Tunnelvision

1976 saw the release of this movie and the Oscar-winning classic Network. There really is no argument as to which is the better film, but the idea of American viewers becoming glued to their TV sets because of an "anything goes" TV station doesn't seem too far-fetched today. Of the skit comedies of the '70s (Kentucky Fried Movie and Groove Tube being the others), this is the weakest. But it has some moments. The competing California candidates is a funny running gag, but the French chef is definitely not and unfortunately shows up throughout the movie. If you want to compare the success of these three films, you can use the filmmakers' later work as a gauge: The makers of Kentucky Fried Movie went on to Animal House, The Blues Brothers, Trading Places, Airplane, Police Squad and Top Secret. The makers of The Groove Tube went on to Modern Problems (and Richard Belzer went on to radio). The makers of Tunnel Vision went on to Bachelor Party and Moving Violations. You do the math.

Saturday Night Live, National Lampoon, and SCTV alumnus are all together in a sometimes funny sketch film.

However, it is very interesting to watch now, at the start of 2005. Twenty years after this movie is supposed to take place, look at how many of their gags have become absolutely true: There is a mock movie trailer, that probably wasn't even clever at the time, for something called "The Pregnant Man" which came true with Arnold Schwarzenegger's dumb movie "Junior" There is a commercial spoof, that probably wasn't even clever at the time, for something featuring Sammy Davis Jr. and Jackie Onasis called "Celebrity Wrestling" which has now come true with a popular show called "Celebrity Boxing" There is a mock movie trailer, that probably wasn't even clever at the time, that features John Candy in a movie about a severed head. Watch this trailer and look how similar it's shots and plot are to Frank Hellenlotter's Basket Case!! And finally there is an ad for a late late show documentary about "a dead dream, the only two left ..." The name of the documentary is ... THE LAST HIPPIES! LOL.

Four prophecies come true!

This movie is a prime example of squandering great resources in a film. You've got future SNL and SCTV stars in their prime, such as John Candy, Chevy Chase, Laraine Newman, Al Franken,Tom Davis and Joe Flaherty essentially making 70 minutes of coarse, uninspired fart and racist jokes. The concept of a network from the future subverting society could have really been taken to some interesting extremes, but instead right out the gate, makes a lame, juvenile proctology joke and stays in that vein of humor the whole way.Seek out the earlier and much more subversive and witty Groove Tube or the later, hilarious Kentucky Fried Movie. This movie is only for those who want to see a time capsule of bad 70's sketch comedy movies.

It's extremely dated, dopey and wildly uneven, but there are still some pretty good laughs to be had in this short collection of skits that take a look at what "television of the future" will be like (?) Even if the humor isn't your cup of tea, it's worth a look just to spot the large cast of then-unknown and up-and-coming comedy talent. Rent it with the similarly-themed "The Groove Tube" for an evening of mindless juvenile fun.

1976's "Tunnel Vision" suffers from following the groundbreaking success of "The Groove Tube," but still preceding better known efforts like "The Kentucky Fried Movie," "Americathon," "IMPS (The Immoral Minority Picture Show)" and "Amazon Women on the Moon." A Congressional hearing to decide the fate of 'The No Bullsh-t Network,' which has captivated audiences of 1985 to such a degree that people have given up work to stay home and watch, is examined by a day's worth of programming lasting little more than an hour. Like others of its ilk it's a hit and miss affair, much loved in its day but has not aged well. Many familiar faces pop up all too briefly, almost all of them yet to achieve comic fame, with Chevy Chase (as himself) returning from "The Groove Tube," along with future TV stars Laraine Newman, Al Franken, Tom Davis, and John Candy. Fans of Kurt Russell's "Used Cars" will get a kick out of seeing Gerrit Graham as the boyfriend of sitcom star 'Marie' (Lynne Marie Stewart), his obstinate pleading successfully earning a bit of 'deep throat' on the couch; there's also Joe Flaherty (the attorney) and Betty Thomas (a literal car stripper) appearing together in a flat game show spoof where she wears a G-string and pasties while he dons a dress, willfully earning prizes for revealing their most disgusting acts. Laraine Newman plays the mother in a Gypsy flavored ALL IN THE FAMILY satire, she as close to the wayward gay son as the father is to the prostitute daughter. Cleveland's legendary Ernie Anderson, who gave up local fame as Ghoulardi for a lucrative gig as ABC's chief announcer, gets to do his usual thing as a newscaster, earning chuckles by playing it completely straight (always wanting to do a small part in a movie, he gets his wish). Yes it's dated but definitely worth a look to see what would shock audiences of the freewheeling 70s.