Bill Murray Week: Ghostbusters

Welcome back to the double feature day of Bill Murray Week.  As was previously mentioned, this is to make up for yesterday’s lack of movie review.  As this was the sixth film under the wing of director Ivan Reitman (Foxy Lady, Cannibal Girls, Meatballs, Heavy Metal, Legal Eagles, Twins and Kindergarten Cop) Three parapsychology professors Peter Venkman (Bill Murray), Egon Spengler (Harold Ramis) and Raymond Stantz (Dan Aykroyd) have had their grants pulled, their tenure not renewed and they have been forcefully removed off campus of ESU.  Broke and destitute what will they do?  Go into business for themselves of course.  So grab your proton pack, set your trap and DO NOT shut off the main grid.  This is Ghostbusters.

I like the cut of your gib, sir.

Dr. Ray Stantz: Symmeterical book stacking. Just like the Philadelphia mass turbulence of 1947.

Dr. Peter Venkman: You’re right, no human spoiler would stack books like this.

After being tossed out on their collective ears from Eastern State University, our paranormal professors invest in developing technology that can trap, transport and contain spooks, ghosts and specters for a nominal fee.  After this usual eyeball rolling and skeptical standings their business starts booming and they are the talk of the town and country.  A reluctant client Dana Barrett (Sigourney Weaver of Alien The Year of Living Dangerously, Aliens, Copycat, Galaxy Quest and Avatar) claims that her apartment is haunted and Venkman is more than willing to check her out in her apartment…I mean head over to her apartment and check things out. 

Nerves of steel our scientists.

Stantz and Spengler start investigating the building itself and notice that its architecture draw ups are focused on natural ley lines that could draw enough psychokinetic energy to open a portal to a different realm of existence.  That alone should cause for worry but the other aspect is they are lacking in manpower to handle the massive load of undead plaguing New York and hire on Winston Zeddmore (Ernie Hudson of Dolemite II: The Human Tornado, Highcliffe Manor, Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone, The Substitute, The Crow and The Adventures of Mickey Matson and the Copperhead Treasure)   To make matters worse a member of the EPA Walter Peck feels the power grid requirements of the Ghostbusters is a dangerous threat to the city and state.  My theory is he wasn’t hugged enough as a child.  Their power grid is shut off and the containment unit overloads releasing all the nasties they spent months capturing.   They all journey towards Dana’s building converging to bring out an awesome entity the likes humanity had not seen in thousands of years.   With the mayor receiving threats, pleas and demands on what will be done he allows the Ghostbusters a crack at the problem in order to save all of New York.

I had just a few comments and notes to mention about the movie at this time.  Prior to his unfortunate death, John Belushi was slated to play Peter Venkman.  Think on that for a second.   Aykroyd used to joke that “Slimer” was the ghost of John Belushi.  The electric shock treatment in the beginning of the movie was a parody on the 1930’s Rhine Experiments testing subjects for ESP.   To this day, this is one of the most highly quotable movies in existence.  According to the DVD commentary, Ivan Reitman got a call from William Atherton who played Walter Peck that is was such a hated ass they wanted him dead and actually he got in more than a few fist fights in bars over this character and somehow that was all Ivan’s fault.   Hmm, maybe Atherton just plays jerk a little too well.

This...could be a problem.

Bill Murray Week: Stripes

Back again boys and girls for Day 3 of Bill Murray Week and we need to do a double feature due to yesterday kinda caught up with me so no worries you will get your fix.  That being said; today’s film is a collaboration of Harold Ramis (SCTV, Meatballs, Caddyshack, Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II), Len Blum (Meatballs, Feds, Dream Tower, Private Parts and Over the Hedge) and Daniel Goldberg (Cannibals Girls, Meatballs, Heavy Metal and Feds) collective writing to bring out brash comedy, reckless behavior and the modern Army.   Our boy of course is the focus of this movie as former cab driver John Winger so make roll call, get your gear together and get ready to raise Hell.  This is Stripes.

Cabs handle better after an entire bottle of cough syrup.

General Barnicke:  Are you telling me that you men finished your training on your own?

John Winger: That’s the fact, Spoiler!

Soldiers: That’s the fact, Jack!

John Winger (Bill Murray) is a cab driver who manages within the sitting of a few hours systematically loses his job, his car is repossessed and his girlfriend leaves him.  His best friend Russell Ziskey (Harold Ramis of SCTV, Heavy Metal, Ghostbusters, Baby Boom, Ghostbusters II and As Good as It Gets) a professor of English at a community college and they both make the decision to join the Army.   Off the bus to Fort Arnold they meet up with their cohort recruits and their drill sergeant, Sergeant Hulka (Warren Oates of In the Heat of the Night, The Wild Bunch, Badlands, 1941 and The Border) who does not see eye to eye with the sarcastic Winger and helps him with his attitude with pushups and a bit of an ass whooping.  Due to training accident with a mortar explosion; Hulka is in medical so the boys sneak out with their fellow boot campers to a mud wrestling bar.

War games gone askew.

Their floundering commander Captain Stillman (John Larroquette of Black Sheep Squadron, Altered States, Green Ice, Cat People, Night Court and The John Larroquette Show) reprimands them and demands the whole unit does not get to graduate.  Winger and company shape up and finish their training for graduation proving them to the brass and are on assignment watching an Urban Assault Vehicle called the EM-50 (the RV from Hell).   Winger and Ziskey take off to West Germany to visit their MP girlfriends AWOL and Stillman is convinced they are commie spies so it is a search and destroy mission off the books.

Now I have a quick couple of highlights of the film.   A gathering of actors cut their teeth on this film such as: John Diehl, Judge Reinhold, P.J. Soles, Sean Young, John Larroquette and Timothy Busfield.  SCTV Network 90 members joined this film were of course Harold Ramis, John Candy, Dave Thomas and Joe Flattery.  This is deemed by many as a Bill Murray classic for the raunchiest behavior, sexual references, drugs, liquor and snarky comedy that is still funny.  Czechoslovakia of course now the Czech Republic now no longer under Soviet standing but hey it’s no Wisconsin.

Clearly she is getting the Aunt Jemima treatment.

Bill Murray Week: Where the Buffalo Roam

Welcome back my little campers to Day 2 of that funny man Bill Murray’s week.  I have been doing some digging for the more obscure titles that he has done as well as find something for me to watch and chuckle at.  Today’s bijou flick hails from the askew brain of one Hunter S. Thompson (American journalist of Rolling Stone magazine and author of such titles as: Where the Buffalo Roam, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Woman Found Dead in Elevator and The Rum Diary) the self proclaimed Gonzo writer that indulged in various drugs and alcohol prior to involving himself directly in the action of said story that he became the focal point of the story.  Now I am sure many of you saw Johnny Depp’s portrayal of Thompson in Terry Gilliam’s Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas but few can probably tell me of Murray’s likeness in today’s movie.  So grab that bottle of ether, do a few lines of this Bolivian dust and for God’s sake watch the road.  This is Where the Buffalo Roam.

Nick Nolte?? Oh no, wait it's Thompson.

Hunter S. Thompson:  In my case, you know, I hate to advocate spoilers or liquor, violence, insanity to anyone.  But in my case it’s worked.

Our film opens in the Colorado ranch of Dr. Thompson (Bill Murray of SNL, Stripes, Ghostbusters, Groundhog Day and Lost in Translation) as he feverously tries to finish a story about his former attorney and long time friend Carl Lazlo (Peter Boyle of Young Frankenstein, Taxi Driver, Outland, NYPD Blue and Everyone Loves Raymond) when he suddenly flashes back to some shenanigans he and Lazlo got up to.  LSD can do this folks so don’t hunt for the formula. 

Murray's Batman audition as the Penguin does not go as planned.

In 1968, Lazlo is avidly fighting for some young kids in San Francisco who are getting stiff prison sentences for the possession of marijuana.  Yes 5 to 10 for grass, people.  Lazlo convinces Thompson to write an article about this injustice in Blast Magazine.  Thompson’s editor Marty Lewis (Bruno Kirby of The Godfather: Part II, Good Morning, Vietnam, When Harry Met Sally…, City Slickers and Sleepers) is at his wit’s end in reminding Thompson he has a little less than 19 hours to make the deadline.  During the trial the last kid get s a five year stretch for having a pound of wacky tabaccy in his possession and Lazlo reacts badly by beating the crap out of the prosecutor and jailed for contempt.

The story is a huge success and Lazlo disappears out of Thompson’s life for 4 years only to pop back while our hero is doing a freelance gig covering the Super Bowl, Lazlo tells him to drop the story and journey with him on a smuggling ring story instead and enlist with his freedom fighters.  

This whole film revolves around drunken antics, falsified representation in the search for the truth and benders that would put Charlie Sheen off his lunch.   It was said that to capture the character of Thompson that Murray hung out with him, drank, went shooting guns and in general had a great time but much to the chagrin of his fellow SNL cast members as he was still a bit “Gonzo” for the next season of Saturday Night Live.  Hey that just makes the audience’s show that more enjoyable, gang!

No smoking on the flight, sir!

Bill Murray Week: Caddyshack

Welcome to Day 1 of Bill Murray Week!  With it being a cold miserable day out, I thought I would start us off with some light nudity, vulgar comments, life altering decisions, a persistent groundskeeper and one wily gopher.  It is important to note this film does not revolve around the lead actors but in fact the story arcs envelope the caddies rather than the golfers.  That being said I would invite you to gather your clubs, bend at the knees for better swing and above all else, be the ball.  This is Caddyshack.

Danny, you ever seen a grown man naked?

Carl Spackler: Cinderella story. Outta nowhere. A former greenskeeper, now, about to become the Masters champion.  It looks like a spoiler… It’s in the hole! It’s in the hole! It’s in the hole!

From the demented minds of writer/director/actor Harold Ramis (SCTV, Meatballs, Stripes, The Rodney Dangerfield Show: It’s Not Easy Bein’ Me, Ghostbuster and Back to School) and character actor/screenwriter/voice actor Brian Doyle-Murray (Modern Problems, Saturday Night Live, Sixteen Candles, Scrooged, Nothing But Trouble, JFK and Groundhog Day) comes a story of the madcap goings on an a prestigious and rather exclusive golf club known as Bushwood Country Club.   The members are insanely wealthy and easily bored, the staff are back breaking blue collars that need some squirrelly in their lives to relieve the monotony.

Jeez, haven't seen this much chest sweat since Night of the Living Dead.

Our film revolves around a young caddie name of Danny (Michael O’ Keefe of M*A*S*H, The Great Santini, Fear, Against the Law and King & Maxwell) who is scrounging all his funds to go to college, he attempts to befriend a prominent member Judge Smails (Ted Knight of 13 West Street, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Aquaman, The Batman/Superman Hour, Super Friends and Too Close for Comfort) a petty man that feels he is entitled more than he already is but can offer a recommendation and the Caddy scholarship for Danny if Danny plays by the rules…yawn. 

Enter eccentric Ty Webb (Chevy Chase of SNL, Foul Play, National Lampoon’s Vacation, Fletch, Spies Like Us and Community) an exquisite golfer and playboy millionaire whose point of view on life is mostly based on the ideal swing and the pursuit of young women.  Danny is asked to attend the christening of the Judge’s new sail boat and Danny gets above and beyond friendly with the Judge’s niece Lacey (Cindy Morgan of Up Yours, Tron, CHiPs, Bring ‘Em Back Alive and Falcon Crest) but Smails tells Danny all is alright so long as he keeps things quiet.   Land developer Al Czervik (Comedian Rodney Dangerfield)torments our uptight judge during a game and informs Smails he wouldn’t bother being a member of this snooty club and just turn the land into condos.

I saved the best for last.  You are probably asking, “Jake, where in the fresh hell is Bill Murray??!!!”  Well, stop shouting and hang on.  Our hero steals the show in many solo scenes as Carl Spackler, the greenskeeper who has been tasked with the continuous problem of gophers in the court and engages in a one man war against the furry antagonist.   Visual effects guru of Industrial Light and Magic John Dykstra makes small scale and life scale burrows and animatronics for the gopher giving a ridiculous but elaborate network of tunnels under the course.  It reminded me a bit of Dagobah in Empire Strikes Back.

It’s raunchy, rude and really funny.  A side note this was Dangerfield’s first film after a steady career in stand-up couldn’t understand why the film crew wasn’t cracking up from his one-liners and antics.  His co-star Scott Colomby (Tony D’ Annunzio) told him the crew is biting their tongues and cheeks so they don’t laugh over the soundtrack and he is slaying them.

Burying a human body can be a lot of work...where you goin'?!

Bill Murray Week

Howdy campers!!! How are we doing this fine frosty Monday???  In my ultimate wisdom I could not think of a weekly topic but thanks to the influence of my lovely lady's teasing about cheesy 80's films it hit me.  I thought I would pay homage to a man that has made me laugh throughout the years, provoked emotion from his drama and compelled me in appreciating that I still have hair.

I might be wrecked...I am still processing.

I speak of the "Not Ready for Prime Time Player" SNL beloved Bill Murray.  From his early radio days of National Lampoon Hour with fellow SNL actors Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi and Gilda Radner to portraying Hunter S. Thompson on the big screen; this 6' 2" man of mirth has a lastly career ranging into Comedy, Drama, voice work for animation and children's movies.  It is only fair that I take time to bring some of his noteworthy performances to light.

Gather around your various media devices and join me for Bill Murray Week.

Thanks Jay.

Holiday Havoc Week: Jack Frost

Welcome one and all to Holiday Havoc Week have come to an end and there would have been a write-up yesterday but stomach issues were making that impossible.  Of course I hinted to our next title after Santa’s Slay so prepare yourselves for blatant over the top acting, farfetched plots and acting more wooden than Sherwood Forest.  Our terrorizing tale hails from the fictional town of Snowmonton (which vaguely looks like Big Bear Lake California) about a serial killer attacking its citizens from beyond the grave.  So grab your snow shovel, get a bonfire going and get ready your coal.  This is Jack Frost.

This time, the frost bite is killer!

Jack Frost: Gosh. I only axed you for a spoiler.

Our low budgeted horror comedy film opens with serial killer Jack Frost (Scott MacDonald of Fire in the Sky, Stargate SG-1, Star Trek: Enterprise, Carnivale and Threshold) being brought in for his execution when thanks to some mediocre writing by writer/director Michael Cooney (Tracks of a Killer, Murder in Mind, Jack Frost 2: Revenge of the Mutant Killer Snowman, Identity and 6 Souls) a convenient truck carrying experimental mutagenic material slips on a ice patch and crashes into the transport truck.  Jack seizes this opportunity to flee from the truck only to fall into what looks like a slushee mixture and burn alive in a vat of acidic compound.  The lethal injection was looking pretty good instead.

Looks like he wants to kill his agent and not the snowman.

A week after the accident in the town of Snowmonton is Christmas time and local Sheriff Sam Tiler (TV Veteran character actor Christopher Allport of Barnaby Jones, And I Alone Survived, Dynasty, In the Heat of the Night, Felicity and Shark) is doing his rounds, making there is no underage drinking and all the other challenges of a small town to contend with when he gets a call of Old Man Harper is found murdered.  His pointless deputy and the coroner go to see the pandemonium and crack a few jokes.  Yes his actual credits are released as Old Man Harper.  Apparently Old Timer Billy Slader was busy and couldn’t be asked to appear.

Some local snow bullies also end up dead and it is smacking of a serial killer when Sam’s son Ryan (Zack Eginton of Forget Paris, Indictment: The McMartin Trial, Eye for an Eye and The Iron Giant) tells dear old Dad that it was a snowman that attacked the boys.  Ruffling the lad’s hair and sending him home the Sheriff is bemused and perplexed at his son.   More bodies are piling like cordwood and the M.O. is starting to remind Sam of Jack Frost. With some assistance from Agents Manners and Stone of unmentioned Federal involvement the town is under curfew while these blocks of wood knock their collective heads together to find and stop the killer.

Okay you should have known I had a few comments on our straight-to-DVD film here.   First off this is Shannon Elizabeth’s (American Pie, Thirteen Ghosts, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, Cursed and Night of the Demons) first starring role in Film and TV.  Secondly this wonderful opus has made the town of Fawnskin California northwest of Bear Bear Lake infamous or famous depending on its cult status.   Thirdly, this film has a...well snowman rape scene so…yeah I am not really certain what to even talk about in that.  The death sequences are meant to be comical, the effect are low par, the acting is laughable and the plot is so poorly connected it is a wonder anyone would put that on their writing resume.   

So if you didn’t get enough of absurd killers to the like of the Leprechaun, Chucky or Killer Klowns  From Outer Space then this is the film for you.

Snowflakes give me a rash!

Holiday Havoc Week: Santa's Slay

Welcome back to Holiday Havoc Week and I sure hope the New Year’s hangovers go as quickly as the hundred years war.  Yes I am a bit sour but moving right along into today’s flick about a less than holly and jolly old rosy cheeked fellow.  A towering mammoth of a man bringing holiday death to all the good and bad girls and boys is on the loose and coming to your town.  So say your prayers and be true in your hearts.  This is Santa’s Slay.

Ho, ho, holy crap that's Bill Goldberg!

Santa: I’m Santa, not spoilin’ Dracula!

In the tradition of cheese that was the horror films Jack Frost and Uncle Sam brings us to the tale of the Anti-Christ losing a bet with an angel.  Y’see in spite of the Devil’s son being big, buff and down and out nasty, he is lousy at curling.  Yes I did say curling.  For his spectacular loss the demon must be a good jolly fellow that hands out toys to all the good girls and boys.  For a thousand years our cherub demon suffers being good until 2005 and he is off the hook and out of control.  Our opening scene consists of a gathering of folks around a dinner table snarking at one another when down the chimney comes old Saint Nick (Bill Goldberg of WCW, WWE, Universal Soldier: The Return, Ready to Rumble and The Longest Yard remake) who greets this happy family with gore gags galore.  Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus…and boy is he ticked. 

Fran, I told you to stay away from the green screen. Sheesh actors.

Our dark comedy shows some passes from a book written in what looked at a guess given the Latin text and pronunciations telling the tale how Santa lost his bet.  Course that is nothing compared to the Chubacabra having to go Vegan for a lousy poker hand.  

Back to our story, a young teen Nicolas Yuleman (Douglas Smith of Blast from the Past, Big Love, Antiviral and Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters) not of this festive time turns to his rather quaint grandfather (Robert Culp of I Spy, Bob & Carol &Ted & Alice, The Greatest American Hero, Columbo and Gargoyles) who shows the lad the Book of Klaus telling of his origins.  Knowing that Santa is on a bloody rampage Nick and his girlfriend Mary “Mac” Mackenzie (Emilie de Ravin of Lost, The Hills Have Eyes, Brick and Public Enemies) to avenge their happy go lucky boss, stop Santa’s spree of death and ensure people have a merry Christmas.

Okay now this is just a collection of spoilers and fun facts about this movie.  Our opening scene looks a bit anti-Semitic given the various Jewish actors being slain in the first 3 minutes of the film.  Fran Drescher, James Caan, Rebecca Gayheart and Chris Kattan all slaughtered and then it hit me.  Bill Goldberg did them all in and I relaxed my PC button just so.    I got a kick out of Dave Thomas as the local pastor at a strip club escaping the terror as it burns down and yes fellas there was nudity at the club.  The large buffalo that was Santa’s Helldeer was an interesting choice and overall this was a cheesy film with some mildly hokey effects but I got a good laugh.

Flaming reindeer poop works great as a hand warmer.