MCM Hot Mess/WTF Were Thinking Celluloid- Seth Rogen in Sausage Party (2016)

Hello, my name is Frank. I’m a Fancy Dog that resides in Shopwells Grocery Store.

I’m awaiting selection to go to The Great Beyond. We have waited our entire lives for that.

Also, I’ve got a soft girlfriend named Brenda. She’s a bun and I’m a weiner. We’ll be a perfect fit. We’ve touched tips but it shouldn’t upset the Gods.

Honey Mustard got returned but he’s popped his seal. He talking about groceries being murdered and eaten. He’s not tough to cut the mustard or himself.

Brenda and I have been selected. Great Beyond is going to be great. Uh oh, mustard got pulled again and he’s hot. He’s not going back again. Let’s just say that his world’s been shattered.

Brenda and I tried to stop him. Now, it’s too late and we’ve missed selection.

Will we spread Honey Mustard’s message or just let it expire? Will Brenda and I fulfill our destiny?

Sausage Party is one of 2016’s Best Films. Seth Rogen has produced, co-written, and voiced a brilliant satire.  It is the type of film that will make Mel Brooks giddy with joy.

He doesn’t shy away from questioning religious and social beliefs. The food is a stand-in for immigration, racism, sexual/social mores, and geopolitical conflict.

The groups represented include Muslims, Jews, Native Americans, Latinos, Gays, and douche bags.  Well, one of the characters is literally a raging douche.  However, the others listed are of higher merit than that D-Bag.

Viewers will be laughing and thinking the whole film.  It’s refreshing to see this in an animated feature.

Sausage Party is the most original and bizarre film of 2016. Don’t be surprised if this feature gets 2017 Oscar nominations. It is a great choice for Best Original Screenplay, Song, & Animated Film.

Viewers make a note to place the film on top of the shopping list.

Oh, This Is A Film for Grown Folks.  Leave Your Children at Home!

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seth_Rogen

Trilogy Celluloid- Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult (1994)

Naked Gun 33 1/3:  The Final Insult finds Lt. Frank Drebin (Leslie Nielsen) retired from Police Squad.  He’s facing a new challenge at home in being a newlywed to Jane Spencer Drebin (Priscilla Presley).  However, Ed Hocken (George Kennedy) is thrown a curve ball.

“Yeah, you better mention him now.  This is the last film and he wasn’t mentioned in the other two reviews.” Oh, No!  Who is it this time? May I finish the setup?  “No, Actually Hocken Receives A Loogy! HA! Gets them every time!  Also, One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer makes a great setup.”  Hey, Road Runner a little help?  (Swift Whistling Noise heading towards the Interrupting Fan) Talk about taking too much iron, an anvil will do that ya Fan.

Alright, Where were we?  Oh, Ed has been given notice of Rocco Dillon’s (Fred Ward) intent to escape prison and plan a terror act.  Hmm,  Frank, he could use some help.  That’s right, he’s retired and Jane’s baby crazy.  He’s drawn to crime fighting like a duck to a june bug.  Will Frank ever leave Police Squad?  Will Jane get a baby?  Will Ed ever get Nordberg to stop being a clutz?  Will Rocco succeed with the attack?

The Final Insult was directed by Peter Segal.  It was co-written by Pat Proft, David Zucker, and Robert LoCash (CB4).  Insult featured cameos from Ann B. Davis, Florence Henderson, Raquel Welch, and many other celebrities.  It enjoyed lampooning films such as The Crying Game, The Untouchables, Jurassic Park, and Thelma & Louise.  Nielsen, Presley, and Kennedy had great comic timing as usual.  The real surprise of this film was the late Anna Nicole Smith.  She provided great comic relief as Rocco’s girlfriend, Tanya. Get ready to take one last ride along with Police Squad.

Trilogy Celluloid- The Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell of Fear (1991)

The Naked Gun 2 1/2:  The Smell of Fear found Lt. Frank Dreben (Leslie Nielsen) of Police Squad being honored in Washington, D.C for his dedicated police service.  While in D.C., a foiled bombing of Dr. Meinheimer’s (Richard Griffiths) office.  The foiled attack reunited Frank with Jane Spencer (Priscilla Presley).  The Dr. was working toward finding alternate energy sources in spite of Hexagon’s CEO Quentin Hapsburg (Robert Goulet).

“Hold on, there!  You mean that my pretty little mama is co-starring with Robert Goulet!”  Readers say hello to the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley.  Yes, the one that you shot the televisions out over at Graceland.  “MAN, I’m tellin’ you that’s not Alright Mama!”  Mr. Presley, Priscilla was paid handsomely to put up with that scumbag.  “And the Colonel didn’t get a cut.  Well, I guess that I’ll enjoy this fried P.B. and Banana Sandwich for now.”

Where were we?  Oh, Quentin Hapsburg had a plot to replace the Dr. with a look-alike named Earl Hacker (Griffiths).  The decoy would deliver a speech endorsing Hexagon and other energy companies as well.  Will Jane be swooned by Quentin? “Ah, Hell.  Let’s Hope Not!”  Will Frank get back with Jane?  Will Nordberg not be so accident prone?

The Smell of Fear was the second part of The Naked Gun trilogy.  It was hilariously directed by David Zucker.  Zucker and Pat Proft (Real Genius) co-wrote this police farce.  It included homages to films and t.v. shows including E.T., Ghost, & “The Twilight Zone”.  Also, look out for cameos from Zsa Zsa Gabor (actually her), Pres. George H.W. Bush (almost him), and Barbara Bush (almost her).  The puns (verbal and physical) were some of the funniest yet in the series.  One of the funniest ones was towards the end with someone reading “To Serve Humans” and then freaked out.  I’m in agreement with the King about Goulet.  Priscilla deserves better in a love interest.  “Thank you, Thank you very much.  Elvis has left the movie review.”

TBT Trilogy Celluloid- The Naked Gun (1988)

This will be the first selection in the trilogy post series previously mentioned.

The Naked Gun is centered around bumbling L.A. Cop Frank Dreben (Leslie Nielsen).  What’s wrong are that P.C. to not call Frank a klutz or unsteady?  Well, we’ll let the viewers decide that.  Anyhow, apologies to that interrupting fan.  You know the one that can’t stop spinning.  Where was I?  Oh, Frank’s back from Beirut taking down a terrorist’s round table including Yassar Arafat and Qaddafi.  Aren’t they both dead now?  Yes, thanks interrupting fan.  Do you have an off switch?

After his return, he finds his partner, Nordberg (O.J. Simpson) in the hospital. Nordberg was trying to eavesdrop and learn more about a heroin deal in L.A. Harbor.  Are you sure it wasn’t steroids?  They didn’t call him “The Juice” for nothing.  That’s enough.  The ship that he was after was named “I Luv You”.  Ditto?  I’m going to ignore him for a few moments and finish filling you in.  It is owned by Vincent Ludwig (Ricardo Montalban), a billionaire who owns the L.A. Harbor.  However, he’s got bigger things on his mind than “I Luv You”.  Queen Elizabeth II has planned to visit L.A. but this may be her last Royal Engagement.

The Naked Gun was co-written and directed by David Zucker (Airplane).  Oh that’s right Montalban was Mr. Rourke on “Fantasy Island”.  David was joined in co-writing by Jerry Zucker and Jim Abrahams of Airplane fame as well.   The three men co-created “Police Squad” and it ran for only six episodes in 1982.  The show and the film adaptation starred the late Leslie Nielsen.

Nielsen was a primarily straight actor before the Zuckers got a hold on him.  What like in “Does he like Gladiator movies?” way?  No, No, No!  Interrupting fan don’t make me take a cue from The King.  Who Elvis?  Yeah,  I don’t want to treat you the way he did Robert Goulet (who appeared in The Naked Gun 2 1/2).  Oh, alright man, Interrupting Fan is Leaving The Blog!  Pfew, finally!  Leslie Nielsen was a well known dramatic on television shows such as “The Outer Limits” and “Night Gallery”.

Priscilla Presley (yes, that Mrs. Presley) appeared in this film as Jane Spencer along with the other two installments.  Fans of acting and sports should be on the lookout for the late John Houseman (Oscar winner and acting professor), the late Nancy Marchand (Tony Soprano’s overbearing mom), and Reggie Jackson (“Mr. October”).  In case you’re wondering, The Zuckers loved using one liners and puns (visual and vocal) in all their parodies.  So, give this classic spoof of police shows such as “Dragnet” and “Adam 12” another viewing.  Don’t be surprised if the interrupting fan for Naked Gun 2 1/2:  The Smell of Fear sports a rhinestone, studded jumpsuit.

 

 

TBT Farce Celluloid- Blazing Saddles (1974)

Remember being at the introduction of the new sheriff of Rock Ridge and being enthused until the residents found out that he was a (Church Tower Bell Ringing Loudly).

Blazing Saddles is the story of Hedy Lamarr (Harvey Korman), Ahem, that’s Hedley Lamarr  (“You mean she’s suing people back then?”), California’s State Attorney General.  Lamarr is hellbent on seizing a town called Rock Ridge.  Rock Ridge is directly lined up with the incoming railroad.  Excuse while I backtrack this now.

Before Hedley’s plans, viewers are introduced to the Negroes and Chinese building the railroad.  One Negro will grab attention more than the others and his name is Black Bart (Cleavon Little).  Bart has chutzpah unlike most of the other brothers.  When asked by white supervisors to sing, Bart and the other Negroes begin singing “I Get A Kick Out of You”.  This action causes the whites to break out into spirituals.  The cracker chorus is silenced by Lyle who selects Bart and another man to go spot quicksand (as punishment).  However, they begins to sink soon after and are left to drown.  Bart is furious, swims out, and hits him with a shovel.  However, the quicksand will ricochet into Hedy (ahem Hedley Lamarr)’s favor.

Lamarr will send Taggart (Slim Pickens) to pillage Rock Ridge.  His actions work and Rock Ridge town folk tap a telegram to Gov. William J. Petomane (Mel Brooks).  Petomane is schlemiel to Lamarr’s schlemazel in taking over the town.  Hedley convinces the Gov. to appoint a new sheriff, Black Bart.  Let the farts and farce fly freely.

Blazing Saddles soared and roared into unexplored territory thanks to Mel Brooks’ steady handed (“Wait, That’s not my shooting hand.  This is one is (hand shakes uncontrollably).” direction.  His co-written screenplay featured the talents of Andrew Bergman, Richard Pryor (yes, that Mother Effer), Norman Steinberg, and Al Uger.  The script took Westerns and political incorrectness to a new level that still enthralls viewers.  Mel supported a hilarious, diverse ensemble including Harvey Korman (Hedley Lamarr), Madeline Kahn (Lily Von Shtupp), and Gene Wilder (The Waco Kid).   He stepped into a dust storm with the legendary campfire scene.  It marked a Hollywood first, the birth of the fart joke.  Thanks, Mel, you’re the unofficial enemy of primary and secondary teachers everywhere; JUST KIDDING!  Hell, they love it just as much as the students.

On a side note, I had the privilege of attending Mel Brooks:  Back in the Saddle, Again on Tuesday, October 13,2015 in Nashville, TN.  After screening Blazing Saddles,  we were treated to a Q & A with Mr. Brooks himself.  He shed light on many aspects of this classic and several other films (The 12 Chairs and Spaceballs to name a few).

The following are some facts that most Blazing Saddles viewers don’t know:

1.  Mel wanted John Wayne to play The Waco Kid.  (John couldn’t play the part because it was too dirty.  However, he told Mel, “I will be first in line when it’s released”.)
2. The fart sounds were made with soap in armpits (by Mel and other crew members) and one very flatulent guy miked in the editing room.
3. When Mongo (Alex Karras) punched the horse, the horse was trained weeks prior to fall on cue.  The trainers used fishing line loosely attached to coach the horse.  The horse received an apple each time and eventually the fishing line was taken away.  (Oh, The Horse wasn’t harmed; the punch was pantomimed).
4. Gene Wilder pitched Young Frankenstein to Mel Brooks during the filming of Blazing Saddles.
5. One of Richard Pryor’s famous lines in the film is from Mongo:  “Mongo only pawn…in game of life.”
6. Richard Pryor was Mel’s original choice to play Black Bart.  However, Warner Bros. wouldn’t insure Richard because of his drinking and drug use.
7. If Mel had taken the advice of Warner Bros.’ studio head, he would have to cut out 23 different things including The Campfire Scene and Mongo punching the horse.  Mel said, “If I would have taken his advice, the movie would have been only 11 minutes.  However,  I took his memo, threw into the trash can, Two Points.”

Oh,  I forgot to mention that Mel had several special guests in the audience including his son, Max Brooks (World War Z) and one of the screenwriters, Morgan Steinberg.  Mel asked Mr. Steinberg to please stand and he was seated behind me.  He co-wrote My Favorite Year and many other television and film projects as well. I waited until the Q & A was over and asked Mr. Steinberg if he’d take a picture with me.  I also got to speak with him for a moment for two.  He was very humble and told me, “I only worked for three weeks on this project.”  It’s not everyday that a film fan gets the privilege of meeting someone who knew and worked with Richard Pryor.  Also, getting to hear from two men who worked first hand with Mr. Pryor is priceless.  Thanks for the picture, Morgan Steinberg.