The Last Big Thing

1996
R
1h 38m

IMDb RATING

6.4/10

434

YOUR RATING

Mark Ruffalo and Dan Zukovic in The Last Big Thing (1996)

A sardonic look at life in the 1990s in this trailer

Play trailer1:54

1 Video

2 Photos

Comedy Drama

From a bland tract house on the outskirts of Los Angeles, Simon Geist (with occasional help from his platonic girlfriend Darla) wages war against all of modern American popular culture. Geis... Read allFrom a bland tract house on the outskirts of Los Angeles, Simon Geist (with occasional help from his platonic girlfriend Darla) wages war against all of modern American popular culture. Geist starts up a magazine called "The Next Big Thing", which he uses to confront and insult u... Read allFrom a bland tract house on the outskirts of Los Angeles, Simon Geist (with occasional help from his platonic girlfriend Darla) wages war against all of modern American popular culture. Geist starts up a magazine called "The Next Big Thing", which he uses to confront and insult upcoming actors, comics, models and rock bands. As Geist's mysterious Underground Agenda es... Read all

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.4/10

434

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 2 wins & 6 nominations total

Videos1

Trailer 1:54

Last Big Thing

Photos1

User reviews18

6.4434

Featured reviews

mit-rr

The Punk Rock Apocalypse!

I caught this film in the mid 90's at a screening in New York and later on Showtime. Angry and hilarious, it's an unrelenting--and prescient--blast at where this culture was headed...straight into the celeb/fame/money vortex. A fringe anarcho-intellectual named Simon Geist creates an underground magazine called "The Next Big Thing" (which may or may not exist), which lures a bunch of LA fame wannabes into his weird, punishing "Agenda". This film had an intelligent confrontational energy that reminded me of 70's punk--translated into film. As the New York Press described it in a review/interview at the time: The Punk Rock Apocalypse!

10fixyrhash

Best movie you've never seen

The film revolves around a man who believes that all forms of media are obsolete. The idea behind his art project is to unmask the ridiculous culture that we are bathed in. Naturally, the film takes place in Los Angeles/Orange County. He attacks stand up comics (caw, caw, caw), rock bands, models, blockbuster Hollywood films, and touches on many other mediums. Eventually, he finds himself in the sights of the weapon he has set into motion. The film is five years old and rings more true every day. It's the best description of post-punk anger I've ever seen. It's also one of my top 10 favorite films.

9creed-5

Sardonic, acrimonious, witty and silly.

This movie is an amusing and utterly sarcastic view of pop culture and the producers thereof. I was impressed with the photography that consisted of vivid colors and spin doctored settings, especially when you think that this is Zukovic's first large scale attempt.

One warning, do not take the movie's message that seriously. It is not for mass consumption ( and that is not a compliment). The message is a somewhat stylized post-college, neophyte view of society.

I did enjoy the basic plot line of a fictitious 'zine editor verbally whipping the mobocracy of the 90's.

stevemal1

This was a weird, but totally interesting movie

I liked this movie a lot. It made a lot of interesting statements about society in general that really appealed to me. I also liked its reflection of two Non-Conforists living in an extremely conformist environment. This movie was good, and different in a new, interesting way.

Ikky

Ultra no budget commentary on the dumbing of America

Zukovic's first (maybe "last") feature. Reportedly shot in the VERY low six figures. This rant against 90's postmodernism and America's self referential popculture tailspin contains some sardonicly hilarious moments wedged between selfconscious "Byronic Poses".

If you like all the Big Budget Lost In Space sitcom rehashes that pass for "A" movies this is not for you. If you are disgusted with the turn Hollywood has taken since the 70's it is worth a buck rental for sure.

Short on the human side and reaching for that epic gesture (a difficult thing to do even when you have a budget) Big Thing is flawed, but laying prostrate in the right direction.

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
The tongue piercing of the reporters was a prop made from half-dome pierced earrings from the local Walmart. The backs were cut off and denture glue was used to stick them to the tongue.

Quotes
Simon Geist: They've been making the same car since 1986. It's called The Car.

Soundtracks
Endless Rerun
Written by Cole Coonce & Dan Zukovic
Published by Braindead Muzick, BMI
Lead Vocals: Blaine Capatch
Bass Guitar: Brian Bradley
Guitar, Background Vocals, Drums: Cole Coonce
Courtesy of Nitronic Research