J-Men Forever

Note: No spoilers included. There's not enough of a plot to be spoiled!

"Now, ah, Drugs are bad, m'kay?" That's what the J-Men think, and Rock and Roll is just as evil. That's pretty much the plot of the movie. Doesn't sound like much, but trust me, it's more than the movie needs.

In this movie, a group of geniuses have taken a bunch of different old movies and serials, (Mystery Science Theater 3000 material) and spliced them to form one gigantic laugh. You see the original footage, but you hear a completely re-dubbed (and much funnier) dialog.

A group of superheroes battle an evil warlord who is trying to enslave the world. Imaginative spoof of superhero films consists of original footage from 1930's, 40's and 50's RKO cinematic shorts spliced together and overdubbed with new script and sound track. (Rating: B+)

Will someone who knows Firesign Theatre please tell them that if this video is not released on VHS (even better DVD), I'll throw myself off that cliff in the movie. I have such great memories of this from the 70's when no one knew what the USA network was. Only FS could come up with such great plot lines and take the time to edit this film. I have a copy...but it's getting old...like me.

With Woody Allen's brilliantly silly re-dubbing of a Japanese action movie for What's Up Tiger Lily? Peter Bergman and Phil Proctor went the extra mile combing through countless old Republic serials to piece together the silly story of J Men Forever. With the evil narcissist The Lightning Bug hidden on the moon, he plans to conquer Earth by beaming down and hi-jacking all bland radio stations with this new hideous 'rock n' roll' he's devised. Bergman and Proctor nicely interject themselves as lead J-Men in a office assigning super agents to thwart this Lightning Bug and his henchmen. Despite the inconsistencies and outright silliness of the dialog and all, it still is a very creative and cohesive movie for it's time. Later to be embellished upon with the likes of Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid, and even Woody's return with Zelig. But J Men Forever deserves more credit and respect for it's meagre reworking and budget to pull it off like they did so independently and with a true passion for all the old serials.

A bizarre villain, as well as a master of disguise, known as the Lightning Bug is planning to eliminate all easy listening and classical music to be replaced by whining banal rock. Its up to the J-Men and stock footage from Republic serials to save the day. The movie is hilarious, even if you never seen a serial in your life. The footage is intercut in the story flawlessly. The only setbacks are the actual filmed scenes and the fact that the film wasn't any longer. If your a serial fan though, this DVD is for you. Rating- 9.

PS- The extra includes an interview by Philip Proctor with George Wallace, lead in the 1952 serial Radar Men from the moon. Judging from the way the interview went, Proctor didn't have all of his facts straight entering the query.