Amazon Women on the Moon (1987)

Directors:

Joe Dante
Carl Gottlieb

Writers:

Michael Barrie (writer) and
Jim Mulholland (writer)

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:

1980s | Female Nudity | 1950s | Car Falling Off Cliff | Anthology

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:

In the "Reckless Youth" segment, the Doctor has the test results for 'Mary Brown' on a clipboard. A closer look at the clipboard shows that it's actually a music score.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the "Mondo Condo" segment, while Arsenio Hall is struggling to get his necktie out of the garbage disposal unit, he knocks over the beer can. But in the next shot, the beer can is still on the counter.

Quotes:

Rip Taylor: I'm sorry, I better wrap it up now, folks. 'Cause you know the old axiom in show business - 'get off quick.' Like Harvey on his wedding night.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Futurama: Amazon Women in the Mood (#3.5)" (2001)

Soundtrack:

If This Is It

Kentucky Fried Movie-Redux

I'm sure this is the last time we will see this kind of Cuisinart comedy collection directed by, at the time (1987), some of the cinema's top comedy directors. And that's a shame. Because "Amazon Women On The Moon", although not perfect by any cinematic measuring stick, represents a small victory for loopy, silly comedy anarchy. Look at this line up of comedy vets: John Landis ("The Blues Brothers", "Trading Places", "Animal House" among so many others), Joe Dante ("Gremlins", "Innerspace", "Matinee"), Robert Weiss (TV's "Police Squad!"), Carl Gottlieb (co-writer of "Jaws" AND "The Jerk") as well as newby Peter Horton (of "thirtysomething" fame).

This anthology features some real groaners to be sure, but surprisingly hits more times, and with more genuine laughs, than would be expected. Cobbled together as a de facto follow up to Landis's 1977's "Kentucky Fried Movie" (the picture that boasted the first unspooling of the Zucker-Abraham-Zucker genius that would soon launch "Airplane!" three years later) on a low-low indie budget way outside his usual 80's big-budget Universal stomping ground, "Amazon Women..." manages to both successfully surpass AND fail to reach the dizzy, laff-a-minute, rat-a-tat-tat of the 70's midnight circuit fave.

This picture has several clinkers of flat comedy (Landis's opener nearly stops the film dead with the always-unfunny Arsenio Hall), but hits with so many other vignettes that it's easy to get into the groove of this short-but-sweet skewer of 80's late-late-night TV. The standout segments in this comedic buffet are abundant, but the best of them belong to Dante, Weiss & Gottlieb: the Universal-International "Invisible Man" short with Ed Begley Jr.; his hilarious run at the Leonard Nimoy "In Search Of" chestnut as "Bullshit Or Not?" with pitch-perfect host Henry Silva; the stay-for-the-end-credits 1930's "Reefer Madness" health scare jewel starring the late, great Paul Bartel and Carrie Fisher; or the crossed-circuit tributes to BOTH the "Siskel & Ebert" show AND the old Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts, featuring a dream cast of vaudeville and 50's Vegas comics that has to be seen to be believed.

Landis's standouts include a "no soul" infomercial featuring David Alan Grier and BB King, a funny hospital sketch featuring Landis players Griffin ("American Werewolf") Dunne and Michelle ("Into The Night") Pfeiffer (!) and a respectful nod to the earlier "Kentucky Fried Movie" wrap-up featuring an interactive video that stars Marc McClure, "UltraVixens" cult director Russ Meyer and Andrew Dice Clay. Highest marks, though, go to the running-gag "Amazon Women On The Moon", which lovingly - hilariously - mocks everything from "This Island Earth" to "Robot Monster" complete with film splices and gorgeous, over-saturated Eastmancolor.

If you have ever loved crappy TV, the Universal Studios backlot or any of the directors who have contributed to this dog's breakfast of SNL-inspired skits (written by two ex Carson-era "Tonight Show" writers), take a look at this one. Plus, it's only 85 minutes of your life that you'll never get back. Bullshit, or not.