Such an unpretentious gem, this belongs in the collection of anyone with a sophisticated sense of humour (do I really mean it? YES!) who is well loved for successful movie parties. I'm afraid friendless bores might not get the point.
Many people these days rate a movie by how "slick" it is without really stopping to consider how difficult it is to write crisp, witty dialogue that doesn't loiter about taking itself too seriously. CFTPL is well written, well paced and sports a pretty decent cast of actors - there are weak moments, but the strong ones in which riotous lines are delivered with uncanny timing far outweigh them. The original songs are hilarious, and the novelty of the unique take on an old form allows a certain knee-slapping unpredictability to the familiar formula's.
The "monster movieness" is self-consciously derived from the cultish success of what we now consider the bad special effects of 50s horror, as another reviewer has said, but it is done so smilingly, and with such a nod to what makes those movies fun for us now that one needs only a rudimentary understanding of the genre to appreciate what the filmmakers are doing here.
There are many swell things about this movie, not the least of which is how much fun it obviously was to make. These people love life, and we need more movies from people who manage to convey a love of life in their art. Yes, this is Art! Each of the characters is a believable stereotype, all the actors take center stage in some manner at some point, constantly setting each other up for memorable moments. With such an ensemble, a movie that causes its audience to come away with a clear sympathy for each of character as the lead (most people will choose one or two favorites, I couldn't!) is no simple task - there are so many fantastic, quotable lines to go around that the director was able to dole them out generously, and the actors didn't disappoint him by leaving any of the dialogue limp. By the same token, each character has a distinct & round enough voice that none of his lines could imaginably have been delivered by any of the others. Okay, you sucked it out of me: my favorite by a very slim margin has got to be the Paul Lind channelling Philip Clarke. No stank you Randall!!!
Bottom line, it's relatively short, never beats its shtick into the ground and maintains an undeadly pace through multiple viewings. Get it in you!
Many people these days rate a movie by how "slick" it is without really stopping to consider how difficult it is to write crisp, witty dialogue that doesn't loiter about taking itself too seriously. CFTPL is well written, well paced and sports a pretty decent cast of actors - there are weak moments, but the strong ones in which riotous lines are delivered with uncanny timing far outweigh them. The original songs are hilarious, and the novelty of the unique take on an old form allows a certain knee-slapping unpredictability to the familiar formula's.
The "monster movieness" is self-consciously derived from the cultish success of what we now consider the bad special effects of 50s horror, as another reviewer has said, but it is done so smilingly, and with such a nod to what makes those movies fun for us now that one needs only a rudimentary understanding of the genre to appreciate what the filmmakers are doing here.
There are many swell things about this movie, not the least of which is how much fun it obviously was to make. These people love life, and we need more movies from people who manage to convey a love of life in their art. Yes, this is Art! Each of the characters is a believable stereotype, all the actors take center stage in some manner at some point, constantly setting each other up for memorable moments. With such an ensemble, a movie that causes its audience to come away with a clear sympathy for each of character as the lead (most people will choose one or two favorites, I couldn't!) is no simple task - there are so many fantastic, quotable lines to go around that the director was able to dole them out generously, and the actors didn't disappoint him by leaving any of the dialogue limp. By the same token, each character has a distinct & round enough voice that none of his lines could imaginably have been delivered by any of the others. Okay, you sucked it out of me: my favorite by a very slim margin has got to be the Paul Lind channelling Philip Clarke. No stank you Randall!!!
Bottom line, it's relatively short, never beats its shtick into the ground and maintains an undeadly pace through multiple viewings. Get it in you!