Tunnelvision

If you don't think today's American comedies have been dumbed down, you should give TUNNEL VISION a look. Crude and tasteless, extremely dated, but very, very smart. It's amazing how many jokes you miss because here, it's all in the writing. Sure, kids today won't get a lot of the 70's pop and political references, but if you actually paid attention in your history and political science classes (as well as TNN and TVLAND), it shouldn't be a problem. Can you say that about TOMCATS and AMERICAN PIE? The wraparound segments of a federal hearing pertaining to the effects on the nation for watching the Tunnel Vision network are eerily prophetic given the current Media Marketing Responsibility Act Lieberman and Clinton and Kohl are trying to push. Politically Correct viewers may balk at some of the bits on race, but the film skewers everybody, plus it's obvious that there's more going on then just a cheap laugh at different minority (and majority) groups' expense. TUNNEL VISION is more than just an old sketch comedy movie from the 70's, and it's sad that most modern comedies can't approach the cerebral humor on display here.

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.

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.

Stephen Feinberg, who Played the Proctologist and was one of the writers of the movie, passed away in early 2006. I met Steve in Portland in 1993, it was a year latter when he told me that he had been a writer in Hollywood years earlier, working mostly on TV promos. He asked me not to see 'Tunnel Vision', but it was too late, I had seen it already! Actually I had seen it years before, when it was released. At that time I didn't think it was that bad a movie. However seeing it as an adult my opinion was somewhat different. Yes is is a bit puerile as well as dated. Steve admitted it was not a very good movie. That said he was just a little proud of 'The Proctologist' sketch.

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.