Dennis the Menace Strikes Again! (1998) (V)

User Rating:

3.6/10   

Director:

Charles T. Kanganis

Writers (WGA):

Hank Ketcham (characters)
Jeff Schechter (story) ...

Release Date:

14 July 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Family | Comedy

Plot:

Hey, Mr. Wilson! It's another Dennis the Menace movie! The day starts out fine, it's Mr. Wilson's birthday and guess who shows up uninvited...

Plot Keywords:

Grandpa | Grand Canyon | Grandfather | Amusement Park | Motor Home

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Don Rickles	...	George Wilson
George Kennedy	...	Grandpa
Justin Cooper	...	Dennis Mitchell
Betty White	...	Martha Wilson
Brian Doyle-Murray	...	Professor
Scott 'Carrot Top' Thompson	...	Sylvester (as Carrot Top)
Dwier Brown	...	Henry Mitchell
Heidi Swedberg	...	Alice Mitchell
Keith Reece	...	Gunther
Jacqueline Steiger	...	Margaret
Danny Turner	...	Joey
Alexa Vega	...	Gina
Danny Breen	...	Fireman #1
Brooke Candy	...	Girl At Diving Board
Tom Forrest	...	Driver

Also Known As:

Dennis the Menace 2 (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

Spain:71 min (DVD)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Spain:T | Iceland:L | Australia:G | Portugal:M/6 (video premiere) | UK:U | USA:G

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Outlaw Productions (I)

Goofs:

Continuity: After the con men give George Wilson an example on how the youth machine works, the plant is a red rose flower. After George leaves the garage and the con man picks up the plant, it's the same dead plant from before.

Quotes:

George Wilson: Martha! I got new spots, and I think there's something wrong with my tongue, see?
[shows her his tongue]
George Wilson: And I got this kink in my back that everytime I do this
[lifts his arm]
George Wilson: everytime I do that it hurts me.
Martha Wilson: Then don't do that, George those are the same kinks and the same spots you've had for years.

Movie Connections:

Spoofs The Money Pit (1986)

Classy production for the kids

This is a cute, good-natured take on the Dennis the Menace story. You have vivid cinematography and appropriate directing/editing, some fine veteran actors doing their bits with utter comic professionalism, and amusing situations. It is all light-hearted, the villains are simply played for laughs (they could have given the Carrot guy more to do), and Don Rickles manages to keep his hammy tendencies under control. To take this seriously or think this is anything more than a vehicle for everyone to have fun is to miss the whole point - there is a definite place for films like this.

Most of all, it is simply nice seeing some familiar faces better known from many, many other roles and venues just buckling down and giving amusing performances that are just right for the characters. Come on, where else are you going to see ol' Don Rickles leap off a diving board or hang from a roof or have a hockey puck stuck in his mouth?

Kids (at least the ones I know) enjoy the Walter Matthau version, and they should this one, too. It is a family show that showcases the adorableness of all involved with tongue-in-cheek shenanigans and knowing silliness. Personally, I think Rickles is better suited to the Wilson role simply because he is inherently hammier and better supplied with expressions of pain and frustration (which are called for constantly in this role). The Matthau version was fine, too, just a little less saccharine and clearly intended for theaters. This no doubt intentionally plays like a tv movie, but a very good one.

A classy production in the Disney channel mold with no pretensions, perfect for family viewing.