It Came From Hollywood (1981)

[Egg]

What's ironic about a movie that pokes fun at bad movies is that it's rather bad itself. The voice overs are few and far between and not very funny. Must of been an inspiration for MST 3000. Easy paycheck for Dan Ackroyd, etc.

[Yaddo 42]

I have a copy and enjoy it as a proto-bad movie review/guilty pleasure appreciation/pre-MST3K flick.

Obviously a quickie hodgepodge of clips and films bits with some then popular faces, but I miss stuff like this turning up. Now everything is so self-aware or intentionally camp (namely the movies themselves) that it takes some of the fun out of things.

I first saw it on NBC (on the network) one weekend night in the 80s, maybe SNL was on hiatus or was there an actor or writer strike of some kind going on and they had to show something. It was nice to see some familiar faces outside of their usual context. Plus it was one of my earliest exposures to Cheech & Chong.

[Andrew]

The compilation movies are fun if you get a bunch of b-movie loving friends together, then sit back and watch them to try and identify as many films as possible.  Did that with Ken Begg once, along with Dr. Freex and Apostic.  Those three gents are amazing repositories of schlock cinema.

[BoyScoutKevin]

This movie was based on the books "The Golden Turkey Awards" and "The Fifty Worst Films of All Time" by Harry and Michael Medved, but they were so incensed at the final product, they featured this film in their next book about "bad" movies "The Hollywood Hall of Shame."

Whatever else, this film features quite a few film clips from different films, some 94 films in total. As an added note, I saw this film in the theater, when it was first released.

[Yaddo 42]

Is Michael Medved ever happy? Any idea what they didn't like about the film?

Whatever happened to Harry Medved? I've only heard his name in association with the Golden Turkey Awards and these books.

[Just Plain Horse]

I actually liked this film a little... I think I saw it on HBO or something when I was a kid. It was the first tie I was exposed to films like The Killer Shrews, First Man Into Space & Son of Godzilla. I can't deny its cheesiness- in my opinion, anything with John Candy in it is inherently cheesy- but it's one wanna-be B movie documentary that remains unblemished in my mind. I hope Andrew does a review sometime...

[BoyScoutKevin]

Is Michael Medved ever happy? Any idea what they didn't like about the film?

Whatever happened to Harry Medved? I've only heard his name in association with the Golden Turkey Awards and these books.

I have a copy of "The Hollywood Hall of Shame," but it is in storage, along with most of my other books, so I can't lay my hands on it, at the moment.

I don't know what Michael is doing, but  Harry has a radio talk show, of the political conservative variety, on weekdays. First in California, then in Florida, or maybe it is just syndicated nationally.

[peter johnson]

Okay, I think I've got the "guest" thing licked . . . again . . .
I was both disappointed in this film & loved it at the same time -- disappointed because they didn't really give Aykroyd, Candy, and Gilda Radner all that much to do.  They really could've had any talking heads in there & the results would've been the same.  The exception is John Candy doing the Ed Wood section & ending with a very "Johnny LaRue"-type coda:  "Well . . . How can you  . . . top THAT? . . ."
That was a funny reading of funny lines.  Sad that they weren't that prevalent, especially as this movie came out at a time when both SNL and Second City were in their prime, and their fans came out to see this thing in droves.
Yes, I do agree that this is a great little clip film for the clips themselves, but not a good movie, sadly, no . . .
peter johnson/cenny drain

[Yaddo 42]

I have a copy of "The Hollywood Hall of Shame," but it is in storage, along with most of my other books, so I can't lay my hands on it, at the moment.

I don't know what Michael is doing, but  Harry has a radio talk show, of the political conservative variety, on weekdays. First in California, then in Florida, or maybe it is just syndicated nationally.

I think you have them flip-flopped, Michael has the syndicated radio show, I'm familiar with what he's up to these days, outside radio as well. That's why I jokingly asked if he was ever happy.

Google links say Harry is the head of publicity for the online movie ticket buying website, Fandango. He's also written or co-written a few other books related to the film industry.

[Flangepart]

Yes, Mike is happy. Just not happy about soem of the things others like. But, he does appreciate bad movies. Hence, our debt to him.
I sent the brothers Medved some reviews ( Local paper ) of Bo Derek's BOLERO. Got a nice post card that i still have, thanking me for the intrest, and the reviews.

Far as the flick, saw it first run too, but some parts worked better then others. Cheece and Chong diden't work that well for me, but Akroyd's "Brain movies" bit was good.
Is this available now on dvd?

[BoyScoutKevin]

I have a copy of "The Hollywood Hall of Shame," but it is in storage, along with most of my other books, so I can't lay my hands on it, at the moment.

I don't know what Michael is doing, but  Harry has a radio talk show, of the political conservative variety, on weekdays. First in California, then in Florida, or maybe it is just syndicated nationally.

I think you have them flip-flopped, Michael has the syndicated radio show, I'm familiar with what he's up to these days, outside radio as well. That's why I jokingly asked if he was ever happy.

Yeah, I did flip them. Thanks for catching the error, Yaddo.

Google links say Harry is the head of publicity for the online movie ticket buying website, Fandango. He's also written or co-written a few other books related to the film industry.