Skip to main content

Crimewave (1986) - For the Bruce Campbell / Sam Raimi completests

"Crimewave" is a zany comedy-¿horror? movie by Sam Raimi. It is told as a flashback from the a guy who you might think you recognize from that thing, but it turns out you have never watched anything he has been in. It is about a murder for hire scheme that he ends up being framed for. Bruce Campbell plays one of his best characters as The Heel ("You get the cab baby - I don't want to break a $100" or "I've never seen you here before. I like that in a woman."). Brion James and Paul Smith play the hit men. You will recognized Smith as Beast Rabban from "Dune" (1984). Those guys are gonzo. A young Frances McDormand is in it for a couple minutes. Sheree Wilson (from Walker Texas Ranger) plays the heroine.

It was written by the Raimi + Coen Bros (which explains why Frances is in it). It is like watching an 80 minute Three Stooges film. Lots of sound effects and a jazzy score. It is PG13, so I think the 'horror' aspects comes from the the violent premise, but it is really a lot of slapstick. A bunch of car chase sequences too.

 

It is well shot with very high production value. Cast / director / sets / stunts ... all really well done. As far as 'bad movies' go, this one's issue is a convoluted story telling - I think this is a byproduct of editing which is probably a by product of budget issues during production. It is always the editor 🙂

​ 

If you LOVE Raimi or LOVE Campbell - watch it.

If you really enjoy MADTV sketches - watch it (probably in 22 minute chunks until you have had your fill)

If you are a fan of the Three Stooges - watch "Soup to Nuts" ... it is a much better movie.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Thing in the Basement

What do you do if you have 6th, 7th, and 12th place finishers in the 'Michael Stivic look-a-like contest - and a product placement deal with Budweiser?  You get Rick Baker's neighbor (other side of the street, a few doors down) to make you a creature costume. Then you go get the writer who did a day's work punching up one poker scene for an episode of MASH but got fired for refusing footwear on the set. In 1973, you could get a Thompson machine gun and grenades practically everywhere - so that is no problem. Then you grab you 8mm camera and put it to work on your singular masterpiece.  Really - this is fun. I could not put a name to who Fernman reminded me of, but I did think the art director did a fantastic job capturing his je ne sais quoi with the skull. Soundtrack is great. Last thing (if you were wondering): YES, this is in the same cinematic universe as "Drop Dead Fred" - this is the Fred who was hanging out with Phoebe Cates.
Post a Comment
Read more

Con Air (1997) - another example of the Jacob's ladder effect

As we work our way through Merry Cage-mas, an argument could be made that "Con Air" is a fever dream Nick Cage's character has just before dying during that opening bar fight. 1) Monica Potter has abs of steel and is supposedly pregnant with their daughter. She is so not pregnant looking. So much so that, I do not know how they would have been far enough along to ultrasound the embryo. Additionally, he has just walked off a fishing boat into the bar she works at after getting home from deployment - when was the child conceived? 2) Nick Cage is immediately arrested and  sentenced to seven years in prison. During the film he writes & received fully formed letters from this child. In them, he talks about all the things they used to do with each other. When did these things happen?  3) Upon making his way into the titular 'Con Air' plane, Nick Cage has a shrink wrapped bunny rabbit doll he bought for this little girl as a present. Where did that come from? The pri...
Post a Comment
Read more

Midnight Run (1988)

 I need to add one more to my [perfect movie] list: "Midnight Run" (1988). I don't think I had seen it before until now. It holds up well, it is very quotable, shot and edited really well. You can understand how this guy made "Beverly Hills Cop" four years earlier. I do think the secret of this (and BHC) is character. These characters are really well written and played. Charles Grodin is giving a master class in playing down beat against DeNiro's comedic version of "Taxi Driver". Yaphet Kotto looks like he is going to have an aneurysm - and Dennis Farina is truly a scary Chicago mobster. Added bonus - Danny Elfman soundtrack.
Post a Comment
Read more