The Last Polka

I have not seen this movie since its debut on HBO TV and it is not available to order to add to one's collection of VHS movies. Definitely without doubt one of the funniest comedies you will ever see in your lifetime. I could not stop laughing throughout the entirety of the movie, a laugh with every breath. A classic by Levy and Candy, and an impossible to obtain movie physically. Since it was made for TV, it was never printed for resale, which makes it one of the cult classics and one of the most sought after comedies of all time. Many of the jokes and set ups used to direct this movie appear in latter years in other comedies. It seems The Last Polka and the Shmenge Bros. set a precedent no one can keep up to. If you ever get a chance to see it do so, you probably will never get a second chance to see it. I saw it in 1984, and have been looking for any copy of it since, or notification it will be broadcast on TV and in 20 years it has not been rerun on TV. I have a feeling this one is tied up somewhere in a vault in John Candy's estate collection. Perhaps, MUST SEE. The best are impossible to find.

Simply the best of all of the mockumentaries. Candy and Levy at their best. Makes one want to take up the gelkies (with a little Russian dancing on the side), have some cabbage rolls and coffee (mmm, mmm, good!), and try and forget the Plattsburgh incident. See it, if you can find it.

This was a made-for-cable (Showtime) comedy special starring John Candy and Eugene Levy's "SCTV Network" characters, polka stars Yosh and Stan Shmenge.

The film traces their rise to prominence from their childhood in native Leutonia to their final comeback concert. Along the way, we're treated to hilarious archival footage and interviews with those who worked with them and loved them, played by other "SCTV" luminaries like Rick Moranis, Robin Duke, and Catherine O'Hara. Later released on video. It's an excellent comedy special... a must for anyone who loved Candy and "SCTV!"

The DVD of "A Mighty Wind" was so much fun I had to see what older comedies by cast members were available. This romp with Eugene Levy and John Candy was such a favorite, it's a shame it's not available. I would love to be able to see "The Last Polka" again, preferably on DVD. Wish it could appear in time for the 10th anniversary of the death of John Candy (he died in March 1994). I sure would like to see him polka-swinging with Eugene Levy once more.

People in our family still use that catchphrase: Cabbage rolls & coffee! MMMM, MMMMMM, GOOD!

I like to look at the "time capsule" idea to illustrate certain words from our era, as we might put into, say, a cornerstone to be viewed by those a century later. Some pictures, descriptive materials, films or tapes, of JFK or Dwight Eisenhower, could illustrate the essence of "charisma" (for "anti-charisma," try Newt Gingrich). How about Sharon Stone and Tia Carrere for "sexy?" A tape of "The Last Polka" could simply be enclosed to illustrate "funny." Far-fetched, silly, over-the-top, but hilarious at every turn. And these amiable oafs and their nearly-equally-oafish supporting players provide more laughs and enjoyment in this film than most of the big-screen productions which cost 20- or 40- or 50-times as much to produce and market. Funny at a rating of "11" on the 1-to-10 scale.