There are some movie lines that go beyond simply being quotable and become iconic. Humphrey Bogart saying “Here’s looking at you, kid.” Clark Gable saying “Frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn.” These are lines that are not only from classic movies, but transcend them. But for my money, there may be no greater liner of delivered dialogue than Keanu Reeves saying, “Strange things are afoot at the Circle K.”
When Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure really gets its story moving, it happens in the parking lot of a Circle K where Bill and Ted are looking for help with their history report and Rufus, played by the great George Carlin, arrives in a time travelling telephone booth. Keanu Reeves’ Ted utters the famous line. Unfortunately, there will be nothing else at all afoot at that Circle K, as a fan on Twitter has revealed its being shutdown, but Alex Winter is taking it in stride.
All things must pass, hombre. https://t.co/duC1dKHvz5May 2, 2022
While Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure is set in San Dimas, California, the Circle K in question is actually located in Tempe, Arizona. It’s honestly almost shocking that the convenient store is still there more than 30 years after Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure was filmed, but it survived this long. And it was clearly a memorable place for the person who made the initial tweet, who remembers watching the movie film in front of the location all those years ago.
Of all the filming locations that have become famous, the Excellent Adventure Circle K probably isn’t available on a guided bus tour or anything. But it’s still pretty cool to know that it continued to operate this long and there were people who were very aware of its history.
In the end, nothing lasts forever, and Alex Winter, a true lover of film history, certainly understands that. Still, it’s probably bittersweet to learn that the iconic Circle K is going away. That location was the start of something that only recently came to an end. Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure was followed in short order by the sequel Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey. It took many more years for Bill and Ted Face the Music to complete the trilogy, but it was a movie fans were willing to wait for. And it put a satisfying ending on the story, even if seeing Keanu Reeves without a beard these days is a little strange.
It doesn’t appear that the Circle K location has completely closed down yet, so if you have the opportunity to stop by, maybe grab a snack and hang out, like Bill and Ted once did back in the day. Remember all the greatness that is Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure. Maybe strange things still happen there if you wait long enough. Maybe, if we get a Bill and Ted 4, the duo could go back in time to when the Circle K is still there.