The Curse of Inferno (1997)

User Rating:

3.6/10   

Director:

John Warren

Writer:

John Warren (writer)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

They've got a plan. Now they just need a clue!

Plot:

A rather dull minded bank robber suddenly suffers from a change of heart and decides to give the money back. However, he then learns that getting the money back into the bank is much more difficult than taking it out. |

Plot Keywords:

Beautiful Woman | Independent Film

Cast

Pauly Shore	...	Chuck Betts
Janine Turner	...	Layla Moanes
Ned Beatty	...	Moles Huddenel
Max Perlich	...	Harold Cantrell
Stephen Tobolowsky	...	Lonnie Martin
Blue Deckert	...	Sheriff Gibson
John Pleshette	...	Mr. Wizzard
Weasel Forshaw	...	Harv (as Wes Forshaw)
Ben Loggins	...	Jimmy
Vernon Grote	...	Clifford Tylicki
Brad Leland	...	Vince Clark
Greta Muller	...	Female Bank Teller (as Gretta Muller)
Woody Watson	...	FBI Chief
Michael Crabtree	...	Bank Robber #1
Jim O'Brien	...	Bank Robber #2

Also Known As:

The Stick Up

Runtime:

87 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:M | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Forney, Texas, USA

Company:

Hess/Kallberg Productions

Trivia:

Most of the exterior shots of the town were actually shot in Forney, Texas (The current home of Darlene Cates). The town's signature Jackrabbit, an ornament atop a Lion's Club sign, was adorned with antlers and called the Jackaloupe for the purposes of the movie. Signs to downtown businesses were also covered up with fake signs, hiding the real names of the businesses.

Soundtrack:

BALLAD OF INFERNO

I guess you have to like Pauly Shore

Chuck and Harold are not too bright, but they are about to rob the bank in the small town of Inferno, Texas. Chuck does not believe it is safe for Harold to have a loaded gun. And the two have cue cards to make sure they know what to say to the teller.

Our heroes put on their masks and enter the bank, and to say things didn't go well is an understatement. Something very unusual happens that I won't reveal because it's better if you don't see it coming. Anyway, Chuck finds a great hiding place for the money, and all the guys have to do is find it again. Easier said than done. An additional complication: How can a bank in a town this size have so much money? Something fishy is going on. And then there is Layla, a bubbleheaded cop who helps Chuck when he gets hurt--and seems to like him.

We find out later that Chuck was fired by Moles Huddenel, who owns everything in town and sees to it that no one else can get ahead. 'The curse of Inferno' is that no one can ever leave because no one ever has the money to do so. Chuck was going to buy a plane and start an aviation service in the Caribbean. Moles found out Chuck bought his old broken-down plane, and that's when Chuck got fired. The purpose of the bank robbery was to have enough money to fix up the plane and leave.

Chuck was a different character from others Pauly Shore has played. I would almost say that he showed he could do a dramatic role, except this was a comedy. But that's the way Shore came across. I won't call it good acting, but if you like Shore and loser characters such as his, he was entertaining. Max Perlich did a good job as the nervous and inept Harold. Janine Turner was good as the clueless Layla, who was too beautiful to be a cop. Or maybe she wasn't so clueless.

Ned Beatty was so evil I couldn't stand him. I don't mean I loved to hate the character of Moles. I mean I despised him, period. Probably a good performance.

And Clifford and Vince deserve mention. J. Edgar Hoover would never have put up with these morons in his FBI. Nevertheless, the FBI was involved with investigating the robbery.

There were a lot of laughs here, and plenty of excitement for the type of person who enjoys 'The Dukes of Hazzard' and 'Dumb and Dumber'. It's not for everyone, but I enjoyed it.