Matinee (1993)

A small-time film promoter releases a kitschy horror film during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Director:

Joe Dante

Writers:

Jerico Stone (story) (as Jerico), Charles S. Haas (story) (as Charlie Haas)

Stars:

John Goodman, Cathy Moriarty, Simon Fenton

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Goodman	...	Lawrence Woolsey
Cathy Moriarty	...	Ruth Corday / Carole
Simon Fenton	...	Gene Loomis
Omri Katz	...	Stan
Lisa Jakub	...	Sandra
Kellie Martin	...	Sherry
Jesse Lee Soffer	...	Dennis Loomis (as Jesse Lee)
Lucinda Jenney	...	Anne Loomis
James Villemaire	...	Harvey Starkweather
Robert Picardo	...	Howard the Theater Manager
Jesse White	...	Mr. Spector
Dick Miller	...	Herb Denning
John Sayles	...	Bob
David Clennon	...	Jack
Lucy Butler	...	Rhonda

Storyline

A showman introduces a small coastal town to a unique movie experience and capitalises on the Cuban Missile crisis hysteria with a kitschy horror extravaganza combining film effects, stage props and actors in rubber suits in this salute to the B-movie.

---

Plot Keywords:

film within a film | movie theatre | cuban missile crisis | b movie | mother son relationship | 

---

Taglines:

Lawrence Woolsey presents the end of civilization as we know it. Make that... Proudly Presents!

---

Genres:

Comedy | Drama

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for language, and for mild violence and sensuality

Did You Know?

Trivia

US film debut of actress Naomi Watts who appeared as the lead in the film-within-a-film "The Shook Up Shopping Cart".

---

Goofs

During the phone call between Sherry and Stan, we can hear 'The End of the World' by Skeeter Davis playing in the background. The record was not released until December 1962, two months after the end of the Cuban Missile Crisis.

---

Quotes

Lawrence Woolsey: [talking to theatre staff] I know some of you have never been in the motion picture business before, and some of you have been at it a long time. But I want all of you to look at the faces out here during this picture. There's gonna be room in their heads for only one thought: "Don't let it get me!" They know we can't hurt 'em, but they're still gonna be scared half to death. And all of you, when you thread the projector, when you tear the tickets, when you sell the jujubes, you're all a part of...

---

Crazy Credits

After the credits are complete, we are treated to a quick snippet from "MANT" with the Cathy Moriarty character pining, "Oh, Bill".

---

Connections

References Twist Around the Clock (1961)

---

Soundtracks

Johnny Angel
Written by Lee Pockriss & Lyn Duddy
Performed by Shelley Fabares
Courtesy of Rhino Records

User Reviews

You Gotta Have a Gimmick!

Certainly John Goodman portraying Lawrence Woolsey as a film director bent on all kinds of creative devices to lure audiences in to see his sci-fi/horror movies is a homage to the King of Gimmicks himself, William Castle. This movie is not great by any standards, but it sure is a lot of fun. It is a trip down memory lane for many. Although I am not old enough to remember the Cuban Missile Crisis nor William Castle movies premiering, I am given a pretty accurate feel of the times through Matinee. The best part of the movie, however, is the movie within a movie....MANT...the story of a man that is half-man and half-ant. The scenes of this film alone are good enough reason to see Matinee. The one scene where the Mant character throws an ant farm to the ground and yells "You're free, You're free" is hilarious. The movie characters are also made up of old sci-fi stars Kevin McCarthy(Invasion of the Body Snatchers), William Shallert(Hundreds of films it seems), and Robert Cornwaithe(The Thing). Also look for John Sayles and Dick Miller in smaller roles hamming it up. Goodman is larger than life in his portrayal, much the same way that Castle was. And certainly, we in the audience that are great genre fans dream what it would have been like to help William Castle...I mean Lawrence Woolsey...make a picture.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 January 1993 (USA)

Also Known As:

Matinee

Filming Locations:

300 Brevard Avenue, Cocoa, Florida, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$13,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$3,601,015, 31 January 1993

Gross USA:

$9,532,895

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$9,532,895

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures, Renfield Productions, Falcon Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR Dolby

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1