Jamie Lee Curtis, accustomed to the fast-paced world of low-budget cinema, was not thrilled with the protracted timeline. In a 1984 interview with The Boston Globe newspaper, she joked:
‘It’s not the fastest production I’ve ever worked on. We probably could have made every film I’ve ever made in the time it took to make this one.’
Another indication of how much money and time was spent on the film: Because it was impractical to shoot Rolling Stone episodes at the magazine’s New York headquarters, a nearly identical two-story replica of the office was built on two sets at Laird International Studios in Los Angeles.
However, director James Bridges justifies the drawn-out process, stating:
‘When all is said and done, when everything is put together and we’re ready to show the film, that’s the real test – if it’s right, then we haven’t spent too much time shooting. But if it’s wrong, no amount of time in the world will save it. People will let us know about it at the box office.’
Today, we know the answer.
The real star of the film
One of the most surprising roles in ‘Perfect’ belongs not to a Hollywood actor, but to Jann Wenner, the actual co-founder and editor of Rolling Stone magazine. Playing Mark Roth, Travolta’s editor in the film, Wenner brought a level of authenticity that even seasoned actors couldn’t match.
Wenner didn’t just come on set and get the part – he went through a full screen test with John Travolta! And when asked how realistic the film turned out, he didn’t hold back:
‘Absolutely accurate. Naturally there are some liberties taken, but all of Jim’s films are journalistic to some extent – they look at the scene and accurately convey it.’
Wenner also expressed hope that the film will dispel some misconceptions about Rolling Stone, saying:
‘I think the film will show Rolling Stone for what it really is. I think the film will explain Rolling Stone to a lot of people who may have a misconception of what it is.’
Whether ‘Perfect’ actually succeeds in doing that can be debated, but Wenner’s acting? Surprisingly well.
What the title Perfect meant
What did the title Perfect mean to Jamie Lee Curtis? For her, it’s not flawlessness, but personal freedom.
She explained, ‘There’s no such thing as perfection, but I think perfection is people’s right to be who they want to be. That’s what perfection is in my eyes. And that people are entitled to that right is what [my character] Jessie stands up for in the film.’ Standing up for your right to be who you want to be is what Jessie Wilson is all about.’
‘Perfect’ was a very commercial yuppie drama about journalism and fitness clubs, but word of mouth about the film often centred around Jamie Lee Curtis and to be: ‘You have to see her body!’.
The sad truth about the aerobics scenes
The aerobics scenes in the film Perfection (1985) became infamous for their provocative nature, with Jamie Lee Curtis wearing leotards that ranged from revealing to almost see-through.
The exercises she performed in these scenes, flexing her hips and tightening her pelvis, were seen by many as crossing the line from mere innuendo to outright lewdness.
Curtis herself frankly admitted to being disappointed with the way the scenes were presented.
‘These are supposed to be substitute love scenes,’ she explained in a 1984 New Yorker interview. ‘But in a way these scenes are almost more pornographic than if I were naked. That’s my big disappointment (in the film). I think the scenes are too drawn out. And because the meaning of them is so much dragged out and hammered into your head, I think if you saw me making love, it would be a little softer.’
When Curtis asked for those scenes to be cut, she was told they had already been cut. This behind-the-scenes truth about the infamous aerobics scenes shows that the provocative elements of the film weren’t just part of the plot – they became the focus of attention, which upset Curtis.
Her final ‘nude’ scene?
Despite her iconic role, Jamie Lee Curtis was bothered by more than just her sex symbol status. As she candidly explained, ‘That’s been my biggest problem since I started… I never had any training as an actress.
But I was 18 and I did a little horror film called Halloween, which was a huge, huge hit.’ Curtis revealed that she ended up starring in more horror films and even nude scenes, but promised that in the future ‘it would be negotiable for me’
In an interview with the Chicago Tribune in 1985, Jamie Lee Curtis revealed that after appearing nude in her previous two films, she was glad that her role in Perfection did not require nudity. She hoped her days of stripping on screen were behind her – and they were. Apart from a brief nipple flash in The Tailor from Panama (2001), she has not appeared nude on screen again as of November 2021.