cult film freak: miles chapin

Written by James M. Tate / 1/01/2021 / No comments / allan arkush , allen garfield , anna bjorn , bill henderson , comedy , daniel stern , denise galik , ed begley jr. , eighties , gail edwards , lee ving , lou reed , malcolm mcdowell , miles chapin , music , slapstick , stacey nelkin

TOASTING NEW YEARS WITH NEW YEARS PARTY FLICK 'GET CRAZY'

<p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaCbks5HNHsh7VuJbK-jIxPj9WX46HR4XnzuHUaGEhx85J9PeU0e4mG9BlrJQIuod1Xd75A2bYU64TxMaFutbRTZWp0ck3R0rP3xLg1SUyNPBu78HqY_Ylc93Vh1pRMFm3BCDk130pvzqh8YnJSxgzogaCUAEu7ow8TUaIuVcRHq6SPgyJldjzxFC6kFw7/s1406/Screen%20Shot%202025-08-30%20at%207.45.58%20PM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1036" data-original-width="1406" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaCbks5HNHsh7VuJbK-jIxPj9WX46HR4XnzuHUaGEhx85J9PeU0e4mG9BlrJQIuod1Xd75A2bYU64TxMaFutbRTZWp0ck3R0rP3xLg1SUyNPBu78HqY_Ylc93Vh1pRMFm3BCDk130pvzqh8YnJSxgzogaCUAEu7ow8TUaIuVcRHq6SPgyJldjzxFC6kFw7/w400-h295/Screen%20Shot%202025-08-30%20at%207.45.58%20PM.png" width="400"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><u>Title: GET CRAZY Year: 1983 Rating: ***</u></td></tr></tbody></table><p>The <i>Stoned Out</i> trope from EASY RIDER to BREAKFAST CLUB overdoses in Alan Arkush's GET CRAZY where drugs allow the characters to miraculously
 change their ways: Not like there's any doubt things wouldn't have turned
out perfectly for Bill Graham-inspired Max Wolfe (Allen Garfield), preparing for his club's New Year's 15-year 
anniversary concert with acts from blues-man Bill 
Henderson to campy anthem-rocker Malcolm McDowell's Reggie Wanker, 
who, living up to his last name and high on groovy juice provided by a 
magical drug dealer, talks to his own... wanker... <br></p><p>Meanwhile, club managers Daniel Stern and Gail 
Edwards almost amount to a romance but there's so much ongoing music and
 old style physical comedy exploding in every direction, no real plots 
can bother with GET CRAZY: Mixing an eclectic ensemble also including 
McDowell's hot Swedish girlfriend Anna Bjorn, crooked mogul Ed Begley Jr. trying to
 purchase the club using the owner's selfish nephew while Lou Reed walks the streets thinking up a comeback song, Lee Ving 
stage dives and Stern's gorgeous little sister Stacey Nelkin's dying to 
meet a rock star, any rock star that, again... comes to nothing but 
noise: And perhaps that's deliberate in a fantasy-infused rock-comedy attempting 1960's legendary-free-form raunchiness in the glossy-slapstick 1980's by way of 1970's cult movie cameo-loaded frenzy... which is kind of a shame since the central characters have potential to stretch beyond the surrounding shenanigans. <br></p>

allan arkush, allen garfield, anna bjorn, bill henderson, comedy, daniel stern, denise galik, ed begley jr., eighties, gail edwards, lee ving, lou reed, malcolm mcdowell, miles chapin, music, slapstick, stacey nelkin

TOASTING NEW YEARS WITH NEW YEARS PARTY FLICK 'GET CRAZY'

Title: GET CRAZY Year: 1983 Rating: *** The Stoned Out trope from EASY RIDER to BREAKFAST CLUB overdoses in Alan Arkush's GET CRAZY whe...

Written by James M. Tate / 2/12/2013 / No comments / blanche baker , david marshall grant , debra winger , gloria katz , miles chapin , romantic comedy , valérie quennessen , willard huyck

BEFORE 'HOWARD THE DUCK' THERE WERE 'FRENCH POSTCARDS'

<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZOfnbxJTExuf3-av1XIigMFfabrVZkSfxCDw2X1Bsds4CAt8v6kx6iZQB3dY2l7nnyAqypKQhPcECGLFzZe_9QLktvQ5SGSza1UW8MUaQ0yLs4P0JsEOd3loqFXQqf5oePo0PUPRWokU/s1600/french+postcard+1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZOfnbxJTExuf3-av1XIigMFfabrVZkSfxCDw2X1Bsds4CAt8v6kx6iZQB3dY2l7nnyAqypKQhPcECGLFzZe_9QLktvQ5SGSza1UW8MUaQ0yLs4P0JsEOd3loqFXQqf5oePo0PUPRWokU/s400/french+postcard+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">year: 1979 cast: Miles Chapin, Blanche Baker, Debra Winger rating: **1/2</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Before the husband/wife filmmaking team of Willard 
Huyck and Gloria Katz hit a wall with the disastrous
 HOWARD THE DUCK, they had a pretty nice career going.<br />
<br />
Co-writers
 of George Lucas’s classic AMERICAN GRAFFITI, Huyck and Katz scripted 
THE TEMPLE OF DOOM 
and here’s proof they could turn out a semi-decent little flick on their
 own between collaborative successes. <br />
<br />
FRENCH POSTCARDS
 centers on a group of American students in Paris, taking part in a 
yearlong study program… Beginning with a postcard-writing narration by 
Blanche Baker’s Laura to her American boyfriend as she wanders the city,
 the story quickly hands off to two male roommates.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVkXhZv7Evb_un1_UzWPt_42N_x2zmtBTafHqGjmZ4_w-3_9BnIt5QZ-NhpTbnT_B7F1O3DIfKhTDPtdyAXDSB84xzK5JNevqFX5-DQnt3YCiDDtxiF_lZ0lHQ6E4Ps7sdEsjuciyV1hU/s1600/french+postcards+2.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVkXhZv7Evb_un1_UzWPt_42N_x2zmtBTafHqGjmZ4_w-3_9BnIt5QZ-NhpTbnT_B7F1O3DIfKhTDPtdyAXDSB84xzK5JNevqFX5-DQnt3YCiDDtxiF_lZ0lHQ6E4Ps7sdEsjuciyV1hU/s400/french+postcards+2.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">David Marshall Grant, Debra Winger, Blanche Baker</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Miles Chapin as Joel is the vulnerable underdog, 
holed up and watching STAR TREK reruns instead of venturing into the 
city Ernest Hemingway called “a movable feast.” So if Joel's in Paris, why's he not moving?<br />
<br />
That’s 
the opinion of the more adventurous Alex (David Marshall Grant), a
 wannabe musician who quickly falls for the school’s head mistress 
played by the gorgeous and married Marie-France Pisier, resulting in a 
very predictable turnout; especially after finding out her husband, who 
also runs the school, is cheating on her. Their tryst is that of a male 
fantasy, and not a completely satisfying one. And another 
French beauty, albeit more mousy-cute than exotic, is Valérie Quennessen
 as Toni who, uptight at first, eventually hooks up with Joel. 
Their relationship is sweet and old fashion but has a kink when he finds
 out he’s not the first student she’s slept with. Or the second, or third...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFBBPHSLf_2bcf7Atv13CbIojKKbDzeqeSsSAMUXW03Xf-uD3R23qbAp7oZpsQffPRd6oABtexKL15LOcTXISo5FE07I3aK4l4eIa2mXjTaEINiA9NyWQYKOJJnGXkzT2fLNHCjYsVlIg/s1600/french+postcards+3.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFBBPHSLf_2bcf7Atv13CbIojKKbDzeqeSsSAMUXW03Xf-uD3R23qbAp7oZpsQffPRd6oABtexKL15LOcTXISo5FE07I3aK4l4eIa2mXjTaEINiA9NyWQYKOJJnGXkzT2fLNHCjYsVlIg/s400/french+postcards+3.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Valérie Quennessen was killed in an auto accident in 1989...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Despite being an ensemble, the film drags too long on
 one particular story instead of evenly balancing each.<br />
<br />
Debra Winger, 
who's promiscuous Melanie had potential, is hardly around at all.<br />
<br />
Which 
doesn't really matter since most of the time's spent on Joel and Alex's 
superficial romances.<br />
<br />
While otherwise capable actors 
Miles Chapin (THE FUNHOUSE) and David Marshall Grant (AMERICAN FLYERS) 
are down to earth and likable, they're a bit too grounded to be 
completely interesting and/or dynamic: at least for something this 
character-driven.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCk_ZZPTruxmBc_ENG41ExzG6OBW2ewi7AjgPb6_J2rmqANOq6JPh2pQTKSzf-LhQkLJzSXeKWDjy8cuAOMvWMkLBonvYDanCmyVUtAp2cMcSPc_nirqwSNOiYg5N_hFytf475Hk0xFVg/s1600/french+postcards+4.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCk_ZZPTruxmBc_ENG41ExzG6OBW2ewi7AjgPb6_J2rmqANOq6JPh2pQTKSzf-LhQkLJzSXeKWDjy8cuAOMvWMkLBonvYDanCmyVUtAp2cMcSPc_nirqwSNOiYg5N_hFytf475Hk0xFVg/s320/french+postcards+4.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And Marie-France Pisier drowned in 2011</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
At
 one point, after both are sulking and lovelorn inside a dark cafe, Joel
 says: “I traveled 4,000 miles to get dumped on.” And it’s true. Instead
 of enjoying Paris we’re watching two losers who might as well be moping
 inside their stateside bedrooms. But soon enough we see Paris again, 
even the French countryside…  <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9N3mzOz2yK2Y8lM7L0UFCf8DBQ1yFJ2Xh6CNnlFZ_cQvzWktx2H4IARB9geS54JOoXusGuYRupsR-d1POoUdziWoeFCq4zcQZD8CjZ0_GtaRZ3jW4icZPP1GyIlXMNlTFeqyk-82G8hg/s1600/french+postcards+5.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9N3mzOz2yK2Y8lM7L0UFCf8DBQ1yFJ2Xh6CNnlFZ_cQvzWktx2H4IARB9geS54JOoXusGuYRupsR-d1POoUdziWoeFCq4zcQZD8CjZ0_GtaRZ3jW4icZPP1GyIlXMNlTFeqyk-82G8hg/s200/french+postcards+5.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
An hour in, when Laura's
 character reemerges, she’s more of a shallow jerk than before, as if 
we're meeting her for the very first time. She has a strange road trip 
“date” with a goofy Iranian wine taster (Mandy Patinkin) resulting in a 
bizarre accident in a spooky rural town with a horror movie 
score and undertone: perhaps the director was returning to his MESSIAH 
OF EVIL roots. Thankfully, Laura winds up with a 
relatively nice guy she really deserves, 
and vice versa. This is perhaps the best payoff in a film that, despite 
the beautiful location and potentially interesting characters, 
ultimately becomes as beautifully flat as a – you got it – French 
postcard.<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>

blanche baker, david marshall grant, debra winger, gloria katz, miles chapin, romantic comedy, valérie quennessen, willard huyck

BEFORE 'HOWARD THE DUCK' THERE WERE 'FRENCH POSTCARDS'

year: 1979 cast: Miles Chapin, Blanche Baker, Debra Winger rating: **1/2 Before the husband/wife filmmaking team of Willard Huyck and G...

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