The Hebrew Hammer (2003)

An orthodox Jewish blaxploitation hero saves Hanukkah from the clutches of Santa Claus's evil son.

Director:

Jonathan Kesselman

Writer:

Jonathan Kesselman

Stars:

Adam Goldberg, Judy Greer, Andy Dick

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Adam Goldberg	...	Mordechai Jefferson Carver
Judy Greer	...	Esther Bloomenbergensteinenthal
Andy Dick	...	Damian Claus
Mario Van Peebles	...	Mohammed Ali Paula Abdul Rahim
Peter Coyote	...	JJL Chief Bloomenbergensteinenthal
Nora Dunn	...	Mrs. Carver
Sean Whalen	...	Tiny Tim
Tony Cox	...	Jamal
Richard Riehle	...	Santa
Melvin Van Peebles	...	Sweetback
Rachel Dratch	...	Tikva
Harrison Chad	...	Schlomo
Jim Petersmith	...	Skinhead Bartender
Annie McEnroe	...	Mrs. Highsmith
Grant Rosenmeyer	...	Young Mordechai

Storyline

Mordechai Jefferson Carver, aka the Hebrew Hammer, is an orthodox Jewish stud who goes on a mission to save Hanukkah. When Santa Claus's evil son Damian is pushed over the edge by his father's liberal policies, he does away with the Christian patriarch. Subsequently stepping into his father's role, Damian launches a campaign to eradicate the Jewish Holiday. The Hammer joins forces with Esther Bloomenbergensteinenthal, the gorgeous and dangerous daughter of the leader of the Jewish Justice League; and his brother-in-arms Mohammed Ali Paula Abdul Rahim, the head of the Kwanzaa Liberation Front, to topple Santa's evil progeny and to save Hanukkah for future generations of Jews.

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Plot Keywords:

jewish | hanukkah | kwanzaa | blaxploitation | spit in the face | 

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Taglines:

This Hanukkah, All He Wants For Christmas Are Santa's Two Front Teeth

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Genres:

Comedy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language, some sexual references and drug use

Details

Official Sites:

official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English Hebrew Yiddish

Release Date:

25 March 2004 (Australia)

Also Known As:

Hammer o exolothreftis

Box Office

Budget:

$1,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$19,539 (USA) (19 December 2003)

Gross:

$19,539 (USA) (19 December 2003)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Intrinsic Value Films, Comedy Central Films, ContentFilm

Technical Specs

Runtime:

85 min 87 min (Buenos Aires Festival Internacional de Cine Independiente)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The original script called for a cameo from US Senator Joe Lieberman (I-Con), but Lieberman turned it down, so the role went to former New York City mayor Ed Koch, who was recruited at the last minute by one of the producers.

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Goofs

When the Jewish children are heard singing "Silent Night", their mouths are not in sync at all with the music

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Quotes

Mordechai Jefferson Carver: Now, the key of undercover work... is to blend in, OK? You act as a gentile would.
Esther: Right.
Samples Woman: Could I interest you in a free-sample bacon cheeseburger?
Esther: [Esther gasps]
Mordechai Jefferson Carver: [affects a middle-America accent] Um, well, I thank you, gentile friend, for your generous offer of that... *deliciously* unkosher snack. I... sadly have to decline... for I already stuffed myself full of milk and meat products at a previous lunch engagement.
Mordechai Jefferson Carver: [smiles a toothy grin]
Esther: You're good.

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Crazy Credits

Uncle Bernie, Aunt Shelly and all the Long Island Kesselmans - Thanks for letting us eat by you on Shabbat

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Connections

References Fiddler on the Roof (1971)

User Reviews

Not Terrible, But Not Great

The concept is good, the performances are good, but this film is too uneven to be great. Writer/director Jonathan Kesselman should've watched the much better blaxploitation parody "I'm Gonna Git You Sucka!" a few times and thought harder about *why* it's a good parody. Even then, that film, too, could have been improved.

When you do satire, you get the best results when you stick pretty closely to your target. The funniest moments in "The Hebrew Hammer" are those in which it really mirrors blaxploitation films. When it degenerates into really broad parody, lame social commentary, and random jokes about Jewish stereotypes, it goes downhill quickly.

That's too bad, because the principle cast really does do an excellent job. The villains are weaker than the heroes -- conceptually and by performance -- but I can't really blame the actors (much as I might be tempted to blame Andy Dick) because the villains are *too* over-the-top just as they're written.

Satire works as comedy because it keeps moving back and forth over the line of plausibility -- or, at least, the line of genre convention. "The Hebrew Hammer" has many good moments but, in the end, it strays too far, too often. There's about thirty minutes of really good material in there.