Wayne’s World is a comedy film directed by Penelope Spheeris. Wayne’s World was released in the United States on February 14, 1992, by Paramount Pictures.
It was also produced by Lorne Michaels and written by Mike Myers and Bonnie & Terry Turner. Based on the Saturday Night Live sketch Wayne’s World, it stars Myers in his feature film debut as
Wayne Campbell and Dana Carvey as Garth Algar, a pair of rock and heavy metal fans who broadcast a public access television show. It also features Tia Carrere, Rob Lowe, Lara Flynn Boyle, Brian Doyle Murray, Chris Farley, Ed O’Neill, Ione Skye, Meat Loaf, and Alice Cooper in supporting roles.
A critical and commercial success, it was the tenth-highest-grossing film of 1992 and remains the highest-grossing film based on a Saturday Night Live sketch. A sequel, Wayne’s World 2, was released the following year.
The soundtrack album reached number one on the Billboard 200. The album was certified double Platinum by the RIAA on July 16, 1997.
The studio and Lorne Michaels originally wanted to use a Guns N’ Roses song for the head banging scene, but Myers demanded Bohemian Rhapsody, even threatening to quit the production unless it was used.
Freddie Mercury, the lead singer of Queen, died of bronchial pneumonia resulting from AIDS a few months before the film’s release. According to Brian May, Mercury saw the head banging scene before his death, found it hilarious and approved the song for the film’s use.
However, Spheeris disputed May‘s recollection in a 2022 interview, saying that “My guess is it’s not true.” She explained that due to the short timeframe between the completion of the film and Mercury‘s death, she believes it is highly unlikely that anyone would have had access to a tape of the scene to show Mercury.
In the No Stairway To Heaven scene, the first four notes played of Stairway to Heaven were replaced with a different set of guitar notes in all home media releases of the film, since home video publishers considered the cost of licensing the song to be too high though the original notes were restored with the 4K Blu-Ray release in 2022.
Gary Wright re recorded Dream Weaver for the film, which is heard whenever Wayne looks at Cassandra.Tia Carrere sang her own vocals on the songs she performed in the film, as well as cover songs such as Sweet’s The Ballroom Blitz, which were included on the film’s soundtrack album.
Myers originally wanted Alice Cooper‘s I’m Eighteen and School’s Out in the film, but Cooper‘s manager Shep Gordon convinced him to use Feed My Frankenstein instead.
Tracklist:
- Bohemian Rhapsody: Queen
- Hot and Bothered: Cinderella
- Rock Candy: BulletBoys
- Dream Weaver: Gary Wright (Rerecorded Version)
- Sikamikanico: Red Hot Chili Peppers
- Time Machine: Black Sabbath
- Wayne’s World Theme: Mike Myers/Dana Carvey (Extended Version)
- Ballroom Blitz: Tia Carrere
- Foxy Lady: The Jimi Hendrix Experience
- Feed My Frankenstein: Alice Cooper
- Ride With Yourself: Rhino Bucket
- Loving Your Lovin’: Eric Clapton
- Why You Wanna Break My Heart: Tia Carrere (originally recorded by Dwight Twilley)
- Loud Love: Soundgarden (Not included on all versions)
Songs featured in the film but not included on the soundtrack album:
Cold Chills: Kix
Everything About You: Ugly Kid Joe
Fire: Tia Carrere (originally recorded by The Jimi Hendrix Experience. Carrere’s version has never been commercially released)
Making Our Dreams Come True: Cyndi Grecco
All Night Thing: Temple of the Dog
Touch Me: Tia Carrere (originally recorded by Private Life. Carrere’s version has never been commercially released)
Happy Birthday, Mr. President: Mike Myers
Freddie Mercury ( September 5, 1946 – November 24, 1991).
