Kids in the Hall: Brain Candy

Having only ever seen one episode of 'Kids in the Hall' in my life and having only a vague idea about the group (Canadian Monty Python being the easy comparison), I think it's fair to say that I came the film as somewhat ignorant when it came to all things 'Kids'.

I have to say that I was able to enjoy the film for what it was, rather than have any expectations of what it could be. What interested me most of all was it's darkness, something a lot closer to League of Gentlemen territory rather than Monty Python.

On an alternate note does anyone else notice a similarity between Don Roritor and Doctor Evil?

"i realized that i would never be happy and i am much happier because of it". I remember when I first watched the film many years ago (on VHS) I didn't think much of it and years later I gave it another go because I am a Kids in the Hall fan. It turns out there are many who prefer the movie who have given it a second or more viewings. The movie is silly (which is one thing I love) and also quite brilliant. I have to say it has earned the title of being a cult classic and is up there with the Monty Python movies. Much of the dialogue itself is funny and the characters just add so much humour to the screen. The only real problem I have with the movie is the DVD. The DVD lacks completely of special features (and is now out of print). Where is the trailer? (which is totally worth seeing over and over again). Where are the deleted scenes? (There happens to be several deleted scenes). What about the alternate ending (Which is worth watching). Maybe the movie could have been funnier if some of the removed scenes had made it's way into the movie. But still the movie is fine the way it is but again the DVD should feature the removed content in order to appreciate this movie even more. I've seen the work print of the movie and of course the movie itself and yet the trailer has moments that is in neither. What is that all about? Anyway I think the Kids have done a great job here and this movie is perfect for a good laugh but it makes me sad and depressed to see all the missing content from the DVD. Then again watching this movie is a great cure for depression.

The TV show was funny as hell, although it was sometimes hit-and-miss ; but what sketch show isn't. This movie contains a well planned plot executed by a diverse but motley crew of characters. It makes you think that the BBC show League of Gentlemen isn't as original as you thought it was! Also, the impersonation of Lorne Michaels is spot-on, and makes you think the Dr Evil character from Austin Powers isn't as original as you thought either (as they are both spoofing Mr Michaels - who produced both SNL for Myers and Kids in the Hall).

Great fun... and try not to laugh out loud at the 'cancer boy' character.

When I was growing up in the 80's, there were basically three camps of movies that were so incredibly funny that they were legendary among my peers and my generation. Those movies were the Monty Python films (Holy Grail, Life of Brian, Meaning of Life), the Mel Brooks classics (Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein), and the Airplane! movies. Kids in the Hall: Brain Candy is an awesome example of how funny a movie can be, and I hope that some day more people will see it that way and that it will achieve a cult status as a legend of great comedy. It did terribly at the box office, but that was just some unfortunate oversight. Brain Candy features uncanny wit, rollicking absurdity, hilarious zaniness, immaculately understated social commentary, and some of the best comic performances ever filmed (my personal favorite performances are Mark as Don Roritor and Scott Thompson as the clueless closeted gay guy). I believe that the particular kind of comedy in Brain Candy is not easy to enjoy during the first viewing, which is why you should watch it a few times. When the Kids' masterpiece starts sinking in to your head, you'll start getting a whole lot of laugh-returns on your investment.

This film meant more to me than just 'a feature film featuring the comedy troop, The Kids in the Hall'. I am a Kids In The Hall fan. Their first feature length film theme was a good one. They took on one of the biggest things of 1996 and poked fun and holes at it: "Depression".

You have to remember, by 1996, depression drugs were being dispensed at an all time high. People were "sad" and wanted to be happy all the time so prescriptions were running wild for these depression drugs-- Prozac being the top one.

So the Kids went after this theme. Remember, this is The Kids in the Hall taking on this, not the book "Prozac Nation". This film may seem silly to some, or even awful for those who expected the same kind of Kids work as they had done in their series, but I did like it and I like the way they went about taking on a popular subject at the time most people didn't wish to admit how popular it really was.

Look back at "Brain Candy", well, may seem a tad bit dated now that in 2003 we should "know better". Do we? But again, I gotta hand it to the Kids in the Hall for being "sharp" enough to tackle this..and the WAY they tackled this. Think about it...is your health less important than corporate profits? ("We beat -- penicillin!!!!")And how about the summary at the end of the film by the taxi driver..."it's Okay to be sad...sometimes."

The Kids in the Hall were a very talented Comedy troupe of gentlemen and to some degree many expected something more comedic from them with their familiar characters and material for their first film fare, but again, I thought this was a more creative way to go, a more daring and brilliant way to go. Sometimes it strayed, but it all came back to the central theme. This is NOT for everyone's taste, but for those who want to venture into something different from a comedy troupe..maybe along the lines of the Monty Python's troupe fare of "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" -- who's theme too was way out there for a comedy troupe. It's enjoyable, pick this one up, see it for what it is.