(aMyth) “See you next Wednesday” was first heard in Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. It was said to the astronaut, Frank Poole, by his wife and father, right before Hal killed everybody off. Frank was long gone by that referenced Wednesday.
John Landis claims he originally had the movie idea as a fifteen year old, in 1965, but the film has never actually been made. He has said that he purposely referenced his unmade film, “See You Next Wednesday” several times in his feature films. Based on the hints and posters, it may be a sci-fi adventure, a giant ape flick, a romance or an adult sex feature. Most of the film references were in his films, but they are not limited to John Landis production.
We have listed the references we’ve found so far below.
► The phrase was said several times in his first film, Shlock (1971)
► Hugh Grant says “See You Next Wednesday” quite pointedly as he ushers somebody into a car, in the movie About A Boy.
► It was a poster the theater that Michael Jackson and Ola Ray were leaving at the original start of the Thriller music video (1983). Jackson’s music video Black or White (1991) SYNW is shown on the window which Michael Jackson throws a garbage can through, the window is that of a company named “See You Next Wednesday Storage Co.”
► In the Doctor Who 2013 episode Nightmare in Silver, written by Neil Gaiman, the Doctor’s companion Clara Oswald uses the phrase as a goodbye late in the episode.
► In the video game NetHack, the phrase “See you next Wednesday” appears as graffiti on the floor.
► It was the supposed porn film playing in the theater scene in An American Werewolf in London (1981)
► In The Blues Brothers (1980), it was used as a billboard (pictured above) behind which some police were waiting
► In The Twilight Zone Movie (1983), it was said, in German, by some soldiers in the Vic Morrow WW 2 scene, on the same film, the “scared American G.I.’s” were scared because they had killed Lieutenant Neidermeyer.
► Animal House (1978) fans will recall that we found out that Doug Neidermeyer was “killed in Vietnam by his own troops” in the closing credits. I love it when a story comes full circle!
► In The Stupids (1996), the phrase is seen on the back of the bus to which the kids chain their bikes.
► It was seen several times as a subway poster, including Coming To America (1988), and Amazon Women on the Moon (1987). It was also seen as a poster in Jamie Lee Curtis’s apartment in Trading Places (1983)
► Speaking of Jamie Lee, she was actually mentioned in the Coming To America SYNW subway poster, while starring in the film!
► In Innocent Blood (1992), SYNW is shown on a marquee.
► Also found in the Landis film, Spies Like Us Poster on the wall near the beginning when Chase and Akroyd go to the Army office.
► It was also a feature-within-a-feaure in The Kentucky Fried Movie (1977).
► In the first episode of the 1990 TV series Dream On (which Landis directed), Martin (Brian Benben) says to his maid (Marianne Muellerleile), “See you next Thursday”. She corrects him saying, “Wednesday”.
► The video for Michael Bublé’s song Hollywood features a cinema showing See You Next Wednesday.
► There is an episode of Scrubs episode where JD, Dr. Cox, the resident and Dr. Kelso go golfing. Cox sinks a putt to win the game, and utters the phrase as he leaves the green.
► In the Masters of Horror episode “Family” (2006), the phrase is spoken by a cartoon character on TV.
► It was the sign off on Full Frontal with Samantha Bee on September 19, 2015
On the musical side, The Girl From Ipanema is a favorite of Mr. Landis.
Mr. Landis used the song twice in The Blues Brothers. It was played in the driving-through-the-mall scene as well as the elevator music while the brothers were going up to pay the tax bill for the school.
It is also played, alarmingly loud, in an elevator in Amazon Women on the Moon (1987).
From a video game…
From: ClassicMovies.pcx3345:ABS
To: Paul Denton//NYCNET.33.34.4346
Subject: Account Verification
Mr. Denton:
We’ve received your order for “Blue Harvest” and “See You Next
Wednesday.” At your earliest possible convenience, please
remit c110 at which point they will be shipped immediately.
Thanks for your business,
Marcy Plaigrond
Vibrant Videos, Inc.
FYI – “Blue Harvest” was the code name while filming Return of the Jedi.
This was to keep “Jedi” secret.
