Stargames

There must be something good to say about a family-effort film project....in this case, it apparently involves the Clark clan and some marginally-talented homies....so, we can only hope it was meant for audiences under the age of seven. Anyone older will immediately pick up on the amazingly cheesy effects, performances---sadly including Tony Curtis', who must have owed somebody a big favor---and atrociously bad scripting and dialogue. (Count how many times the parents yell, "BRIAN!", even when he's right in front of them.) However, all this makes for a fabulous riff session, and you won't even need RiffTrax. You'll have plenty of your own material, especially when "Happy" shows up---it's this flick's only Clowning achievement.

Everyone acts in a very weird manner in this film from the way they talk, walk, gestures, are all either fake or self conscious. Some thins are just explainable in terms of how someone could act in that fashion and think it is ok. I think anyone off the street could act better. The sad thing is the best actor was Tony Curtis and he was very strange in real life. I cannot imagine anyone over the age of 6 or that might enjoy this movie. Even then it might be difficult. This puts it out of the whole family category.

At the lime this film was made, Tony. Curtis was at the tail end of his career, mostly TV guest appearances and bit parts in forgettable films. Its hard to take the actor who gave such Film performances as Spartacus, The Defiant Ones, Some Like It Hot, and Operation Petticoat (yes, only a fair movie but he was terrific in his role) in this drivel. I'm no performer, but really, can the allure of the stage or screen really be so powerful as to be involved in this embarrassment? Was he in deep to a bookie or the IRS?

Recommendation: watch the RiffTrax version, only.

I started disliking this movie. It isn't the best quality and the story is strange.

Yet at the same time, at the end, I look back and have a unique like for it.

Low budget, low plot by today's standards but strangely compelling.

The end looks like it was setup for a future sequel and ends on a powerful hook that made me look for a possible second movie to see where it goes.

. . . but certainly in the top two. As a movie aficionado and frustrated film maker, I long for the talent that would allow me to shoot just one minute of film good enough to be considered art. I'm sure Graydon Clark has a similar aspiration for himself. Just as I do not rate movies with a 10 (there is no such thing as a perfect film) I also am loath to rate a movie with a 1, which is also a measure of perfection but at the wrong end of the spectrum. Stargames brushes awfulness perfection but doesn't quite make it. It is chock full of truly atrocious moments, from inexplicable actions to the creepiest clown I have seen anywhere. Ever. While this movie is one of the worst ever, it yielded a RiffTrax gem. It is truly a RiffTrax masterpiece and that alone justifies the existence of this turkey.