Going Berserk (1983)

User Rating:

4.7/10   

Director:

David Steinberg

Writers:

Dana Olsen (writer)
David Steinberg (writer)

Release Date:

30 September 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

The good, the bad, and the stupid.

Plot:

A drummer/chauffeur engaged to a congressman's daughter encounters a sleazy film director, the leader of an aerobics cult, and other crazed characters during the days leading up to his wedding.

Cast

John Candy	...	John Bourgignon
Joe Flaherty	...	Chick Leff
Eugene Levy	...	Sal DiPasquale
Alley Mills	...	Nancy Reese
Pat Hingle	...	Ed Reese
Ann Bronston	...	Patti Reese
Eve Brent	...	Mrs. Reese (as Eve Brent Ashe)
Elizabeth Kerr	...	Grandmother Reese
Richard Libertini	...	Rev. Sun Yi Day
Dixie Carter	...	Angela
Paul Dooley	...	Dr. Ted
Ronald E. House	...	Bruno
Kurtwood Smith	...	Clarence
Ernie Hudson	...	Jerome Willy Muhammed
Gloria Gifford	...	Francine

Also Known As:

Drums Over Malta (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

84 min | USA:85 min

Country:

Canada | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

USA:R | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Australia:M

Company:

Les Productions Mutuelles Ltée

Quotes:

Ed Reese: How much money do you make in a year?
John Bourgignon: Oh, in a year, I would say anywhere from thirty to eleven thousand a year, sir.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession (2004) (TV)

Soundtrack:

SILENT RUNNING

Remarkably Stupid, On Purpose!

You should not take what I am about to say lightly. I've seen many, many films and have reviewed a great deal of them, in print. So when I tell you that this film has the single funniest scene I have ever seen in a movie, you might want to listen to me. There's a lot of diversity of opinion as to what makes this INCREDIBLY stupid movie as funny as it is. And to those who just didn't get, well, I can't blame them, too much. The scene I speak of, comes at about the 30 minute mark and involves a dead convict shackled to John Candy. Up until that point, I had found the film dumb, confusing and it was beginning to lose me. When this scene came up, I laughed so hard, I peed my pants. No movie has ever done that to me before. When the project began, "Going Berserk" was supposed to be the SCTV movie. I remember it being announced. As time went on, the cast was whittled down To John Candy, Joe Flaherty & Eugene Levy. There also must have been a regime change at Universal, while it was being shot, because upon being released, it was shown in nearly ZERO theaters. When watching this a second time, I listened to the theme song (which actually flaunts how incomprehensible the plot is, in the lyrics), relaxed my logic nerve and figured out what was going on. Aside from the aforementioned routine, "Going Berserk" has many other hilarious scenes to recommend it. This is almost a 3 Stooges flick, except it's much funnier. Director David Steinberg has razor sharp timing, and he must have been laughing all through this. As for Candy, who's basically in charge here, he has NEVER been funnier. With all the plot devices and explanatory scenes thrown out the window, he absolutely runs wild. Flaherty and Levy follow him effortlessly. There is a plot, but it's a plot like "Animal House" had a plot, and yeah, the script is uneven, and a little slow to start. Once you know this, however, you can well appreciate the full SCTV style craziness that transpires. It IS stupid, but it's stupid on purpose, and you need to remember that when you see it. DO see it, and discover for yourself, if it has the funniest scene of all time in it.