Revenge of Jules's Stepmonster

Although I'm under no illusion that it's a masterpiece, "St. Elmo's Fire" was certainly one of my favorite films when I was younger, beckoning me to let go of my childhood and face adulthood. I still quote it regularly -- Judith the roommate, Naomi the prostitute, Ron Dellasandro the decorator, you name it! -- and was lucky to catch it on the silver screen again in 2009 with my friend Greg on a trip to Birmingham, Ala. Now we've got two years to make this "sequel" -- "St. Elmo's Fire: Reunion Massacre" -- and I need to know: Who wants to start an IndieGoGo with me to ensure that it happens?

Director Joel Schumacher Is Dead at 80

Director Joel Schumacher, whose "St. Elmo's Fire" further fueled my desire to move to the East Coast, has died at 80. Schumacher, who was also at the helm of "The Lost Boys," "Flatliners," "Flawless,"  childhood favorite "The Incredible Shrinking Woman" and turning the Batman franchise gay, died in New York City after a yearlong battle with cancer.

It's hard to overstate what an influence "St. Elmo's Fire" had on 18-year-old me. After lapping up films like "Pretty in Pink" and "The Breakfast Club" in high school, it was the aspirational celluloid moment that reminded me that I wasn't going to be stuck in my parents' house in Phoenix my entire life -- and that I too could create whatever kind of life I wanted for myself, with a big group of friends in a big city. (At least I found the big city!)

While the film was in no way explicitly gay -- if you don't count the casting of Rob Lowe -- there were nods to homosexuality in Jules's belief that Kevin was a closet case -- that fix-up with her decorator, Ron D'Alessandro, was as cringeworthy as it was plausible! -- and his Holden Caulfield-esque interactions with the prostitute Naomi ("You want a date?).

My friend Greg and I were in Birmingham, Ala., for the Davis Cup in 2009 but dropped everything one night when we found out "St. Elmo's Fire" was screening as part of a revival downtown at the luminous Alabama Theatre!

RIP.

My husband's first crush was Charles Grodin ...

Grocery shopping with Pat Kramer

Read his New York Times obit now HERE.

30 Years On, 'St. Elmo's Fire' Still Burns in Me

With the possible exceptions of "Desperately Seeking Susan" and "Hannah and Her Sisters," I don't think there's a film I randomly quote lines from more than "St. Elmo's Fire." ("Here's my roommate, Judith. She's hates me.") It's now 30 years since its release -- and my high-school graduation! -- and I still love it as much as I did that June night I first saw it back in 1985. ExtraTV has a complete "Then and Now" HERE, but it all pales to my photog friend Greg's story of recently shooting Mare Winningham for a magazine and slipping the "Man in Motion" theme song onto his music mix, and how the crew realized what it was and starting giggling while Mare didn't even notice till they pointed it out to her. Kinda reminded me of the BEST peanut butter and jelly sandwich that I have had in my entire life ...