Reviews

I enjoyed this movie thoroughly. Now i have never read the novel it is based on so i am not disillusioned by how "bland" an adaptation this is, but i must say that this was an interesting, intriguing and enjoyable film. It was deep and thought provoking and provided an insight into what was... and possibly still is considered to be the making of a man and a soldier.

Also, the fact that it is a veritable melting pot of future stars and character actors doesn't hurt. David Keith as a likeable character? Michael Biehn and Bill Paxton, a year before making Terminator together, a few years before making Aliens and ages before making Tombstone. Judge Reinhold, Rick Rossovich (the guy from Roxanne and pacific blue), Matt Frewer (HE LOOKS SO YOUNG!!!), the fat guy out of Godzilla (he is great). It was interesting seeing all these people in these roles, big and small.

Moral of the story, great flick :)

I was lucky enough to live in the small town with the closest theatre to the filming location of most of this movie and as such was able to attend the world premiere. I don't have a big in depth analysis but what i can say is this movie is warm, funny, sweet, and thought provoking. Sure it has its bad points (not enough slapstick after the first ten minutes) and maybe it touches on a cliche or two... but all in all a very enjoyable movie. Warning: Billy Connelly swears a whole bunch so perhaps not a good movie for the whole family... unless you cover their ears :)

As a long time listener of Martin Molloy on Australian Radio I had often heard of the comedy show, Puppetry of the Penis. So when I saw that this video was in stores, I just had to rush out and hire it.

Basically, Tackle Happy is a documentary, following a two man comedy act around Australia. What makes this movie unique is that the act in question is the two men getting up on stage wearing only hats and capes and manipulating their genitals into a variety of strange and hilarious impressions or "Installations" as they call them.

The Movie follows the duo around Australia in their rusted out old comby van, from Melbourne to Sydney to Brisbane and on around the far northern reaches of Australia all the way over to Perth, in the Australian south-west (a journey of many thousands of miles, through desert and bushfire). It also shows the trouble they encounter with licensing boards and a general reluctance on the part of the media to publicize such an act.

Obviously this movie is not to everyones tastes (to be expected from a movie which is filled with close ups of male genitalia) but if you are prepared to watch it could be quite an enjoyable experience. Watch out for the "Hot Dog", the "Wristwatch", the "Slow Moving Mollusc" and the "Whipper Snipper" (OUCH!) which are my favourite Installations.

If you enjoy genital humour, this is the movie for you. If not, check it out anyway. You may be pleasantly surprised.