More late '90s comedy! What's not to love? This one's from Jim Abrahams of Zucker, Abrahams, and Zucker (Airplane, Police Squad, The Naked Gun) and it's exactly what you'd think it is. (The full title is Jane Austen's Mafia! because of course it would be.) This is a pretty standard riff on Goodfellas and The Godfather (and apparently Casino) but with plenty of then-topical references thrown in - Forrest Gump, The English Patient, Bill Clinton's sex scandal, you know how it is.
I like these dumb, stupid, dumb, dumb movies - or, more accurately, I like that they exist - but this one's sadly closer in quality to something like Scary Movie 3 than it is to Airplane. Oh well! Wasn't expecting much anyway.
I still remember the trailer to this...
ReplyDeleteA priest goes to assassinate Lloyd Bridges and a says, "Say hello to my little friend!" while undoing his pants only to reveal... A LITTLE MAN HIDING BETWEEN HIS LEGS HOLDING A GUN! And that launches into a whole schtick of everyone thinking Bridges is dancing while he's actually being shot dozens of times.
I think this movie also had my favorite casino game bit, "Guess the number in my head" or something to that affect. You see someone playing, "Is the number three?" And the dealer responds, "Oh, no... I was thinking of seven." I think that scene was more in the background of what was going on, but I still remember it after all these years.
Ah, good times for childhood me.
Do you have a favorite Zucker brothers film? I think mine has got to be Top Secret!
"Guess the number" wasn't here - I think you're thinking of the capper to a great bit in Vegas Vacation with games like "War" and "Rock Paper Scissors" and "Pick a Hand." Angry Chevy!
DeleteI haven't seen Top Secret or Kentucky Fried Movie, but Airplane is a goddamn treasure. And I've always had a soft spot for both Hot Shots movies, even though I saw them before seeing Top Gun or Rambo. Kids will laugh at the dumbest things!
And also Baseketball. Yes, Baseketball! But that one's more because of the South Park boys.