Cold Dog Soup (1990)

Randy Quaid as the taxi driver drives Zen parables (Is time money - Is time the root of all evil?) into his passenger/protegee in a high-speed, idiosyncratic tour of their city's ethnic ... See full summary »

Director:

Alan Metter

Writers:

Stephen Dobyns (book) (as Steven Dobyns), Thomas Pope (screenplay)

Stars:

Randy Quaid, Frank Whaley, Christine Harnos

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Randy Quaid	...	Jack Cloud
Frank Whaley	...	Michael Latchmer
Christine Harnos	...	Sarah Hughes (as Kristina Harnos)
Sheree North	...	Mrs. Hughes
Nancy Kwan	...	Madame Chang
Dante Basco	...	Chinese Boy
Peter Pan	...	Chinese Chef
Pierre Epstein	...	Marty
Jeff Chayette	...	Hershel the Guard
Allan Trautman	...	Joseph
Allen Bloomfield	...	Irving
Evi Quaid	...	Girl on Guard (as Evi Motolanez)
Nick LaTour	...	The Bokor
Clifford Shegog	...	Voodoo Doorman
Brent Hinkley	...	Benny

Storyline

Randy Quaid as the taxi driver drives Zen parables (Is time money - Is time the root of all evil?) into his passenger/protegee in a high-speed, idiosyncratic tour of their city's ethnic coteries. All the boy wants is to dispose of his date's dead dog Jasper and get back to the babe who's so hot she mutters darkly about being a Pressure Cooker: his conventional efforts are continually thwarted. Quaid is respected by the peculiar groups he interests in the dog's corpse and effects, and our one-gloved heroine is much keener on him than on her rather lackluster date.

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Plot Keywords:

dog | lingerie slip | black comedy | independent film | based on book | 

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

The character of Jack Cloud was originally scripted as a black Caribbean man and Little Richard was suggested for the role. Whoopi Goldberg was then slated to play Jack before withdrawing from the role.

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Quotes

Jack Cloud: If Time heals all wounds, then does Time wound all heels?

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Connections

Referenced in The Mighty Boosh: Jungle (2004)

User Reviews

Incredible Gem and Sleeper--The low rating is a hit job.

I was so incredibly lucky years ago when I was home one weekday morning and saw this on the USA channel. The low rating is definitely a hit job. (Hundreds of people type in low scores for an obscure, little-seen film that other people consider superb, delightful, refreshing?) As the hero's quest goes on, there may have been some longeurs, but the wild and wacky original humor of this movie makes this a small classic.

Everyone with taste and insight loves Frank Whaley and he is at his Frank Whaley-ist here: vulnerable and funny, tender and oppressed, buffeted by forces he cannot control.

The characterization of the girlfriend is bizarre, to say the least--for reasons you'll have to watch the film to see. And the film also reminds us that the late Sheree North was a delightful comedienne, not just a onetime starlet.

This is perhaps the best, most worthwhile comedy that almost nobody has ever seen. If MTV can show a crappy movie like "Rolling Kansas" over and over and over, why can't they show this?

Details

Official Sites:

Official Website

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 September 1990 (Australia)

Also Known As:

Cold Dog Soup

Filming Locations:

Culver Studios - 9336 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$7,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Aspen Film Society, HandMade Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

87 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1