The American Astronaut (2001)

Director:

Cory McAbee

Writer:

Cory McAbee (writer)

Genre:

Musical | Comedy | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Space is a lonely town.

Plot:

Samuel Curtis, an interplanetary trader, sets forth through a rustic and remote solar system, unaware that his old friend Professor Hess is trying to kill him.

Plot Keywords:

Planet | Spacecraft | Stand Up Comedian | Song | Bar

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Cory McAbee	...	Samuel Curtis / Silverminer
Rocco Sisto	...	Professor Hess
Greg Russell Cook	...	The Boy Who Actually Saw a Woman's Breast (as Gregory Russell Cook)
Annie Golden	...	Cloris
James Ransone	...	Bodysuit
Joshua Taylor	...	Blueberry Pirate
Tom Aldredge	...	Old Man
Bill Buell	...	Eddie
Peter McRobbie	...	Lee Vilensky
Mark Manley	...	Henchman #1 (Hey Boy!)
Ned Sublette	...	Henchman #2 (Hey Boy!)
Joseph McKenna	...	Doorman
Doug McKean	...	Silverminer Jake
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bentley Wood	...	Young Johnny R.

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:M

Company:

BNS Productions

Trivia:

According to the DVD director's commentary, moviegoers would come up to Cory McAbee during film festivals and ask where he got the Old Man to recite the "donut" joke, not realizing it was Tom Aldredge.

Quotes:

Lee Vilensky: You will all partake in fresh fruit, brought here by the Blueberry Pirate himself. And I will partake in fresh fruit and sexual intercourse, an act in which we are all a stranger, but which, upon my return, I will describe to you in great detail.

Soundtrack:

Rio Yeti

Instant Cult Classic

The American Astronaut is like a 60s sci-fi on acid. It's warped and doesn't make much sense. It doesn't have a strong plot and definitely isn't for everyone. But, I did find myself laughing at certain points and I enjoyed it.

There is a scene where the main character is on the toilet in the bathroom and two guys follow him in there. You're certain they're about to beat him up....until they plug in their record player and start singing to him. It's like West Side Story in another dimension. The Ceres jumping (their version of moon walking) in sync with the music makes for another great scene. This movie was born a cult classic.