Happy Hour

An awfully silly little comedy with only half-baked satirical elements, the film is however energetically acted, especially by Jamie Farr and Rich Little, and what those two actors alone can do makes the film worth checking out. The director, John De Bello, is best known for 'Attacking of the Killer Tomatoes', and while this film did not gain the same cult status, it possibly is better. The music soundtrack is great, and some of the satirical aspects do work: the secret ingredient is sort of like Coca Cola's secret ingredient, and the market competition does reflect the consumer orientated society of today - but if only it were not full of silly gags and characters that do the film no good. Richard Gilliland is also not the most convincing choice for his leading part, but Farr and Little do spice up the acting side.

This was an example of some of the worst mugging and all-around bad acting since Plan 9 from Outer Space! The leads actually maintain a straight face throughout to their credit, but the supporting cast (every last one of 'em), are all horrendous! It could have been funny if it had been played a bit more realistically. Then the outrageous behavior shown by the characters' reaction to the "Marshall Beer secret ingredient" would have been hilarious. Oh well... it WAS filmed in 1987 after all.

My review was written in May 1987 after a screening at Manhattans' UA Twin theater.

The filmmakers of the intentionally bad 1977 release "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes" have not progressed one iota in a decade, judging by the singularly unfunny "Happy Hour", a purported comedy about beer. Poor writing and inept technique will have the viewer claiming "Sour Grapes", pic's original title when shot back in 1985.

Richard Gilliland blandly portrays a scientist working for Marshall eer who accidentally invents an ingredient which makes the product irresistible and addictive. Unfortunately, he cannot reproduce his formula, so only one bottle of the stuff exists, half of which is stolen by rival Lakeside Beer.

Picture consists of poorly staged and ill-timed slapstick as a bunch of zanies try to capture both breweries' vials of the ingredient. Charmles overacting is encouraged by director John De Bello, except for the casting of mimic Rich Little as a James Bond type of suave spy, given a very laid back, boring reading by Little. Film is so dated that Little has a running gag vocally doing an impression of Cary Grant to fool security guards.

Despite its R rating, pic has no nudity or sex. Technical quality is disgraceful, with poorly synched dialog (done intentionally as a gag in "Killer Tomatoes" but just a boner here), and no color correcting. Latter caused most of the print screened to be very reddish, virtually making lovely costgar Tawny Kitaen look as garish as a circus clown; some shots are greenish with no matching. The only pro credit is an effective music score. Pic ends with a bimbette addressing the audience directly, informing us we probably are too stupid to understand the film's message. Supposedly a satire of society's crassness as epitomized in beer advertising, the film's shoddy attempt to make a fast buck is transparently clear to any movie fan.

This film should be a classic in American Film archives. What a better story line than a beer company trying to take over the world. This movie is an absolute must for beer lover and movie buffs alike. Anyone that misses out on this one is truly a neglected individual.

If you can sit through this entire movie you either have no life or no remote. I did, but very regettably so. It is a movie where afterward you think, I wasted an hour and a half of my life, ON THAT!! While the acting was horrible, the attempts at humor were even worse. There were a few humorous parts, but even those are tasteless and might repulse some. To tell you how poor this movie is the high point is... well there is no high point it was all equally pathetic.