Customer Reviews

Ernest Scared Stupid

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Ernest is the man.

I've been an Ernest fan since I was a diaper clad child.
He saved Christmas, went to school, went to camp, went to Africa, and neither last nor least was SCARED STUPID.

Long live Ernest P., though Mr. Varney is no longer with us.

As a child, I was scared of this movie because of the troll, Trantor looked scary. Now, I love it because it has Ernest and it takes place on Halloween, and I personally love Halloween!!! Ernest helps Kenny, Joey, and Elizabeth build a treehouse. However, the troll is buried under the tree and Ernest accidentally wakes him up. Throughout the movie, Ernest tries to defeat Trantor with 'Troll fighting technology' and miss Hackmore. Ernest finally figures out how to kill the troll. Trantor needs five children to awaken his troll children army. Kenny and his friends go to the grocery store and buy the supplies in order to kill Trantor. Ernest and Kenny fight the trolls at the treehouse with all the townspeople there. When all the trolls die, Trantor asks the evil demons of the tree to make him stronger. If you love Halloween and Ernest, you'll love ERNEST SCARED STUPID!!!

"Ernest Scared Stupid" is the sequel to "Ernest Goes to Jail" about the loony yet heroic Ernest P. Worrell at it again.
This time, he accindently frees Trentor the troll from his underground home. Freed, Trentor needs to seek five people and turn the into like-wooden dolls to free baby trolls and take over the Earth!
Can Ernest do what his forefather did years ago (trapping Trentor into the ground)? Watch "Ernest Scared Stupid" to find out!

As I sat and watched "Ernest Scared Stupid" (the "Citizen Kane" of Ernest movies) I realized there's something to be said for knowing what you want to do and doing it. That's what Jim Varney did. His Earnest P. Worrell was to the 80's and 90's what the likes of Abbott and Costello, the Three Stooges and the Bowery Boys were to the 40's and 50's: silly, juvenile slapstick brought to you by kooky but lovable characters. Sure they were low budget, flawed and, some might say, just plain stupid, but, why did they have to be anything more? Knowwhutimean?

JUST WHAT IS 'ERNEST SCARED STUPID'?

A terrifying and terrific 'Ernest' moment in cinema history. Indeed, 'Ernest Scared Stupid', is rapidly becoming a neo-classic Halloween fairy-tale, featuring the clown-prince of modern slapstick -- the memorable Jim Varney. Though Jim Varney is sorely missed he will live forever within the very special films, like this one, that he presented to a world in dire need of something silly to muse over.

IN A NUTSHELL: JIM VARNEY TEAMS UP AGAIN WITH DIRECTOR/SCREENWRITER JOHN CHERRY

This is a really cute and highly enjoyable Halloween yarn that the entire family can appreciate without being inappropriate for the younger members of the family.

Jim Varney - Ernest P. Worrell
Austin Nagler - Kenny
Shay Astar - Elizabeth
Jonas Moscartolo - Trantor
Ernest Fosselius - Trantor the Troll [Voice]
Eartha Kitt - Old Lady Hackmore
Larry Black - Mayor Murdock
Jackie Welch - Teacher

HERE'S SOMETHING OF THE STORY LINE: [plot spoilers below]

200 years ago in Briarville an direct ancestor of Ernest saved the village from an evil troll and, after trapping, banished to the underworld deep beneath an oak tree which was then being planted.

That would have been the end of the story, as there was only one way for Trantor, the evil troll, to return to menace us on Earth. Essentially, Ernest, as the only decendant of the original Reverend Phinneaus Worrel was the only human who could bring the curse of Trantor back. There was a long list of things Ernest would have to do in order for Trantor to return, which included disturbing the roots of the now 200 year old oak tree, and reciting some old-english jibberish. Naturally, Ernest did just this, never realizing the significance of his acts -- of course!

Trantor, as he did 200 years before, goes about his business of terrorizing and imprisoning the souls of the children, leaving only a wooden facsimile of his victims after their capture. Ernest and his tree house club friends are the only ones who believe that Trantor has returned, with the exception of 'Old Lady Hackmore' [Eartha Kitt], who still has some missing loved ones to retrieve from Trantor's last visit 200 years earlier. Yes, that makes 'Old Lady Hackmore' a really old lady.

The problem is simple, no adults including the mayor and sheriff believe what Ernest is telling them. So Briarville will depend on Ernest and the local pre-teens to defeat Trantor and his invading army. How Ernest and his young friends defeat Trantor is what 'Ernest Scared Stupid' is all about.

ABOUT THE DVD:

Frankly, this DVD is in full-frame and does not play as well as I would have expected. Also, there are NO FEATURES whatsoever, unless you consider close-captioning a Special Feature. That is a real shame because like most of Jim Varney's fans I am anxious to discover whatever I can about the world of 'Ernest' and his films.

BOTTOM LINE: KINDNESS WINS THE DAY AGAIN FOR ERNEST

Ernest has all his ducks lined-up for this epic. He has his usual array of strange mechanical gadgets that don't quite work right, rimshot, his trusty sidekick pup and most of the town's 12 year olds as his closest friends, plus many of Ernest multiple personalities. On top of all this he has Halloween and a scary Troll story that is really well produced, perhaps that slickest Ernest production ever. All of this and funny too without violence, sex or profanity. In fact, the successful conclusion of the film truly demonstrates how kindness rather than hate or violence can win the day.

This is a great movie! I used to be very afraid of this film, though, and I remember watching it when I was younger and having nightmares about it. But now it's a good movie. Very funny, and I think more people need to learn about this, as well as all other Ernest movies.

Good "scarey" movie for 7 -10 year olds. Watched it years ago on television with my eldest child and bought it on Amazon for my youngest who had never seen it. CD was of a very good quality and I'm pleased with my purchase

In the sleepy little town of Briarville, an ancient curse is about to be unleashed on the unsuspecting inhabitants. Ernest P., the last surviving Worrell, will unintentionally, and quite stupidly, set loose the evil troll known as Trantor from his sacred prison to visit horror and tragedy on the innocent townsfolk once again. It will then be solely up to Ernest, the lovable and brainless redneck garbage man, to destroy the evil creature once and for all before he transforms all the children of Briarville into wooden dolls on Halloween night!

The late, great Jim Varney shined whenever he played the role of loving and childlike Ernest P. Worrell, and "Ernest, Scared Stupid" is one of his finest moments! In no danger of being declared one of the greatest films ever made, it is nonetheless highly enjoyable, as any Ernest film should be. Perfect for the annual Halloween viewing at the very least! Together with his dog, Rimshot, some high-spirited neighborhood kids, and the advice of the mysterious "Old Lady" Hackmore, Ernest takes on his deadly foe headfirst, with all the careless and steadfast determination the character is known for, and with all the humor too! Easily among the best of the Ernest films, "Ernest, Scared Stupid" mixes familiar Varney characters with fantastic Halloween fun! Gailard Sartain is missed as Bobby's big-mouthed brother Chuck, but John Cadenhead does a fair job, and the cast is sufficient since Ernest is the real focus. Eartha Kitt adds some extra luster to the line-up as Old Lady Hackmore. Excellent, slightly scary entertainment for the whole family! The DVD is disappointingly bare bones, without so much as a trailer or bio, and it's not even widescreen, but at such an affordable price as this film can be found, one shouldn't hesitate to add "Ernest, Scared Stupid" to their DVD collection! It's too good to pass up!

What can I say, I love, loved, and still love this Ernest move! I thought the Halloween theme of it was well suited for an Ernest flick. His other really good movie was Ernest goes to Jail. I recommend both HIGHLY. So if you want a funny, popcorn flick you can sit and watch with your kids, order now for this Halloween.

This was the first "Ernest" movie, I think, that I watched and I was surprised that it wasn't as stupid as I thought it was or the title convinced me it would be. Well, the last 20 minutes was, but a lot of movies get really dumb in the last half hour.

Most of it was nice, lighthearted fun that - cliché aside - is fun for the "whole family." There is nary a bad one word in this movie and it's old-fashioned slapstick and about as innocent as it gets.

In the last 30 years, how many comedies do you see without a tons of sex and profanity? Almost none......so give "Ernest"his due.