Bill Murray headlines in one of my favourite comedies, Groundhog Day, which sees Murray as Phil Connors, a smarmy weatherman who thinks he’s better than his yearly assignment to head to Punxsutawney, for Phil the Groundhog’s yearly prediction on winter. He’s joined by his new producer, Rita (Andie MacDowell), and cameraman, Larry (Chris Elliott). Following…
Tag: comedy
48 Hrs. (1982) – Walter Hill
It has been a number of decades since I watched 48 Hrs. In fact I remember watching it on videotape after I had put some kid, who I was babysitting, to bed. Watching it now, in 2021, I was stunned at how harsh, homophobic and racist the film comes across as. It also has a…
M*A*S*H (1976) – The Interview, and Bug Out
The season four finale, is a black and white episode, shot as interviews and and as a documentary (with Loretta Swit glaringly missing, she was busy on Broadway). Clete Roberts, who actually served as a war correspondent, plays the Interviewer, and the episode is a collection of interactions between him and Hawkeye (Alan Alda), B.J….
M*A*S*H (1975/1976) – The Price of Tomato Juice, Dear Ma, and Der Tag
Gene Reynolds and series developer Larry Gelbart penned The Price of Tomato Juice that first aired on 16 Decemember, 1975. When Radar (Gary Burghoff) shares his tomato juice with Colonel Potter (Harry Morgan), the colonel recalls how much he enjoys it, but its actually a rarity at the front, so Radar decides they should get…
Maverick (1994) – Richard Donner
Apparently, I’m still watching more Richard Donner movies, and this one I haven’t seen in years! Based on the television show from the 60s, Maverick comes to the big screen with Mel Gibson in the titular role, while the series original star, James Garner, co-stars as Marshall Zane Cooper. Jodie Foster rounds out the above…
M*A*S*H* (1973) – For the Good of the Outfit, Dr. Pierce and Mr. Hyde, and Kim
Hawkeye (Alan Alda) and Trapper (Wayne Rogers) attempt to take on Army bureaucracy in For the Good of the Outfit. Written by Jerry Mayer, this episode debuted on 6 October, 1973. When the surgeons learn that the civilians they are operating on were bombed by the U.S. Army, Hawk and Trap file a report expecting…
Deep Rising (1998) – Stephen Sommers
Writer/director Stephen Sommers delivers a fun creature feature romp that, even with some dated VFX, is still a lot of fun. Treat Williams leads a cast that includes Famke Janssen, Wes Studi, Jason Flemyng, Anthony Heald, and Kevin O’Connor. Williams plays Finnegan, a kind of Han Solo of the high seas. He and his crew…
M*A*S*H (1972) – Bananas, Crackers and Nuts, Cowboy, and Henry, Please Come Home
I’m a little divided on the first episode of M*A*S*H up for review this week. Bananas, Crackers and Nuts was written by Burt Styler, and first debuted on 5 November, 1972 (it was a different time, I have to keep reminding myself) and while a lot of it is funny, and a solid commentary on…
Mother Riley Meets The Vampire (1952) – John Gilling
This comedic title which features the next machine menace in DK Books’ Monsters in the Movies is a film that could have been filed under vampires or robots (though the vampire is definitely in it a lot longer than the robot). Apparently Mother Riley films were a thing in the UK, the character is played…
The Twonky (1953) – Arch Oboler
I venture into a new section of DK Books’ Monsters in the Movies, one dealing with monstrous machines, and the first one I encounter is a sentient television set in The Twonky. This kind of sci-fi comedy is probably more relevant today, when seen through the lens of mobile phones and modern technology, instead of…
The X-Files (1995) – Clyde Bruckman’s Final Repose, and The List
Darin Morgan who was first cast as the Fluke-Man, then penned the season two classic Humbug, joined the crew of The X-Files as a story editor at the beginning of the third season, and he turned in another instant classic scipt with Clyde Bruckman’s Final Repose. First airing on 13 October, 1995 the story is…
Caddyshack (1980) – Harold Ramis
Caddyshack remains one of those comedies that just stays with you. And it has stayed with me since I first saw it as a teenager in the 80s, Bill Murray and his nemesis, the gopher puppet delighted me to no end, while Chevy Chase’s zen-like and self-confident (verging on the arrogant) golf player Ty, exuded…
