Paging Dr. Howard...

Young Doctors in Love (1982)
Dir - Garry Marshall

This was picked from the massive stack of VHS Reel Distraction has at his place. It is an early 80s spoof comedy on the hospital drama in the vein of Airplane!, but it doesn't really reach the gut-busting levels of its predecessors. At times there are some very funny moments it's pretty uneven and too middle-of-the-road to bring the real laughs. One are where it really excels is with the cast. Michael McKean, Ted McGinley, Michael Richards, Harry Dean Stanton, Richard Dean Anderson, Taylor Negron and many more make up this VERY impressive cast. I just wish there would have been more crazy, over-the-top comedy moments.

T-U-R-T-L-E POWER

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)
Dir - Steve Barron
Midnight Madness

The first time I saw this was on opening night on a friend's birthday after going and eating pizza. It was such a blast and we were a very happy group of 10-year-olds. Having not seen it in quite a few years, and not in 35mm since 1990, I can say that I still find it a ton of fun! Henson's Creature Workshop does a great job with the costumes and Splinter. Watching this really makes me want to go back and watch the other movies (never saw part 3 or the recent CGI version) and even the original cartoon series, which I watched obsessively at one time. I also need to read the source comic series. I've wanted to for years. Somebody hook a brutha up!

Now, where's that pizza?

Spotted Dick

King Ralph (1991)
Dir - David S. Ward
Guide: Destroy All Movies!!!


I have a hard time saying that I "like" this movie but I don't hate it either. It's fun in that train wreck kind of way. Watching John Goodman, sweaty and garish, hamming it up to "Good Golly Miss Molly" in front of a bunch of high class is nothing if not painful, uncomfortable bliss. Still love Goodman though. There is also a cockney punk rocker named Dysentery! It is a bit sad the poster art shows Goodman wearing a Las Vegas shirt instead of the awesome Skid Row tee he sports in the flick. At least they got Peter O'Toole and John Hurt to class it up a bit.

It's Time for the Thrash Bash

Thrashin' (1986)
Dir - David Winters
Destroy All Movies!!!

This is one of those movies I watched upon its initial release in the 80s and will probably continue to watch until I'm old and gray. How could you get tired of Josh Brolin in a "star-crossed lovers" tale set in the mid-80s LA skate scene? It was super cool when I was seven, when I started to "seriously" skate in middle/high school I laughed at it (but secretly still loved every minute) and now I have a huge heaping helping of nostalgia for this silly, fun little film.

If you haven't seen it you're missing out on some pretty cool skating, quite a few montages, decent soundtrack and an appearance by Red Hot Chili Peppers when they were still cool and mostly unknown to the world outside of California. They really don't make movies like this anymore. You can't replicate what you see in this film. Purely magical.

Someday I'll get my wish and present a double bill show of this and Rad to a crowd in 35mm. I have a dream...

No Future For Me

D.O.A. (1980)
Dir - Lech Kowalski
Guide: Destroy All Movies!!!


This is a pretty sweet doc about punk music, filmed in the late 70s. There are tons of great live performances and chats with people about their thoughts on the newish genre. It mostly follows the Sex Pistols on their US tour (including clips from their Dallas show at the Longhorn Ballroom!) and how Americans feel about them, as well as interviews with those in against the group in Parliament in the UK. Sid and Nancy make a very odd appearance for an interview where they're both so out of it that Sid keeps falling asleep with lit cigarettes in his hand and Nancy takes her shirt off. Also some great performances from Sham 69, Generation X, The Dead Boys and more. A must see for punk fans.

Skate or Die!

Gleaming the Cube (1989)
Dir - Graeme Clifford
Guide: Destroy All Movies!!!

How did I go this long without seeing this movie?! Some great skating and wonderful cameos by Tony Hawk and other pros from the time. For a movie with so many awesome punk/thrash/metal bands shown on posters, patches and shirts the soundtrack was quite tame. Still think Thrashin' is my top skater flick but this will be watched again for sure!

*Side Note: I've decided to make use of some of the different film guides I have and randomly open it to a page and watch something from that page that I've never seen. This has begun with Gleaming the Cube with one of the books I plan on using the most Destroy All Movies!!! The Complete Guide to Punks on Film. I will also be pulling from an Italian zombie and cannibal film book for sure. They will be labeled.