Skidoo (1968)

Ex-gangster Tony Banks is called out of retirement by mob kingpin God to carry out a hit on fellow mobster "Blue Chips" Packard. When Banks demurs, God kidnaps his daughter Darlene on his ... See full summary »

Director:

Otto Preminger

Writer:

Doran William Cannon

Stars:

Jackie Gleason, Carol Channing, Frankie Avalon

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jackie Gleason	...	Tough Tony Banks
Carol Channing	...	Flo Banks
Frankie Avalon	...	Angie
Fred Clark	...	Tower Guard
Michael Constantine	...	Leech
Frank Gorshin	...	The Man
John Phillip Law	...	Stash
Peter Lawford	...	The Senator
Burgess Meredith	...	The Warden
George Raft	...	Capt. Garbaldo
Cesar Romero	...	Hechy
Mickey Rooney	...	George 'Blue Chips' Packard
Groucho Marx	...	God
Arnold Stang	...	Harry
Doro Merande	...	The Mayor

Storyline

Ex-gangster Tony Banks is called out of retirement by mob kingpin God to carry out a hit on fellow mobster "Blue Chips" Packard. When Banks demurs, God kidnaps his daughter Darlene on his luxury yacht.

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Plot Keywords:

mobster | yacht | absurd humor | man with glasses | hot air balloon | 

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Taglines:

It takes two to skidoo.

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Genres:

Comedy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some nudity and drug content

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 December 1968 (USA)

Also Known As:

Skidoo se Faz a Dois

Filming Locations:

San Francisco, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Otto Preminger Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the film's TV-viewing opening, Otto Preminger's film In Harm's Way is featured. Preminger always complained about having his films cut to pieces on TV. Thus, Carol Channing's character says, "No, I never watch films on TV . . . they always cut them to pieces."

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Quotes

Leech: [referring to LSD] Hey, maybe if I took some of that stuff... I wouldn't have to rape anybody no more!

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Crazy Credits

Harry Nilsson *sings* the credits.

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Connections

Referenced in Inside Deep Throat (2005)

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Soundtracks

"Living in a Garbage Can"
Written and Performed by Harry Nilsson

User Reviews

Whatever it takes

It took me years to find a copy of this, and I can tell you in all sincerity that it's worth whatever it takes to see it, not once, but as often as you can. If it shows up at a local film festival, make sure you see every showing. If it's shown once, make sure you cajole, bribe, or threaten every friend you've got to come along. Because otherwise you're going to spend the next year in a walking trance, stopping perfect strangers and trying to describe this...THING... you saw, where Groucho Marx and Frankie Avalon and John Philip Law...no, you've GOT to LISTEN to me!

Read all the other comments, read anything you can find on this monstrosity, and you'll still be only half-prepared for what you're going to see. The only two other films I can think of that so exceeded even their own outrageous hype were Blood Freak and Godmonster of Indian Flats. But, hey, those were low-budget obscurities. Skidoo was a HUGE production - and, unfortunately, I can't imagine this is EVER going to be released on DVD, VHS, CD, cassette, or eight-track, because I can't imagine the Preminger estate wanting any trace of Skidoo to surface ever again.

Carol Channing in bra and tights. Groucho Marx on a wood screw. Dancing garbage cans. Sure, sure, sure. You've heard the stories. But, lordie, there's sooooo much more....