By
Kristin Battestella
It
seems like every It star of the moment makes a headlining comedy at some point
in his or her career. Sometimes it is the tops of their portfolio, other times
it is best left forgotten. Good, bad, dated, cliché, hokey but nonetheless
quotable – here’s a quintet of comedies that we still love!
The
Beautician and the Beast – James
Bond himself Timothy Dalton (License to
Kill) dons a mustache to play dictator to Fran Drescher in this hairdresser
turned governess so annoying its charming 1997 comedy. In addition to the
reverse New York fish out of water set up and a
totally preposterous premise, there’s some stereotypical Eastern
Europe designs and perhaps too many Jewish clichés, granted. Every romantic movie staple is here as well –
she shaves him, feeds him – even the big revelation at a ball where our titular
gal looks the princess. Yes, Drescher is essentially playing Fran Fine in one
supersized The Nanny episode. You
either love or hate that voice and her tacky but wise and endearing style.
Likewise, the social and political debates are a little on the nose and some of
the quiet scenes with Dalton
feel forced. Thankfully, some great quips and charming circumstances carry the
viewer over the rough spots. Dalton
is a lot of fun as the uber stuffy only to end up poking fun at the said stuffiness.
It’s awkward, but I think it’s rather supposed to be – crisscrossed culture and
all that. The Prague scenery is pretty to look at, too.
This one probably isn’t for everyone – fans of the cast only most likely – but
it’s a fun time and actually a bit tough to find on DVD.
Big
Business – Can two sets of
mismatched twins turn New York
on its ear? “Is a frog’s ass watertight?” Bette Midler (Beaches) and Lily Tomlin (Laugh-In)
do double duty in this 1988 delight. From the opening Benny Goodman tunes to
Midler’s yodeling – yes, yodeling – the zingers keep on coming thanks to
wonderful support from Fred Ward (Tremors),
Edward Herrmann (The Lost Boys),
Michael Gross (Family Ties) and an
early appearance by Seth Green (Buffy).
The girls are perfect as their opposites, too – the shoulder pads, that pink
polka dot dress, the tiara, Dynasty, “It’s
pod people!” The mistaken plots and twin twists are a riot. Of course, the
fashions and the premise are old hat now, and some of the split screen effects
are obvious as well. How many times is New
York going to get all the laughs, too? There are no
subtitles on the bare bones blu-ray edition either, which is unfortunate, as
some of the eighties references and jokes might be beyond today’s audience. Adults
will pick up on the innuendo, but families can have a lot of fun at the
circumstances here. “What’s a cow flop, Mommy?” Predictability and flaws aside,
if you haven’t seen this one yet, multiple viewings and memorizations are a
must.
‘Crocodile’
Dundee – Future lovebirds Paul Hogan and Linda Kozlowski (also of the just as
good Crocodile Dundee II and the
woeful Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles)
steam it up in this 1986 romp from Down Under. Granted some of the Bushman in New York scenes don’t
work today, the foreign slang will still be tough for some, and a few
conversations are racially questionable. A lot of the music, styles, and
customs are totally dated, too, and these typical explorations drag the middle
of the film somewhat. Thankfully, there is still a lot of charm here, with
great catch phrases such as “That’s a
knife” and genuine onscreen chemistry. The classic New
York scenery – World
Trade Center
alert – and wonderful Outback locales are also a lot of fun. Veiled subtext and
hints of the politics of the time don’t get in the way, either, but multiple
viewings are needed to pick up all the little gags and bemusements. Men can
enjoy the skimpy eighties bra free fashions and healthy looking women along
with the man’s man adventure, and women can delight in the round the world
romance and escapism. Something for everyone, mate.
Straight
Talk – “Get down off the cross
honey, somebody needs the wood!” with that line, this 1992 Dolly Parton (9 to 5) sleeper remains ever fixed in my
mind. The Oscar nominated Queen of
Plastic songstress is all-natural here, and her graduation from dumb blonde to
fun airwaves Dollyisms feels refreshingly genuine. It’s also pleasant to see
James “Holy moly” Woods (Casino) as a
washed up journalist and not the wicked villain. Griffin Dunne (An American Werewolf in London), Michael
Madsen (Species), Jay Thomas (Murphy Brown), Spalding Gray (The Killing Fields), Terri Hatcher (Desperate Housewives), and Jerry Orbach
(Law and Order) also have wonderful
appearances amid the mistaken circumstances and country bumpkin feel good, and
it’s all accented by a few good tangos and original music from Dolly, of course.
There a nice morality as well – a touch
of heart, truthfulness, and quiet moments that keep the story here much more
mature and realistic than the recent Katherine Heigl romantic comedies or even
the same old Meg Ryan staples. With bemusing witticisms such as, “I’m busier
than a one legged man in a butt kicking contest!” there’s no need to resort to
foul language, bathroom gags, sex, or nudity. There are, however, count ‘em six
montages and a dated job search that hamper the middle pacing and make the
ninety minutes seem short. Despite the nice Chicago scenery, the fish out of water radio
doctor swindle is somewhat commonplace, and the finale is seriously predictable
with honking horns instead of the slow clap. Sure, Dolly is just being herself,
but nonetheless this cute outing is perhaps her best lead work – an older
charmer for slightly older folks.
War
of the Roses – Pairing for the
third and final time to date, Kathleen Turner, Michael Douglas, and director Danny
DeVito poke fun at their previous Romancing
the Stone and Jewel of the Nile adventures
in this dark 1989 divorce comedy. All
the creative domestic violence you need is here – from the standard throwing
china and appliances mayhem to sauna dangers, almost cooked pets, and one
tricked out chandelier. It sounds nasty, I know, but a sharp, innuendo loaded
script is made all the more clever by the leads’ delivery, physicality, and
divided chemistry. Their grand house is
the perfect setting for the fun and sexy suggestions, and the naughty gymnastics
and other such “Bald Avenger” talk isn’t for kids. Sure, the wit instead of out
and out sauce is probably tame for today’s audiences, but youths who can’t
appreciate the evolution and devolution of marriage insanities won’t enjoy this
movie. Some of the age changes, time
transitions, and hairstyles of the past may look iffy now, too. However, there
is something to be said for the classy façade and decades old splendors. The
stars are perhaps at their performance peak, and the derange package makes for
an entertaining 2 hour crescendo. The DVD set here is also a pleasant surprise,
with DeVito hosting some fun menus, a commentary, over 20 minutes of deleted
scenes, storyboards, scripts, and more.
Who
knew?
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