Eskimo Pie vs. Lemon Popsicle (the predecessor to American Pie)

The movie Eskimo Pie (known in English as "Going All The Way" or "Lemon Popsicle") made its public debut back on February 11, 1978. The cast features Yftach Katzur (Benzi), Jonathan Sagall (Momo), Zachi Noy (Yudale), and Anat Atzmon (Nila). It follows three high schoolers navigating life in Tel Aviv, focusing on their evolving friendships and, predictably, their complicated relationships with girls...

While it hits all the standard coming-of-age tropes, the film doesn't shy away from heavier subjects like abortion or the sting of unrequited love, which—unsurprisingly—doesn't lead to a fairy tale ending. Eskimo Pie serves as a sort of time capsule for 1950s teenage life, capturing everything from the fashion and music to the general attitude, the scenery, and even the cars of that era. It was quite a global phenomenon, representing Israel at the 1978 Berlin International Film Festival, and when the leads went on tour in Japan, they were practically hounded by fans... In most international versions, the characters actually had their names swapped out, so if you're looking in the US, you might recognize them as Benji, Bobby, and Hughie.

Has anyone else here actually sat through this film series??
Thoughts are welcome...

Anyone there??

I'm lifting

....I remember that movie...it had a couple of sequels...was an Israeli production...saw it once on cable back in the day...maybe on FX, MTV, or Comedy Central...can't quite recall which one...fun flick though...

In German, they used to call it "Ice on a stick"...

A legendary film... hands down one of the greatest movies ever made..

I had no clue this thread even existed. A few years back, I wanted to start it while the vibes from rewatching that eight-movie series were still fresh...

Back in the late 80s and early 90s, these movies were practically cult classics among teens in the States, mostly because video rental stores were everything back then. I heard from a buddy on here that they were huge hits in video clubs across the country too...
The best and funniest part was definitely Shifshuf Naim (1981), the third installment in that crazy series. It actually aired once back in the day, maybe around 1990 or 91 on some local channel, dubbed as hot gum.
I recorded it on a VHS tape once, think it might still work...

Since they were dubbed into English, I was dead certain they were American movies—maybe Canadian or something. It was a total shock when I found out where they actually came from later on through the internet. I just didn't think Israelis had that kind of sense of humor, especially with how they tore down sexual taboos in such a conservative culture...
Rewatching them this time in the original language was a trip. That initial shock at how different the language sounded turned into pure appreciation. It felt like discovering a whole new dimension; the dialogue just fits the vibe and the characters so much better. The music felt American, and the scenarios were super similar to US sex comedies like Porky's, but there’s this specific spice to the movies directed by Boaz that makes them stand out... unlike some American pie flicks that just don't have any taste... 😁

Trying to keep their names straight was the hardest part. Huey as Yudale, Bobby as Momo (he's not Mexican 😁) and Benji as Bentzi seemed the least weird...
If you dig adolescent humor, this is a total treat, but honestly, anyone can enjoy it... 😉

There's a definite pattern. Benji is the lead—not exactly a heartthrob, but he makes up for it with charm and spirit. His mom and his high-strung dad show up in most of them, adding to the chaos. Then there's Bobby, the cool guy who almost always steals Benji's girl; even in the first Eskimo Pie movie, it gets pretty intense, making him look like the villain, though he softens up a bit as the series goes on...
The wildest one is Huey, this chubby guy who's obsessed with girls but has zero luck. 😁 He's always trying to pull something, constantly has cash that his friends "generously" lend him, and usually ends up getting beat up because of his massive appetite... 😍

What sets these Israeli sex comedies apart from the sea of American ones? Besides the hilarious situations and the constant nudity that pushes the line toward porn, there's this killer soundtrack of retro American music from the 50s and early 60s. Hits just keep coming like they're playing from a jukebox. Those movies actually helped shape my musical taste... I still love doo-wop to this day.

Here’s an example for the first three movies.

Eskimo Pie (1978)
Going Steady (1979)
Shifshuf Naim (1981)

Just one quick fact, a third of the budget for Eskimo Pie went straight to music rights... shows how much Boaz really cared about the soundtrack.

Thanks placidorca31 for starting this thread and bringing back all the memories, and thanks frozenmaker332 for reviving it...

I ended up watching parts 1, 3, 4, and 5 of the series on some adult site because I couldn't find a decent alternative stream anywhere else... Honestly, the movie is fantastic—way better than American Pie. It’s such a shame they never seem to air these kinds of films on TV...

frozenmaker332 said:I ended up watching parts 1, 3, 4, and 5 of the series on some adult site because I couldn't find a decent alternative stream anywhere else... Honestly, the movie is fantastic—way better than American Pie. It’s such a shame they never seem to air these kinds of films on TV...

😁

Man, finding movies back then was such a struggle. Getting any decent footage on torrents felt like a luxury. I used every source I could just to burn them onto two discs, even if the quality was sketchy... some were honestly worse than an old VHS tape. The worst part was finding a decent version only to realize it had Russian dubbing and you couldn't switch it back to English. Maybe better versions are out there now, haven't checked lately...

It’s unlikely any TV programmers would ever dare put these in their schedule. There's still that fake sense of morality hanging around... they'd rather broadcast some trashy reality show full of swearing and fighting than these edgy teen movies. 🙄

"Lemon ice cream" was actually the title used for the series when it hit our local theaters.

Oh, I just noticed that on YouTube, besides the usual clips and full-length movies, they’ve actually got these massive music mixes—some are over three hours long! Check this one out:

Edward Peterson4 said:Oh, I just noticed that on YouTube, besides the usual clips and full-length movies, they’ve actually got these massive music mixes—some are over three hours long! Check this one out:

Major props for posting such a unique clip with basically the whole soundtrack from nearly all the movies. I already have most of these tracks on different compilations, but this is a total gem... definitely might convince some folks here to go watch the actual films.

frozenmaker332, here's the link for part two, though you can find clips from other movies in Lemon Popsicle 2 on YT too.

Any movie buffs here probably remember Jonathan Sagalla's (Bobby or Momo) role in Spielberg's Oscar-winning hit Schindler's List.
There's actually this cool site dedicated to the famous Lemon Popsicle series. It’s worth digging into some info about those movies and the main cast. Clearly, the series has cult status, not just in Israel but all over the world. I remember seeing them on German TV back in the late nineties... swifteagle6 mentioned it once, and I think Zachi Noy was even a guest on one of those satellite channels talking about filming in fluent German. Pretty sure he lives over there now.

Btw, here's a photo that fans of "lemon ice cream" will recognize instantly... brings back that hilarious scene from the movie. 🤣


Edit: Just realized the full second part isn't on YT, a few parts are missing... maybe someone can find another link. My bad!

Heh, is that just what happens when they start feeling the itch the day after a little adventure with a lady of the night? :P

Edward Peterson4 said:"Lemon ice cream" was actually the title used for the series when it hit our local theaters.

Nah, it was called hot gum.

frozenmaker332 said:Heh, is that just what happens when they start feeling the itch the day after a little adventure with a lady of the night? :P

Yeah, they just deleted that one photo I posted. It wasn't even dirty or anything, but whatever... 🙄

I actually have a solid download link for the second part of the movie, so let me know if you want me to DM it to you.

Larry Walker24 said:Nah, it was called hot gum.

That was the title for the third installment, Hot Bubblegum. Honestly, most people probably remember it by that name since that specific movie was easily the best one in the whole series...