Big Meat Eater

Well, its a weird one. And I don't mean weird like Crispin Glover. I'm talking presidential pig mask, live-action Thomas Hart Benton painting, astronaut dairy farmer weird, people.... Anyway, this flick comes from the outer ring of the 80's, and was probably originally conceived as a stage production, in the vein of "Little Shop of Horrors." Of course, weird is a good thing, and I can't say I had a bad time here, but I left "Big Meat Eater" on a bit of a confused note, not really absorbent of what I just witnessed. There really is some nut-ragious stuff in this one, like a 500lb B.B. King look-alike in a shriner outfit, Boy George vampire vocalist, and enough meat-related gore to show up H.G. Lewis. Throw in Ed Wood-style flying saucers, wind-up toy aliens, and 4-5 pretty righteous musical numbers, and you are gravitationally close. The story involves a Rivers Cuomo look-alike, who is commissioned to head up some sort of citizen's committee, after the town's mayor is killed and then resurrected via alien possession. Meanwhile, a scientist and his father work to construct the town's futuristic sewage treatment facility, which is secretly destined to be the launchpad for the aliens' invasion. Add into the mix some Croatian fortune tellers, Troma-flavored camp, and an intergalactic Oldsmobile, and you've got the fixins for a B-movie headscratcher that really defies description. Recommend some irradiated, lobster-clawed dwarfs, eagle-eyed bongwielder princess, and bathtub absynthe with this one. ---|--- Reviews by Flak Magnet

This movie is SO odd that it's hard to compare it to anything else, but it's in the same general quadrant as efforts by Roger Corman and John Waters. Production values are mostly awful, as is the acting, but the musical numbers are actually quite good and the movie has a certain goofy charm. I laughed out loud several times. If you don't have unduly high expectations, it's enjoyable enough. The consensus rating of 4-5 points (on a scale of 10) is about right.

Not too much to add here, except that this is a truly weird, strange, silly movie that will crack you up when it's not disturbing your soul. My top ten favorite things in this movie:

10. Balonium

9. Chemicals! First they create -- then, they improve!

8. Abdullah -- the Biggest Miller of them all.

7. The Bolum ("Now THERE'S a monster!")

6. "Who's that man?" (Bob!)

5. "Ha Ha Ha. Earth is in chaos."

4. "You're gonna get a taste of the A-Bomb tonight"

3. The Wczinskis -- wonderful people! "Not that they haven't had their problems adjusting to our Berquitlam ways!"

2. "Don't like no fruits -- no veggies too. And I don't give a damn for them that do!"

1. Where did Jan get the English accent?

Take heart you Big Meat Eaters -- others have seen this movie and have it on tape for posterity. Cherish it -- treasure it. But be careful who sees it -- your Mom will have you put away for watching stuff like this.

Aliens locate a rare radioactive element under the butcher shop in a quirky Canadian town being stalked by a mysterious, fez-wearing, singing, murderous meat-cutter of unusual size. The film is a Canadian entry into 'internationally bad' genre: camp films angling for cult status that were usually marked by poor special effects, amateur acting, excessiveness, and meta-humour - all deliberate. Since the intention is to subvert most of the criteria by which films are judged, all that remains is whether the move is a witty/clever satire ('Big Meat Eater' is not) and/or whether it's entertaining/enjoyable (personal taste). 'Big Meat Eater' has a couple of interesting song and dance numbers, and blues-musician Clarence 'Big' Miller is amusing in the title role; otherwise, it's a silly time-waster that will only appeal to fans of the genre (of which I am not).

I saw this movie at Staines ABC cinema (I don't think it's there any more) about 1985-1986. It was a late night double-bill, with 'Videodrome' being the main feature. I remember the movie being quite bizzare, and pretty funny. Still remember Abdulla's song with the raw meat, and the part of the butcher's opening song 'Meat to please you, Pleased to meet you!'. Clever. Videodrome seemed quite mild in comparison!