MonkPlaya

The plot doesn't matter much, although it is fairly important to understanding the ending (which I failed to pay attention to.) But it isn't necessary in order to enjoy the classic performances from some of the 1940s biggest acts, my favorite being Nat King Cole's silky melodies with his early King Cole Trio. But the Clark Brothers are showstoppers, and their tap routine here is no less entertaining than the Nicholas Brothers in Stormy Weather, another personal favorite. Some of the comedy material may be extremely dated, but I couldn't help but think if "Moms" Mabley's set was performed by my Grandmother...now THAT is what killed me. What surprised me most amidst all the notable performances was that any of the humor survived these 57 years, making it a barely hour-long curiosity for the brave jazz, dance, or history buff.

I thought of Baby Stewie from The Family Guy and that made me laugh, I thought of the killer bunny from Monty Python's Holy Grail and that made me laugh too, but when I think of this movie, it makes me cry, and not because of the butchering it delivers to Rosemary's Baby.

I prayed for the Holy Grenade of Antioch to blow It to tiny bits, but no such luck. I pleaded for a Solomonic choice to be made, a threat to split the baby in 1/2 and then see if the meddling parents object to giving It up. I begged for the merciful end of the chase, but the cops were about as useful as baby toys - wound up, moving about aimlessly, and eventually chewed to pieces.

Nevertheless, I find this movie (like the baby) hard to hate. The editing of the first 20 minutes that seemed to squander the tension of the hospital scene can be forgiven. As can the explanation of major plot holes by character dialog, rather than by filming action. On a shoestring budget, Cohen can be forgiven for a lot.

But one thing gnaws at me with great gnashing teeth, and that's the Davis' parenting of their school-age son. For the love of Pete (or Chris, in this case), what the hell are you doing ignoring the boy during family crisis?! Mr. Davis goes to Chris' school when psycho-baby is on the rampage, but wouldn't consider accompanying Chris to go fishing?or even talk to him on the phone?! The Davis' are wack - not kitsch, not cheezy, not cliché - they're wack. What's the big diff with a baby out-of-whack, when the parents are just one of many even SCARIER examples of humanity gone wrong!

Baby Stewie would have something clever to say right now...or maybe he'd just sport fangs and claws from an It baby costume and embark on a bloody campaign of world domination. If he makes people afraid enough, he might even get elected President. After all, the American people seem to go for petulance and visions of conquest in their leaders...Phooey!

I saw this pus-filled boil on Cosby's rump while on vacation in Florida as a kid. I asked to see it - How was I to know? - I was only 6 years old. I think it was being shown at a theater at Universal Studios, and it had been a long, hot day of walking. Hell, I was glad just to be off my feet and out of the sun...that is, until the movie began.

I was confused from the start, thinking I must have missed a lot in the first 5 parts. But I thought it's gotta get better, Bill Cosby wouldn't allow this garbage to be shown to millions of kids like me as "entertainment" unless there was something funny in it. Then the meat patties - I don't remember much about the movie, I've left the nightmares in my past, but I can still remember how I nearly wretched at this grisly mess of a scene. It was no longer worth being in a comfy theater with AC, it was more like being in agony, trapped by a 6-yr. old kid's optimism that "Mr. Huxable" would be funny! Never happened.

An utter horror of a movie! It ruined a little kid's day, and I'm sure it ruined many others'. When I found out from my folks soon after that Bill Cosby himself had told people not to see it, I was hurt and betrayed. I have since gotten over it, so LP6 is purged from my nightmares, and I applauded Cos for removing this celluloid pollution from our airwaves. Redemption at last.