigan in the 60s. The movie takes place in the 80s or so, when they are fully adults and they all have sold-out in one way or another - or just generally lost their youthful idealism. One character, Harold, owns a chain of running shoe stores and is quite wealthy as a result. It would make sense that a movie made in the 90s about a group of friends might reference an older movie in the same genre.

"As if we did not see you disembowl your revolution for a pair of running shoes," says Lalaina. Hmm.

[–] Fleur_de_lis 14 years ago

I don't think that it's a direct reference to The Big Chill.

Later in the 80s there was a controversy over the fact that the Beatles song Revolution was used in a Nike ad. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztSYJNO4kac IIRC, this was during the period when Michael
Jackson owned the catalog.

It's certainly a critique of the same attitude, but I think it's more likely a Nike reference.