Ernest Scared Stupid (1991)

Ernest accidentally unleashes an ugly troll that plots to transform children into wooden dolls in the town of Briarville, Missouri.

Director:

John R. Cherry III (as John Cherry)

Writers:

John R. Cherry III (story) (as John Cherry), Coke Sams (story)

Stars:

Jim Varney, Eartha Kitt, Austin Nagler

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jim Varney	...	Ernest / Phineas Worrell
Eartha Kitt	...	Old Lady Hackmore
Austin Nagler	...	Kenny
Shay Astar	...	Elizabeth
Jonas Moscartolo	...	Trantor
John Cadenhead	...	Tom Tulip
Bill Byrge	...	Bobby Tulip
Richard Woolf	...	Matt
Nick Victory	...	Mike
Alec Klapper	...	Joey
Steven Moriyon	...	Gregg
Daniel Butler	...	Cliff
Esther Huston	...	Amanda
Larry Black	...	Mayor Murdock
Denice Hicks	...	Elizabeth's Mother

Storyline

Life could be pretty if there wasn't someone like Ernest P. Worrell on this planet. In this movie he helps to escape an evil troll out of his grave. That's the start of the end for the world. But... Ernest wouldn't be Ernest if he wasn't planning on saving all the people. This action doesn't make it any better. It's getting worse.

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Plot Keywords:

treehouse | troll | evil | missouri | briarville missouri | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Family | Fantasy

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 October 1991 (USA)

Also Known As:

Ernest Scared Stiff

Filming Locations:

Shelby Park, Nashville, Tennessee, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$4,453,132, 14 October 1991, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$14,143,280

Company Credits

Production Co:

Touchstone Pictures, Touchwood Pacific Partners 1

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The pizzas seen being thrown at the bullies who try to attack the kids' tree house are re-used props from "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991)".

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Goofs

While Ernest is falling out of the back of the garbage truck in the beginning, the crew member's leg kicking the block of garbage on top him is visible for an instant.

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Quotes

Old Lady Hackmore: [to Kenny] Sometimes you've got to do what YOU know is right, no matter what anybody tells you.

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Connections

Referenced in The Nanny: Homie-Work (1998)

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Soundtracks

Hallelujah Chorus
from "The Messiah"
Composed by George Frideric Handel
Arranged by Louis Knatchbull
Courtesy of Associated Production Music

User Reviews

Intense for a family comedy.

A group of children around halloween, have their haunted house torn down by annoying, punk bullies. The ever likable, accident-prone Ernest P. Worrell decides to build a tree fort. On a tree where a troll's tomb lies! He inadvertently releases the 200-year-old demon, that is determined to release his offspring from the tomb, by means of stealing five children and turning them into wooden dolls, until the curse of the trolls is broken. The Trolls are slimy, malicious, sovereign things. Quite a scary, dark comedy, where the troll is first seen in the eerie, dark woods where it was released and lurks through the dark, and even pops out under a bed when it seems safe. None of the adults believe Ernest or the children until the trolls terrorize the halloween party. Ernest is as funny as usual. I even got scared watching from watching it when it came out when I was 5. The last 25 minutes has Ernest and the kids eliminating the trolls with...milk! ha hah!which kind of grossed me out a couple of shots, and the adults being dragged and carried around to be tortured, with the trolls intent on destroying the world. But the last troll is indestructible, and evil and powerful, not even milk stops him..it's up to Ernest P. Worrel to be the hero of his home town. The show's definitely worth watching.