Hunk

A friend new the director, so I went to the premiere, which was in a prestigious Westwood (L.A.) theatre. We all found it very entertaining.

The story was this: Lawrence Bassoff went to USC film school, where he made a hilarious twenty-minute comedy about an outer space themed Bar Mitzva. http://www.film-making.com/breaking.html

From that, he succeeded in getting a low-budget movie deal from Crown International Pictures for his first commercial film, Weekend Pass, which was moderately successful. Then Crown said they wanted to fund him to make another low-budget film, and they wanted it to be called 'Hunk'. No treatment, no script, no plot ideas. Just make a comedy about a hunk, and do what you want.

A lifelong movie poster collector, he never made another film but has written three books on movie posters.

We all get our start somewhere and if you look sharp you can spot Brad Pitt as an extra in a scene in Hunk on the beach at Sea Spray California where there is a beautiful beach for beautiful people. Fortunately he would go on to better things.

Hunk is another retelling of the Faust legend a real silly one at that. Nerdy Steve Levitt who is a computer programmer is up against it and says he'll make a deal with old Scratch for a good program. His computer itself writes one for him and as a reward he gets to spend the summer off at Sea Spray beach while he tries to come up with another program winner. Hanging around all these beautiful people and being treated like something stuck to your shoe, Levitt dreams he was one of them.

Now old Scratch himself sends an emissary in Deborah Shelton and she offers him a chance to try out hunkdom. Sure enough over night he's transformed into the drop dead gorgeous John Allen Nelson. Perfection in the male body. itself.

The whole thing really gets downright dumb as Nelson becomes a celebrity after saving the life of Robin Leach wannabe Robert Morse. Will he take the offer? I know I would find it hard to refuse.

James Coco has some good moments as a most epicene devil, but the rest of this is just juvenile and stupid.

But if you like ogling beautiful bodies, you can't go wrong with Hunk.

I just adore this movie. It is in my category of 'Poundshop Classics' because it was discovered by an ex in a poundshop about 10 years ago. It is my second favourite movie in that category (after 'The Independent').

I've never really understood why this film is not more of a well known 80's cult classic as it has everything a good 80's film should have: the costumes, the music, the effects and the self-referencing humour. The characters and casting are all ace - Hunk Golden surely has to be one of the best character names of all time!

It is a silly, silly film and there's always time in my life for silly films.

This is a gay man fantasy heck of a movie, if you'd even call it that! Let's just leave it at that!

I remember watching it back in the early 90s on TV. The only vivid memory I had about it was the night when he was sleeping and got transformed, specifically when he got **AHEM** "expanded", if you know what I mean. And I don't mean his upper body torso.

Watching it again now, it's just bad! But for what it's worth, it's a watch worth of nostalgia. That's it.

By the way, you know when they say you should never remake movies that are already perfect? Well, this one is in desperate need of a serious makeover.

And since I did drop Glen Powell's name in the title, perhaps they could consider him playing Hunk since young John Allen Nelson bore uncanny resemblance to Powell.

Low budget comedy deals with a nerd selling his soul to the devil (James Coco) in order to become a hunk. Charming actors and performances somewhat help buoy uninspired premise and direction. James Coco is just as good as ever in one of his last performances. My rating: 6 out of 10.