Halloween Treat: Rediscovering HAUNTED HONEYMOON (1986)

© Orion Pictures.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Gene Wilder was one of the highest paid and most successful actors in Hollywood. With hits like Silver Streak in 1976, and Stir Crazy in 1980 under his belt, and Oscar nominations for his work on Mel Brooks’ The Producers, in 1967, and Young Frankenstein, in 1974, which Wilder also co-wrote, it was expected that Wilder would make the transition from actor to writer director, and he did so, with 1975's The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes’ Smarter Brother, which proved to be a hit.

He then directed The World’s Greatest Lover, in 1977, which was a commercial and critical disappointment.

After taking a long break from directing, Wilder bounced back with his next effort, 1984's The Woman in Red, which was one of the surprise sleeper hits of that year, and which garnered an Oscar nomination for best song as well.

The success of The Woman in Red, led to Orion Pictures offering Wilder another project of his choice to write and direct.

The result was Haunted Honeymoon, released in 1986.

The film was instantly dismissed by critics as an unfunny disaster, and, after proving to be a commercial failure, quickly disappeared from theaters.

At first glance, it is easy to see why Haunted Honeymoon failed so miserably upon release.

Wilder, who, up to that point, was mostly known for his quirky brand of bombastic comedy, produced something quite different with Haunted Honeymoon, a mishmash of genres, including horror, mystery, freudian thriller, and slapstick comedy. An uneasy mixture that would have been challenging to pull off for any filmmaker, let alone a relatively unseasoned director like Wilder.

But, apparent flaws aside, Haunted Honeymoon has a lot to offer.

The film takes place in the 1930s, and tells the story of Larry Abbot, a man who has everything going for him. He is starring in the most successful show on the radio and he’s about to get married to Vickie, the love of his life. But underneath all the fame and success, something is troubling him, leading him to freeze while performing on the air. So he decides to go on a trip with Vickie to the eerie castle where he grew up, and where his family still resides. But upon arrival, Larry is entangled in a web of murder and dark family secrets, and discovers that one of the residents of the castle might be a werewolf.

Like all of the films Wilder has written or directed, Haunted Honeymoon is more of an ensemble piece than a starring vehicle for Wilder, with Wilder providing his terrific cast with plenty of opportunities to shine.

From Bryan Pringle as Pfister, the imposing but lovable alcoholic butler, to Jonathan Pryce as Charles, the sleazy ne’er do well, to the delightful Eve Ferret as the bubbly Sylvia.

Surprisingly enough, two of the film’s biggest stars don’t fare so well. Gilda Radner is woefully miscast as Vickie, Wilder character’s love interest, and Wilder himself admitted in his autobiography, Kiss Me Like A Stranger, that he only cast Radner under pressure from her and to spare her feelings. And although Radner shines in a moment or two, she’s too good a comedienne not to, her performance is awkward and distracting.

And Dom Deluise, performing in drag as Katherine, Larry’s aunt and the family’s imposing matriarch, almost has nothing to do, with Wilder and Deluise seemingly depending on the mere sight of Deluise in woman’s dress to do the work.

And like all the films Wilder directed, Haunted Honeymoon comes off as incoherent, occasionally overwrought, and too self-indulgent, jumping from one scene to the next with little rhyme or reason, and feeling more like a series of episodes than a cohesive story.

So it’s easy to see why Haunted Honeymoon doesn’t work on many levels.

But despite all the film’s problems, it still has its charms.

The film has a brilliantly stylish Gothic atmosphere, with dazzling production design by co-writer Terence Marsh, who, in spite of a modest budget, manages to enrich the film’s sets with plenty of lush period detail. This provides one of the film’s highlights, as Haunted Honeymoon is obviously Wilder’s loving tribute to the horror comedies of the 1930s and 40s, with thundering skies, secret passages, evil villains with glowing eyes, and even a werewolf or two.

And the film’s second half is a fast-paced delight, featuring one scary gag after another, with Wilder arguably doing some of his best work as director, as the film is undeniably Wilder’s most visually accomplished effort.

Even if the climax is a bit abrupt, and there’s one revelation too many, Haunted Honeymoon is an enjoyable misfire, a visually stylish, unique, and absorbing horror comedy from a one of a kind comedic artist.

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2023.

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Film Review: CRY MACHO (2021) *** and a 1\2 out of *****

© WB\Malpaso

Clint Eastwood returns as actor and director with Cry Macho (2021), a sweet, gentle, and charming little film, which, in its own modest, easy-going way, achieves so much with seemingly little effort. But although Eastwood is a notoriously fast worker, his movies, with very few exceptions, are almost always a smooth ride, and easy on the eyes. Cry Macho is a prime example of these trademark qualities of an Eastwood film.

Cry Macho tells a simple tale: 1980. Texas. Mike Milo, a washed-up rodeo star and horse breeder, reluctantly agrees to help his ex-boss and benefactor to bring his half-Mexican teenage son home and out of his abusive mother’s reach. So he crosses the border to rural Mexico, finds the troubled boy, and, together, they journey back to Texas. But their journey takes an unexpected turn or two. The plot is little more than a collection of road-trip movie cliches, and the script, especially some of the dialogue, doesn’t really add much that is fresh or original to the mix. But Eastwood is a smart, restless filmmaker, and it’s easy to see why he was attracted to the material, despite its shortcomings. In his hands, Eastwood turns this tired script, which has been floating around Hollywood for decades, into an exercise in charming filmmaking.

From the endearing performance of most of the cast, especially Natalia Traven as Marta, the lovable den mother; and Eduardo Minett as Rafo, with his tough kid posturing and moving dedication to his pet rooster, Macho; and, of course, Eastwood himself, who gives himself one of his most likable characters in a long time as Mike Milo, everyone involved seems to be having a blast.

And, in many ways, Milo’s character, and the film itself, is spiritually linked to one of Eastwood’s favorite films, 1980’s Bronco Billy, about the leader of a wild west show, a middle-aged dreamer who loves show business, the old west, and horses. Milo could be Bronco Billy gone to seed. A burnt out man who has lost his hopes and dreams, and who, by befriending the teenage Rafo, a hopeless outcast like himself, starts to find his way again. No wonder Eastwood uses the same font he used on the Bronco Billy poster for the Cry Macho titles.

Cry Macho is a film out of time. A film that would have been right at home in the early 1980s or 1990s. Now, it’s understandable that it struggles to find an audience, at a time when nihilism is trendy, and negativity is bankable. But Cry Macho, despite its flaws, is a spellbinding, humane film that feels old and new at the same time, and is Eastwood’s best film in years. Highly recommended.

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2021.

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Ahmed Khalifa is a filmmaker and novelist. He is the writer/director of several short films and a feature, which was released on Netflix, and the author of a number of novels and short stories, including the YA horror novel, Beware The Stranger, available on Amazon. Find him on Twitter @AFKhalifa and on Facebook @Dark.Fantastic.AK·Writer  

Review: GHOSTBUSTERS (2016)

As a die-hard fan of the original Ghostbusters (1984), I started watching this movie with a lot on my mind: Is it going to ruin the original for me? Is it going to suck? Was it even necessary to reboot the whole franchise?

A few minutes into it, I began to loosen up and have fun. And fun is the operative word here. The chemistry between the leads is infectious, the jokes are more hit than miss, and the effects are impressive without being too overwhelming. This is a movie that is designed to give you a good time, and it does.

But that's not the whole story. Ghostbusters (2016) is also a film that works less than it should, considering the talent involved (director Paul Feig, Melissa McCarthy, and a number of SNL stalwarts), with everybody either trying too hard or not hard enough. The script, while having some truly hilarious moments, is weak on plot, with a cartoonish, forgettable villain.

But the film's biggest fault is simply this: the filmmakers behind Ghostbusters (2016) can't seem to make up their minds whether the movie is supposed to be a bold reboot with its own identity, or a timid homage to a timeless comedy classic, with the cameos, which are for the most part uninspired, not helping matters. Add to that the lack of any serious involvement from Dan Aykroyd, the quirky genius behind the whole franchise and the man who gave the original most of its ideas, and you have a movie that it isn't as quirky or atmospheric as the original.

Which leaves us with a movie that is fun, diverting, and has its moments, but, on the whole, unremarkable. And for fans like myself who have been waiting for a new Ghotsbusters movie for almost thirty years, it isn't exactly what we were hoping for. But we will take it.

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2016.

Review: KINDERGARTEN COP 2 (2016)

First things first: I am a huge Dolph Lundgren fan. Ever since he made a big splash in Rocky IV (1985) as the evil Russkie who kills Apollo Creed, I've watched almost every film the guy has been in (even the dreadful Johnny Mnemonic (1995) and a couple of straight to video disasters that are best forgotten forever). What I like most about Lundgren is his ability to take any project, however lame the script is, and turn it into a watchable, occasionally terrifically entertaining, movie. His breezy charm, his mastery of martial arts, and his tongue-in-cheek approach, make him one of the most reliable action starts of the past 30 years.

And that brings me to Kindergarten Cop 2 (2016), the official sequel to the 1990 Universal/Ivan Reitman hit starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. Yes, this is a low-budget, direct-to-video movie. Yes, some of the comedy feels canned and too marketing department-vetted for my taste. But damn if this movie doesn't have charm! Thanks to Lundgren, a game supporting cast, and a terrific pace, this is one entertaining action-comedy. The first 15 minutes or so are surprisingly bland, with a ludicrous action sequence taking place in cheap, darkened sets. But once Lundgren starts interacting with the children, everything clicks into place, making Kindergarten Cop 2 one of the better big studio comedy sequels I've seen in a while. Dare I even say that Kindergarten Cop 2 is better than the original? Well, yes!

The original had Schwarzenegger, director Ivan Reitman, and a big budget, but, for some reason, something about it always felt a bit off to me. Kindergarten Cop 2, although a much more modest effort, is faster, more effective, and, yes, funnier. A must see for fans of the original, 80's action-comedies, and the Dolph.

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2016.