Here's a movie I saw once
ONLY ONE TIME before
when I was probably 8-9 years old and I seriously never forgot...the Midnight Madness theme song throughout my entire life. (Weird how the child's mind works, eh?)
Picture it: Paradise Valley, Arizona, early 1980s, I was at a sleepover at one of my friend's house and they were RIIIICH because they had a V/C/R. His mom thought we would enjoy a movie for the night, but in reality she was just trying to tone us (and the volume) down so she and his daddy could sleep.
I was captivated – for one, it was a V/C/R player! We could PAUSE, REWIND and PLAY! And second, it was a funny adventure with a great intro song I could cling to.
Oh, I forgot, we could fast-forward as well. So, fast-forward 30+ years, until tonight and I have to say: This movie was AWFUL. Is it a remake of It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, or a cheap rip-off? Either way, it's enormously offensive in both its tone and dated themes.
Some might say this PG-Rated movie was silly, harmless fun, but it's really only "silly." It's not "fun." And it's certainly not "harmless." This movie made me think of a TOP TEN THINGS I TOOK FROM MIDNIGHT MADNESS list:
10. Oh, this is sooo 1980s. Racism is so funny! Being so un-P/C is so acceptable!
9. Wearing a wedding ring means you're married? Nah, it means "kid" Stephen Furst forgot to take it off when selecting his marshmallows for the film's prop.
8. Teaching freshmen to follow their dreams, be all-they-can-be and that they're "all right the way they are" only works when you judge their mates by their appearance.
7. Ahhh, that pathetic product placement didn't work on me at all. I just happened to buy this 30-pack of Dr. Pepper bottles coincidentally following this movie.
6. George Lucas isn't one of my favorite people, but even he should sue over the blatant STAR FIRE video game rip off of his famous movie series. The real name of that franchise slipped my mind.
5. Being mean to relatives, heavier-set women, nerds, employees, "dumb" jocks and immigrant maids, can be funny if if Actually, not in this day and age.
4. The art of winning something without doing so is just not worth it.
3. Thank God, Marty McFly got work after this.
2. Angry at, said God, for Pee-Wee Herman getting work after this.
and the number one thing I took from Midnight Madness
1. Only the token black guy can "jimmy a lock." Nope, no racial discrimination here. At least, he wasn't wearing a hoodie.
Possibly, worst of all – this movie is far too BLEEPING long at 112 minutes. The film, again, is meant to be a "hilarious, 1980s college edition" of It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, and it far overstepped its welcome. It's not recommended, especially by those easily offended today. There is nothing present in this feature that can enhance or teach today's youth. Heck, even the clues to "The Great Allnighter" game of the movie's premise, weren't clever, puzzling or inventive.
This movie has been buried and rightfully so. I'm glad I never have to revisit it, again.
( BUT I might still download that theme song. Hey, now! Its part of my childhood. And who doesn't miss those sleepovers?!?)
Picture it: Paradise Valley, Arizona, early 1980s, I was at a sleepover at one of my friend's house and they were RIIIICH because they had a V/C/R. His mom thought we would enjoy a movie for the night, but in reality she was just trying to tone us (and the volume) down so she and his daddy could sleep.
I was captivated – for one, it was a V/C/R player! We could PAUSE, REWIND and PLAY! And second, it was a funny adventure with a great intro song I could cling to.
Oh, I forgot, we could fast-forward as well. So, fast-forward 30+ years, until tonight and I have to say: This movie was AWFUL. Is it a remake of It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, or a cheap rip-off? Either way, it's enormously offensive in both its tone and dated themes.
Some might say this PG-Rated movie was silly, harmless fun, but it's really only "silly." It's not "fun." And it's certainly not "harmless." This movie made me think of a TOP TEN THINGS I TOOK FROM MIDNIGHT MADNESS list:
10. Oh, this is sooo 1980s. Racism is so funny! Being so un-P/C is so acceptable!
9. Wearing a wedding ring means you're married? Nah, it means "kid" Stephen Furst forgot to take it off when selecting his marshmallows for the film's prop.
8. Teaching freshmen to follow their dreams, be all-they-can-be and that they're "all right the way they are" only works when you judge their mates by their appearance.
7. Ahhh, that pathetic product placement didn't work on me at all. I just happened to buy this 30-pack of Dr. Pepper bottles coincidentally following this movie.
6. George Lucas isn't one of my favorite people, but even he should sue over the blatant STAR FIRE video game rip off of his famous movie series. The real name of that franchise slipped my mind.
5. Being mean to relatives, heavier-set women, nerds, employees, "dumb" jocks and immigrant maids, can be funny if if Actually, not in this day and age.
4. The art of winning something without doing so is just not worth it.
3. Thank God, Marty McFly got work after this.
2. Angry at, said God, for Pee-Wee Herman getting work after this.
and the number one thing I took from Midnight Madness
1. Only the token black guy can "jimmy a lock." Nope, no racial discrimination here. At least, he wasn't wearing a hoodie.
Possibly, worst of all – this movie is far too BLEEPING long at 112 minutes. The film, again, is meant to be a "hilarious, 1980s college edition" of It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, and it far overstepped its welcome. It's not recommended, especially by those easily offended today. There is nothing present in this feature that can enhance or teach today's youth. Heck, even the clues to "The Great Allnighter" game of the movie's premise, weren't clever, puzzling or inventive.
This movie has been buried and rightfully so. I'm glad I never have to revisit it, again.
( BUT I might still download that theme song. Hey, now! Its part of my childhood. And who doesn't miss those sleepovers?!?)