Midnight Madness
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Movie Reviews of Midnight Madness
Movie Review: Dated - but Underrated
Summary: 5 Stars
Sure, this movie may seem quite dated, but it's nevertheless quite underrated. A highly unique game that takes the players on an all-ight scavenger hunt around the city of Los Angeles, looking for clues that'll propell them forward when solved. The contributers consist of one skinny college genius, two pretty girl accomplices and five teams of students from varying walks of life. Three of the teams may appear stereotyped: the red team compraises four members of an outcast sorority; the white team consists of a quartet of skinny, four-eyed debaters; the green team includes fivefootball gorillas who spend their time off the field creating misery for he other teams. But, these individuals are still genuine at the core.
The core focus of the film's main body is the competition between the blue team and the yellow team. The yellow team's leader, Adam (played by David Naughton) is a highly intelligent, driven and forward-looking college senior who understands the importance of teamwork. The blue team leader, Harold (Stephen Furst) is self-centered, overweight and oblivious to the world around him. While Adam enters the game willingly, Harold is forced headlong into it b his frustrated father. And, while the yellow team is interested in fair play and following directions, Harold's only interest is in winning and going to any extremes to do it.
Interestingly enough, this movie was produced at a pivotal moment in American pop culture. At the start of the game, we witness the red team inhabiting a discoteque, the likes of which had already begun to go out of fashion. Also of note was the use of the Pabst Brewery as a clue location; Pabst Blue Ribbon bear is now produced by the Miller corporation. Another clue location is in an arcade referred to as Pinball City and, as the name would suggest, populated largely by pinball tables. One of few videogames in the place is an actual game called StarFire. This game pointedly draws on the first StarWars film from 1977. In one year's time, there'd be more videogames than anything in most arcades and more money going towards playing them than towards buying music.
In addition, the Walt Disney company and Buena Vista Entertainment made a supposedly calculated move when the movie was packaged, not including the Disney logo, for fear that a PG-rated movie would tarnish their reputation. However, this writer is mildly convinced that the inclusion of Disney packaging might've aided this film's popularity on the strength of notoriety. Six years later, we were given the Disney film flight of the Navigator, and their adult divison, Touchstone Pictures was fully active, producing pictures of its own.
The leading man, (Naughton) is best known for his role in the 1981 comedic horror flick, An American Werewolf in London. It is commonly believed that Naughton was chosen by director John Landis for this role on the heals of his spokesmanship for Dr. Pepper. However, as mentioned before, Naughton's advocary is played by Stephen Furst. Furst is best known for his portrayal of Kent 'Flounder' Dorfman in the Landis film Animal House. This writer is convinced that Landis opted to follow Stephen Furst's caeer path. This would ultimately lead to a screening of Midnight Madness, in which case David Naughton would become clearly visible. The likelihood that John Landis would recruit Naughton American Werewolf on the heels of this film is at least as likely as on the heels of a soft-drink commercial.
(Of corse, it doesn't hurt that one of the jocks is portrayed by Dirk Blocker, whose legendary father Dan Blocker was internationally known for portraying Eric "Hoss" Cartwright on Bonanza. Dirk also made a cameo appearance during Season 1 of Little House on the Prairie. And, his character definiely adds surrealistic levity to the film's main plot. Good-looking guy, too.)
Movie Review: You're off your rocker if you don't look inside the locker!!
Summary: 5 Stars
Geez, I can't believe there are people who know this movie better than I do?!?! I'm honored to have read all your reviews. I haven't laughed so hard in quite a while! What can I say about this movie that you all haven't said so eloquently already? Well, I never saw this on HBO, ever, and we had HBO in the 80s when I was growing up. Where the hell was I??? I first saw this movie in 1987, a few days before I started college in Sacramento,CA. I knew it was bad right from the beginning, but they had so much fun that I began to hope that's what college would be like for me. That lasted one day. But my love for this movie continues, and I have this weird feeling of comraderie with all of you who already know why this is more than just a guilty pleasure. They really don't make movies like this anymore, a fact that only enhances my enjoyment for this film, and others like it (such as 'Scavenger Hunt'). The world that these characters inhabit is oddly attractive to me: cornball, cheesy, dumb, and yet innocent, fun, friendly, and full of adventure. Meelio is the funniest single thing about this movie. Even if I'm in a bad mood and am not laughing at the rest of the movie, he still makes me laugh. I realized I had forgotten how many great lines are in this movie. Three tidbits for the fans: 1-I know exactly where the Johnnie's Fatboy Burger is in LA. Having gone to elementary school there, and spent 2000-2004 there as well, I know the area well. At the corner of Wilshire (just like what's-his-name in the movie says) and Fairfax is an abandoned burger joint called Johnnie Rocket's. The parking lot is the very same way (when I last saw it it 2004) it was when they filmed the movie. Also, the guy who played 'Blade' is still acting and living in LA. I saw him at my work in 2001. I wanted to tell someone I just saw 'Blade' from 'Midnight Madness', but I knew that no one would know what I meant. Lastly, even though he looks 12 years old, Michael J. Fox turned 19 the year this movie was released. Thanks to all of you who let me know that I'm not the only one on earth who likes movies like this!!!Movie Review: Midnight Madness
Summary: 5 Stars
My wife remembered seeing this film back in the early 80's and thought it was one of the funniest movies she had seen as a kid. When my wife told me how zany and hilarious this movie was (and still is) I decided to search for it. After searching for years to find even a VHS tape of this rarely seen or heard of film, it finally became available on DVD through Amazon. I ordered it as soon as I came across it and I am very happy I did.
Although the cover shows a picture of Michael J. Fox implying that he is the main character of the movie he actually only has a small roll to play and doesn't even make an appearance in the film until the middle of the movie. The most notable actor in the film is Stephen Furst who for most people know him as Flounder (from Animal House). The movies other ,sort of, famous actor is Eddie Deezen whose most notably appearances were in 1941 and the cult classic Polish Vampire in Burbank.
The film doesn't really have any extras to speak of which is truly a shame, but despite that small disappointment the movie is still worth getting just for its nostalgia if not for the many laughs through out the movie.
Movie Review: Leon=The Highest Being
Summary: 5 Stars
When we gaze upon Leon, truly, we are seeing the most accurate personification of God ever captured on film. Few people know, or are allowed to know, that a copy of this movie was found by police in the VCR of Kurt Cobain in the very house in which he perished. He blew his head off.Kurt Cobain was a disturbed individual and a drug abuser of the highest order, but "Midnight Madness" is, at heart, a sweet film. The good people really do come out on top.
May I return to a discussion of Leon? As Game Master, he pulls every string, but he also allows the contestants abundant latitude to do as they wish. Philosophers call this "free will." I call it genius.
This film is not for everyone. There is an uncomfortable moment when a white woman (and landlord to boot) refers to a black officer of the law an "ape."
Court records in King County, Washington State show that on March 13, 1997, Kurt Cobain's birth mother legally adopted his widow, Courtney Love. Think about that next time you sit down for a meal with your family.
Movie Review: Midnight Madness - Do the worm
Summary: 5 Stars
We all saw this film as a GRM group. After a few hours of debating and we figured out where to put the on call calendar, we loved this film. After Scott beat up those mean jocks, he did the worm. Cyndy loved the film while Steve did arts and crafts. Dan wrote a whole rubric on the film. Don't interrupt this staff during the film or the Hall Director will have to get involved. Greg had tears to his eyes, but still approved it for IST. Buy this film.