The Stupids (1996)

An incredibly dull-witted family unknowingly stumble upon an illegal weapons deal while on the trail of their "stolen" garbage.

Director:

John Landis

Writers:

James Marshall (characters), Harry Allard (characters)

Stars:

Tom Arnold, Jessica Lundy, Bug Hall

2 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tom Arnold	...	Stanley Stupid
Jessica Lundy	...	Joan Stupid
Bug Hall	...	Buster Stupid
Alex McKenna	...	Petunia Stupid
Mark Metcalf	...	Colonel Neidermeyer
Matt Keeslar	...	Lieutenant Neal
Scott Kraft	...	Policeman
Victor Ertmanis	...	Garbageman #1
Earl Williams	...	Garbageman #2
George Chiang	...	Chinese Waiter #1
Max Landis	...	Graffiti Artist
Carol Ng	...	Jade Palace Hostess
Arthur Eng	...	Chinese Waiter #2
Jennifer Dean	...	Meter Maid
Garry Robbins	...	Extremely Tall Guy

Storyline

When the Stupids, an average suburban American family, discover that their garbage was "stolen" out of the can, they begin the investigation of that "conspiracy".

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Plot Keywords:

stupidity | garbage | paranoia | warehouse | arms deal | 

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Taglines:

We put the "dumb" back in stupid.

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Genres:

Adventure | Comedy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for some violence

Details

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

30 August 1996 (USA)

Also Known As:

Eine Familie zum Kotzen

Filming Locations:

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$25,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$1,593,929, 1 September 1996, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$2,415,593, 15 September 1996

Company Credits

Production Co:

Imagine Entertainment, Savoy Pictures, The Rank Organisation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

DIRECTOR TRADEMARK (John Landis): (See You Next Wednesday): On the back of the bus, to which the kids chain their bikes.

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Goofs

The word "Sender" written on the blackboard changes frequently.

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Quotes

Charles Sender: No time to talk, I'm afraid. I'm taking over the heads of a dozen foreign countries.

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Crazy Credits

The persons and events in this motion picture are fictitious. Any similarity to actual persons, events or space aliens is unintentional. No space aliens were harmed in any way during the making of this film.

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Connections

Referenced in The Pool Boys (2009)

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Soundtracks

I'm My Own Grandpaw
Written by Dwight Latham (as Dwight Lathem) and Moe Jaffe
Produced and Arranged by Michael Skloff
Published by Colgens - EMI Music Inc. (ASCAP)
Performed by Tom Arnold and Rolonda Watts (as Rolanda Watts)

User Reviews

Stupid it may be....stupid its SUPPOSED to be!

Well guys, sorry to disappoint so many of you, but I thought this was one funny movie. I agree totally with a couple of reviewers who commented that you need to have on the right "mind-set" at the time. You need to have also a sense of the absurd here, if not the insane!

Landis is having a go at everyone and everyTHING in this ode to cinematic oafishness. He gets away with murder here, whereas Brian Levant who persists in trying to offer disastrously unfunny "family comedy" like THE FLINTSTONES simply falls over his own Director's chair.

I just about wet myself the first time I heard Arnold break out into his musical monologue "I AM MY OWN GRANDPA" That has to be one of the funniest things I have ever seen on the big screen. If you can't laugh at that - you're dead...or terminal!

Sure, its not for everyone - neither was SIGNS though!