John Ritter would have an Oscar on his shelf had he lived. I will die on that hill. "Sling Blade," in which I didn't recognize him for much of the film, showed he could do drama.
Which doesn't surprise me that much, because comedy is actually *much* harder than drama. As PJ O'Rourke once wrote, anyone can get on stage and I say "I have cancer" and win over the crowd, but how many people can go up there and be a stand-up comic for five minutes?
Curiously, most of Jim Belushi's comedies were panned (though he's actually quite good in this film) but some of his dramatic performances like "Salvador" and "The Ghost Writer" earned him solid reviews. I wonder what might have been had he'd gone in that direction instead of trying to copy his late brother.
I was very excited to see that you had written about this one because I thought I was the only person on Earth who remembered it. And fondly I might add. My favorite scene might be when the Russians have our heroes cornered and then immediately stop shooting because it's lunchtime. Definitely very credible.
I was very excited to see that you had written about this one because I thought I was the only person on Earth who remembered it. And fondly I might add. My favorite scene might be when the Russians have our heroes cornered and then immediately stop shooting because it's lunchtime. Definitely very credible.
To me, the weirdest part of this decidedly weird movie is that Dyanne Thorne is in it, playing a transwoman. I wonder if they cast her not knowing, or caring, that she was best known for playing Ilsa, She-Wolf of the SS/Harem Keeper of the Oil Shiekhs/Tigress of Siberia, or if they cast her because they thought it would be funny to have an actor with that resume in their movie!
It was written and directed by Dennis Feldman, who's writing credits, at least, are mostly pretty solid; JUST ONE OF THE GUYS (which may be where he first got the idea for gender-bending as humor), THE GOLDEN CHILD, DEAD AGAIN and SPECIES.
"...I found myself wondering how a script this crazy and defiantly non-commercial was green-lit..."
Non-commercial is right. I worked in a theater in 1987 that showed this film. It was one of several films during my time there that was gone before the week was over (the others being The Squeeze with Michael Keaton and shockingly Evil Dead 2). Nobody came to see these movies after the first couple of days.
I was surprised with Real Men - I saw it during that run and didn't know what to make of it. On one hand, it's incredibly slight and doesn't feel like a real honest-to-goodness movie. On the other, I remember honestly laughing at some scenes (the payoff to "Who are these clowns?" got a big chuckle out of me) and the movie stuck in my head for years. I even had the poster displayed in my bedroom for a while.
"Who are those clowns?" is the only sequence I remember about this movie, and it is a good cut-to-punchline gag. Also "I'm working with a bunch of clowns!" is pretty good
John Ritter would have an Oscar on his shelf had he lived. I will die on that hill. "Sling Blade," in which I didn't recognize him for much of the film, showed he could do drama.
Which doesn't surprise me that much, because comedy is actually *much* harder than drama. As PJ O'Rourke once wrote, anyone can get on stage and I say "I have cancer" and win over the crowd, but how many people can go up there and be a stand-up comic for five minutes?
Curiously, most of Jim Belushi's comedies were panned (though he's actually quite good in this film) but some of his dramatic performances like "Salvador" and "The Ghost Writer" earned him solid reviews. I wonder what might have been had he'd gone in that direction instead of trying to copy his late brother.
I was very excited to see that you had written about this one because I thought I was the only person on Earth who remembered it. And fondly I might add. My favorite scene might be when the Russians have our heroes cornered and then immediately stop shooting because it's lunchtime. Definitely very credible.
I was very excited to see that you had written about this one because I thought I was the only person on Earth who remembered it. And fondly I might add. My favorite scene might be when the Russians have our heroes cornered and then immediately stop shooting because it's lunchtime. Definitely very credible.
I remember this movie and although I looked for the quote to make sure I got it right, this made me laugh as a kid and I think about it occasionally.
Bob : I didn't know you smoked.
Nick : Just after sex, Bob. I'm trying to give it up.
Bob : Well, at least you don't smoke that much.
Nick : About a pack a day.
Bob : That'll kill ya!
Nick : Bob, it won't kill ya. But it will make you very sore.
I haven't looked it up either, but I'm pretty sure that's the exact quote! Good memory. A great subtle comedy line.
To me, the weirdest part of this decidedly weird movie is that Dyanne Thorne is in it, playing a transwoman. I wonder if they cast her not knowing, or caring, that she was best known for playing Ilsa, She-Wolf of the SS/Harem Keeper of the Oil Shiekhs/Tigress of Siberia, or if they cast her because they thought it would be funny to have an actor with that resume in their movie!
It was written and directed by Dennis Feldman, who's writing credits, at least, are mostly pretty solid; JUST ONE OF THE GUYS (which may be where he first got the idea for gender-bending as humor), THE GOLDEN CHILD, DEAD AGAIN and SPECIES.
Ritter was one of cinema's great Normies -- he killed it as the meek Mall manager in Bad Santa.
"...I found myself wondering how a script this crazy and defiantly non-commercial was green-lit..."
Non-commercial is right. I worked in a theater in 1987 that showed this film. It was one of several films during my time there that was gone before the week was over (the others being The Squeeze with Michael Keaton and shockingly Evil Dead 2). Nobody came to see these movies after the first couple of days.
I was surprised with Real Men - I saw it during that run and didn't know what to make of it. On one hand, it's incredibly slight and doesn't feel like a real honest-to-goodness movie. On the other, I remember honestly laughing at some scenes (the payoff to "Who are these clowns?" got a big chuckle out of me) and the movie stuck in my head for years. I even had the poster displayed in my bedroom for a while.
"Who are those clowns?" is the only sequence I remember about this movie, and it is a good cut-to-punchline gag. Also "I'm working with a bunch of clowns!" is pretty good
I've been curious to see this one for a while now and now I'm even more curious!