Amazon Women on the Moon (1987)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Directors:

Joe Dante
Carl Gottlieb

Writers:

Michael Barrie (written by)
Jim Mulholland (written by)

Release Date:

18 September 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Shameless!

Plot:

A spoof 1950's sci-fi movie, interspersed with various comedy sketches.

Plot Keywords:

Moon | 1950s | Spoof | Parody | 1980s

Cast

Arsenio Hall	...	Apartment Victim (segment "Mondo Condo") (as Arsenio)
Donald F. Muhich	...	Easterbrook (segment "Pethouse Video")
Monique Gabrielle	...	Taryn Steele (segment "Pethouse Video")
Lou Jacobi	...	Murray (segment "Murray in Videoland")
Erica Yohn	...	Selma (segment "Murray in Videoland")
Debby Davison	...	Weatherperson (segment "Murray in Videoland")
Rob Krausz	...	Floor Manager (segment "Murray in Videoland")
Phil Hartman	...	Baseball Announcer (segment "Murray in Videoland")
Corey Burton	...	Anchorman (segment "Murray in Videoland") / TV Announcer (segment "Amazon Women on the Moon") / Announcer (segment "Silly Pate")
Michelle Pfeiffer	...	Brenda Landers (segment "Hospital")
Peter Horton	...	Harry Landers (segment "Hospital")
Griffin Dunne	...	Doctor (segment "Hospital")
Brian Ann Zoccola	...	Nurse (segment "Hospital")
Joe Pantoliano	...	Sy Swerdlow (segment "Hairlooming")
Stanley Brock	...	Customer (segment "Hairlooming")

Also Known As:

Kentucky Fried Sequel (USA) (working title)
The Best Movie Ever Made (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

85 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Germany:16 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Canada:14A | Singapore:M18 | Spain:13 | UK:15 | USA:R | Iceland:12

Filming Locations:

Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park - 10700 W. Escondido Canyon Rd., Agua Dulce, California, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

Director Trademark: ['John Landis]] [filmmakers]Appearances by director Russ Meyer, composer Ira Newborn and "Famous Monsters of Filmland" editor Forrest J Ackerman.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Arsenio grabs paper towels off the roll to blot beer from his face, he unrolls a large amount which hangs down to the counter. When he wipes his face, there is only a half-sheet of towel on the roll, then switches back to several hanging sheets in the next shot.

Quotes:

Pirate 1: Help yourself, mates. A chest full of video discs.
Pirate 2: No!
Pirate 3: What good are they?
Pirate 4: Can't record on 'em.
Pirate 2: They're not compatible with my system.

Movie Connections:

References Supervixens (1975)

Soundtrack:

If This Is It

An authentic parody on late-night telly that works despite some forced and silly side-skits.

I guess it was perfect timing that I watch this late last night, because it goes hand-to-hand with its overall context and what it's trying to come across as. This star-studded production with the likes of John Landis and Joe Dante directing some of these gags and segments, come up with a compilation comedy that lampoons late-night American TV. The main focus is on a Z-grade 1950's Sci-fi film called 'Amazon woman on the moon', but it's the small comedy sketches of info-commercials that flooded proceedings. The majority of the film is filled with these comical ads and pointless interruptions and breaks, with the z-grade feature more so in the background. Which is quite sad as from what get out of this flick is a correct parody on late-night telly and some of it is mildly entertaining. It's just sometimes the one idea gimmick had me smiling while other times it had me rolling my eyes. Some skits worked with their ingenious side gags and self-referential humour, while others totally missed the point by overplaying its hand, or they were rather thin.

Some of my favourite segments would be the Video date, Don 'no soul' Simmons, Murray in videoland, critics corner and bullsh!t or not. Plus the z-grade mocking of 'Amazon woman on the moon' is neatly setup and done with great effect, with its dodgy sets, awful dialog, wooden acting, women in skimpy outfits (with Sybil Danning appearing), choppy editing and the many pointless interruptions that go through the flick. They just nailed it! The whole parody is interesting and it works in small slabs, but the whole execution was rather uneven and downright hectic. Maybe too many directors spoil the brew? As some segments and gags just don't fit in with others, that being the context or that of the humour. The narration is all over the place, but that was intended by mocking these type of productions and the clever script is done with enough panache and wit. You'll notice a lot of familiar faces popping up throughout, like Rosanna Arquette, Griffin Dunne, Michelle Pfeiffer, Steve Guttenberg, Dick Millar, Ralph Bellamy, Arsenio Hall, Phil Hartman and many more. But just don't think it's finish when the credits start rolling, as there's another send-up following involving Carrie Fisher called reckless youth. Pocking fun of the 30's when there was movie/TV propaganda about foolishness of teens and how your youth can destroy you by taking reckless temptations.

The feature did kinda remind me of Monty Python gags and definitely in the way the format was presented. These Python's films are 'And Now For Something Completely Different' and 'The Meaning of Life'. Although a friend of mine told me that this idea for this film is similar to 'The Kentucky Fried Movie' (1977), the same people who went on to create the spoof 'Airplane'. It supposedly was a catalyst for this type of picture.

Basically it's a fairly entertaining watch and true to its sources, but still rather forgettable when it came to shove.