WATCH ALONG: Mad Mad Mad Mad World

I'd like to see NCFOM as well...would love to see Ashleigh's reaction to Anton Chigurh..

Paul Johnson

Have you ever seen Stand By Me?

melissa goff

You won't be disappointed with SMOKEY & THE BANDIT! :p You'd likely enjoy (not quite a classic) NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, too! :) I'm a pest, I'm a pest, I'm a pest! :p I'm sad you didn't enjoy this one. I loved it! LOL! Goofy, slapstick humor from yesteryear! It reminds me of the stuff my dad laughed at. <3

The deceased equine is quite thoroughly thrashed.

T.J. Gengler

Ashleigh --- thanks for the opportunity to get into this discussion. Keep up the good work. Congrats on your career move.

Joseph Stevenson

I will concede that this very expensive film made a nice profit, so it was, indeed, very popular. I still maintain that its humor was excessively devoted to mayhem and personal injury, and was spread way too thin. I wonder if the people who liked it found the main enjoyment was sitting there thinking, ""Hey! it's Jerry Lewis! OMG, it's Buster Keaton. I didn't know he was even still alive! Wow! It's the Stooges (wait, thy're not doing anything!)." Since the only point of the movie was to provide those moments, I can't see anyone who did not know the faces to find it very entertaining. That and Kramer's ham-handed parable about greed.

Joseph Stevenson

Edie Adams. As Sid Caesar's wife. An excellent comedy actress of the period. A sad story: Her real-life husband, Ernie Kovacs, was slated to play her husband in the movie. But he died of an unepected heart attack less than three months before shooting began. Kovacs was a TV comedy genius ramous for running way over-budget to set up his incredible comedy shorts, so he died bankrupt. Edie only accepted the Party so she could earn money because she was determined to pay off Ernie's massive debts. She siucceeded in doing this, so that her husband would not be accociated with financial losses. Sid Caesar, who took over the role of her husband, is credited with protecting her and keeping her morale up during the long shoot. Jim Backus, as Tyler Fitzgerald. Yes, he was the "Rich Man" in Gilligan's Island later in his career. He was a notable voice actor known before Gilligan as the voice of "the nearsighted Mr Magoo" in cartoons. Ashleigh called that one right. Dick Shawn, as the shots-wearing fitness buff was a great comedy actor, particularly on Broadway, and is vitually the only main member of the cast who was part of the new generation of comics. Shawn went on to have a pivotal role as whacked-out actor "L.S.D." in Mel Brooks' first masterpiece, "The Producers." Talents whom Stanley Kramer failed to cast but should have beenincluded rather than some of the okd-time stars that made the film: Bob Newhart, Dick Van Dyke, Carol Burnett, Don Rickles, "Moms" Mabley. Groucho Marx, Harpo Marx, Lucille Ball, Abbott &amp; Costello, Peter Sellers, Red Skelton, Bill Cosby, the Smothers Brothers ... this list goes on, and give evidence (if the film itself were not enough) that producer/director Kramer did not really understand comedy.

Joseph Stevenson

Ashleigh noticed Jim Backus from "Gilligan's Island"...maybe she remembered Phil Silvers from that show as well as he did a guest appearance on it as Hollywood producer Harold Hecuba

Paul Johnson

Buddy Hacket: Great stant-up comedian, as the guy who flies the airplane.

Joseph Stevenson

Continued:

Joseph Stevenson

Henpecked husband: Milton Berle, the biggrst TV comedy star of the early 1950s. Too bad the film Washington in the early 1960s. Obnoxious mother-in-law: Ethel Merman, leather-lunged Broadway belter, most famous in the late 1940s. Reportdly a really nice woman in person. Sid Caesar: The second-biggest comedy name of the 1950s. His "Show of Shows" was a Saturnday Night fixture, written by Mel Brooks and others, so good at doing lines, and did a good job here. Unfortunately, the script didn't actually give him any comedy lines. Phil Silvers: Glasses-wearing guy who goes down with his convertible. His sitcom "You'll Never Get Rich" (a/k/a "Sgt. Bilko") was a leading sitcom of the mid-50s. He basically played this character type in the film: a fast-talking con man. Spencer Tracy: A legendary leading man, he played the cop. Considered the top billing in Mad/Mad. Stan Freburg: The greatest comedy voice man. So Kramer cast him in a basically non-speaking role as an office cop.

Joseph Stevenson

Continued:

Joseph Stevenson

Stanley Kramer: A leading director of serious "issue" movies.So well regarded that the Academy has a "Stanley Kramer Memorial Award." His credits include "Judgement at Nuremberg" (the post-war Nazi war crimes trial), "Inherit the Wind" (about atprosecution of a Tennessee teacher who dared to teach evolution theory). "On the Beach" ( the last survivors of nuclear holocaust waiting for the radion to off them). "Shop of Fools" (a passenger liner is denied entrance in the new world and has to return to Nazi Germany; follows some of their individual stories); The Caine Mutiny (In Worlkd War II Pacific, US Nany officers rebel against the tyrannical and paranoid ship's captain and stand trial for that. AS yoou can see, not the best guy to helmo a "comedoc romp." Stars/Actors Sad-faced truck driver guy: Joanathan Winters, an improvisation comedy genius on the way up. Just put a camera on him and let him adlib and comedy magic happened. He was OK here, but Kramer giave him scripted lines, so lost his adlib genius.

Joseph Stevenson

Stars of A Mad Mad Mad Mad World:

Joseph Stevenson

I should like to see if people who are of the generation to recognize its numerous stars are better-disposed to the film than persons of a later generation who don't know who they were. For the record, I am a World War II baby (b. 1943), which means I am older than the Baby Boomers. I am of the generation who bought the first home television sets and saw Hollywood's attempt to counter TV with Big, Big, Big, Big Movies, of which this one is a late example. It was the first comedy film to have anything like its budget. So next is a "skeleton key" to many of the personalities involved.

Joseph Stevenson

I apologice for one thing: I let my annoyance with the film bleed over into questionioning thosde who rfecommended it. But I share your comment: "Why did you want me to see this film?"

Joseph Stevenson

In the 1930s there were numerous "stage door" musicals in which the major acts of the day got up on stage and did their stuff. They were motivated by very thin plots. Mad/Mad is the 1960s comedy-star. version of that concept. As you noted, just about everyone in the film was unlovable, and we genuinely did not care who won the race to the "all this dough, see"

Joseph Stevenson

I have been waiting for this!!!!! I knew what your reaction would be to this film. Without knowing who 95% of the people are in it this film can feel like it takes forever!

1000thghost

I support EVERYTHING in the above comment. In fact, to me, Vertigo is the single best piece of filmmaking ever bit I don't think Ashleigh is there yet. She is on an amazing journey of discovery but certain films need to wait.

Terrel Geer

Happy to see that you are going full-time and there will be more reviews per week.

Joseph Stevenson

I cannot understand why anyone would suggest you turn your reaction skills to a tedious, mediocre thing like "Mad/Mad." If you are looking for worthwhile 50s/60s movies, try Mister Roberts (Henry Fonda''s signature role), For a classic comedy, try "Some Like it Hot," with Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, and Jack Lemon. (It has one of the best final lines in all of movie history.) For hard science fiction done with the big-bidget MGM approachm try "Forbidden Planet." The best straight-out monster pictures of the 1950s are "Creature from the Black Lagoon" and "Them!" The best musical is "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers." And the best suspence film is Hitchcock's "Vertigo." (I always have to mention it, don't I? If your top-tier memnbership were still open I might join at that level just to make sure your do it.

Joseph Stevenson

BTW -- Intermissions in long films were specifically designed to be a potty break. (also a chance for the theatre to sell more soda and popcorn).

Joseph Stevenson

If you want to see a long-ass movie that is really good, try Ben-Hur. It is the top classic Biblical epic film, with stunning acting by Charlton Heston. Watch for the naval battle scene told from the POV of the galley slaves. Not only is it a mastepiece of filimng and editing, the underscore by Miklos Rozsa and a really fine passacaglia/ostinato.

Joseph Stevenson

"Call an ambulance" how? Nothing like a cell phone in the 1960s.

Joseph Stevenson

We took a special trip of 50 miles to get to the Cinerama theater that showed the ilm. It was kind of worth it to see some favorite TV and movie stars do their usual shticks. It got to be a matter of pride among funnymen (and women) to be accepted in the cast. But basically it was a passle of shticks. Ultimately it was boring, and I am sure we did not see any "extended" version.)

Joseph Stevenson

Continued: Because of its attempt to use the epic/road show format, it began with an "Overture" played to the darkened theater. (Other epics of the period had the same format.

Joseph Stevenson

Madmadmadmad issues: I saw it in its original release. Stanley Kramer was a great director of serious epic pictures, and he decided rto do an epic picture that was a comedy. He was no Mel Brooks, and did not naturally know how to make a funny pictire. Hed ired just about every comedian who was wel known at the time, and let them do thier thing in the course of a silly story about looking for a big box of money throughout California.

Joseph Stevenson

Reservoir Dogs!!!

Mark Sylvester

May I suggest a nice violent Quentin Tarantino film to cheer you up? 😉😁

Mr. Writhms

I think "To Kill a Mockingbird", "The Birds", "Rosemary's Baby", "The Sound of Music", and "Wait Until Dark" might have a fighting chance just off the top of my head

Paul Johnson

My first full length I’m going to skip. Thanks for taking the hit so I don’t have to Ashleigh! ;)

Darren

Yeah, I voted against this movie. It's just painful. It was a huge hit when it came out because everybody in it was a huge star at the time but it does NOT age well. I'm sorry you had to go through that.

Terrel Geer

I hate to see you suffer... For the record I voted for Stir Crazy...

Moni Castaneda

I could think of a worse choice. You ever see the the Director's Cut of STAR TREK - THE MOTION(less) PICTURE?

T.J. Gengler

This was definitely the wrong movie to watch the extended version of...

Moni Castaneda

Damn that's a long intermission...

Moni Castaneda

Yeah, no. I like this movie, regardless of what memory I have attached to it.

Thomas Monk

Ok, I'm happy we're done with this one, and even happier about your reaction. Let's move on to something that isn't dependent on rose-colored glasses and memories of what some people used to find funny.

Thomas Yanez

I think Ashleigh is going to have a lot of issues with any movie from the 60s.

Bill Bevins

Jonathon Winters played Morks son on the Robin Williams show Mork and Mindy. He was probably the funniest man on television IMO.

Bill Bevins

boo

Thomas Monk

I rooted for this one.... sorry to hear you didn't like it. I never saw the extended version... and everyone I know (who saw the theatrical version) really liked it. Oh well. I'll shut up now.

Thomas Monk

That man who sounds really familiar is the voice of Scuttle from The Little Mermaid

Moni Castaneda

Sorry you didn't like it...I'd 1st seen it as a kid on New Year's Eve(it was shown on TV on that date for a few years in the 70's)and I always liked it...I guess slapstick is dead...but didn't you at least like Jonathan Winters as Lennie Pike the truck driver? Winters was/is considered by many to be an improvisational comedic genius...he was idolized by Robin Williams and they became very close friends for a long time...there are many hilarious Youtube videos of them just riffing and having fun check them out...again sorry it wasn't your cup of tea but...what you said about opinions.

Paul Johnson

I'm pleased you agree with my opinion on this film.

Michael Johnson

The only versions I can find streaming are the original 159-minute release. This will be interesting trying to sync up with Ashleigh's reaction.

Thomas Ivie

Oh no! I have the 2:49 theatrical version. 28 minutes of film time is too much difference to keep synced up with Ashleigh. Damn! Oh well. I'll just have to watch the edited one instead. Thanks for posting that it's the extended version, Ashleigh. Best to know up front.

Bill Bevins