Teddy Bears' Picnic

I was fortunate enough to see this film at one of its world premieres as part of the St. Louis International Film Festival. Unfortunately, Harry Shearer could not come and talk to us about it, as was scheduled, but from what I hear, his make-up Q&A session a few days later was riotous.

Naturally, this comes as no surprise. In the fashion of earlier works such as *This Is Spinal Tap,* *Waiting For Guffman,* and *Best In Show* (not all of which had anything to do with Shearer himself, necessarily), the comedy relies heavily upon quirky yet somehow realistic characters in situations to match. Improvisation and satirical exaggeration combined with portrayal of bizarre characters by some unexpected performers and comic pacing that only someone like Shearer could pull off make this one of the better comedies of the year. While I'm unsure of how well-distributed the film will be, all fans of the aforementioned films should make an effort to see it.

I found myself consciously suppressing chuckles because several of the early jokes were racial slurs designed to make you cringe, but the movie audience was decidedly multi-ethnic. I bet it fares better on home video where the audience won't be so self-conscious. George Wendt has the juciest role as a general who goes overboard in trying to cover up Zambizi Glen's, and his own, secret. My personal favorites are Howard Hessman's portrayal of a grossly-overqualified theatrical director, and the actress playing the TV news producer. Morgan Fairchild has a very welcome, if small role.

I wanted to see this in a theater because it was shot in 480P video. My amateur's eyes couldn't see any difference between this and traditionally filmed movies-- quite surprising because this is lower resolution than even HDTV.

Oh my, I can\t believe I sat through this. This is unbelievably horrible and excruciatingly boring to say the best.

Here is what is on my cassette box cover...Teddy Pears Picnic. For 51 weeks a year, they run the country. For 1 week they run amok.

This is horrible. It is pointless and is drearingly so painstakingly utterly boring. If you take any advice from somebody who loves watching movies...take this advice. Either shoot yourself in the head or jump in-front of a speeding train or truck before you watch this film;m.

Film? Did I call this crud film? Where's the humor? Where's the running amok? Where are the floozies? What is so special about this garbage that it has a box cover? NOTHING!!!!!!!!!!!! If I ever go camping in the woods and need something to use so I can make a path, I will certainly tear this cassette apart and stretch out the tape for as long as I can to find my way back.

Is it bad? Oh yeah...is it funny? NOOOOOOOOOOO. Is there a point to this cinematic schlock? Try to find one and you win an award.

I could go on and on about how crappy this is and what a waste of time it is, in fact I had more fun writing this review than I had watching 2 minutes of this.

Horrible in terms of story, comedy, action and anything which is supposed to result in a movie.

This is below substandard and hits an all new low. Oh...you don't believe me? Try it...go on...I dare you. Spend the money...go on...I double dare you.

Oh, now you get my point...yeah, well you damn well better listen to me next time I tell you how bad a video is. It's that bad....and boring.

If you have the guts to sit through this and figure it all out and find any humour in it...then YOU are a better person than me and I will be forever indebted to you.

Misleading box-cover and synopsis allowed me to think that after an hour of total nothing that this may get better. Oh yeah...right.

Even the best drugs and crates of alcohol and a pipe struck to my forehead at full force will not make me change my mind.

If you truly hate or despise somebody for any reason and you fell so compelled to harm them mentally, treat them to a viewing of this 2 times without letting them leave for any reason. They will truly suffer one of the worst painstaking injuries ever known to man.

When captured enemies must be forced to infinite amounts of pain...this is their torture.

Oh and if you got through the end of this review...you just enjoyed yourself thousand of times more than sitting through the entire duration of this nasty, vile piece of ughhhhhhhhhhhh.

I agree with the prior comment that this film is in the spirit of Christopher Guest's movies, but it does not quite reach those standards (although, of course, that is setting the bar pretty high). Certainly an amusing film, but one wishes that perhaps the actors had been given some flexibilty to show their comedic muscle (particulary John Micheal Higgins, whose improv in Best in Show was off the charts). Unfortunately, it's not only the fire that fizzles out a little towards the end. Overall though, clearly superior to most comedies out there (and some great satire re TV news), but with someone like Shearer and a cast of this quality one enters the cinema with such high hopes it is easy to be disappointed.

Its not a good film. It's not very funny.

But what's worse is that this is little more apologist piece on behalf of long term Bohemian Grove guest Harry Shearer.

Quite how this film managed to get made leads to some very worrying thoughts. Viewers might want to catch Alex Jones's "The Order of Death" for an alternative view of the goings on at Bohemian Grove.

But politics aside, is it anything more than a grown up a very of Animal House? I'm sorry to say it's not. In fact to be honest, it makes Animal House look like Citizen Kane by comparison and I can only imagine this would be because of the poor concept at the start of production.

Not very original at all.

So would I rent it (again)? No. Would I watch it on TV? (not again!).