When the moon is high and the shadows stretch long, there’s nothing quite like a monster mash to get the blood curdling in the best possible way. Yep, we’re talking about those rare cinematic feasts where Dracula toasts with Frankenstein, and the Wolfman crashes the party, only to find out the Mummy’s been hogging the dip. Welcome to the ultimate guide to horror’s most iconic gatherings – a list that promises more monster movies than a Halloween bash at Castle Dracula.
Before we unleash the monsters, a quick plug! Dive deeper into classic and modern monster lore with our “Graveyard Smash” limited podcast series on Patreon. Our latest haunt? Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein. Don’t miss it! Support us and get exclusive access at Nightmare on Film Street on Patreon.
20Th Century Studios 10. Transylvania 6-5000 (1985)
Directed by Rudy De Luca, this offbeat comedy takes a jab...
Before we unleash the monsters, a quick plug! Dive deeper into classic and modern monster lore with our “Graveyard Smash” limited podcast series on Patreon. Our latest haunt? Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein. Don’t miss it! Support us and get exclusive access at Nightmare on Film Street on Patreon.
20Th Century Studios 10. Transylvania 6-5000 (1985)
Directed by Rudy De Luca, this offbeat comedy takes a jab...
- 2/27/2024
- by Kimberley Elizabeth
A father and daughter have accused movie star and comedian Pauly Shore of assault and battery for allegedly encouraging security members to attack the father, who was visiting the Los Angeles comedy club The Comedy Store in 2022.
The plaintiffs named in the lawsuit are Sean Kehoe and his daughter Kirra Lyn Potts, who say security personnel “violently grabbed and attacked” Kehoe during an incident that took place on Nov. 30, 2022. The legal document also states Kehoe sustained “severe injuries” after the members dragged him. The alleged attacked resulted in Potts undergoing “mental and emotional distress” and “extreme mental anguish” because she witnessed her father being assaulted.
The two also claim in the lawsuit, a copy of which TheWrap obtained, that the comedian was fully aware, prior to the act, and “agreed with and encouraged” the security team to follow through with the attack. They claim that he is responsible for staff...
The plaintiffs named in the lawsuit are Sean Kehoe and his daughter Kirra Lyn Potts, who say security personnel “violently grabbed and attacked” Kehoe during an incident that took place on Nov. 30, 2022. The legal document also states Kehoe sustained “severe injuries” after the members dragged him. The alleged attacked resulted in Potts undergoing “mental and emotional distress” and “extreme mental anguish” because she witnessed her father being assaulted.
The two also claim in the lawsuit, a copy of which TheWrap obtained, that the comedian was fully aware, prior to the act, and “agreed with and encouraged” the security team to follow through with the attack. They claim that he is responsible for staff...
- 1/27/2024
- by Raquel 'Rocky' Harris
- The Wrap
Sammy Shore, who co-founded the World Famous Comedy Store in Los Angeles has died. He was 92.
The stand-up comedian passed away of natural causes at his home in Las Vegas and was surrounded by family, according to a tribute posted Saturday on The Comedy Store’s Facebook page.
“Words can’t express how much his comedic gift, friendship, and beneficence will be missed. The bright light he shone and the laughter he brought into the lives of everyone he touched will never dim. There is only one ‘Brother Sam’!” the post read.
Shore co-founded The Comedy Store with his writing partner Rudy De Luca in 1972. It would soon become one of most popular comedy clubs in the nation.
His son, actor and comedian Pauly Shore, posted a series of tweets Saturday about the late comedian’s commitment to his family and his love of comedy.
I'm saddened to let everyone...
The stand-up comedian passed away of natural causes at his home in Las Vegas and was surrounded by family, according to a tribute posted Saturday on The Comedy Store’s Facebook page.
“Words can’t express how much his comedic gift, friendship, and beneficence will be missed. The bright light he shone and the laughter he brought into the lives of everyone he touched will never dim. There is only one ‘Brother Sam’!” the post read.
Shore co-founded The Comedy Store with his writing partner Rudy De Luca in 1972. It would soon become one of most popular comedy clubs in the nation.
His son, actor and comedian Pauly Shore, posted a series of tweets Saturday about the late comedian’s commitment to his family and his love of comedy.
I'm saddened to let everyone...
- 5/18/2019
- by Anita Bennett
- Deadline Film + TV
A new four-part docuseries about the history of the storied Los Angeles comedy club, the Comedy Store, will premiere on Showtime in 2020. The docuseries will look at how the Comedy Store served as an incubator and launching pad for top comedians like David Letterman, Robin Williams, Chris Rock, Sarah Silverman, Dave Chapelle and more. The project will boast never-before-seen footage, as well as interviews with people like Judd Apatow, David Spade, Martin Lawrence and Bob Saget.
The as-yet-untitled project will be directed by Mike Binder. Binder has directed films like Black or White,...
The as-yet-untitled project will be directed by Mike Binder. Binder has directed films like Black or White,...
- 4/22/2019
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
Another new name has been added to the cast of Fox’s The Exorcist TV series, and it should excite fans of Beetlejuice and 1986’s The Fly.
Variety reports that Geena Davis has joined the cast of The Exorcist TV series. Davis is set to play the role of Angela Rance, who “does everything she can to stay positive and keep her faith even though her family is currently struggling.” Despite her sunny outlook on life, Angela dreams of a demon and wonders if it is related to the problems plaguing her family.
Angela appears to be the mother of Charlotte Rance (Brianne Howey from Scream Queens), a teenager who is potentially possessed by a demon following an intense accident, and Charolotte’s concerned sister, Casey (Hannah Kasulka from The Fosters).
Horror fans are well aware of Geena Davis, who previously starred in David Cronenberg’s The Fly, Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice,...
Variety reports that Geena Davis has joined the cast of The Exorcist TV series. Davis is set to play the role of Angela Rance, who “does everything she can to stay positive and keep her faith even though her family is currently struggling.” Despite her sunny outlook on life, Angela dreams of a demon and wonders if it is related to the problems plaguing her family.
Angela appears to be the mother of Charlotte Rance (Brianne Howey from Scream Queens), a teenager who is potentially possessed by a demon following an intense accident, and Charolotte’s concerned sister, Casey (Hannah Kasulka from The Fosters).
Horror fans are well aware of Geena Davis, who previously starred in David Cronenberg’s The Fly, Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice,...
- 3/7/2016
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
As we get closer and closer to Halloween, the home entertainment releases on Blu-ray and DVD seem to get better and better, as this Tuesday will see the release of several fantastic cult classics and so much more. On October 13th, Criterion Collection is bringing home David Cronenberg’s terrifying masterpiece The Brood to both Blu and DVD and we’ve also got The Return of Count Yorga to look forward to courtesy of Scream Factory.
For those of you who love a good "bad movie," Synapse Releasing has a restored version of the granddaddy of them all, Manos: The Hands of Fate, arriving on both formats this week as well.
Other notable October 13th releases include a two-disc Blu-ray of the 192os classic The Phantom of the Opera, The Gallows, the 2oth anniversary release of Mosquito, Shakma, Tomorrowland, and the high-def debut of Class of Nuke ’Em High 3.
The Brood (Criterion Collection,...
For those of you who love a good "bad movie," Synapse Releasing has a restored version of the granddaddy of them all, Manos: The Hands of Fate, arriving on both formats this week as well.
Other notable October 13th releases include a two-disc Blu-ray of the 192os classic The Phantom of the Opera, The Gallows, the 2oth anniversary release of Mosquito, Shakma, Tomorrowland, and the high-def debut of Class of Nuke ’Em High 3.
The Brood (Criterion Collection,...
- 10/13/2015
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
The Deathmaster returns from "beyond the grave" tomorrow when Scream Factory releases The Return of Count Yorga on Blu-ray, and we've been provided with three copies to give away.
The Return of Count Yorga Blu-ray: "A horrifying love story… with bite!
When the overlord of the damned rises again to prowl the shadows, who will stand against The Return Of Count Yorga? Robert Quarry is back as one of the most dapper vampires to ever set up shop in California in this thrilling sequel that really raises the stakes. Revived by the well-known supernatural properties of the Santa Ana winds, our undead leading man takes to the streets with an unquenchable thirst. In search of new blood, Yorga moves next door to an orphanage. But when he crosses paths with a beautiful young woman, the Count's thoughts turn to love. Has the ruler of the night finally found the girl...
The Return of Count Yorga Blu-ray: "A horrifying love story… with bite!
When the overlord of the damned rises again to prowl the shadows, who will stand against The Return Of Count Yorga? Robert Quarry is back as one of the most dapper vampires to ever set up shop in California in this thrilling sequel that really raises the stakes. Revived by the well-known supernatural properties of the Santa Ana winds, our undead leading man takes to the streets with an unquenchable thirst. In search of new blood, Yorga moves next door to an orphanage. But when he crosses paths with a beautiful young woman, the Count's thoughts turn to love. Has the ruler of the night finally found the girl...
- 10/12/2015
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Scream Factory's giving Robert Quarry fans an early Halloween treat with their October 13th Blu-ray release of The Return of Count Yorga, and we have vampiric clips and a trailer to give you an idea of the sharp-toothed scares to come.
The Return of Count Yorga Blu-ray: "A horrifying love story… with bite!
When the overlord of the damned rises again to prowl the shadows, who will stand against The Return Of Count Yorga? Robert Quarry is back as one of the most dapper vampires to ever set up shop in California in this thrilling sequel that really raises the stakes. Revived by the well-known supernatural properties of the Santa Ana winds, our undead leading man takes to the streets with an unquenchable thirst. In search of new blood, Yorga moves next door to an orphanage. But when he crosses paths with a beautiful young woman, the Count's thoughts turn to love.
The Return of Count Yorga Blu-ray: "A horrifying love story… with bite!
When the overlord of the damned rises again to prowl the shadows, who will stand against The Return Of Count Yorga? Robert Quarry is back as one of the most dapper vampires to ever set up shop in California in this thrilling sequel that really raises the stakes. Revived by the well-known supernatural properties of the Santa Ana winds, our undead leading man takes to the streets with an unquenchable thirst. In search of new blood, Yorga moves next door to an orphanage. But when he crosses paths with a beautiful young woman, the Count's thoughts turn to love.
- 10/10/2015
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Two of my favorite Aip horror movies, Count Yorga, Vampire and The Return of Count Yorga, are both making their way to Blu-ray this October. Scream Factory will be handling the release of the sequel and we now have final release details, including the list of bonus features.
"A horrifying love story… with bite! Scream Factory proudly presents The Return of Count Yorga in its North American Blu-ray debut on October 13, 2015. The sequel to the hit 1970 original film Count Yorga, Vampire, the Deathmaster makes his triumphant return in this release, complete with special features including an audio commentary with film historian Steve Haberman and actor Rudy De Luca (Dracula: Dead and Loving It).
When the overlord of the damned rises again to prowl the shadows, who will stand against The Return Of Count Yorga? Robert Quarry is back as one of the most dapper vampires to ever set up shop...
"A horrifying love story… with bite! Scream Factory proudly presents The Return of Count Yorga in its North American Blu-ray debut on October 13, 2015. The sequel to the hit 1970 original film Count Yorga, Vampire, the Deathmaster makes his triumphant return in this release, complete with special features including an audio commentary with film historian Steve Haberman and actor Rudy De Luca (Dracula: Dead and Loving It).
When the overlord of the damned rises again to prowl the shadows, who will stand against The Return Of Count Yorga? Robert Quarry is back as one of the most dapper vampires to ever set up shop...
- 8/20/2015
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
By Lee Pfeiffer
One of Mel Brooks' least-discussed films, the 1991 comedy "Life Stinks", is also one of his most accomplished works. The film didn't click with Brooks's usual audience at the time, perhaps because the film is laced with social commentary. Brooks obviously ignored the old Hollywood advice to "Leave the messages to Western Union". Nonetheless, it's precisely because of this departure from his usual productions that gives "Life Stinks" a certain poignancy that isn't found in his earlier works. Granted, Brooks always included some sentiment in his films (even Zero Mostel's Max Byalystock in "The Producers" is con man with some admirable traits.) However, "Life Stinks" makes a plea for compassion toward society's most vulnerable people, even as it concentrates on the primary purpose of any Brooks film: to make the audience laugh.
The movie opens with a very amusing scene in which we are introduced to the central character,...
One of Mel Brooks' least-discussed films, the 1991 comedy "Life Stinks", is also one of his most accomplished works. The film didn't click with Brooks's usual audience at the time, perhaps because the film is laced with social commentary. Brooks obviously ignored the old Hollywood advice to "Leave the messages to Western Union". Nonetheless, it's precisely because of this departure from his usual productions that gives "Life Stinks" a certain poignancy that isn't found in his earlier works. Granted, Brooks always included some sentiment in his films (even Zero Mostel's Max Byalystock in "The Producers" is con man with some admirable traits.) However, "Life Stinks" makes a plea for compassion toward society's most vulnerable people, even as it concentrates on the primary purpose of any Brooks film: to make the audience laugh.
The movie opens with a very amusing scene in which we are introduced to the central character,...
- 7/24/2015
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
There's a new crowdfunding platform exclusively for indie films and, as of today, it's open for business. indieFilmFunding.com (iFF) officially launched to the public today, along with its first theatrical film campaign, and it's a big one. The comedy "The Big Finish" comes from director Martin Guigui ("The Bronx Bull") and will be written by Guigui and Rudy De Luca ("The Carol Burnett Show"). The film will star Bob Newhart, Don Rickles, Jerry Lewis, Tim Conway, Garrett Morris, Debbie Reynolds, Cloris Leachman, Mary Tyler Moore and other legendary Hollywood actors of a certain age. In fact, De Luca joked, "We gotta hurry up and shoot this film, cause we're droppin' like flies." "The Big Finish" has set an ambitious $3 million goal for the production. Read More: 8 Things I Learned from My (Failed) Kickstarter Campaign iFF's platform is open for submissions from any producer, director, or filmmaker seeking funding for a film project.
- 5/6/2014
- by Paula Bernstein
- Indiewire
Mel Brooks: Comedy As The Currency Of Friendship
By Eddy Friedfeld
(Photo copyright Steven R. Stack)
Mel Brooks is profiled in a superb American Masters documentary entitled Mel Brooks: Make a Noise, which premieres nationally on PBS stations on May 20th. One of 14 Egot (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony) winners, he has earned more major awards than any other living entertainer, and shows few signs of slowing down. With new interviews with Brooks, his friends and colleagues, including Matthew Broderick, Nathan Lane, Cloris Leachman, Joan Rivers, Tracey Ullman, Rob Reiner, and his close friend, with whom he created The 2000 Year Old Man, Carl Reiner. A DVD with bonus material will be available Tuesday, May 21 from Shout Factory.
"When they called me to say I had been chosen as the next 'American Master,' I thought they said I was chosen to be the next Dutch Master. So I figured what the hell,...
By Eddy Friedfeld
(Photo copyright Steven R. Stack)
Mel Brooks is profiled in a superb American Masters documentary entitled Mel Brooks: Make a Noise, which premieres nationally on PBS stations on May 20th. One of 14 Egot (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony) winners, he has earned more major awards than any other living entertainer, and shows few signs of slowing down. With new interviews with Brooks, his friends and colleagues, including Matthew Broderick, Nathan Lane, Cloris Leachman, Joan Rivers, Tracey Ullman, Rob Reiner, and his close friend, with whom he created The 2000 Year Old Man, Carl Reiner. A DVD with bonus material will be available Tuesday, May 21 from Shout Factory.
"When they called me to say I had been chosen as the next 'American Master,' I thought they said I was chosen to be the next Dutch Master. So I figured what the hell,...
- 5/17/2013
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Mel Brooks is to make a comedy horror film about an insane pizza delivery man. The film centres on a man wrongfully sent to prison who decides to take revenge by getting a job as a pizza deliverer and committing murders. Brooks's regular collaborator Steve Haberman will be directing from a script by Rudy De Luca. The acting legend told Fangoria: "When they told me the plot of Pizzaman, I said, 'Are you kidding?' And they said, 'No, it's a real great idea for a horror story'. "And they wrote a rather exciting, interesting script, and I worked with them a little bit on it. It's purely original, based on Rudy and Steve's insane imagination." He continued: "And sometimes there are problems, but sometimes there are unexpected victories, where a bad guy (more)...
- 9/26/2011
- by By Zakia Uddin
- Digital Spy
Comedy legend and horror fan Mel Brooks says his next film will be a slasher flick called Pizzaman, with production expected to start this autumn/winter in Illinois. “I’ve got a script and I’ve got a director,” Brooks told Fangoria. “Pizzaman was written years ago by my longtime collaborators Steve Haberman and Rudy De Luca. They did Dracula: Dead And Loving It for me, a great horror/comedy film. Then they also did Life Stinks, in which I starred. It was funny and very moving, too. It was one of...
.
.
- 9/26/2011
- by Matt Chapman
- TotalFilm
One should have known the 1985 monster comedy Transylvania 6-5000 was headed for trouble just by mere fact that its title was a pun based on a hit 1940 Glenn Miller tune that would have been obscure even to audiences 25 years ago, though not nearly as obscure as the film’s theme song is to this day.
Transylvania 6-5000, written and directed by Rudy De Luca, cast Ed Begley, Jr., and Jeff Goldblum as tabloid reporters sent by their editor to uncover the truth behind a rash of (then) modern day Frankenstein monster sightings. It was neither critically acclaimed nor a commercial hit. It’s probably only really remembered for being the movie where Goldblum first hooked up with his future ex-wife, Geena Davis, who played a sexy vampiress.
Transylvania 6-5000’s theme song is one of those disgustingly catchy tunes we rarely get on movie soundtracks these days, the kind specifically tailored to the film,...
Transylvania 6-5000, written and directed by Rudy De Luca, cast Ed Begley, Jr., and Jeff Goldblum as tabloid reporters sent by their editor to uncover the truth behind a rash of (then) modern day Frankenstein monster sightings. It was neither critically acclaimed nor a commercial hit. It’s probably only really remembered for being the movie where Goldblum first hooked up with his future ex-wife, Geena Davis, who played a sexy vampiress.
Transylvania 6-5000’s theme song is one of those disgustingly catchy tunes we rarely get on movie soundtracks these days, the kind specifically tailored to the film,...
- 9/10/2011
- by Foywonder
- DreadCentral.com
Mel Brooks’ History Of The World Part 1 is a film I adore. Sure, it’s not the most sophisticated comedy ever made or even one of the best, but it’s supremely funny stuff. Alas, Brooks’ genius comedy days are behind him. And he can reflect on having delivered some classic moments in film.
Every once in a while he likes to produce for other talents. After all, he helped David Lynch make The Elephant Man and David Cronenberg get his remake of The Fly from pupate state to full blown gore show. Brooks also came up with the beautifully accurate description of David Lynch as, “Jimmy Stewart from Mars”.
Word on the street, via Variety, is Brooks is putting on his producer hat again for a “serious” horror flick entitled Pizzaman. Brooks has described it as a:
“a flat-out horror film.”
While the idea of a horror film about...
Every once in a while he likes to produce for other talents. After all, he helped David Lynch make The Elephant Man and David Cronenberg get his remake of The Fly from pupate state to full blown gore show. Brooks also came up with the beautifully accurate description of David Lynch as, “Jimmy Stewart from Mars”.
Word on the street, via Variety, is Brooks is putting on his producer hat again for a “serious” horror flick entitled Pizzaman. Brooks has described it as a:
“a flat-out horror film.”
While the idea of a horror film about...
- 4/30/2010
- by Martyn Conterio
- FilmShaft.com
We don't see much of Mel Brooks these days (barring a great cameo in Curb Your Enthusiasm a couple of years ago) but he's keeping busy. According to Variety he's still "having a lot of fun doing Spaceballs: The Animated Series", and has a "serious horror film in the works" by the name of Pizzaman.Not the scariest title, and the involvement of Life Stinks and Dracula: Dead and Loving It co-writers Rudy De Luca and Steve Haberman is also food for rather alarmed thought. But lest we forget, Brooks-as-producer was behind David Cronenberg's The Fly and David Lynch's The Elephant Man. So it's not all parody and slapstick.There are no plot details yet, but, says Brooks, Pizzaman "is a flat-out horror film", and that, in case people think it's a comedy, "I'll keep my name away from it." He's not doing terribly well at that so far,...
- 4/30/2010
- EmpireOnline
When you hear the name Mel Brooks, the last thing you think of is horror movies. The closest the man has ever come personally to our genre is the wondrously entertaining and still very much kickass horror comedy Young Frankenstein (which by the way there is never a wrong time to watch), but that's about to change as his company Brooksfilms is taking a little walk on the dark and murderous side.
Brooks tells Variety in a recent interview that production is gearing up for a flick called Pizzaman.
"Pizzaman is a flat-out horror film that I'll keep my name away from, in case people think it's a comedy," he tells the site. Rudy De Luca and Steve Haberman are set to tackle writing duties.
Though he himself hasn't dabbled much in our genre, Brooksfilm also produced David Cronenberg's The Fly remake as well as The Fly II.
Further...
Brooks tells Variety in a recent interview that production is gearing up for a flick called Pizzaman.
"Pizzaman is a flat-out horror film that I'll keep my name away from, in case people think it's a comedy," he tells the site. Rudy De Luca and Steve Haberman are set to tackle writing duties.
Though he himself hasn't dabbled much in our genre, Brooksfilm also produced David Cronenberg's The Fly remake as well as The Fly II.
Further...
- 4/29/2010
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
Buried in an article about Mel Brooks comes to the news that Brooksfilms is going to produce the horror film Pizzaman , no relation to the 2000 film The Pizzaman . Brooks tells Variety, "Pizzaman is a flat-out horror film that I'll keep my name away from, in case people think it's a comedy." Rudy De Luca and Steve Haberman will write. If you recall, Brooksfilms also produced David Cronenberg's The Fly and The Fly II .
- 4/29/2010
- shocktillyoudrop.com
Mel Brooks isn't going anywhere.
The renowned funnyman said Friday that he's not shuttering his 30-year-old production shingle Brooksfilms, contrary to one New York gossip page report, and that he's developing a horror film with longtime writing collaborators Rudy De Luca and Steve Haberman.
"I'm not quitting," Brooks told The Hollywood Reporter. "Brooksfilms is still here and will be going on for a while. I'm not at all slowing down, and nobody has told me to stop."
The latest project, Pizzaman, is a serious horror film that marks Brooksfilms' return to the genre. The company produced the successful The Fly and its not-so-successful The Fly II.
Brooks said the project is in the script and rewrite stage and that he's hasn't shopped it to the studios yet.
De Luca's collaboration with Brooks goes back to 1976's Silent Movie and continued with High Anxiety, Life Stinks and Dracula: Dead and Loving It. Haberman worked with Brooks on the Dracula spoof as well as Life Stinks.
Brooks formed Culver Studios-based Brooksfilms in 1980 when he became interested in producing the drama The Elephant Man and believed audiences would think the film was a comedy if it was labeled "A Mel Brooks Film".
The renowned funnyman said Friday that he's not shuttering his 30-year-old production shingle Brooksfilms, contrary to one New York gossip page report, and that he's developing a horror film with longtime writing collaborators Rudy De Luca and Steve Haberman.
"I'm not quitting," Brooks told The Hollywood Reporter. "Brooksfilms is still here and will be going on for a while. I'm not at all slowing down, and nobody has told me to stop."
The latest project, Pizzaman, is a serious horror film that marks Brooksfilms' return to the genre. The company produced the successful The Fly and its not-so-successful The Fly II.
Brooks said the project is in the script and rewrite stage and that he's hasn't shopped it to the studios yet.
De Luca's collaboration with Brooks goes back to 1976's Silent Movie and continued with High Anxiety, Life Stinks and Dracula: Dead and Loving It. Haberman worked with Brooks on the Dracula spoof as well as Life Stinks.
Brooks formed Culver Studios-based Brooksfilms in 1980 when he became interested in producing the drama The Elephant Man and believed audiences would think the film was a comedy if it was labeled "A Mel Brooks Film".
Contrary to reports last week, legendary director-producer Mel Brooks isn't going anywhere. The renowned funnyman said Friday that he's not shuttering his 30-year-old production shingle Brooksfilms, contrary to one New York gossip page report, and that he's developing a horror film with longtime writing collaborators Rudy De Luca and Steve Haberman, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The latest project, Pizzaman, is a serious horror film that marks Brooksfilms' return to the genre. The company produced the successful "The Fly" and its not-so-successful "The Fly II." Brooks said the project is in the script and rewrite stage and that he's hasn't shopped it to the studios yet.
- 6/2/2008
- bloody-disgusting.com
CANNES -- Mel Brooks tackles a virtually impossible objective in ''Life Stinks,'' shown here Wednesday as an out-of-competition festival ''film surprise.'' As director, co-writer, producer and star, Brooks tries to get guffaws out of such unfunny topics as the homeless, poverty, hunger and street life, and the result is as unamusing as the goal was unwise.
In lieu of the anticipated outcome, Brooks can expect many to use at least one portion of the title when passing out word-of-mouth about the film. Business at best will be light, most of it coming from those attracted to a good, rollicking time based on Brooks' past reputation for movie tomfoolery. And those are the very people who'll be most disappointed.
As with any Brooks movie, all is not a waste by any means. Brooks' penchant for grand fun and silliness shows up several times, and delightfully so, especially in a slap-for-slap scene with Rudy De Luca, the latter playing a vagrant who claims to be J. Paul Getty. There are also choice moments such as one in which Brooks gets accidentally swept into a garbage dumpster, also when he attempts to tap dance for coins and/or clean windshields with a greasy rag, not to mention several other isolated moments of inspired lunacy.
But even when the funnybone is being tickled with a masterful touch, it's hard to find much genuine merriment in the subject matter covered here. Cowboys can be satirized, so can producers, Frankenstein, ''Star Wars, '' ''Vertigo'' and the history of the world. But homelessness and hopelessness are nothing to giggle about. Especially not with the amount of it surrounding us these days.
The film begins as if it's going to be a crackerjack. Brooks (Goddard Bolt) is established as a financial wheeler-dealer, so cold and ruthless he's more than willing to rip out acres of Brazilian rain forests or tear down a Fort Lauderdale, Fla., nursing home, anything if it'll add to his bank balance ($6.4 billion and growing). He owns half of a 2 1/2-mile stretch of downtown Los Angeles slum and wants to buy the other half from crafty rival Jeffrey Tambor (Vance Crasswell). The problem is that Tambor also wants to own 100 percent of the property.
Tambor tricks Brooks into a bet: If the latter can survive in the slums for 30 days without any resources or credit cards, Tambor agrees to forfeit his half of the property. Should Brooks fail, Tambor is to get the deed.
Once the bet is on, the film becomes increasingly serious in spite of itself. Even when situations are sketched with a light touch, things seems much too heavy for the laughs to be more than intermittent at best, since the majority of the scenes are set in such sobering locales as a mission soup kitchen, a rat-infested side street, an overcrowded hospital corridor and other grim dead-ends.
If it was Brooks' desire to let ''Life'' get cynical at times, then that doesn't work either, since too much of the film is done with tongue-in-cheek for the audience to believe there's an underlying message.
As a performer, Brooks is as good as writer Brooks and director Brooks allow him to be. Leslie Ann Warren (Molly) has some nice moments as a hostile vagrant who eventually mellows. She ends up as Brooks' wife. Warren is particularly shining in a golden routine with Brooks, dancing in a warehouse, a la Fred and Ginger, to the tune of Cole Porter's ''Easy to Love.'' (Her terpsing comes as a vivid reminder that Warren began her career as a dancer; she's obviously kept up her training.)
The rest of the cast delivers well in formula roles, especially Tambor as the villain of the piece, Stuart Pankin (Pritchard) as an unreliable lawyer, Teddy Wilson (Fumes) and Howard Morris (Sailor) as down-and-outers and De Luca as the loony.
Peter Larkin's production design is uncomfortably convincing -- you wouldn't want to live there -- and Mary Malin's costumes are also just right -- you wouldn't want to wear 'em. Music by John Morris and editing by David Rawlins properly support the subject.
Bottom line: Tough sledding ahead. ''Life'' is set for a July 26 release in the U.S. via MGM/Pathe; 20th Century Fox is distributing the Brooksfilm overseas.
(c) The Hollywood Reporter...
In lieu of the anticipated outcome, Brooks can expect many to use at least one portion of the title when passing out word-of-mouth about the film. Business at best will be light, most of it coming from those attracted to a good, rollicking time based on Brooks' past reputation for movie tomfoolery. And those are the very people who'll be most disappointed.
As with any Brooks movie, all is not a waste by any means. Brooks' penchant for grand fun and silliness shows up several times, and delightfully so, especially in a slap-for-slap scene with Rudy De Luca, the latter playing a vagrant who claims to be J. Paul Getty. There are also choice moments such as one in which Brooks gets accidentally swept into a garbage dumpster, also when he attempts to tap dance for coins and/or clean windshields with a greasy rag, not to mention several other isolated moments of inspired lunacy.
But even when the funnybone is being tickled with a masterful touch, it's hard to find much genuine merriment in the subject matter covered here. Cowboys can be satirized, so can producers, Frankenstein, ''Star Wars, '' ''Vertigo'' and the history of the world. But homelessness and hopelessness are nothing to giggle about. Especially not with the amount of it surrounding us these days.
The film begins as if it's going to be a crackerjack. Brooks (Goddard Bolt) is established as a financial wheeler-dealer, so cold and ruthless he's more than willing to rip out acres of Brazilian rain forests or tear down a Fort Lauderdale, Fla., nursing home, anything if it'll add to his bank balance ($6.4 billion and growing). He owns half of a 2 1/2-mile stretch of downtown Los Angeles slum and wants to buy the other half from crafty rival Jeffrey Tambor (Vance Crasswell). The problem is that Tambor also wants to own 100 percent of the property.
Tambor tricks Brooks into a bet: If the latter can survive in the slums for 30 days without any resources or credit cards, Tambor agrees to forfeit his half of the property. Should Brooks fail, Tambor is to get the deed.
Once the bet is on, the film becomes increasingly serious in spite of itself. Even when situations are sketched with a light touch, things seems much too heavy for the laughs to be more than intermittent at best, since the majority of the scenes are set in such sobering locales as a mission soup kitchen, a rat-infested side street, an overcrowded hospital corridor and other grim dead-ends.
If it was Brooks' desire to let ''Life'' get cynical at times, then that doesn't work either, since too much of the film is done with tongue-in-cheek for the audience to believe there's an underlying message.
As a performer, Brooks is as good as writer Brooks and director Brooks allow him to be. Leslie Ann Warren (Molly) has some nice moments as a hostile vagrant who eventually mellows. She ends up as Brooks' wife. Warren is particularly shining in a golden routine with Brooks, dancing in a warehouse, a la Fred and Ginger, to the tune of Cole Porter's ''Easy to Love.'' (Her terpsing comes as a vivid reminder that Warren began her career as a dancer; she's obviously kept up her training.)
The rest of the cast delivers well in formula roles, especially Tambor as the villain of the piece, Stuart Pankin (Pritchard) as an unreliable lawyer, Teddy Wilson (Fumes) and Howard Morris (Sailor) as down-and-outers and De Luca as the loony.
Peter Larkin's production design is uncomfortably convincing -- you wouldn't want to live there -- and Mary Malin's costumes are also just right -- you wouldn't want to wear 'em. Music by John Morris and editing by David Rawlins properly support the subject.
Bottom line: Tough sledding ahead. ''Life'' is set for a July 26 release in the U.S. via MGM/Pathe; 20th Century Fox is distributing the Brooksfilm overseas.
(c) The Hollywood Reporter...
- 5/16/1991
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.