 MGM had wanted a straightforward teen comedy, a genre that was  enjoying great success at the time with films like  _Porkys (1982)_ (qv) and  _Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)_ (qv). Robert Altman (qv) had  a different take on the idea however. As he disliked the teen comedy  genre, his notion was to make a satire of such films.