Post by taleweaver on Mar 28, 2009 9:00:04 GMT -5
Synopsis: Brad McBain, Sprocket and Lisa are trying to revive an old movie theatre, opening with a B-movie 1960’s version of Hercules. But Brad’s former boss, evil cinema mogul Kent, has sabotaged the premiere night by substituting an Italian soundtrack! Never daunted, the three decide to dub the movie themselves instead, wildly improvising on the fly.
Rating: 5 out of 5 classical Greek muscle men!
I’ll be honest from the start: this is one of my favourite movies of all time, so I’m a little biased. This is one of the funniest Australian movies ever made, and one of the least known, possibly because there wasn’t any US or European production partners to talk it up elsewhere.
The language is occasionally foul, and the humour is distinctly low-brow most of the time, with most of the jokes having sexual overtones (the romantic leads are re-named Labia and Testiculi!), and one of the best jokes (about Australian pop star Kylie Minogue) will probably only be understood by Australians and the English. But most of the jokes are very funny regardless of nationality, and there are a few superb moments that work purely because of the visual accompaniment; Ursus and his horse, or my personal favourite, the voice-over from a chicken extra who misses his cue!
There’s a minor good vs. evil plot with Kent and our intrepid quality movie fans (Sprocket in particular getting very hot under the collar over trivia – I can sympathise), including a small running joke over Lisa’s incredible punch (Rocky would ask for tips). Some of the best visual gags come from the occasional foray back into the projectionist booth, to see how our three heroes produce various sound effects – Brad getting an absolute hammering, as most of the sounds of the many fight scenes come from him getting beaten up by Lisa, although Sprocket gets shoved headfirst into the wall!
Part of the appeal of this movie is that the dubbed voices wind up making most of the comments that a modern-day audience would while watching the original, including a bunch of gay not-so-subtext (all those musclemen continually grabbing each other), dirty jokes, and several running gags, including Hercules’ attempts to become a nightclub singer.
I should also give major props to the Doubletake comedy troupe, who managed to come up with a script that exactly synched with the actual footage - the first half-dozen or so times I watched this, I didn't actually understand how hard that must have been.
The movie is very, very funny, which is basically the point after all, and there’s a happy ending for everyone (except that bastard Kent!) inside and outside the movie, so to quote another (sometimes) funny legendary man, ‘All’s well that ends well’!
Intermission:
At the end of the movie-inside-a-movie, a white haired man with glasses and a woman with curly blond hair come out of the theatre, talking in critic-type language about how good the movie was. This is David Stratton and Margaret Pomeranz, who anchor ‘The Movie Show’, just about the most popular and respected movie critic show on Australian TV, running for 17 years – until 2004, when David and Margaret were poached by another channel.
The movie can be identified as being set in Melbourne, Australia, from the scene when Brad walks by Luna Park – opened in 1912, it’s the oldest Luna Park currently in existence.
The original movie that gets re-dubbed is actually called ‘Ercole, Sansone, Maciste e Ursus gli invincibili’ (1964) – aka ‘Hercules, Samson, Machismo and Ursus are invincible’. Which sort of begs the question: how can four different men ALL be invincible? In order to be truly invincible, wouldn’t they need to fight and thus defeat one another – meaning at least three of them wouldn’t be invincible at all?
This was originally a stage show, with various cast members of the Doubletake comedy troupe improvising the dub in front of a movie screen, much like special screenings of Rocky Horror Picture Show.
David Argue (Brad), Mary Coustas (Lisa) and Bruce Spence (Sprocket) don’t actually perform any of the dubbing.
Did you notice?
• Kent’s idea of quality films (ranging from ‘Rambo meets Bambi’ to ‘Rambo eats Bambi’) - and office decoration (a moat full of electric eels around the conference table).
• Brad’s idea of a resignation letter! (A large cartoon of an one-fingered salute, subtitled ‘I quit’.)
• The mobile phones in the men’s room; at the time the movie was made (1993) it was a joke, now it’s reality!
• When Samson comes out of the house after his haircut, keep a close ear out for the chickens, one of who gets a voiceover of their own. The hazards of an extra’s life!
• The odd assortment of items that wind up in the projection booth for sound effects – where did the roasting leg of lamb and the floaties come from, anyway?
Is it worth staying through the end credits?
Absolutely! The credits are accompanied by the ‘Hercules Rap’, which is all about the plot of the movie (mostly the dubbed version, but a little of the original plot too), voiced by Des Mangan, who performed Hercules’ voice in the dubbed movie.
Quotes:
Preferably, I’d put at least half the script here. (though some of the lines aren’t really funny without the accompanying visual.) But I’ll stick to some of my personal favourites.
Kent: I find myself in a particularly foul mood. Send in someone I can fire!
Brad: Are you still head projectionist at the Thrust and Grunt Emporium?
Sprocket: Do you mean am I still showing tasteful erotica to a select adult clientele, the answer is yes!
Brad: Select adult clientele? They buy their raincoats at the candy bar!
Sprocket: You couldn’t manage a fart at a curry-eating contest!
Sprocket: I suppose this is where you try to lure me away from my prestigious position to come and work for you.
Brad: Correct.
Sprocket: I don’t know… it’d have to be a pretty lucrative offer.
Brad: I’ll pay you shit wages, and you can live in the theatre.
Sprocket: Done!
(During the dubbed version of Hercules)
Hercules: Am I worthy to fulfil this task for you?
Zeus: Well, I tried to get Arnold Schwarzenegger, but I couldn’t understand the bugger.
Beach chick: Well, I met this guy at the pub the other night, and he asks me would I like to come back to his place to see his Warhol? It was kind of disappointing, ‘cause when I got there he just showed me a painting.
Muriel: I think you should marry Hercules. He’s got such a beautiful physique!
Labia: What? With all those muscles, he looks like a condom full of walnuts.
Muriel: Well don’t think you’re marrying Testiculi, you’re marrying Hercules!
Labia: Oh get real Mum! I’m not marrying a guy with bigger tits than me!
Charlie: When your God tells you to beat the shit out of somebody, you do it! That’s what religion is all about!
Bar owner: But can’t you do something about Ursus? He leaves the place a ruin every Friday!
Charlie: Why don’t you get a bouncer, you stupid old fart?
Bar owner: He is the bloody bouncer.
Fanny: No way, Muriel. You’re gonna have to find yourself another girl.
Muriel: Well, I didn’t want to bring this up, but do you remember that problem you had with the Vice Squad recently? Well, the boys are in the audience right now!
Fanny (with a look directly into the camera that defies description!): Here?
Muriel: And if you don’t do as we say, they’re going to stand up right now, and tell everyone exactly what you like to do with hamsters, a wet suit, and a bathtub full of custard!
Muriel: Fanny is very in touch with the spirit world, I highly recommend her. You might say that she’s an above-average medium!
Fanny: (spooky voice) Soooon, Zeus will be with us! (normal voice) Anyone care for a crepe while they wait?
Samson: What do you think, dear?
Delilah: I think it’s the most stupid (expletive deleted) idea I’ve ever heard!
Samson: I don’t think she’s particularly keen on the idea, actually. (aside) Don’t you worry, I’ll butter her up!
Charlie: ooh, can I watch?
Delilah: You promised me you’d never fight again after that man was killed.
Samson: It’s a bit unfair bringing that up - you stabbed him.
Hercules: (Samson is) here already? I can’t let him see me like this, I haven’t got enough baby oil on my muscles!
Hercules Rap: I’m a bachelor again, but I’m not cryin’. If I don’t get the girl, I can always pump… iron!
See if you liked:
MST3K the movie
Where to find it:
Tthis was finally released on DVD in Australia a couple of years ago, so your best bet is to find an Australian-based DVD retailer and get a multi-region player – or ebay. In the meantime, there’s some clips posted on youtube if you want a quick sample.
Rating: 5 out of 5 classical Greek muscle men!
I’ll be honest from the start: this is one of my favourite movies of all time, so I’m a little biased. This is one of the funniest Australian movies ever made, and one of the least known, possibly because there wasn’t any US or European production partners to talk it up elsewhere.
The language is occasionally foul, and the humour is distinctly low-brow most of the time, with most of the jokes having sexual overtones (the romantic leads are re-named Labia and Testiculi!), and one of the best jokes (about Australian pop star Kylie Minogue) will probably only be understood by Australians and the English. But most of the jokes are very funny regardless of nationality, and there are a few superb moments that work purely because of the visual accompaniment; Ursus and his horse, or my personal favourite, the voice-over from a chicken extra who misses his cue!
There’s a minor good vs. evil plot with Kent and our intrepid quality movie fans (Sprocket in particular getting very hot under the collar over trivia – I can sympathise), including a small running joke over Lisa’s incredible punch (Rocky would ask for tips). Some of the best visual gags come from the occasional foray back into the projectionist booth, to see how our three heroes produce various sound effects – Brad getting an absolute hammering, as most of the sounds of the many fight scenes come from him getting beaten up by Lisa, although Sprocket gets shoved headfirst into the wall!
Part of the appeal of this movie is that the dubbed voices wind up making most of the comments that a modern-day audience would while watching the original, including a bunch of gay not-so-subtext (all those musclemen continually grabbing each other), dirty jokes, and several running gags, including Hercules’ attempts to become a nightclub singer.
I should also give major props to the Doubletake comedy troupe, who managed to come up with a script that exactly synched with the actual footage - the first half-dozen or so times I watched this, I didn't actually understand how hard that must have been.
The movie is very, very funny, which is basically the point after all, and there’s a happy ending for everyone (except that bastard Kent!) inside and outside the movie, so to quote another (sometimes) funny legendary man, ‘All’s well that ends well’!
Intermission:
At the end of the movie-inside-a-movie, a white haired man with glasses and a woman with curly blond hair come out of the theatre, talking in critic-type language about how good the movie was. This is David Stratton and Margaret Pomeranz, who anchor ‘The Movie Show’, just about the most popular and respected movie critic show on Australian TV, running for 17 years – until 2004, when David and Margaret were poached by another channel.
The movie can be identified as being set in Melbourne, Australia, from the scene when Brad walks by Luna Park – opened in 1912, it’s the oldest Luna Park currently in existence.
The original movie that gets re-dubbed is actually called ‘Ercole, Sansone, Maciste e Ursus gli invincibili’ (1964) – aka ‘Hercules, Samson, Machismo and Ursus are invincible’. Which sort of begs the question: how can four different men ALL be invincible? In order to be truly invincible, wouldn’t they need to fight and thus defeat one another – meaning at least three of them wouldn’t be invincible at all?
This was originally a stage show, with various cast members of the Doubletake comedy troupe improvising the dub in front of a movie screen, much like special screenings of Rocky Horror Picture Show.
David Argue (Brad), Mary Coustas (Lisa) and Bruce Spence (Sprocket) don’t actually perform any of the dubbing.
Did you notice?
• Kent’s idea of quality films (ranging from ‘Rambo meets Bambi’ to ‘Rambo eats Bambi’) - and office decoration (a moat full of electric eels around the conference table).
• Brad’s idea of a resignation letter! (A large cartoon of an one-fingered salute, subtitled ‘I quit’.)
• The mobile phones in the men’s room; at the time the movie was made (1993) it was a joke, now it’s reality!
• When Samson comes out of the house after his haircut, keep a close ear out for the chickens, one of who gets a voiceover of their own. The hazards of an extra’s life!
• The odd assortment of items that wind up in the projection booth for sound effects – where did the roasting leg of lamb and the floaties come from, anyway?
Is it worth staying through the end credits?
Absolutely! The credits are accompanied by the ‘Hercules Rap’, which is all about the plot of the movie (mostly the dubbed version, but a little of the original plot too), voiced by Des Mangan, who performed Hercules’ voice in the dubbed movie.
Quotes:
Preferably, I’d put at least half the script here. (though some of the lines aren’t really funny without the accompanying visual.) But I’ll stick to some of my personal favourites.
Kent: I find myself in a particularly foul mood. Send in someone I can fire!
Brad: Are you still head projectionist at the Thrust and Grunt Emporium?
Sprocket: Do you mean am I still showing tasteful erotica to a select adult clientele, the answer is yes!
Brad: Select adult clientele? They buy their raincoats at the candy bar!
Sprocket: You couldn’t manage a fart at a curry-eating contest!
Sprocket: I suppose this is where you try to lure me away from my prestigious position to come and work for you.
Brad: Correct.
Sprocket: I don’t know… it’d have to be a pretty lucrative offer.
Brad: I’ll pay you shit wages, and you can live in the theatre.
Sprocket: Done!
(During the dubbed version of Hercules)
Hercules: Am I worthy to fulfil this task for you?
Zeus: Well, I tried to get Arnold Schwarzenegger, but I couldn’t understand the bugger.
Beach chick: Well, I met this guy at the pub the other night, and he asks me would I like to come back to his place to see his Warhol? It was kind of disappointing, ‘cause when I got there he just showed me a painting.
Muriel: I think you should marry Hercules. He’s got such a beautiful physique!
Labia: What? With all those muscles, he looks like a condom full of walnuts.
Muriel: Well don’t think you’re marrying Testiculi, you’re marrying Hercules!
Labia: Oh get real Mum! I’m not marrying a guy with bigger tits than me!
Charlie: When your God tells you to beat the shit out of somebody, you do it! That’s what religion is all about!
Bar owner: But can’t you do something about Ursus? He leaves the place a ruin every Friday!
Charlie: Why don’t you get a bouncer, you stupid old fart?
Bar owner: He is the bloody bouncer.
Fanny: No way, Muriel. You’re gonna have to find yourself another girl.
Muriel: Well, I didn’t want to bring this up, but do you remember that problem you had with the Vice Squad recently? Well, the boys are in the audience right now!
Fanny (with a look directly into the camera that defies description!): Here?
Muriel: And if you don’t do as we say, they’re going to stand up right now, and tell everyone exactly what you like to do with hamsters, a wet suit, and a bathtub full of custard!
Muriel: Fanny is very in touch with the spirit world, I highly recommend her. You might say that she’s an above-average medium!
Fanny: (spooky voice) Soooon, Zeus will be with us! (normal voice) Anyone care for a crepe while they wait?
Samson: What do you think, dear?
Delilah: I think it’s the most stupid (expletive deleted) idea I’ve ever heard!
Samson: I don’t think she’s particularly keen on the idea, actually. (aside) Don’t you worry, I’ll butter her up!
Charlie: ooh, can I watch?
Delilah: You promised me you’d never fight again after that man was killed.
Samson: It’s a bit unfair bringing that up - you stabbed him.
Hercules: (Samson is) here already? I can’t let him see me like this, I haven’t got enough baby oil on my muscles!
Hercules Rap: I’m a bachelor again, but I’m not cryin’. If I don’t get the girl, I can always pump… iron!
See if you liked:
MST3K the movie
Where to find it:
Tthis was finally released on DVD in Australia a couple of years ago, so your best bet is to find an Australian-based DVD retailer and get a multi-region player – or ebay. In the meantime, there’s some clips posted on youtube if you want a quick sample.