Schlock (1973)

Director:

John Landis

Writer:

John Landis (writer)

Release Date:

17 September 1982 (West Germany)

Genre:

Comedy | Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Due to the horrifying nature of this film, no one will be admitted to the theatre.

Plot:

A monkey-type monster falls in love with a blind girl, which thinks that he's a giant dog. After kidnapping...

Plot Keywords:

Kidnapping | Tunnel | Television Reporter | Dead Children | Police

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

John Landis	...	Schlock
Saul Kahan	...	Detective Sgt. Wino
Joseph Piantadosi	...	Ivan
Eliza Roberts	...	Mindy Binerman (as Eliza Garrett)
Tom Alvich	...	Torn Cop
Walter Levine	...	Police Thief
Harriet Medin	...	Mrs. Blinerman (as Enrica Blankey)
Eric Allison	...	Joe Putzman
Charles Villiers	...	Cal
Ralph Baker	...	Dying Man
John Chambers	...	National Guard Captain
Gene Fox	...	Billy
Richard Gillis	...	Officer Gillis
Forrest J Ackerman	...	Man in cinema
Susan Weiser	...	Betty

Also Known As:

The Banana Monster

Runtime:

80 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Agoura, California, USA

Company:

Gazotskie Productions

Trivia:

Director Trademark: ['John Landis' ] [SYNW]Four times the newsman plugs the "movie at 6 on 6", and each time the name of the film is "See You Next Wednesday", though it has different stars and a different description each time. It also appears on a poster in a theater lobby.

Quotes:

National Guard Captain: Well, looks like the guns got him.
Professor Shlibovitz: No... 'Twas beauty killed the beast.
Detective: [long beat] What's *wrong* with you?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Kentucky Fried Movie (1977)

Soundtrack:

Rock Around the Schlock

For a first film from Landis, this is great!

Hard to believe John Landis did this in 1973. It's actually pretty good for a first film, in fact it's great, not great as in this will go down in the history of film as an important work, but it's just a good deal of fun and very enjoyable. Seems this ape thing, the Schlockthropus, is terrorizing a community in So. Cal., and is leaving mayhem and banana peels wherever he goes. Landis himself plays Schlock, and the "monkey suit" is probably one of the best, not like the stupid gorilla suits in a lot of other movies, it almost kinda sorta looks real. Bumbling cops are hot on the trail of this thing, and we have a smarmy TV reporter in the mix too, and a scientist, and a blind girl who thinks that Shlock is a dog. The movements and gestures of the Schlock make the picture, but there are tons of other amusing things thrown in here and there. I particularly enjoyed the very tall cop who never speaks but is always getting into trouble in some way. This is a little gem of comedy, depending on your point of view I guess. If you enjoy things like Airplane, Top Secret, Kentucky Fried Movie, et. al., check this out, you'll enjoy it. 8 out of 10.