movie coverI'd rather be watching TV![IMDB link] [Netflix link] What?! Carolyn hasn’t seen it? Even as a non-alcoholic kid, I thought this was something *everybody* had seen.

PEOPLE: The two main characters/writers/directors are Rick Moranis (who most people know, tho this was his *debut*) and Dave Thomas (who’s surprisingly been in Weeds, The Simpsons, Arrested Development, King Of The Hill, Justice League, Mission Hill, That 70’s Show, Duckman, Animaniacs, Parker Lewis Can’t Lose, SCTV).

QUIRKS: Technically a spinoff of SCTV, which laid the foundation for much of the comedy we watch today. (Larry David, Michael Richards, etc.)

POLITICS: Drink beer!
MORALS: Drink beer! Mind control is bad!

EXTRAS: Get the DVD. There’s an failed animated pilot for a Strange Brew animated series! Unfortunately they hadn’t caught on that they should probably sell this to AdultSwim, and not the “Saturday Morning Cartoon people”. If I was a trillionaire, I’d totally fund this. This series was eventually produced, and was quite funny!

BAD STUFF: Low production values and a bit dated. Some people might find the humor a bit corny. It’s not cutting-edge. Think of them as Cheech & Chong, but with alcohol instead of marijuana, and Canada instead of America/Mexico (yes I know Chong is actually asian. Have you seen his wife? Smokin’. And pretty funny.)

CONCLUSION: This is a great movie; an iconic classic. It should be as well-known as Cheech & Cong, Animal House, Revenge Of The Nerds, and other such “wasted”-comedy that was pouplar in 1983.

RECOMMENDATION: I consider this a basic film staple that most people would have seen. If you haven’t seen it — see it. It’s THE iconic 1980s beer-drinking caper comedy.

And if you saw it again, but can’t whistle the song that makes the hockey people go crazy and fight (I could)… It’s time you need to see this again.

ANECDOTES: The movie was a re-run to me last time I watched it, not in 2009, but in 1994, on the Virginia Tech campus. With Dan, and Chris Holm, among others. Beer was bonged (I did not participate in that, but did drink). Dramamine was taken to prevent puking (I never puke anyway). People had to vomit. I had to help them find the bathroom. This may have been the time people crawled under the seats, left the movie, and passed out on the hill by the ROTC dorm. I had the pleasure of watching Dan vomit into his mouth and then swallow it, since he was sitting in the movie seat next to me. I bet he would deny this. Then he walked around with a bit on his face. The best part was when he said Hi to girls that walked by. Good times! But Carolyn missed out, so she really needed to see the movie. Too bad it couldn’t be as chaotic as our glory days.

MOVIE QUOTE: Doug McKenzie: “Yeah. OK, well, uh, we found, uh, this mouse in a bottle of YOUR BEER, eh. Like, we was at a party and, uh, a friend of ours – a COP – had some, and HE PUKED. And he said, uh, come here and get free beer or, uh, he’ll press charges.”
It’s safe to say Beavis & Butt-head probably had some influence from this movie. At the very least, I would think Mike Judge a fan of Strange Brew.

COINCIDENCES: (The Girl Who Lept Through Time, Strange Brew) Two movies in a row where written on a chalkboard/wall is the phrase, “Time waits for no one/man.” So the Japanese translation changed “man” to “one”. Same difference. First coincidence of 2009!

FRIENDS’ RATINGS: Glen hated it. Predictable.

Mood: hungry
Music: D.O.A. – Brigands And Pirates