Customer Reviews

Get Crazy

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is, quite simply, a movie that i do not believe could be made today.

The drug jokes, the non-PC scene at the blind blues man's funeral, the general laid-back, loosey-goosey anything-goes scattershot approach to movie making are simply too much of the 80s -- and the early 80s at that.

It's coming up on New Year's, 1983, punk has pretty well given way to New Wave, but the music is still interesting, and promoter Max Wolf (read: Bill Graham, and you wouldn't be far out, portrayed perfectly by Alan Garfield) is planning another gala concert to celebrate the New Year and the fifteenth anniversary of the Saturn Theatre music hall (read: Fillmore East, where Arkush was an usher -- he can be seen onscreen in a hitchcockian cameo wearing his Fillmore East usher's t-shirt) at the same time. It'll be the summit of his career as a promoter.

Colin Beverley (Ed Begley Jr), CEO of Serpent Records, aided by his yes men (whose names are too good to reveal), who was fired after three days as a Saturn usher, years ago, wants to buy up the aturn's lease, tear it down and build an 88-story HQ building for Serpent on the spot. Beverley will use any method he can, including terrorism, to get that lease. he offers Max the chance to put on huge shows at his stadium venue.

"I put on concerts where the kids can see the band and hear the music. So screw stadiums, and screw you." Max answers. (Long Live Rock'n'Roll!!! i say.)

Believing he is dieing of a heart attack, fearing what evil Beverley may be planning, Max decides this will be the greates concert of his life -- and he calls in his markers.

They'll all be there -- Nada (with special guest, Piggie) (Lori Eastside and Lee Ving)! King Blues! (Bill Handerson) Captain Cloud and the Rainbow telegraph! (Howard Kaylan, of the Turtles, hilarious as a time-warped hippie) Reggie Wanker and his band (and his girlfriend, Countess Chantamina) (Malcolm MacDowell out jaggering Mick and out kinking Ray)... and Auden, existential folk-rock poet, the man who made the Sixties what they are today! (Lou Reed in a deadly deadpan Dylan-in-black-leather portrayal).

And the whole thing rests squarely on the shoulders of Neal, the stage manager (Daniel Stern) who, added to all his other problems, finds his theatre infested with a severe case of 17-year-old spandex-wrapped kid sister (Stacy Nelkin).

Not to mention sabotage (internal and external), over zealous fire marshalls (Robert Picardo, long before "Voyager"), uncooperative bands that won't play by the rules, Electric Larry -- the word's fastest dope dealer -- running loose in the hall, bomb threats, fires, and general brouhaha, the first stirrings of love and Max's geek nephew, who's conspiring Beverley.

This is a movie for the rock'n'roll fan -- the more you know about rock'n'roll, from its very beginnings up till the moment that this film is set, the more you will enjoy it, though, lord knows, even someone who barely knows Mick Jagger from Paul Simon can still appreciate it.

The directorial style and cinematography are kinetic and surreal/scattershot, we slide in and out of hallucinations, daydreams and just plain weirdness (two Rastafarians come in escorting a seven foot high walking talking spliff with eyes and a mouth, among the items confiscated during body searches at the door are a 500-pound bomb and a full keg of beer, not to mention a full length shotgun; the men's room has to be seen -- and will be -- to be believed and the crowdare totally bizarre).

Jokes are crammed in everywhere; as an example of the sort of thing i mean, consider the drummer in the Wanker's band -- His name is Toad (the title of a Ginger Baker drum solo piece), he is played by John Densmore (drummer for the Doors) and looks and sounds like Keith Moon.

In the end, of course, everything comes out exactly as it ought, vilains paid out, virtue rewarded, the seventeen-year-old virgin (male) on the stage crew gets over it, rather spectacularly ... and wait till you see (or rather, don't see, but meet) the Wanker's new manager...

The usual ex-Corman-protege obligatory cameo actors are -- Dick Miller, Mary Woronov and the late Dick Bartel, plus others.

And make sure you watch the end credits till the very end, and keep your eyes open throughout for references to other films (especially ones in which two or more members of this cast appeared together).

If you liked "Rock'n'Roll High School", you must not miss this.

((With any luck, the DVD will include the video for Bette Midler's cover of the Stones' "Beast of Burden" that Arkush shot on the same set at the same time, in which both Stacy Nelkin and the *real* Mick Jagger have walk-ons...))

"Get Crazy!/Do a striptease down the supermarket aisle/Get crazy!/Tell your boyfriend that you're pregnant, watch him smile..."

What a great movie. It is a classic. It is just a funny, weird, rock and roll movie. No real substance except for funny scenes and great music. Fear's cover of "Hootchie Cootchie Man" alone is worth the price of this on DVD. Once you see it, you will be hooked. It is almost like a cartoon. I couldn't recommend it highly enough for almost anyone (except kids). A good look at early 80's wacky filmmaking.

One of the funniest movies of the 80's and SHOULD DEFINITELY BE ON DVD!

An incredibly funny movie that hits all the right chords, with a killer soundtrack and great parts for Howard Kaylan (Flo and Eddie, The Turtles), Bobby Sherman and Fabian!!

I want this on DVD!!

please allan arkush release this movie again this is one of the best movies of the eighties it would do so well in todays market any body who seen this movie would agree please every one out there vote to get it rereleased you wont be dissapointed ive have been searching for years for this movie and [will not give up until i find it its that funny]!!!!

I can't help but write a review for Get Crazy because my friends and I made a catch phrase out of almost every line of this movie at one time or another. This movie is reminiscent of a bygone era of Rock n' Roll. It is also VERY stupid. Fans of the humor of the film Rock n' Roll High School would appreciate this movie. Paul Bartel and Mary Woronov are in it. I don't know if they were directly involved with making Get Crazy, but it is definalty in line with their sense of humor. I can never get enough of them anyway.
This movie has a wonderful collection of "Hey, I've seen that person in something before," players along with some rock dudes and dudesses that make the soundtrack fun. A highlight for me is LA's Fear doing Hoochie Coochie Man.
Another positive feature of Get Crazy is Malcolm McDowell who I also can never get enough of. (Although you can not help wondering how they got him.)
If you saw Rn'RHS and hated it, don't watch Get Crazy.
If you still throw Rn'RHS on when you are cleaning or getting loose, this is an excellent refresher course in 80's pop culture movie making.

A weird little 80's flick about drugs, sex and rock'n'roll on New Year's Eve. Funny memories of my childhood.

Ah, I long for those "good old days". The kids today missed sooooooo many good times. Nobody bothered anyone and everything was cool. Of course, I exaggerate, but it was pretty close to being able to do anything you wanted and being able to enjoy it, without "the man" telling you everything that gives pleasure is "bad". Teenagers in the "50's" had maltshops and school dances, in the "60's" it was find a place to lite up,turn on, and drop out, the 70's and 80's we had the Filmore East type places to socialize. Today's youth really have no place to "hang out", either they're with parents or in front of the computer. Not very healthy either way. I'll get off my soapbox now. Enjoy!

Hey you movie executives: put this movie out on DVD! This is a comedy classic. Numerous outstanding characters and great comedic performances.

My kids grew up enthralled with the characters and music!!!!!!

We want Nada and The Wanker on DVD ----