Men in Black (1997)

A police officer joins a secret organization that polices and monitors extraterrestrial interactions on Earth.

Director:

Barry Sonnenfeld

Writers:

Lowell Cunningham (comic), Ed Solomon (screen story)

Stars:

Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith, Linda Fiorentino

Won 1 Oscar. Another 21 wins & 39 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tommy Lee Jones	...	Kay
Will Smith	...	Jay
Linda Fiorentino	...	Laurel
Vincent D'Onofrio	...	Edgar
Rip Torn	...	Zed
Tony Shalhoub	...	Jeebs
Siobhan Fallon Hogan	...	Beatrice (as Siobhan Fallon)
Mike Nussbaum	...	Gentle Rosenburg
Jon Gries	...	Van Driver
Sergio Calderón	...	Jose
Carel Struycken	...	Arquillian
Fredric Lehne	...	INS Agent Janus (as Fredric Lane)
Richard Hamilton	...	Dee
Kent Faulcon	...	1st Lt. Jake Jensen
John Alexander	...	Mikey

Storyline

Based off of the comic book. Unbeknownst to other people, there is a private agency code named MiB. This agency is some kind of extra terrestrial surveillance corporation. Then, one of the agency's finest men only going by the name "K" (Tommy Lee Jones) , is recruiting for a new addition to the agency. He has chosen James Edwards (Will Smith) of the N.Y.P.D. Then, one day, a flying saucer crashes into Earth. This was an alien a part of the "Bug" race. He takes the body of a farmer (Vincent D'Onofrio) and heads to New York. He is searching for a super energy source called "The Galaxy". Now, Agents J and K must stop the bug before it can escape with the galaxy.

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Plot Keywords:

alien | pantyhose | superhero | galaxy | terrorist | 

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Taglines:

Men in Black - Protecting the Earth from the scum of the Universe.

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Comedy | Sci-Fi

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for language and sci-fi violence

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the scene where K takes J through the arrivals and customs area one of the aliens checking in is from the movie "Explorers" (1985) and can be seen screaming as the "superball" from the "Great Attractor" is careening through that section.

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Goofs

When Edwards moves the table during the "best of the best" test, the scraping sound begins before the table is moved.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Nick the Van Driver: Goddamn bugs!

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Crazy Credits

In the opening credits, a dragonfly flies around the countryside.

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Alternate Versions

The Australian dual-coded DVD is the same as the censored UK DVD in the way that the two uses of "prick" are over-dubbed with "jerk" and "twerp".

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Connections

Spoofed in 2001: A Space Travesty (2000)

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Soundtracks

The Promised Land
Written by Chuck Berry
Performed by Elvis Presley
Courtesy of The RCA Records Label of BMG Entertainment

User Reviews

Smart, funny spoof that is impossible not to like!

"Men in Black" and "Galaxy Quest" are in my mind the best sci-fi comedies ever made, because they are both hilarious parodies of two different cultures. Whereas the latter spoofed obsessed fans who take sci-fi entertainment WAY too seriously, this one spoofs the paranoid, tin-foil-hat brand of conspiracy theorists. It has funny characters, witty lines, and does not at all take itself seriously.

There are a lot of small details that can take multiple viewings to catch. One thing I found funnier the second time I watched it is the scene where Will Smith has just been severely lectured by his boss in the interrogation room when Tommy Lee Jones enters, asks a few questions, and tells Smith to come with him. Smith: "I can't, there's still a lot of paperwork to fill out." Jones: "No, the paperwork is all taken care of." Smith's boss (walking by): "Hey, nice work, Edwards!" This is one of many quick, funny scenes that you only really get if you're paying attention.

All the actors do a good job, too. I thought Rip Torn was the funniest character, and Edgar the bug was hilariously gross. Linda Fiorentino was one of the coolest female characters ever. She put Ripley to shame. Every time I watch this, I want to marry her.

Overall, it's a great comedy that is clever and fun all the way through. 8/10 stars.

Details

Official Sites:

Sony Pictures

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

2 July 1997 (USA)

Also Known As:

MIB

Filming Locations:

Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$90,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$51,068,455, 6 July 1997

Gross USA:

$250,690,539

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$589,390,539

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures, Amblin Entertainment, Parkes/MacDonald Image Nation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

DTS SDDS (8 channels) Dolby Dolby Atmos (Ultra HD Blu-ray)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1