Slither

I saw "Slither" when it was first released to theaters in 1973 (it played as a second-bill to "Uptown Saturday Night"--now there's a combination!). I knew nothing about this picture, nobody seemed to know where it came from, yet by the finish I couldn't wait to see it again. Today, it is as fresh and darkly comic as a Coen Brothers movie. James Caan (at his best) plays low-keyed, amiable, freshly-sprung ex-con who, right off the train, gets involved with a series of lunatics. They involve him in a scheme to retrieve some embezzled loot, and one by one start taxing Caan's patience. Sally Kellerman is terrific as a sexy neurotic; she's very flaky and funny giving her insights on situations which stops everyone in their tracks. Peter Boyle and Louise Lasser are a hoot as a suburban couple who get mixed up in the mayhem, leading to a riotous car chase involving a motor home and two vans. If the conclusion doesn't exactly deliver on the early promise, that's OK because "Slither" is totally unconventional (even its title is obscure!). *** from ****

An ex-con stumbles across America, meeting one oddball character after another, while being pursued by a mysterious black minivan. The characters are wonderful - oddball without being exaggerated or overdone. The plot is engrossing. It's a wonderful piece of 70s anarchy. It is very clear that this must have been a big influence on the Coen brothers movies. That combination of deadpan observation of personal quirk and absurdity, combined with violence and a twisting plot. The Big Lebowski is a clear example of where you'll this film's influence. All the performances are great, with Sally Kellerman being her usual unforgettable self.

James Caan is known as a tough guy, but he plays an entirely different character here. He is an ex con fresh out of jail and gets mixed up with eccentric criminals in which he thinks there will be a big payoff in the end. It's a comedy in which James plays his character in a kind, gentle way. You get the feeling he is going along to get along and those around him are crazy. Sally Kellerman is great as a crazy woman who meets Caan by chance and just won't go away. Peter Boyle also is good as a shady criminal trying to get money. Overall the plot is thin, but the ride is fun.

"Slither" is a perfect, subversive, character-driven comedy that in its own way belongs in the same category as "Pocket Money." Both are sly, low-key studies of American losers, with McGuffins in both films merely serving as excuses for the characters to bump up against each other and to wrestle with their sweet, ever-lasting ineptitude. Not the least of "Slithers"'s triumphs is its perfect cast. Could any film fan in his right mind have imagined James Caan, Peter Boyle, Sally Kellerman, Allen Garfield, Richard B. Schull, and Alex Rocco (the latter was "Moe Green" in "The Godfather") in the same movie? Caan is wonderful as a laconic, recently released con whose brief visit with an old friend turns into a comedic nightmare involving murder, the hunt for a bag of money, and continuing sinister goings-on. The plot, which isn't meant to be taken seriously, never gets in the way of the picture's real interest: examining the human off-kilteredness that lies just inches below the surface of American life. Boyle steals the film as a classic American type, the small-town third-rate entertainer who performs masterfully at Kiwanis Club dances and similar venues. His patented shtick while emceeing an event is so breathtakingly awful, you either want to condole with him or grab a barf bag. Kellerman is equally good as every man's worst nightmare, a nut case who is likely to remind many males in the audience of a certain former girlfriend known briefly. To Caan's--and our--astonishment, she goes from intriguingly sexy to nutty to dangerously nutty in all of 15 minutes of screen time; nor can he get rid of her once he's bedded her. Louise Lasser's role is small and offers her less opportunity to shine, but she's perfect as Boyle's loyal, compliant wife who never seems to know that she's married to a squirm-inducing jerk. Script and direction mesh perfectly, and Caan is terrific as an unflappable stoic who seems to have wandered into the wrong film by mistake and finds himself confronted with one outrageous situation after another. It feels cathartic when he finally lets go and belts Kellerman towards the end of the movie. An A+ for this exceptional off-beat "little" film that one day may be rediscovered and hailed as a classic of its kind.

James Caan plays Dick Kanipsia, a high school jock turned ex-convict who connects with embezzler Barry Fenaka (Peter Boyle); with the latters' wife Mary (Louise Lasser) in tow, they hit the road, in a red muscle car pulling a silver Airstream. The goal is to find a long-hidden stash of money. However, two ominous black vans are always dogging the trio, so it's clear that there ARE other interested parties.

Somewhat forgotten over time, this is an agreeable dark-humored crime picture with director Howard Zieff displaying a nice, light touch while making the most of the script by the great W. D. Richter. Although there is some violence and gore, the filmmakers are able to never let this get particularly unpleasant. Overall, the film is no great shakes, but then it's not exactly aiming to be in the first place. It's just an amusing road movie with a number of fun twists along the way.

The movie goes far on the engaging quality of the cast. Caan is amiable and low-key, and has good chemistry with the slightly shady Boyle; Lasser is endearing, and other familiar actors like Allen Garfield, Richard B. Shull, Alex Rocco, and Len Lesser turn up in entertaining supporting roles. But the show is stolen by a very sexy Sally Kellerman as an eccentric traveler who also gets involved in the action. She's a real character: a pill-popping, pistol packing, short shorts wearing free spirit who says some damn funny things. Basically, it's a hoot to watch so many of the other individuals in this story keep trying Dicks' patience.

By the end of the movie, you can hardly blame Dick for what he does! It's the perfect capper on this offbeat tale.

Seven out of 10.