It Came from Hollywood

This film still has me rolling whenever I see it. This film not only makes fun of the grade Z stinkers, but in it's on weird way, pays tribute to these films at the same time. The only problem I have with it is the fact that it includes two classic sci-fi films, "The Incredible Shrinking Man" and "War of the Worlds". Other than that this is one funny film, especially Cheech and Chong's look at the anti-drug films like "Reefer Madness" and "High School Confidential".

It's just sad how little this movie is recognized and how it has been recalled for DVD. You have some of the biggest stars of the time taking about bad B movies of the 50's 60's and 70's like A.p.e the giant claw Earth vs the flying saucers the Colossal man. I can only imagine a movie like this today stars like johnny Depp Leonardo Dicaprio Jake Gyllenhaal Taking about old B movies of the past including ones from the 80's like Hobgoblins the Abomination Deadly spawn Lobster man from mars and bad shot on video movies. This is a classic that more people should know about all the stars do a good job the clips are great it never takes it self seriously. I first saw this on HBO way back in 92 or 93 and i will never forget the first time seeing it this any fan of John Candy Gilda Radner Dan Aykroyd or b movies should see it.

One of the reasons I liked this film so much was because it actually featured Guilala. Dan Aykroyd and John Candy make comments about the best and worst Sci-Fi movies like Plan 9 from Outer Space and other films by Ed Wood. It also features Attack of the Mushroom People and X from Outer Space. I loved it. Recommended to everybody.

Good intentions aside, at times I had trouble really getting into this pleasantly interactive, short-lived little documentary/Mystery Science Theater 3000 style arrangement that presents a variety of random clips from supposedly old b-grade to z-grade Hollywood features (though its hard to grasp why "War of the Worlds", "The Incredible Shrinking Man" and "The Day the Earth Stood Still" made its way in) that are set-up through specific genders (monsters, gorillas, animals going berserk, brains, troubled teenagers, Ed Wood, Aliens, giants and musicals) with them being wittily dissected/or informatively discussed by comedians Dan Aykroyd, John Candy, Gilda Radner, Cheech and Chong. The thing was I thought the best moments actually involved the crazy movie clips themselves, than that of it focusing on its mugging stars and the wraparound sequences. The problem was that I found most of the remarks (which at times were surprisingly sparse) not to be all that funny, well Cheech and Chong came across more so genuinely smooth in their humour within the cinema (especially Chong at the candy bar and sitting their watching the films) and it came across an inspired choice for them to rip on the eccentrically pitched cautionary drug movies. However some of those scenes with the other stars in between the collection of clips just didn't gel, as for one Aykroyd really did get on my nerves. Some skits were better implemented than roughly penned others, but the feature does feel like one big trailer (or movie preview) for bad schlock movies… some which are hard to believe you're actually seeing it on screen. Nothing is safe in the wryly tongue-in-cheek "It Came from Hollywood".

I've always enjoyed this hodge-podge of "bad" movie scenes and previews. But only for the previews themselves. Unfortunately, this movie takes a very smug and pompous attitude toward its subject matter, largely due to the fact that Golden Turkey Award creator Michael and Harry Medved were "advisors" on the project.

Anyone who is a real fan of these movies enjoys them for the silly schlock that they are. The Medveds revel in ridiculing and lampooning them with no appreciation for them at all. Surprisingly, this is the sense one gets from hosts Dan Aykroyd and John Candy, two performers one would think would have a special place in their hearts for these classics.

Only Cheech and Chong and Gilda Radner seem to get into the spirit of things. While Candy and Aykroyd poke fun and insult the movies, Cheech, Chong and Radner play along with them, and create some genuine laughs.

But the real stars are the clips themselves, which are great fun and great nostalgia. Oddly, amid these "bad" movies are such recognized classics as THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN, WAR OF THE WORLDS and THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL. Scenes from outrageously over-the-top cautionary films about sex and marijuana are utterly hilarious.

Highlights are Chong ordering a truckload of candy at the concession stand and Radner doing her little girl schtick from Saturday night live.