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Wilder Napalm (1993)

Started by trekgeezer, January 27, 2007, 06:06:45 PM

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trekgeezer

Wallace (Dennis Quaid) and Wilder (Arliss Howard) are brothers who share a talent, they are both pyrokinetics. They also both love the same woman, Vida (Debra Winger), who is a bit of a pyromaniac herself. 

Because of a fatal accident when they were children Wilder has kept his abilities secret and tried to live a normal life in their sleepy little home town. He is married to Vida and makes a living manning a photo booth in the parking lot at an apparently out of business shopping center. He is also a volunteer firemen.

When the carnival comes to town and sets up in the parking lot next to Wilder's photo booth his life is turned up side down because his brother Wallace is one of the attractions (Biff the Clown). Wallace has no qualms about his fire starting powers (he plans to go on Letterman with them). He also has no qualms about showing his affection for Wilder's wife.

One thing leads to another until the final showdown between the two and Wilder finally has to come to grips with his gift.


This is very quirky movie with some interesting characters.  Quaid plays Wallace with a great amount of glee, makeing good use of  his wicked smile and that look of devilment in his eyes.  The special effects are great and look out for an appearance by Jim Varney who plays Rex the carnival owner.

This movie was directed by Glenn Gordon Caron, the man who introduced us to Bruce Willis in Moonlighting.

I picked up the DVD at Big Lots for $3, although I had seen  the movie on HBO back in 1994 or so.

I don't think it's for everybody, but I really liked it.



And you thought Trek isn't cool.

akiratubo

Seems like I caught most of this on TV and thought there was to much interpersonal drama and too little pyrokinesis.  If the DVD is that cheap, it couldn't hurt to check it out again.
Kneel before Dr. Hell, the ruler of this world!

Scott

Had a chance to pick this up at Big Lots for $3.00 or $4.00. It looked interesting, but didn't want to put the money out. Maybe I'll get it.

Scott

Ok, I picked it up yesterday for $3.00 at Big Lots and it's going to be my next viewing. Perhaps today.  :smile:

Scott

#4
Wilder Napalm (1993) - Starring Dennis Quad, Debra Winger in a film about two brothers who can start fires  :hot: with their minds. The film starts out colorful and then fades out a bit as both brothers won't go public with their powers and work lowly jobs as photo drop person and the other as a clown in the carnival. The older brother doesn't want to go public because scientist will want to experiment and probe them and treat them as freaks.

After not seeing each other for 5 years the brothers meet as the carnival comes to town and Quaid who wants to go on the Letterman Show is ready to go public and the other brothers wife wants more out of life gets together which the brother which causes some real fireworks in town.

Good film, but Winger gets annoying in parts and the film doesn't take us far from the hum drum life of all involved. Which could have been done right, but these actors and script dragged for me. The best part of the film was Quaid as the clown, lead carnival guy, and the singing firemen quartet. Other than that the film didn't work well for me.

(6 out of 10 Stars)  :thumbup: Ok 90's film.