Schlock (1973)

Why so much hype?

Excellent, Without a doubt!!

A different way of telling a story

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

Like EQUINOX and DARK STAR, SCHLOCK is an impressive low budget debut film; and, like EQUINOX, SCHLOCK was covered in FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND. FM editor Forrest J. Ackerman had a bit part in EQUINOX (doing some voice-overs that were eventually re-dubbed) and an extended cameo in SCHLOCK (in a theater, which is where we would see him again, years later, in Landis's THRILLER video based on the Michael Jackson song). Though less refined than KENTUCKY FRIED MOVIE, SCHLOCK has all the earmarks of a Landis feature: corny dialogue (and performances), over the top humor, effective use of slow motion (the "2001" sequence), and superb makeup and cinematic craftsmanship. Rick Baker's remarkable ape-wear (a cross between TROG and Bigfoot), seen throughout the movie in broad daylight, holds up to close scrutiny and Landis's performance is just as spot-on (in particular, the scene where he jams with a blind piano player in a scene that harks back to the scene between the blind man and the Monster in THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN). John Chambers (whose award-winning work included the fantastic makeup in the 1968 PLANET OF THE APES) has a cameo as a National Guardsman. The baby Schlockthropus at film's end helped set the stage for a sequel that never materialized (though it still could, even after all these years). Landis would be a logical choice to helm a Big Screen version of Jack Kirby's KAMANDI- with Rick Baker handling the makeup, of course. (Landis could also do a sequel to THE BLOB, now that Global Warming has started melting the Polar ice caps...)

In John Landis' directorial debut, he plays a prehistoric gorilla who gets loose and kidnaps a blind woman, thereby making a mess of the entire city. Sound like a nonsense plot? Maybe it is, BUT IT'S SO COOL! Basically a spoof of '50s B-movies, "Schlock" allows everyone to be as silly as they want, with hilarious results. Since Landis is unrecognizable in the gorilla costume, the only cast member whom I recognized was the woman who later played the receptionist at the girls' college in "Animal House" (what's her name?). All in all, "Schlock" is fun from start to finish. You might want to check this movie out if possible. You'll love it.

*WARNING: MORE THAN ANY OTHER MOVIE THAT COMES TO MIND, THIS IS A TRUE CULT MOVIE! WATCHING IT COULD CAUSE DANGEROUS NEW THOUGHTS IN YOUR HEAD* DO you understand the above warning? If you don't get that statement, or don't like what it implies, you will HATE this movie. I sat alone in a theatre in a rotten, crummy little one-horse town in the Midwest and saw this movie in 1973. I laughed harder that night than I have since.The film violates every possible rule of good taste, all conceivable social norms, and is terrifically long on puns and non-sequiturs. It is a positive wealth of sight gags. this is not highbrow movie by any stretch of the imagination, but low comedy was one thing in the 70's and something less now: it is probably "too hip for the room" at the dawn of the 21st century.Think of this movie as a knowing "wink" at the audience. It says, "we're going to play a game here--I'm going to pretend to be a movie, and you're going to pretend to be an audience...all you have to do as the audience is to get the joke." "Schlock" is a satire of a lost genre of horror films: the "caveman" movie (specifically it is a first rate send up of one of the classic bad movies of all time: "Trog").If you watch bad movies for their unintentional comedy, if you think Mel Brook's first six movies are funny, then you're going to love this. On the other hand, if you think that the three funniest movies ever made were "Scary Movie I," "Scary Movie II," and "Not Another Teen Movie," then avoid this at all costs.

Great movie for those who like slap stick stupid movies. i.e. Benny Hill, Airplane, etc...... It has moments you'll never forget. I liked seeing it because it gives me the history on John Landis when I watch his films. See you next Wednesday!