July Quick Picks and Pans

 

Brewster McCloud (1971) But Cort stars in the title role, as an odd, reclusive young man who lives in the basement of the Houston Astrodome, and dreams of flying like a bird. Sally Kellerman is Brewster’s guardian angel Louise, with wings tattooed on her back. Shelley Duvall (in her first film role) plays Suzanne, an eccentric young woman who befriends Brewster. The film boasts several bizarre supporting performances, including Margaret Hamilton as Daphne Heap, a tone-deaf socialite who attempts to sing the National Anthem (she does a parody of her Wicked Witch character). Stacy Keach also appears as a 99-year-old wealthy curmudgeon, and the story is told by Rene Auberjonois as the Lecturer, a college professor with a tenuous grip on his sanity. Amidst the mayhem, the police search for a serial killer who anoints his victims with bird poop. Director Robert Altman keeps a lot of threads going in this whimsical comedy/drama that almost defies description. It wasn’t a hit with critics or audiences, but I enjoyed its quirky vibe. 

Rating: ***½. Available on Blu-ray and DVD

Amuck! (1972) Barbara Bouchet stars as Greta, a young woman searching for her missing friend Sally (Patrizia Viotti), in this sexually charged giallo from writer/director Silvio Amadio. Greta takes a secretary job with her friend’s last-known employer, a morally ambiguous writer, played by Farley Granger. His wife Eleanora (Rosalba Neri) takes an interest in Greta, with less than honorable intentions. The plot has some nice twists and turns as the writer and his wife constantly gaslight Greta as she approaches the truth. This well-paced thriller is full of enough red herrings to keep you guessing (not to mention Bouchet and Neri are easy on the eyes). 

Rating: ***½. Available on Blu-ray (Region B), DVD (Region 2), and Tubi

Death Line (aka: Raw Meat) (1972) Donald Pleasence plays Inspector Calhoun, a sarcastic, world-weary police detective investigating a missing high-ranking government official. His investigation leads him to a closed-off section of the London Underground which was the site of a late-1800s construction disaster. We learn the survivors, isolated from the surface world, developed their own society, along with a taste for human flesh. Christopher Lee has a short but memorable cameo as a haughty MI5 agent, but the real draw is Pleasence, who chews the scenery every chance he gets. The film is a bit too leisurely paced for its own good, but the subterranean scenes are appropriately claustrophobic and the gory makeup effects are very well done. 

Rating: ***. Available on Blu-ray, DVD, Prime Video 

 Challenge the Devil (1963) The only devilish challenge is trying to stay awake while watching this movie. Slow to start, the film doesn’t really dive into the main story until 20 minutes have elapsed. The rest of the movie is told in flashback by a monk who, in his earlier days, hung out with a bad crowd. The young delinquents stumble into what seems like an abandoned castle, only to meet its owner (Christopher Lee), an elderly man. They become trapped in his castle with no discernable escape. Top-billed Lee is barely on screen, the characters are uniformly unlikeable, and the film moves at a sloth-like pace. Everyone but die-hard Christopher Lee fans should probably skip it. 

Rating: **. Available on Blu-ray (included in Severin’s The Eurocrypt of Christopher Lee Collection), DVD (out of print), Tubi and Midnight Pulp 

 

Death Warmed Up (1984) Michael (Micheal Tucker) becomes the unwitting participant in a medical mind-control experiment, resulting in him killing his parents. Seven years later, he’s released from prison and out for revenge against the doctor (Gary Day) who altered his brain chemistry. He and his friends face an army of deadly mutants in the secret island compound run by the doctor. Most of the film consists of the characters running around dark corridors, while spewing various bodily substances. It’s a confusing experience with paper-thin characters and very little payoff. Don’t bother. 

Rating: *½ . Available on Blu-ray, DVD and Tubi 

 

 

Medical Nightmares Month Quick Picks and Pans

Horror Hospital (1973) Michael Gough stars as the unscrupulous Dr. Christian Storm, who runs a sanitorium for young adults. The sanitorium is only a ruse, however, to provide a steady supply of unwilling test subjects for his experimental brain surgery (as a deterrent for potential escapees, the doctor’s limousine is equipped with a blade for quick and easy decapitations). The operation results in zombies who obey his every command. Robin Askwith and Vanessa Shaw play two 20-something patients who attempt to foil his plans, while trying to make it out alive. Gough is in top form playing another warped character you love to hate. Good, darkly comic fun. 

Rating: ***½. Available on Blu-ray and DVD 

 

Infection (2004) In director/co-writer Masayuki Ochiai’s unsettling, claustrophobic medical horror thriller, tensions run high at a small, financially strapped hospital. Already understaffed, overworked, and underpaid, the doctors and nurses are stretched beyond the breaking point when an infection of unknown origin runs through the patients and staff. The disease exerts a psychological and physiological effect on its victims, twisting perceptions while it transforms them into puddles of green goo. While the plot gets a bit muddy, it’s worth seeing for the strong performances and creepy atmosphere. 

Rating: ***½. Available on DVD and Tubi.

The Dentist (1996) When a high-strung dentist, Dr. Feinstone (Corbin Bernsen) discovers that his wife Brooke (Linda Hoffman) has been cheating on him with the pool man, his sanity goes off the deep end. Starting with Brooke, he takes his revenge on anyone else who crosses him. Although the makeup effects are suitably icky, the film overall is surprisingly restrained, with much more implied than shown. If you had an aversion to visiting the dentist before seeing this movie, it’s not likely to change your opinion. Look for a young Mark Ruffalo as a sleazy agent, Ken Foree (Dawn of the Dead) as a police detective, and Earl Boen (Terminator, T2: Judgement Day) as a crooked IRS auditor. Directed by Brian Yuzna and co-written by Dennis Paoli, Stuart Gordon, and Charles Finch, The Dentist doesn’t break new genre ground, but it achieves its modest goals. 

Rating: ***. Available on DVD and Tubi 

Scalpel (1977) Dr. Phillip Reynolds (Robert Lansing), a morally bankrupt plastic surgeon, concocts an elaborate scheme to seize his runaway daughter’s (Judith Chapman) $5 million inheritance. An opportunity falls in his lap when he discovers a stripper who has been left for dead on the streets, with her face destroyed. He takes her under his wing, reconstructing her face in his daughter’s image. He grooms the ersatz daughter (also played by Chapman) to convince his lawyer and the rest of his family that she’s the real deal. Complications ensue, however, when the real daughter returns, only to find her doppelganger in her place. While far from perfect, it’s a decent thriller with a good twist ending.  

Rating: ***. Available on Blu-ray and Tubi

12 Hour Shift (2020) Set in a rural Arkansas hospital over the course of one night, anything can and often does happen. Mandy (Angela Bettis), a nurse at the end of her rope, keeps herself going by pilfering various drugs from the hospital, and taking part in a black-market organ transplant ring. When her dimwitted cousin (Chloe Farnworth) misplaces a kidney, it becomes just one of a cascade of unfortunate events, including bad weather, power outages, and a dangerous convict (David Arquette) on the loose. Matters are made worse by some inept cops and a less-than-helpful nursing staff. Writer/director Brea Grant’s black comedy keeps a lot of plates spinning, sometimes stretching credulity to its breaking point, but the colorful characters, amusing dialogue, and outrageous situations make this a diverting watch.   

Rating: ***. Available on Blu-ray and DVD

Night of the Bloody Apes (1969) In this Mexican exploitation film from director/co-writer René Cardona, a “gorilla” (although in the establishing shots, it’s clearly an orangutan) is taken from the local zoo by Dr. Krallman (José Elías Moreno), desperate to save his terminally ill son Julio (Agustín Martínez Solares). He successfully transplants the gorilla’s heart into his son (including some real open-heart surgery footage), but there’s an unexpected side-effect: Julio transforms into a murderous, hulking ape creature that kills men and rips the clothes off unsuspecting women. There’s also a women’s wrestling subplot that somehow figures into the story, prompting me to wonder if this started as another Santo movie (sadly, there’s no match with the monster). Stupid, silly and exploitive, but never dull. 

Rating: **½ stars. Available on Blu-ray, DVD, Prime Video and Midnight Pulp 

The Immortalizer (1989) This film features a B-movie premise that could have been a fun throwback to cheapo ‘40s and ‘50s productions if it hadn’t been so clumsily executed. Dr. Divine (Ron Ray) runs an underground clinic that transplants the brains of old, rich people into young, healthy bodies. A young man escapes the clinic, but returns to investigate the disappearance of his brother and their dates who have become subjects for the doctor’s experiments. Much like 1957’s The Unearthly, which the film seems to take its inspiration from, the action mostly takes place in one house, with interminable scenes of the characters running around. Even at 96 minutes, it seems at least 20 minutes too long. 

Rating: **. Available on Blu-ray and Prime Video 

Hellhole (1985) In this would-be thriller, Judy Landers stars as Susan Walker, an amnesiac in a mental hospital. The facility is lorded over by the sadistic Dr. Fletcher (Mary Woronov), who conducts experimental chemical lobotomies on patients in a clinic affectionately known as “Hellhole.” Meanwhile, she’s relentlessly pursued by the same hired killer (Ray Sharkey) who killed her mother. Susan’s memory holds the key to the whereabout of some “papers,” although their significance is never made clear. The movie features lots of gratuitous nudity to distract you from the fact that the story is so underbaked (including former Russ Meyer starlet Edy Williams as a fellow patient, whose sole purpose seems to be appearing in various states of undress). By the time the film sputters to an end, you’ll probably cease to care. 

Rating: **. Available on Blu-ray and Tubi 

X-Ray (aka: Hospital Massacre) (1981) Barbi Benton stars as Susan, a divorced businesswoman visiting the hospital for a routine exam. What was supposed to be a brief consultation with her doctor turns into an indefinite hospital stay when someone tampers with her X-rays, making it seem as if she’s suffering from a serious illness. As the body count piles up, it becomes evident that she’s the killer’s real target. An interesting premise is squandered by standard slasher trappings, and a comically incompetent hospital staff (who somehow fail to notice all the deaths). 

Rating: **. Available on Blu-ray, Prime Video and Tubi 

Surgikill (1989) Andy Milligan’s final film, this aggressively unfunny slasher comedy, ensured that his career went out with a whimper. Chaos is the rule at Goode Hospital, a struggling community hospital (which appears to be comprised of three rooms). A killer roams the halls, dispatching the clueless hospital staff. With its haphazard editing, cringe-worthy acting, and gags that consistently fall flat, Surgikill falters, even by Milligan’s questionable standards. 

Rating: *½. Available on DVD, Midnight Pulp, Prime Video and Tubi 

 

 

 

Musical May Quick Picks and Pans

 

True Stories (1986) Writer/director David Byrne is our guide to the fictional town of Virgil, Texas, where they’re about to hold their sesquicentennial celebration. He introduces us to an assortment of Virgil’s eccentric residents, including: Kay and Earl Culver (Annie McEnroe and Spalding Gray), a husband and wife who haven’t spoken to each other in years, a pathological liar (Jo Harvey Allen), Louis Fyne (John Goodman), a good-natured bachelor who just wants a wife, and a woman so lazy she never leaves her bed (Swoosie Kurtz). The actors perform the Talking Heads songs, placing their unique spin on the material. It’s a skewed little slice of Americana, as only David Byrne can show us. 

Rating: ****. Available on Blu-ray and DVD 

 

Reefer Madness: The Movie Musical (2005) This Showtime-produced film, based on the off-Broadway musical by Kevin Murphy and Dan Studney (who also adapted it for the feature), uses the sensationalistic 1936 anti-marijuana scare film as a launching point.  Alan Cumming (who plays multiple roles) is our guide through a world of sin and depravity, as only the devil’s lettuce can take us (allegedly). Watch as ordinary American “teen” couple Mary Lane (Kristen Bell) and Jimmy Harper (Christian Campbell) fall under the spell of the illicit substance, after Jimmy falls in with a bad crowd. The musical numbers are a lot of fun (especially the one taking place in heaven), along with the satirical lambasting of "wholesome” 1930s society. 

Rating: ****. Available on Blu-ray, DVD, Tubi and Prime Video

Lisztomania (1975) The same year he graced us with Tommy, writer/director Ken Russell shot this audacious oddball of a movie, suggesting composer/pianist Franz Liszt (Roger Daltrey) was the rock star of his day. It’s a delirious cocktail of bizarre imagery, sex, and music, like Russell’s greatest hits, distilled into one movie. Don’t look for historical accuracy – just let it flow through your brain as you try to make sense of it all. Paul Nicholas co-stars as Liszt’s friend/rival composer Richard Wagner (who happens to be a vampire), Ringo Starr makes a memorable cameo as the Pope. I can’t say I understood it, but I enjoyed the ride. 

Rating: ***½. Available on Blu-ray and DVD 

Alice in Wonderland: An X-Rated Musical Fantasy (1976) Chances are, you’ve probably never seen a version of Alice in Wonderland like this before. Thanks to the filmmakers of the anything-goes ‘70s, Alice was only one of several adult parodies of beloved (aka: public domain) stories. Alice (Kristine DeBell) is at a crossroads with her frustrated boyfriend, whose advances are constantly thwarted. After another argument over sex (or lack thereof), Alice has a moment of reflection, and decides to learn what all the fuss is about. Thus begins, her trippy quest of self-discovery in Wonderland, where she meets the usual suspects, including the White Rabbit, Tweedledum and Tweedledee, and the Mad Hatter (guess what the 9-3/4 on his hat refers to). Sure, the jokes are corny, and there are too many unnecessary insert shots, but it’s hard not to appreciate the effort that went into making this a genuine musical. The songs (written by Bucky Searles and Jack Stern) are decent, with some highlights being: “Guess I Was Just Too Busy Growing Up,” “Alice Helps Humpty Dumpty Up,” and “What’s a Nice Girl Doing on a Knight Like This?”. Give it a try, if you dare. 

Rating: ***. Available on DVD 

The First Nudie Musical (1976) A struggling independent studio owner (Stephen Nathan) experiences a flash of inspiration to save his livelihood: produce a porn musical. He secures the funding, with the catch that he needs to complete the film within two weeks, or ownership of the studio will transfer to his debtors. Despite a series of setbacks involving casting, songwriting, and working with a rookie director (played by Bruce Kimmel, who wrote and co-directed), the somehow manages to get the production off the ground. The songs are mostly forgettable, and the majority of the jokes fall flat, but it’s harmless enough. Perhaps the premise could be worked into a better movie someday.   

Rating: **½. Available on DVD, Tubi and Prime Video 

Pennies from Heaven (1981) It’s the feel-bad musical sensation of 1981, folks. Herbert Ross’ lavish musical, set in the middle of the Great Depression, is nice to look at, but relentlessly grim from beginning to end. Steve Martin (in what could be his most unlikeable role to date) stars as Arthur Parker, a struggling music salesman prone to flights of fancy. He abandons his wife Joan (Jessica Harper), setting his sights on mild-mannered schoolteacher, Eileen (Bernadette Peters). He effectively ruins her life, as she becomes pregnant, loses her job, and is eventually forced into prostitution to make ends meet. Pennies from Heaven is an exercise in cynicism that ignores what made those ‘30s musicals special. 

Rating: **. Available on DVD

 

 

Rock ‘n Roll High School

 

(1979) Directed by Alan Arkush; Written by Richard Whitley, Russ Dvonch, and Joseph McBride; Story by Alan Arkush and Joe Dante; Starring: P.J. Soles, Clint Howard, Vincent Van Patten, Mary Woronov, Paul Bartel, Dey Young, The Ramones, and Dick Miller; Available on Blu-ray and DVD 

Rating: ***½

“…Roger [Corman], during preproduction, was the only one who thought it was still “Disco High,” because his script was the only one with that title still on it. Every other script said Rock ‘n’ Roll High School. What rock ‘n’ roller’s gonna read for a movie titled “Disco High” in 1979? Two weeks before shooting we broke it to him that the Ramones were not a disco band but punk rockers. `But why can’t they be disco?’ Roger asked. We said, ‘You can’t blow up a high school to disco music.’” – Alan Arkush (excerpted from Roger Corman’s book, How I Made a Hundred Movies in Hollywood and Never Lost a Dime)

What do you get when you take an ordinary high school comedy, crank up the decibels of the soundtrack, and add generous portions of mayhem? Well, in this case, you get the Roger Corman classic, Rock ‘n Roll High School. Co-writers Alan Arkush (who also directed) and Joe Dante were no strangers to making an “everything goes” style comedy, having collaborated on the 1976 Corman-produced movie, Hollywood Boulevard. Before Rock ‘n’ Roll High School was known by that name, the concept and resulting script went through several iterations over the course of pre-production, from Girls’ Gym, to California Girls, to Disco High. Ultimately, greater wiser heads prevailed (with no offense intended for disco fans), as the focus eventually shifted to rock ‘n’ roll, showcasing the punk band, the Ramones, in what would essentially become their own warped version of A Hard Day’s Night.

The plot is about as simple as they come, but it’s all the music and gags in-between that make this movie worthwhile. Ramones superfan Riff Randell (P.J. Soles),*/**/*** is obsessed with the group beyond all reason (she experiences a fantasy sequence, complete with the band members visiting her at home). In addition to seeing the Ramones in concert, she schemes to bring her song, “Rock ‘n’ Roll High School,” to her favorite band’s attention. Her dreams are thwarted by the new principal, Miss Togar (Mary Woronov), who rules Vincent Lombardi High School with an iron fist (with the help of two toady hall monitors), and considers listening to rock a gateway to deviant behavior. But even when her treasured Ramones tickets are confiscated by Togar and her goons, Riff isn’t so easily deterred. Meanwhile, a love triangle ensues when Riff’s best friend Kate Rambeau (Dey Young) is smitten by dopey but amiable jock Tom Roberts (Vincent Van Patten). Unfortunately, for Kate, he’s gaga over Riff. Will Riff make it to the Ramones concert (and will they perform her song)? Will Togar’s authoritarian tactics prevail? And will Tom and Kate click together? All this and more will be answered before the end credits roll. 

* Fun Fact #1: Prior to filming Rock ‘n’ Roll High School, Soles had never heard of the Ramones. Her initial impression was less than favorable when Arkush gave her a cassette of their music, but their music and energetic performances eventually won her over. 

** Fun Fact #2: Because P.J. Soles was a bit of a hot property after appearing in Halloween (1978), her agent requested a salary above scale (a Corman no-no). Corman opposed paying extra, but ended up agreeing to the salary on the condition that Soles provide her own wardrobe. 

*** Fun Fact #3: Soles wasn’t the film’s only connection to Halloween, with director of photography Dean Cundey providing the cinematography.

The soundtrack in an eclectic yet enjoyable mess, ranging from punk to pop (“Teenage Depression” by Eddie and the Hot Rods, to “Did We Meet Somewhere Before?” a low-key effort from Paul McCartney). Naturally, of course, the main attraction is the seminal punk band the Ramones (Joey, Johnny, Dee Dee, and Marky).* Based on their blazing-fast performance in the film,** it’s easy to see why they were a favorite with audiences wherever they played. 

* Fun Fact #4: If you have Sirius in your car, I highly recommend Marky Ramone’s show “Punk Rock Blitzkrieg” on the First Wave channel (End of shameless, sadly unpaid plug). 

** Fun Fact #5: The Ramones played every song from their on-screen concert set twice, so they could choose the better performance for each.

Joe Dante regular Dick Miller* shows up in a small but memorable role as the chief of police, who tries to bring some law and order to the ensuing pandemonium when the students riot. As usual, he doesn’t have a lot of screen time, but he steals the picture with the film’s best line (Sorry, I’m not going to spill it here. You’ll just have to find out). Clint Howard is amusing in his supporting role as the high school fixer, Eaglebauer, who runs a lucrative business out of the boys’ restroom. Paul Bartel (who frequently appeared with Mary Woronov in numerous films), plays an unlikely ally for the students. As the school’s music teacher, Mr. McGree, he discovers his own latent affinity for the Ramones. 

* Fun Fact #6: Watch for a cameo by Joe Dante, appearing opposite Miller as a fellow cop.

Lessons learned (this is about a high school, after all):

• In the 1970s, the average age of an American high school student was 25.
• In 1979, you could purchase 100 Ramones tickets for only $1,000.
• Your permanent record will follow you outside high school, for the rest of your life.
• Body searches by student workers were common practice in American public schools.
• Rock music causes mice to explode.
• Your favorite band will play your unsolicited song if you’re persistent enough.
• The Ramones didn’t need to hook their guitars up to amps, they were just that powerful.
• Don’t be alarmed if Dee Dee Ramone randomly appears in your shower. If you refrain from making eye contact or any sudden movements, he’ll eventually go away.
• More than just a punk band, the Ramones were a unifying force that united the rich and poor, young and old, and the jocks and nerds (Okay, this one might be true).

 

Reportedly, Johnny Ramone wasn’t pleased with how the band was portrayed in the movie, because he felt it softened their image. In later years, however, his opinion seemed to skew in favor of the film. Alan Arkush and Joe Dante (who made multiple contributions to the movie) keep Rock ‘n’ Roll High School moving at a frenetic pace. Woven throughout are a series of one-off and recurring gags including a hapless freshman (played by co-writer Russ Dvonch) who’s continually stuffed into lockers and other inhospitable places, and a giant mouse* who crashes the concert. Above all else, it’s a nice showcase for the Ramones and their music, for fans and the uninitiated, alike. It may not change your life, but then again, maybe it will. 

* Fun Fact #7: The mutant mouse costume was created and worn by a young Rob Bottin. Bottin also provided the “Pinhead” mask, for the Ramones’ concert sequence, which he continued to do for their subsequent concerts.

 

Sources for this article: Blu-ray commentary by Alan Arkush, PJ Soles, and Clint Howard; “How I Made a Hundred Movies in Hollywood and Never Lost a Dime,” by Roger Corman (with Jim Jerome)

The Rutles: All You Need is Cash

 

(1978) Directed by Eric Idle and Gary Weis; Written by Eric Idle; Starring: Eric Idle, Neil Innes, John Halsey, Ricky Fataar, Michael Palin, George Harrison, and Mick Jagger; Available on DVD 

Rating: ****½

Side Note: The “cinematic” in Cinematic Catharsis implies that the films I discuss are predominately theatrical releases. With that in mind, I hope you’ll indulge me with this made-for-TV movie (Hey folks, rules are meant to be broken).

“Paul's never been one who enjoys criticism – which is to his detriment. I think it was a mistake, because I think it's important to get criticism. I saw Ringo again the other night, and he's the most balanced of all of them. He came out of it the most sane, because he had to have therapy to overcome alcoholism, so he has some perspective on it, and an appreciation of it – rather than just trying to run and hide from it all, all the time. It was so big... it's ridiculous. I think it's a difficult thing to overcome. Linda loved it. She loved it.” – Eric Idle (excerpted from 2012 interview) 

“The Beatles were never going to get back together, but The Rutles allowed the American public to pretend and to play a kid’s game, with air guitars or cricket bats as guitars. It was getting so silly with these Beatles reunion offers that someone needed to do something sillier.” – Neil Innes (from 2014 interview, featured in 2023 Classic Rock article)

It’s impossible to accurately gauge the lasting impact four lads from Liverpool made on the global pop music scene in the ‘60s. No, really, it’s impossible, since the music group in question never existed. Years before Spinal Tap was a gleam in Rob Reiner’s eye, Monty Python alumnus Eric Idle introduced us to the rise and fall of another fictional British band, The Rutles. The Rutles started out as a comic bit by Innes for British television in 1975, followed by a 1976 comedy sketch on Saturday Night Live. The SNL skit garnered much attention, playing a big part in Idle’s securing the funding to create a feature-length film with NBC. With a little help from his friends at SNL (watch for cameos of famous cast members peppered throughout) writer/director/star Idle teamed with co-director Gary Weiss and co-star/musician Neil Innes to tell the story of the alternate-universe Beatles.

The Rutles: All You Need is Cash introduces us to the “Prefab Four,” Dirk McQuickly (Eric Idle), Ron Nasty (Neil Innes), Stig O’Hara (Ricky Fataar), and Barry Wom (John Halsey). The mockumentary traces The Rutles from their humble beginnings, playing in a Liverpool club The Cavern (not to be confused with the Cavern Club), their rise to international superstardom with their “appearance” on the Ed Sullivan Show (using doctored footage from the real show). Idle leaves no stone unturned, chronicling the rise and fall of the Rutles, with their ups and downs, culminating in their final rooftop performance (performing “Get Up and Go” instead of “Get Back”). We learn about the group’s successes and scandals through a clever combination of “archival footage” (shot on 16 mm film and videotape) and interviews with fellow musicians who knew them best, such as Rolling Stones frontman, Mick Jagger.* Jagger’s deadpan delivery sells the musical tall tale (his then wife, Bianca, also appears playing Nasty’s less-than-enthused wife Martini). In addition to his other duties behind and in front of the camera, Idol** appears as the somewhat dim BBC-style narrator, as well as a drug-addled pseudo-intellectual musical “expert,” S.J. Krammerhead. 

* Fun Fact #1: In his DVD commentary, Idle mused how Jagger was surprisingly forthcoming about his thoughts on the Beatles, covertly viewed through the lens of his candid comments about the Rutles. 

** Fun Fact #2: Although he appears as bandmate Dirk McQuickly, Idle didn’t play guitar or sing. The music and vocals were performed by Innes, Ricky Fataar, John Halsey, and Ollie Halsall.  

A good parody requires a combination of knowledge and genuine affection for the source material. The heart and soul of The Rutles are the brilliant songs, penned by Neil Innes (formerly of the ‘60s band The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band and intermittent collaborator with the Monty Python troupe). More than simply mimicking the style of the Beatles’ songs, Innes intuitively knew what made their music tick, and why it was so catchy. Rather than systematically dissecting the Beatles’ diverse body of work, Innes’ musical creations sprung from his memories of their songs. The results are much more than mere parodies, but fully formed renditions that honor the source material (so much that you might be convinced Innes uncovered a secret stash of lost Beatles recordings). The influences of the original Beatles’ compositions are woven throughout. Don’t be too surprised if you find several of the tunes embedded in your cranium (particularly “I Must Be in Love,” “Ouch,” “Doubleback Alley,” and “Cheese and Onions”).

 

What did the Beatles members think of this back-handed homage? George Harrison,* who was onboard with the project almost from its inception, makes an appearance as a reporter, commenting on their failed business venture, Rutle Corps (a reference to the Beatles’ similarly doomed Apple Corps). The parody was a tougher sell for Paul McCartney, who was less than thrilled with Idle’s depiction of his quirky mannerisms, but he reluctantly acquiesced to the film being made (probably because of his wife Linda’s enjoyment of it). One of the film’s more pointed barbs depicted Ron Nasty (Innes) with his girlfriend Chastity (Gwen Taylor) in a Nazi SS uniform (surprisingly, John and Yoko loved the parody). Always the diplomat, Ringo Starr seemed to take a relaxed view of the movie (if he objected, he never led on to Idle). 

* Fun Fact #3: Idle recalled that when they were filming with Harrison, some people pushed him aside to ask if Idle and Innes were “real” Beatles.

The Rutles features so many wonderful gags that it would be a crime to describe them all. Some highlights, however, include a short animated sequence for “Yellow Submarine Sandwich”, * a parody of a Yoko Ono experimental film (substituting feet for posteriors), ** and a “man on the street” interview with the late, great Gilda Radner. After being badgered by Idle’s narrator, she suddenly blurts out a concise, pointed summary of the band and their legacy. 

* Fun Fact #4: According to Idle, he hired the same people who animated the original Yellow Submarine for the scene. 

** Fun Fact #5: If the voice singing the “You Need Feet” song sounds familiar, it’s none other than Bernard Bresslaw.

Despite the excellent songs and pedigree of actors/musicians involved, The Rutles failed to make a big splash on American TV. Aired in 1978 during prime time by NBC, it sadly didn’t stand a chance, being programmed against rival network ABC’s juggernaut, Charlie’s Angels. It’s also unfortunate to learn that Idle and Innes had a falling out later, but (to borrow a cliché) they certainly made beautiful music together when it came to this film. Within its scant 76-minute running time, the film manages to pull the wool over the audience’s eyes about the Rutles existence. Perhaps in some alternate universe, it’s the Rutles who rose to fame, while no had ever heard of the Beatles. Your enjoyment of The Rutles: All You Need is Cash will likely be proportional to how much you know the Beatles’ history and enjoy their body of work (and if you don’t like the Beatles, sorry, I can’t help you). Mocumentaries don’t get any better than this one.   

 

Sources for this article: DVD commentary by Eric Idle; “An Interview with Eric Idle,” by Ken P., IGN (2012); “The Rutles: The Strange and Surreal Story of the Original Spinal Tap,” by Mark Blake, Classic Rock (April 18, 2023) 

Puppet Month Quick Picks and Pans

 

Shari and Lamb Chop (2023) Lisa D'Apolito’s documentary is an affectionate ode to the career of pioneering children’s television host and ventriloquist Shari Lewis from her early days through her twilight years. Encouraged at a young age by her magician father and musician mother, Lewis developed her own act, eventually leading to a live television show, featuring Lamb Chop and her other puppet pals. D’Apolito delves into Lewis’ personal life, albeit not too deeply, choosing instead to focus on her many talents and decades-long career. We learn more about Lewis herself, through archival footage, as well as interviews with some of the individuals who knew her best, including her daughter Mallory. It’s an affecting portrait of a consummate performer who persisted through ups and downs, to entertain generations of children and adults. 

Rating: ***½. Available on DVD and Kanopy 

Devil Doll (1964) Ace journalist Marianne Horn (Yvonne Romain) and her editor/boyfriend Mark English (William Sylvester) investigate mesmerist The Great Vorelli (Bryant Haliday), who possesses an uncanny ability to hypnotize audience members. Part of Vorelli’s act involves a ventriloquist routine with his creepy dummy Hugo (particularly disturbing is a scene when he makes the inanimate puppet stand up on its own). Things go from bad to worse when she falls under Vorelli’s control, much to the dismay of Mark. The film is filled with unnerving moments, with palpable tension between ventriloquist and dummy. Will Hugo obey his master, or is the master a slave to Hugo? The film succeeds, largely due to Haliday’s excellent performance as the deranged Vorelli, incapable of having a relationship with a woman that doesn’t involve some form of coercion.

Rating: ***½. Available on Blu-ray, Prime Video and Tubi

Legend of the Sacred Stone (2000) In this fast-paced Taiwanese movie by writer/director Chris Huang, martial arts masters from around the region are recruited to keep a mystical stone from falling into the wrong hands. The fight scenes are surprisingly believable, thanks to a skillful combination of puppetry, swift editing, and CGI enhancement. Huang’s visually stunning film is hindered only by the thin story and expressionless puppet faces. These are minor quibbles, however, when the film looks this good.

Rating: ***. Available on DVD (Import)

Head (2015) Not to be confused with the trippy 1968 Monkees movie with the same name, this mildly amusing slasher/comedy might be worth a look. Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: a group of aimless, horny 20-somethings go camping in the same woods where a series of grisly murders took place. Now they’re struggling to survive as their friends are picked off, one-by-one. But here’s the twist: They’re all puppets. Filled with loads of puppet sex and gore, you can’t blame director/co-writer Jon Bristol from trying to keep us entertained. Despite the cheap production values and hackneyed script, it’s hard not to admire the effort on a certain level. 

Rating **½ stars. Available on DVD and Tubi

Let My Puppets Come (1976) Hoo-boy… Where to start with this one? Perhaps no other movie from the ‘70s so thoroughly embodied that weird and wonderful decade’s try-anything approach. Of course (to paraphrase a line from Jurassic Park), just because they could doesn’t mean they should have attempted a softcore porn film filled with puppets. If you can’t resist the urge to see this (hey, I’m not stopping you), be aware that there are two versions floating around: the original 75-minute cut, and the heavily edited 45-minute version. 

Fun Fact: Among the composers who contributed to the soundtrack is the multi-Academy Award-nominated Alan Silvestri (Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Back to the Future, The Abyss, and many more), who’d probably prefer if you didn’t know about his involvement with this movie. 

Rating: **. Available on Blu-ray (Out of Print) and other, less-reputable sources (Don’t ask).

Black Devil Doll from Hell (1984) Not to be confused with 1964’s Devil Doll (see review above), this shot-on-video wonder from producer/writer/director/composer Chester N. Turner is a head-scratcher. While poking around a second-hand shop, Helen Black (Shirley L. Jones), a devout young woman, discovers a ventriloquist’s dummy with dreadlocks. She inexplicably takes it home, despite a warning from the shopkeeper that it always finds its way back to the store. According to the backstory, the doll, which originated from the West Indies, could grant someone’s deepest desire. Of course, the last bit is just an excuse to make the dummy a sex maniac. Now, the once-virginal Helen can’t get enough of his special kind of lovin.’ Black Devil Doll from Hell is cheap, lewd, and unpleasant. Is it so bad it’s good, or just plain bad? I’ll let you be the judge, but if you decide to see it, don’t say I didn’t warn you. 

Rating *½. Available on DVD (Out of Print) and Internet Archive

 

 

Meet the Feebles

(1989) Directed by Peter Jackson; Written by: Fran Walsh, Stephen Sinclair, Danny Mulheron, and Peter Jackson; Starring: Danny Mulheron, Donna Akersten, Stuart Devenie Mark Hadlow and Ross Jolly. Available on DVD.

Rating: ***½

Note: Back in 2018, Peter Jackson announced that he was supervising the 4K transfers of his early works, including Meet the Feebles. Sadly, we have yet to enjoy the fruits of his labor in UHD (as nature intended) or HD. As a result, I hope you’ll excuse the shoddy quality of the screenshots below, taken from a (presumably) gray market DVD.     

“If we’re satirizing anything it’s the squeamishness of people, breaking taboos – but just for fun. Using puppets allowed us to do a lot of things I never would have tried with humans, we got away with murder, and made a lot of people blind to the film’s subversivness. But some found it sacrilegious to make an adult puppet film with sex and splatter violence.” – Peter Jackson (excerpt from 1992 Film Threat interview)

“I had a phone call recently from a couple of people in Los Angeles who had seen the film the night before and they were talking about the fly: ‘We were just assuming it was some really nice blue-screen work and motion control,’ and I said, ‘No, we just dragged it on the end of a piece of string.”’ – Peter Jackson (excerpt from 1990 interview)

If you ever watched The Muppet Show and wondered why it didn’t have more sex, scatological humor, and general nastiness, my first question would be, what’s wrong with you? On second thought, I might have exactly what you’re seeking. How do you follow up a debut called Bad Taste (1987), which suitably lived up to its title? With something even more objectionable, of course. Director/co-writer/camera operator Peter Jackson’s sophomore effort, Meet the Feebles*/** was promoted with the tagline: “The adult puppet movie with something to offend everybody!” In this case, it’s not an idle boast, featuring every imaginable form of effluvia (Yes, even THAT) leaking from every orifice for your stomach-turning pleasure. Filmed over 12 weeks for an estimated $750,000 (NZD),*** Jackson and crew used an abandoned railway shed in Wellington as their base of operations. When production went over-budget and over-schedule, the crew were pressed to complete the film with deferred salaries. 

* Fun Fact #1: Meet the Feebles wasn’t originally intended to be a feature film, but a 30-minute (or 20-minute according to another article) short for a proposed New Zealand television show, Uncle Herman’s Bedtime Whoppers. 

** Fun Fact #2: Meet the Feebles marks the first of many collaborations with Jackson’s longtime creative and life partner, Fran Walsh (who met Jackson during a screening of Bad Taste). 

*** Fun Fact #3: Although partially funded by a Japanese distribution company, it was mostly paid for with money from the New Zealand Film Commission. When the Commission reviewed a copy of the script, they subsequently pulled funding for Jackson’s movie (which they later reconsidered).

Meet the Feebles chronicles a day in the life of a troupe of performers in a variety show, leading up to their big TV debut. As with all good backstage dramas, it provides a warts-and-all peek behind the curtains, with a collection of scandals that would make Kenneth Anger blush. The show’s producer, an unscrupulous walrus named Bletch, has his fingers in several pies, including cheating on his slightly over-the-hill girlfriend Heidi the Hippo with a petite feline ingenue, while running a drug ring on the side. He’s accompanied by his sleazy henchman/enforcer Trevor (a rat who sounds like Peter Lorre), who has a side-business of his own, making porn and snuff films. Meanwhile, star performer Harry the Hare has contracted a deadly STD (aka: “The Big One”),* with his doctor (appropriately named Dr. Quack) informing him he only has several hours left to live. Add to the mix Sid the Elephant, who’s slapped with a paternity lawsuit by his chicken ex-girlfriend (Guess what the baby looks like?). Basking in the glow of all these trespasses and tragedies is a muckraker journalist fly,** gleefully compiling material for his tabloid. The only character in this frenzied, backstabbing soap opera who appears to be innocent of any wrongdoing is naïve young performer, Robert the Hedgehog,*** who serves as our guide to the ensuing insanity. 

* Fun Fact #4: According to a couple of articles, Harry is suffering from an acute form of myxomatosis, a potentially fatal disease that affects rabbits. 

** Fun Fact #5: According to Jackson, “The way I try to deflate that scene with humour is that he’s eating the shit with a nice silver spoon and he has this really funny line of dialogue. Ninety-nine per cent of people won’t hear that line because they’ll be far too busy freaking out.” 

*** Fun Fact #6: The Robert puppet required up to five operators for body movement as well as facial expressions.

Although Jackson insisted none of the puppets were intended to be direct parodies of specific Muppets (something he probably said to keep Jim Henson’s lawyers appeased), it’s impossible not to see the multiple parallels in the chaotic behind-the-scenes drama. Heidi the Hippo is analogous to Miss Piggy, down to her flair for diva antics. The knife-throwing Wynard the Frog, a chronic PTSD sufferer and heroin addict, seems to be an amalgamation of Muppets Signor Baffi and Lew Zealand (we learn more about his traumatic past, with a flashback parody of The Deer Hunter, containing some ill-advised Asian stereotype rodents). Another famous Muppet makes a stealth appearance when Harry the Hare (hoping to make it through the night’s performance) prays to a frog on a cross. Another unmistakable nod to The Muppet Show are the film’s various musical numbers, including the jaunty title track, Heidi’s schmaltzy “Garden of Love,” and Blech’s stage director Sebastian’s would be show-stopper, “Sodomy” (Did I mention this film is anything but subtle?).

It’s hard to believe that the road to Jackson’s runaway commercial success with the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit franchises was paved with such early works as Meet the Feebles, when a “try anything” approach ruled the day (and try anything, he did). If Jackson had never experimented with throwing stuff at the wall to see what stuck, it’s questionable that he would have adequately refined his filmmaking skills. Given the time, resources and budget, it’s a minor miracle that Jackson and company were able to create such an impressive array of Mup- (Ahem!) Feebles. As strange as it may seem, the film’s numerous creations* were a dress rehearsal for the many wondrous Wētā Workshop** creatures and effects that would follow. Compared to his considerably more polished later films, Meet the Feebles is crude, tasteless, and scattershot. It’s also quite funny, forcing audiences to laugh despite their better nature. We may never see anything like it again, which is, perhaps, at once a shame and a relief. 

* Fun Fact #7: Cameron Chittock led the construction of various puppets, ranging in size from tiny fly puppet to the appropriately named whale Mr. Big, which was approximately 20 feet long. 

** Fun Fact #8: Future Wētā Workshop founders Richard Taylor and Tania Rodger cut their teeth on the film’s production, as model maker and puppet coordinator/maker, respectively. 

 

Sources for this article: “Spluppet on a Shoestring,” by Steve Menzies, Onfilm (1989); “Jackson’s Movies: Meet the Feebles,” Film Review Special. 2005, Issue 60, p50-51; “Just the Feebles,” by Sheldon Teitelbaum, Cinefantastique, 1990, volume 20; Braindead: An Interview with Peter Jackson,” by David E. Williams, Film Threat (February 17, 1992); “Meet Your Creature Feature,” by Ian Prior, Illusions (Issue 13, 1990); “Braindead: An Interview with Peter Jackson,” by David E. Williams, Film Threat (February 17, 1992); “Sex, Drugs and Soft Toys,” TVNZ (1989)