From rec.arts.sf.reviews Mon Aug 3 14:24:15 1992 Xref: herkules.sssab.se rec.arts.movies.reviews:740 rec.arts.sf.reviews:115 Newsgroups: rec.arts.movies.reviews,rec.arts.sf.reviews Path: herkules.sssab.se!isy!liuida!sunic!mcsun!uunet!cis.ohio-state.edu!pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu!linac!att!cbnewsj!ecl From: ecl@cbnewsj.cb.att.com (Evelyn C. Leeper) Subject: REVIEW: MOM AND DAD SAVE THE WORLD Reply-To: 2fatguys@tdis.icpsr.umich.edu (Too Fat Guys) Organization: 40 Piece Bucket and a Milkshake Publishing Date: Fri, 31 Jul 1992 14:38:32 GMT Approved: ecl@cbnewsj.att.com Message-ID: <1992Jul31.143832.20897@cbnewsj.cb.att.com> To: 2fatguys@tdis.icpsr.umich.edu (Too Fat Guys) Followup-To: rec.arts.movies Summary: r.a.m.r. #01460 Keywords: author=2FatGuys Lines: 64 [Followups directed to rec.arts.movies. -Moderator] MOM AND DAD SAVE THE WORLD A film review by Too FAT Guys Copyright 1992 by Roger & Me Roger: A little less than a month ago, Jon Lovitz practically stole the show with his wry, sardonic humor in his bit part in A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN. In MOM AND DAD SAVE THE WORLD he gets top billing. So, this would be better then, wouldn't it? Roger: Well, it depends what you mean by "better." MOM AND DAD SAVE THE WORLD is a science-fiction spoof starring Jon Lovitz as Tod "The Destroyer" Spengo, ruler of Spengo, Planet of Idiots. As Tod, in an effort to placate his inferiority complex, prepares to destroy the Earth, he spies Marge Nelson (Terri Garr), a middle aged Earth woman. He falls madly in love with Marge and whisks her and her couch-bound husband, Dick (Jeffery Jones), off to Spengo. Roger: From there it degenerates into a typical bad guy wants the good guy's woman and tries to do away with the good guy to get her. I've seen it done a hundred times before and quite often much better. The movie is obviously supposed to get by on comedic twists, not the strength or originality of its plot. Roger: Certainly, this is not an original plot. All sorts of films have used this plot successfully. And yes, the numerous gags do carry the film. Much like vintage Stooges, many of these gags are quite humorous, with a buffoonish brilliance. I've seen Lovitz more "over the top" than in this film, but I think the several sub-texts make up for this lack. For instance, I felt nothing but affinity for Marge, seemingly dragged down by her retiring husband -- this could be my family! Dick's transformation into Flash Gordon is exciting in a very real way. Roger: I disagree. One of the minor characters said, "What we lack in brains we make up for in good intentions." I think this describes the filmmakers quite well. I could spot all the scenes where they were trying to be funny, but for the most part they failed miserably. At one point, Tod is contemplating the spare tire above his belt and attempts to become svelte by doing a short workout. By the punchline, instead of laughing, I was envisioning the authoring committee pitching ideas to make the scene funny. Roger: I guess there's just no substitute for "getting it." The scene you're complaining about, I found quite funny. Very reminiscent of "Ren & Stimpy" and Tex Avery. Oh well, your loss. I give this film a fairly mild thumbs up. Roger: I'm a fan of both "Ren & Stimpy" and Tex Avery cartoons, but this just didn't do it for me. I've seen all the gags before. Watching this movie was like hearing a joke for the hundredth time, the freshness is gone. It's just not funny anymore. Even the profusion of Bulldogs, which I appreciated greatly, wasn't enough to save this movie from a thumbs down. Roger: Ignoring all of the originality and cleverness, I agree with you completely. That said, this film earned one mild thumb up, and one thumb down. That's all for now -- the tty is closed.