What happened to the silliness of Monty Python and Leslie Nielsen?
Yes, Judd Apatow has made his mark in film, setting the bar for what makes a good comedy, but is there still room for the old style of absurd humor that was present in things like Spaceballs?
Larry Blamire says yes. A passionate, passionate yes. And The Lost Skeleton Returns Again is his way of saying it.
His earlier 2000 film, The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra, gave us a hint at this old time silliness. And while it was funny, he has given us something funnier in the sequel. Spoofing the 1950s style B-Movies, he has done it again.
Before I say what I thought of it, you should note that it is nearly impossible to find this movie, as it is extremely independent. I was lucky enough to catch a screening of it at San Francisco State University, with a Q&A with Blamire.
It's impossible to explain the plot, but let me say it is great. The writing is perfect, the acting even better, and the music takes it to the top of the mountain. It almost seems like it is impossible for this type of movie to be funny, but since the actors take their performances so seriously, it works.
The fact that Blamire wrote, directed, and starred in this movie is also something to be taken into account. It was no easy feat, and he made it look like a walk in the park.
In the end, check this movie out. It is pretty funny, and you might even recognize a couple of the faces from other more mainstream films. The only real downfall of the film is that it borders on juvenile, just a little too often. I could have done without most of Chinfa's lines. Oh well.
Blamire's next movie, Dark and Stormy Night, is in the same vein - a spoof of a 30s murder mystery. I'm pretty excited.
.jpg)
