Tag Archives: leslie nielsen

5 Phenomenal Movie Doofuses

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PHENOM 5

What are the qualifications for being a phenomenal movie doofus? I mean if you think about it there are a wide variety of characters throughout cinema’s history that could be singled out for their idiocy. They appear in every genre: horror, romance, comedy, and action films. Doofuses are everywhere on the big screen. But this week I’m looking at the dumbest of the dumb. These five doofuses are the cream of the crop in terms of clueless buffoonery. But I have to be honest, sometimes these characters are the funniest and that’s why I love these five. So on this week’s Phenomenal 5 I’m giving them their due. Now with so many brainless doofuses gracing the screen, it would be ‘doofusy’ to call this a definitive list. But I don’t think it’s a stretch to call these five movie doofuses absolutely phenomenal.

#5 – AGENT HUBERT BONISSEUR DE LA BATH (“OSS 117” series)

OSS
The OSS 117 series was initially a group of serious spy movies made in the late 50’s and early 60’s. But in 2006 director Michael Hazanavicius and star Jean Dujardin teamed up to create a parody of those films with OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies and its sequel OSS 117: Lost in Rio. If you haven’t seen them you’re missing a comedic treat. Dujardin’s Agent OSS 117 doesn’t waste time revealing his cluelessness and ineptitude. Whether he’s stumbling over obvious clues or offending women, countries, or religions, it all spawns from his undeniable idiocy. He’s a hysterical character and Dujardin’s committed performances and impeccable comedic timing are big reasons why.

#4 – FRANK DREBIN (“Naked Gun” series)
frank drebin

Leslie Nielsen was a comic genius and that was never more evident than in “The Naked Gun” series. In Frank Drebin, Nielson created one of the most idiotic yet lovable comedic characters in film. Whether he’s destroying property due to his constant clumsiness or struggling with speaking or understanding the English language, Drebin is hilarious. Nielsen was also brilliant in selling Drebin’s sincerity even in the most ludicrous of scenes. Detective Frank Drebin found his origins in a small TV series that was canceled after six episodes. But this well-meaning moron made a name for himself on the big screen and he has to be on this list.

#3- CLARK GRISWOLD (“Vacation” series)

GRISWOLD
Can you possibly have a list of great motion picture doofuses and not include Clark Griswold of the National Lampoon’s “Vacation” films? I think not. Chevy Chase had several good movie roles but for me none are as memorable as his portrayal of the good-hearted but dimwitted family man Clark Griswold. Clark always had good intentions when it came to family vacations. But whether it was his wandering eye, his volatile temper, or his unquestionable stupidity, he always managed to foul things up. But it’s that imbecilic nature that makes Clark such an endearing character as well as one of the funniest to watch. Either in Europe, Vegas, at Christmas time or Walley World, Clark is going to flub things up. What else would you expect from such a classic doofus?

#2 – LLOYD CHRISTMAS & HARRY DUNNE (“Dumb and Dumber”)

dumb-and-dumber
Look I know this is a cheat, but how can you separate Lloyd Christmas (Jim Carrey) from Harry Dunne (Jeff Daniels)? These two best friends from the Farrelley brothers insanely funny “Dumb and Dumber” are textbook doofuses. In their cross-country trek to meet the girl of Lloyd’s dreams, these two imbeciles find themselves in more and more trouble all due to their lack of sense. There’s no denying it – these guys are doofuses. I mean I can’t even look at them without laughing. For me this is a side-splitting comedy and that’s mainly due to these two big time buffoons.

#1 – INSPECTOR JACQUES CLOUSEAU (“The Pink Panther” series)

CLOUSAUE
For my money the quintessential movie doofus was Inspector Clouseau from Blake Edwards’ classic “Pink Panther” series. Peter Sellers may have been the funniest actor of all time. Just ask some of his co-stars. I grew up watching Clouseau and his lame-brained attempts at detective work and these films are still some of my all-time favorite comedies. Clouseau could make something as simple as opening a door hilarious and his harebrained deductive skills give us some priceless cinema. Clouseau’s utter stupidity astounded people and even drove his boss mad. But it also cemented him as the all time greatest movie doofus in my opinion.

So where did I go wrong? There are several others than came to mind but there is only room for five. Who would have made your list?

THE THROWDOWN : Zombies vs. Vampires

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Wednesday is Throwdown day at Keith & the Movies. It’s when we take two movie subjects, pit them against each other, and see who’s left standing. Each Wednesday we’ll look at actors, actresses, movies, genres, scenes, and more. I’ll make a case for each and then see how they stand up one-on-one. And it’s not just my opinion that counts. I’ll share my take and then open up the polls to you. Visit each week for a new Throwdown. Vote each week to decide the true winner!

*Last week “Annie Hall” (56%) took out “Midnight in Paris” (44%) in the Woody Allen deathmatch*

In keeping with the Halloween season, today’s Throwdown focuses on two stalwarts of the horror genre. Whether you’re a fan of horror pictures or not, undoubtedly you have seen movies featuring zombies and movies featuring vampires. Both have roots in classic horror films, both have been spoofed, both had been parts of huge franchises. But this is all about the battle. Today we’re putting the living dead in the ring with the blood suckers to determine which are the better horror movie terrors. A great case could be made for both, but ultimately it’s you that will decide. Vote now!

ZOMBIES VS. VAMPIRES

There have been variations of zombies in the movies for years. But they really made their way into the limelight in 1968 in George Romero’s horror movie classic “Night of the Living Dead”. Since then, zombies have found their way in hundreds of films. But they’ve also been spotlighted in comic books, video games, and television shows. But their real position prominence came from the big screen and you can almost expect a new zombie movie of some kind every year. There have been loads of sequels to Romero’s classic film. But we’ve seen different approaches to zombies from a variety of films such as “28 Days Later”, “Resident Evil”, and “The Evil Dead” just to name a few. But there have also been zombie spoof films that are tons of fun, movies like “Zombieland”, “Dead Alive”, and “Shaun of the Dead”. So there are no shortage of zombies in the movies and personally I’m happy to hear it.

You can trace vampires in the movies all the way back to the silent movie era. I mean who can forget the classic “Nosferatu”? And Bela Lugosi’s Dracula was a driving force during the Universal movie monsters craze in the 1930’s. While vampires did hit a lull in popularity, they are certainly back with a vengeance and you can see them in a huge variety of films. To prove the point just look at the variety of people who have played big roles in movies as vampires – Gary Oldman, Keifer Sutherland, Kate Beckinsale, Christopher Lee, Leslie Nielsen, Tom Cruise, Wesley Snipes, and even Pee Wee Herman! But even more than zombies, vampires have leaked over into several other genres including comedies and even teen romance flicks (unfortunately). Movie lovers have a fascination with vampires and it’s easy to see why. And with the current creature of the night craze, don’t expect any shortage of vampire movies in the near future.

So what say you? Are you partial to the walking dead or the blood suckers? You decide who comes out on top as the better movie monster. Is it the zombies or the vampires? VOTE NOW!

5 PHENOMENAL MOVIES FROM 1980

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A few weeks ago I decided to do a Phenomenal 5 centered around the movies of 1987. The choice of the year was completely random but it was a fun list to do. So staying in the 80’s, I’ve decided to look at 5 phenomenal movies from 1980. Over the next several months I plan on sprinkling in several of these lists that look at the best movies the years had to offer. So let’s get started. Naturally, when you’re dealing with an entire year’s worth of movies there are plenty to choose from. Therefore it would be pretty crazy to call this the definitive list. But there’s no doubting that these 5 movies from 1980 are absolutely phenomenal.

#5 – “FRIDAY THE 13TH”

Over time the “Friday the 13th” series became more of a cinematic joke. To be fair, it has been loved by its large number of fans and completely brushed aside by others. It’s sometimes easy to forget that the series was launched by a pretty solid first movie that set the table for Jason Vorhees and his appetite for killing brain-dead teenagers as well as a whole genre of rather mindless slasher flicks. But in the original it’s all about his mother and this first film probably features more genuine scares than the other movies combined. It’s not a flawless movie by any stretch but it is a significant movie for horror fans.

#4 – “THE BLUES BROTHERS”

When I first saw John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd as Jake and Elwood Blues I was just a kid. But I remember thinking they were both hilarious and extremely cool. “The Blues Brothers” is one part comedy, one part musical, and one part amazing, blow you away, car chase. The brothers are trying hard to save the orphanage they grew up in from being closed down. Their “mission from God” puts them at odds with neo-nazis, a crazed bazooka-wielding Carrie Fisher, and every single Illinois law enforcement officer in the state. The result is a wonderful and wild ride that’s still fun today.

#3 – “AIRPLANE!”

“Airplane!” remains to this day one of my favorite comedies of all time. It’s absurd, brash, and over-the-top and I love it. The hilarious cast makes this nutty material work, none better than Leslie Nielsen, Peter Graves, and Lloyd Bridges. “Airplane!” is a steady barrage of corny jokes and gags and the movie never (and I do mean never) takes itself seriously. This parody of the big-budget disaster pictures is still funny today and I can’t name a modern comedy that comes anywhere close to delivering the laughs of this true comedy classic.

#2 – “THE SHINING”

While I’m not a big Stanley Kubrick fan, he knocks it out of the park with the chilling horror thriller “The Shining”. Jack Nicholson shines as the caretaker of a creepy hotel with a very disturbing history. He and his family are trapped in the hotel after a huge snowstorm and soon the supernatural presence sensed by his ESP endowed son makes itself known. “The Shining” features so many memorable scenes and it’s still as spooky as when I first saw it. This is one of the best adaptations of a Stephen King novel and even though it was met with very mixed reviews at first, it’s now considered a horror classic.

#1 – “THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK”

Call me a fanboy, I don’t care. But for my money, “The Empire Strikes Back” is one of the greatest sequels in cinema history. Yes, I’m a huge Star Wars fan so my judgement may be tainted, but this film blew me away when it first hit the theaters in 1980. In fact, I was only 9 years old but I still remember seeing it on the big screen and being amazed by the special effects and deeply wounded by the sad and up-in-the-air ending. But there is a great story that unfolds as the movie progresses and for me this was the film that really gave the series a sense of weighty importance. I’ve seen this movie so many times and if I’m surfing the channels and see it on TV, I’m probably going to stop and watch it again. It’s that good.

There ya go – 5 phenomenal movies from the year 1980. What did I miss. Hey, even if you weren’t born then you’ve probably seen several that I didn’t mention. Please take time to share your thoughts.