I will admit this. This is the movie I've watched, more times in my life, than any other movie. Cheap, smutty, crude, funny, with more one-liners than you can poke your, well you know. I regard this movie as a comedic masterpiece of genius, suffering dearly, cinema wise, with a one week obscure running here, in Adelaide. They actually put it on a double bill, with the re running of 83's Breathless. Police Academy paved the way the year before, for these types of comedies. Here in '85, the other two were Moving Violations, and the dreaded and terrible Doin' Time, also put on a double bill with Police Academy 2. This is just an addictively wacky film from start to finish, being cheap and smutty, are just two of these film's winning qualities. We got a lovable, but kind of awkward cop Melvin, who moonlights as a budding comic, at night, bag on head and all. So you can imagine his impasse when he's transferred to Night Patrol. Then to make things worse, he's talent scouted and signed up by a female manager (Jaye P. Morgan) Apparently, Charles Bronson, didn't take her advice, that he was a comedian. Now Melvin, is getting quite an education, where every weirdo and pervert coming out at night. He's partnered with this older lady's man of a cop, (Paulsen, who's IMDb is shorter than my thumb). He schools him, even on ordering supper. Melvin's life gets more complicated where a young receptionist (Blair) falls for him, but he has his eyes on someone else. Also someone's robbing places with the same disguise Melvin has, so we have a bit of a thriller going on. Night Patrol is a colorful crude, if unique piece of comedy that really goes all the way, you have to see it to believe it. It has a Superman acquaintances joke, a jail cell of degenerates, and then a more degenerate admittance by Melvin, though he could be joking. We have full moons, cock fights, and literal sperm banks, as well as a great music choreographed piece involving many parties, dykes, Santa, all instigated by a braking car, bumping the one in front. The film gives new definition to a back up squad, and really touches on cafe hygiene, and uncaring pig waiters. The film has a bizarrely impressive opening (again, this is a film you have to see to believe) involving illegal u turns, strait jackets, and subtitles, before lapping up some beautiful shots of Los Angeles Beach. Some surprise stars pop up here like Sydney Lassick, and a dubbed Pat Morita, while Billy Barty is a hoot as a chronic farting Captain. You are guaranteed many laughs, depending on when your sense of humors at. If it's in the gutter, it's an affirmative, you'll love this film, by a woman who knows how to make cheap and addictive pop corn flicks, sort of the female American Brian Trenchard Smith. Love the opening music score. Movie cover poster is a riot. Check out the other one, with Langston and Paulsen on the cover. Paulsen doesn't look like Paulsen. There will only ever be one of these films, and never will be again.
Review of Night Patrol
