3/10
After “National Lampoon's Animal House” hit it big, producer Matty Simmons and various studios looked to keep the brand alive on the big-screen. Yet there were several failed projects before Chevy Chase suited up as the head of the Griswold clan in the “Vacation” movies, including an aborted spoof named “Jaws 3, People 0” and the dismal “National Lampoon's Class Reunion.”
In between came NATIONAL LAMPOON'S MOVIE MADNESS (89 mins., 1981, R), a film originally titled “National Lampoon Goes to the Movies” and still listed that way in clumsy opening credits (that feature both titles!) and Dr. John's theme song. Ultimately, the name wouldn't have mattered since UA test screened the anthology movie to reportedly disastrous results in 1981 (allegedly nearby our Rhode Island offices), leading to the excision of an entire segment that poked fun at disaster movies.
The segments that remain still carry some curiosity value due to the cast – “Animal House” almunus Peter Riegert fares best (relatively speaking) in the opening segment as a me-generation yuppie who wants to “grow” beyond the confines of his suburban family. This is a lightly amusing slice of comedic irony from director Bob Giraldi that co-stars Candy Clark, Diane Lane and a topless Teresa Ganzel, and is by far the most palatable of the segments. “Jaws 2” igenue Ann Dusenberry tries hard to sell her rags-to-riches story of a stripper who becomes the head of Robert Culp's margarine empire in a piece that overstays its welcome – yet even that is more amusing than director Henry Jaglom's strained satire of police procedurals that closes the picture, featuring Richard Widmark and Robby Benson as cops hunting after Christopher Lloyd's serial killer.
What's especially odd about “Movie Madness” are the satirical targets – including “The Greek Tycoon” and “Kramer Vs. Kramer,” which by the early '80s meant the movie's comedy was anything but fresh. Loads of familiar faces make the film watchable now, whether it's appearances by a young Rhea Pearlman, Julie Kavner and Olympic Dukakis, but it's obvious that UA knew it had a flop on its hands from the fact they sat on it for over a year before eventually releasing it to a disinterested public.
Code Red and Kino Lorber's Blu-Ray debuts the film in high-def in a fine if seemingly overmatted MGM master (1.85) with DTS MA mono sound.
