According to director Amy Heckerling, Phoebe Cates’ biggest reservation about her now legendary topless scene, was being spied on by nosy neighbors where they were shooting. Heckerling assured Phoebe that her bare breasts would only be on screen for a few seconds. Little did either of them realize that home video would soon explode and this would become one of the most “paused” scenes ever.
This has to be one of the most paused scenes in VHS history.
I remember seeing this film in a theater when I was a junior in high school with some friends. When Phoebe opened up her bikini top in slow-mo all the young guys in the theater let out collective “ohhh’s!” and “ahhh’s!” Classic scene. The whole cast was great. Sean Penn’s “Spicoli” brought phrases like “gnarly” and “totally awesome” to every American teenagers’ lingo.