Slapstick (Of Another Kind) (1982)

Director:

Steven Paul

Writers:

Steven Paul (writer)
Kurt Vonnegut Jr. (novel)

Release Date:

March 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Fantasy | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Extra-terrestrials have never been this spaced-out before [DVD]

Plot:

A rich, beautiful couple give birth to deformed alien twins who, when their heads are together, are the smartest kids on the planet.

Plot Keywords:

Twins | Alien | Chinese | Misshapen Head | Satire

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Jerry Lewis	...	Wilbur Swain / Caleb Swain
Madeline Kahn	...	Eliza Swain / Lutetia Swain
Marty Feldman	...	Sylvester
John Abbott	...	Dr. Frankenstein
Jim Backus	...	President of the U.S.
Samuel Fuller	...	Colonel Sharp
Merv Griffin	...	Anchorman
Pat Morita	...	Ah Fong, the Chinese Ambassador
Orson Welles	...	Father of the Aliens (voice)
Virginia Graham	...	Gossip Specialist
Steven Paul	...	Airforce Captain
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Steve Aaran
Susan Allison	...	Xtra
Eugene Choy
Tallie Cochrane	...	Doctor
Rebecca Edwards		(as Becca Edwards)
Ben Frank	...	Handyman
Robert Hackman
Cheire Harris	...	Maria (as Cherie Harris)
Ken Johnson
Peter Kwong
Richard Lee-Sung
Joe Straw	...	Alien
Patrick M. Wright		(as Patrick Wright)

Also Known As:

Slapstick
Slapstick of Another Kind (International: English title) (poster title)

Runtime:

Brazil:84 min | USA:82 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:G | Finland:S | USA:PG

Trivia:

The original 1982 cut of the movie featured a score by Michel Legrand. When the movie was re-edited and subsequently re-released in 1984, it was replaced with a more science fiction laced score by Morton Stevens (of Hawaii Five-O fame). A soundtrack LP was released containing on one side, the score by Morton Stevens and on the other side, highlights of the score by Michel Legrand.

Goofs:

Boom mic visible: The boom mic is visible in the scene where the staff at the mansion is attempting to cheer up Eliza after Wilbur is taken to military school (on full frame 1.33:1 prints; the prints cropped to 1.85.1 mask the boom out).

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Morons from Outer Space (1985)

Soundtrack:

Lonesome No More

Sacrilege of great Vonnegut novel

Despite the consensus that Jerry Lewis hasn't been funny in decades, I opted to watch this painful farce out of my reverence for the great book which 'inspired' it. And it had Marty Feldman -usually a real hoot. What unforgivable tripe! Lewis and Khan play Wilbur and Eliza (giant, ugly twins who are a genius collective genius when together, but idiots when apart) and their aristocrat parents terribly. Sadly, I'll concede that it sticks to the book fairly well -THE FIRST HALF! All the best portions are ultimately lost due to a cop-out screenplay which aims to get laughs from caper-style bumbling and mess-making by over-aged comedians sadly better suited to telethons. Read the novel -it's brilliant; Wilbur becomes the last (and tallest ever) President of the United States just before a plague kills off the majority of its population (wildly suspected to be due to inhalation of microscopic Chinese). His recollections of his better years and falling-out with Eliza are signiature bitter-sweet Vonnegut. The best part of the movie was Pat Morita as a prototypical 3" Chinaman ambassador.