The Stupids (1996)

Director:

John Landis

Writers (WGA):

James Marshall (characters) and
Harry Allard (characters) ...
(more)

Release Date:

30 August 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Adventure

Tagline:

Tom Arnold is Stupid - (Stanley Stupid)

Plot:

An incredibly dull-witted family unknowingly stumble upon an illegal weapons deal while on the trail of their "stolen" garbage.

Plot Keywords:

Family Relationships | Own Grandpa | Independent Film

Awards:

1 win & 3 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Mon. Jan. 4	2:00 PM	COMEDY
Tue. Jan. 5	10:00 AM	COMEDY

Cast

Tom Arnold	...	Stanley Stupid
Jessica Lundy	...	Joan Stupid
Bug Hall	...	Buster Stupid
Alex McKenna	...	Petunia Stupid
Mark Metcalf	...	Colonel Neidermeyer
Matt Keeslar	...	Lieutenant Neal
Scott Kraft	...	Policeman
Victor Ertmanis	...	Garbageman #1
Earl Williams	...	Garbageman #2
George Chiang	...	Chinese Waiter #1
Max Landis	...	Graffiti Artist
Carol Ng	...	Jade Palace Hostess
Arthur Eng	...	Chinese Waiter #2
Jennifer Dean	...	Meter Maid
Garry Robbins	...	Extremely Tall Guy
Nicu Branzea	...	Arms Buyer #1
Richard Crook	...	Arms Buyer #2
Gurinder Chadha	...	Reporter #1
Mick Garris	...	Reporter #2
Jeremy Ratchford	...	Soldier
John Stoneham Jr.	...	Green Alien
Ken Quinn	...	Orange Alien
Gillian Vanderburgh	...	Alien Stewardess
Harvey Atkin	...	Deli Guy
David Cronenberg	...	Postal Supervisor
Markus Parilo	...	Special Forces Guy
Costa-Gavras	...	Gas Station Guy
Mif	...	Explosive Guy
Walter Alza	...	Taxi Driver
Robert Wise	...	Stanley's Neighbor
Christopher Lee	...	Evil Sender
Frankie Faison	...	The Lloyd
Mo Kelso	...	Airbag Woman
Sherry Miller	...	Anchorwoman
Robert Keeshan	...	Charles Sender (as Bob Keeshan)
Jeff Clarke	...	Delivery Guy
Atom Egoyan	...	TV Studio Guard
Wendy Hopkins	...	TV Assistant Director
Jacqueline McLeod	...	Make-Up Woman
Jenny McCarthy	...	Glamorous Actress
David Ferry	...	Late Night Show Host
Norman Jewison	...	TV Director
Frederic Devancker	...	French Chef
Rolonda Watts	...	Talk Show Hostess
Gillo Pontecorvo	...	Talk Show Guest #1
Nicholas Rice	...	Talk Show Guest #2
Julie Champnella	...	Talk Show Guest #3
Philip Akin	...	Henchman #1
Kevin Conway	...	Henchman #2
Carol Anderson	...	Checkpoint Guard
Rick Avery	...	Bad Guy
Fiona Highet	...	Cop #1
Phillip Jarrett	...	Cop #2
Jim Amross	...	Cop #3
Wayne Ward	...	Cop #4
Michael Bell	...	Xylophone & Kitty (voice)

Directed by
John Landis

Writing credits (WGA)
James Marshall		(characters) and
Harry Allard		(characters)
Brent Forrester		(written by)

Produced by
Leslie Belzberg	....	producer

Original Music by
Christopher L. Stone		(as Christopher Stone)

Cinematography by
Manfred Guthe

Film Editing by
Dale Beldin

Casting by
Amy Lippens

Production Design by
Phil Dagort

Art Direction by
Rocco Matteo

Set Decoration by
Carol Lavoie

Costume Design by
Deborah Nadoolman

Makeup Department
Carol Marinoff	....	hair stylist
Dorothy Smith	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Grace Gilroy	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Simon Board	....	second assistant director
Myron Hoffert	....	first assistant director
Grant Lucibello	....	second assistant director
Kerric Macdonald	....	trainee assistant director
Andrea McCabe	....	third assistant director

Art Department
Paul D. Austerberry	....	first assistant art director (as Paul Denham Austerberry)
Thomas Carnegie	....	first assistant art director
Charles Dunlop	....	set designer
Paul Harding	....	property master
Mun Ying Kwun	....	second assistant art director
Harry Zernike	....	third assistant art director

Sound Department
James Beshears	....	adr supervisor
Richard C. Franklin	....	supervising sound editor (as Rick Franklin)
Scott Ganary	....	sound re-recording mixer
Hilda Hodges	....	foley artist
Owen Langevin	....	sound mixer
Mary Jo Lang	....	foley mixer
Donald J. Malouf	....	supervising sound editor
Steve Pederson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Tom Perry	....	sound re-recording mixer
John Roesch	....	foley artist
Carolyn Tapp	....	foley recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Dale Angell	....	model construction
Kaz Kobielski	....	special effects
Steve Koch	....	sculptor: Chiodo Brothers Productions
Arthur Langevin	....	special effects first assistant
Martin Malivoire	....	special effects coordinator
Rodd Matsui	....	special effects technician
Ted Ross	....	key special effects
Dean Stewart	....	special effects assistant
Don Waller	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Craig Barron	....	visual effects supervisor: Matte World Digital
Chris Bowers	....	visual effects
Krystyna Demkowicz	....	executive in charge of production: visual effects
John Duncan	....	model maker
Caroleen Green	....	digital matte artist: Matte World
Jeff Matakovich	....	visual effects supervisor
Tony Noel	....	digital artist
Colin Strause	....	Flame artist
Greg Strause	....	Flame artist
Edson Williams	....	digital artist

Stunts
Brenda Adams	....	stunts
Lloyd Adams	....	stunts
Roy Adams	....	stunts
Roy T. Anderson	....	stunts
Rick Avery	....	stunt coordinator
Rick Avery	....	stunts
Marco Bianco	....	co-stunt coordinator
Marco Bianco	....	stunts
Alyson Billyard	....	stunts
Matt Birman	....	stunts
Eric Bryson	....	stunts
Shane Cardwell	....	stunts
Phil Chiu	....	stunts
Michael Chow	....	stunts
Shelley Cook	....	stunts
Tony Cordeiro	....	stunts
Wayne Downer	....	stunts
C.J. Fidler	....	stunts
Tig Fong	....	stunts
Rick Forsayeth	....	stunts
Errol Gee	....	stunts
Ted Hanlan	....	stunts
Robert Hannah	....	stunts
Brian Jagersky	....	stunts
Mic Jones	....	stunt rigger
Mic Jones	....	stunts
Makoto Kabayama	....	stunts
Danny Lima	....	stunts
Steve Lucescu	....	stunt rigger
Steve Lucescu	....	stunts
Dwayne McLean	....	stunts
Larry A. McLean	....	stunts
Robin Lee Morgan	....	stunts
Rick Parker	....	stunts
Edward A. Queffelec	....	stunt rigger
Edward A. Queffelec	....	stunts
Ken Quinn	....	stunts
Branko Racki	....	stunt coordinator
Branko Racki	....	stunts
Robert Racki	....	stunts
Buck Randall	....	stunts
Deanna Ripski	....	stunts
Kevin Rushton	....	stunts
Helen Scott	....	stunts
John Stead	....	stunts
Mary Ann Stevens	....	stunts (as Mary Ann Boyles)
John Stoneham Jr.	....	stunts
John Stoneham Sr.	....	stunts
Peter Szkoda	....	stunts
Bryan Thomas	....	stunts
Robert Thomas	....	stunts
Jérôme Tiberghien	....	stunts
Tye Tyukodi	....	stunts
Ron Van Hart	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Andy Chmura	....	camera operator
Attila Dory	....	still photographer
Michael Hall	....	first assistant camera
Chris Howard	....	gaffer
Jeremy Lyall	....	second assistant camera
Jim MacCammon	....	electrician
Derek Parkes	....	best boy grip
Drex Reed	....	effects gaffer
Stephen Spurrell	....	rigging gaffer
Brad Whitlock	....	first assistant camera

Animation Department
Larry Adlon	....	animator: monitor displays
Kent Burton	....	animator
Joel Fletcher	....	animator

Casting Department
Aric Dupere	....	extras casting assistant
Donna Dupere	....	extras casting

Editorial Department
Christopher S. Baird	....	associate editor
Destiny Borden	....	assistant editor
Jeffrey Harlacker	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Pete Anthony	....	orchestrator
Richard A. Harrison	....	assistant music editor (as Rich Harrison)
Robert W. Mills	....	orchestrator
Michael T. Ryan	....	supervising music editor
Giorgio Bertuccelli	....	music producer (uncredited)
David G. Russell	....	music transcriptor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Bill Boyd	....	picture car mechanic
John Brunt	....	picture car captain

Other crew
Alberto Farina	....	production assistant
Bonnie Haner	....	assistant to producer
Thomas Johnston	....	script supervisor
Randy Kennedy	....	location scout
Brian Kring	....	assistant location manager
Robert W. Mills	....	supervisor
Karen Pidgurski	....	unit publicist
Jim Powers	....	location manager
Lisa Shamata	....	unit publicist
Nick Veziris	....	gun wrangler
Alison Waxman	....	production assistant
Adam Robertson	....	freezie boy (uncredited)
Bob Tennent	....	freezie boy (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Imagine Entertainment (uncredited)
• Rank Organisation, The (as Rank Film Distributors)
• Savoy Pictures

Distributors

• New Line Cinema
• Rank Film Organization
• Sociedad General de Derechos Audiovisuales (SOGEDASA) (Spain)
• Starlight

Special Effects

• Matte World Digital (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Intrada  soundtrack

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS

Certification:

Australia:PG | Canada:PG | Iceland:L | South Korea:All | Spain:T | USA:PG | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Imagine Entertainment

Trivia:

Mark Metcalf's character, Colonel Neidermeyer, is a reprise of his role in Animal House, despite the end of that movie stating that Neidermeyer was killed by his own troops in Vietnam. However, this can be explained as just a subtle nod at Metcalf's earlier role (the only way you can even see what name is on the name tag is if you freeze the movie when the tag is close to the camera).

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When the crossbow is shot at the Stupids the cable or string used for the effect can be seen in front of Buster before and after the arrow lands into the pole.

Quotes:

Buster Stupid: What if we formed our own army?
Petunia Stupid: Then we'd have to form our own country.
Joan Stupid: We could call it Stupidia.

Movie Connections:

References Animal House (1978)

Soundtrack:

Garota de Ipanema

vastly underrated

Don't listen to the critics. "The Stupids" is one of my favorite movies, and I've seen close to 800 in the last few years. It's full of scenes that deserve to be classic, like the "I'm My Own Grandpa" musical number, the Stupids' encounter with The Lloyd, and "to be a bush, you've got to think like a bush..." It's worth watching more than once, for sure. It's tragically underappreciated. The plot has Stanley Stupid investigating the conspiracy to steal his garbage and accidentally blunders into an illegal arms deal, while also tracking down the evil Mr. Sender.