MovieChat Forums > 1941 (1979) Discussion > Couldn't buy a laugh

Couldn't buy a laugh

posted 15 years ago by parillamilt
22 replies | jump to latest

You could tell that there was a lot of money behind the movie. Several huge set ups for a jokes that fell flat. The whole house falling off its foundation for one. Were we to laugh at the distruction or admire the technical aspects & cost of the scene? Same goes for the ferris wheel and its run down the dock. The fight at club? Just another way to see $$$$ being spent with few laughs. Lots of time and money spent on nothing hilarious. Just a couple of chuckles here and there.

I think they over analyzed each scene and the comedy part sort of went AWOL. The only scenes that made me laugh was Aykroyd getting beaned in the head and going nuts inside the tank. The other was Wild Bill "opening" the bottle of Coke. I've always wanted to do something like that at a party, but I might get some glass down my throat.

[–] JimmyZappa 15 years ago

Lucky you. I gave up halfway through. This is the only Spielberg film I didn't finish. This was seriously not his style. The concept could've been promising but the actual script was garbage too. I can't believe it also came from the same guys who would go on to do my favorite movie of all time.

Stuff like this reminds me of "Movie Poop Shoot.com" from Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.

[–] phish_phood320 15 years ago

What's your favorite movie of all time? Bordello of Blood? ;)

[–] JimmyZappa 15 years ago

rofl, who'd you guess?

Stuff like this reminds me of "Movie Poop Shoot.com" from Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.

[–] sampafelipe 15 years ago

i hear you. i managed a few chuckles, but also could not make it to the end. the fight scene was lame and way too long, and then we are supposed to laugh as a plane strafes a crowded avenue? how is that funny? great cast, weak script.

[–] leonidus1956 11 years ago

Agreed, really thought I would like this movie, saw it before I knew it was a Spielberg film, but something was missing for me. All that talent and the funniest scene for me was Eddie Deezen ("trapped like beavers") and that dummy...

[–] sveaman 15 years ago

I haven't seen 1941 in many years but, as you, I also thought Belushi opening and drinking a bottle of Coke was the funniest thing about this movie. But I watch that on Youtube and not even that is funny anymore.

[–] NxNWRocks 15 years ago

I thought the scenes with Ned Beatty working the gun and trashing his house were hysterical. "Just kiss it." What makes that first part of the scene priceless is when Angelo just walks right to left across the screen, almost oblivious to the chaos around him.

Aykroyd with the oranges for bug eyes was funny too.

But yeah, overall a muddled failure.

"Worthington, we're being attacked by giant bats!"

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] rwsmith29456 15 years ago

I watched the whole thing. Didn't enjoy it one bit. John Belushi's part was a waste of space.

[–] PsychoDJ 14 years ago

i think the comedies they made in the late 70's and 80's (like this, and Vacation, and of course, Animal House) are classic compared to the sewage they spit out now. This is very "national lampoon". Guess you had to be there. and i personally like spielberg spoofing spielberg (jaws, close encounters).

[–] scottythefield 14 years ago

I think there were a decent number of laughs in the movie, but unfortunately not in proportion to the money spent to generate 'em. And yeah, the mere destruction of stuff isn't particularly funny on its own.

[–] CBikle 14 years ago

It was probably because of John Belushi, who was at the height of his drug-usage when this was being filmed.

Very talented guy, but a comedic loose cannon who tended to be exhausting for directors to work with.

Most Belushi movies tend to be chaotic, overproduced, overbudget and a little exhausting.

[–] badasscat 14 years ago

I think kids over analyze stuff these days...
This is IMHO,...one of the last,great,huge cast,epic comedies.
Like Mad Mad World,...it's just a silly romp....but here it's
parody is all over the place if you actually "get it".

The German who always speaks German to a "Jap" that (almost) always speaks Japanese..

With no translator...

Slim Pickens.......SLIM PICKENS....

And Slim Pickens....:)

All the parodies of Steve's previous stuff...

Cryin at Dumbo...

HOLLYWOOD!!!(Japanese version)

"Most Belushi movies tend to be chaotic, overproduced, overbudget and a little exhausting"

WTF?!.....Why are YOU even on this movie's board?

Like another poster said,....
You had to be there I guess..

"You little sneaky bastards ain't gonna get anything from me
but rank,name,and serial number"

"Where Hollywood?"

"Right here"

This flick is still not PC and it's great for it....and if you think
about how 9/11 was alot like Pearl Harbor(the way the media played it out),...and see the comedic PARANOIA of being attacked,..move to today and
it's exactly how silly the Govt and people act today....

"Hey boy watch that knife!"

/Steve release this on Blu,...now plz.

-
Sometimes,..I think it's a sin,.when I feel like I'm winning,..when I'm losing again - Lightfoot

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] LightningLad 14 years ago

Nicely written post. I seem to remember it as being potentially great but just really shrill. On the plus side, I think it encouraged Spielberg to be controlled, tasteful, and back to basics on his next film, a superior film taking place in that same general period.

-----
Reason is a pursuit, not a conclusion.

[–] jajceboy 14 years ago

I think that this type of slapstick comedy aren't funny any more. It worked back in the 70s-80, but funny today means people and movies like Bradley Cooper, Seth Rogen, Wedding Crashers, Due date and so on.

And so this is why "1949" isn't considered funny today. My personal opinion is that it want the greatest comedy but it was still an enjoyable film that made me laugh a couple of times. I especially found Christopher lee speaking German very funny. And I liked the end scene when the house collapsed.
Have to agree its probably the worst Spielberg film, but its still decent on its own.

And personally I found old humour like this or "Animal House", "Aeroplane", Hot Shots" much more funnier than all the Rogen/Gallifinakis/40 year old Virgin/Superbad nonsense we call humour today.

[–] ttaskmaster 11 years ago

And personally I found old humour like this or "Animal House", "Aeroplane", Hot Shots" much more funnier than all the Rogen/Gallifinakis/40 year old Virgin/Superbad nonsense we call humour today.

Sort-of agreed on Animal House, Hot Shots, Airplane, etc... They were hilarious at the time, rather than modern 'comedies' which aren't funny in the slightest.
Wall-E was funny. Sandler/Carey/Rogen/Galli-whotsit/whoever these days are just pathetic and the Brit guys like Gervais and Brand just need to be taken outside and shot!!

1941 was sort-of funny when I was younger. The first lot aren't very funny to me today, but still have a minor cult status, like the Monty Python stuff - The fun comes from others knowing what you're on about when you quote.
1941 never got even that funny, though.

[–] Chelios24 11 years ago

Some of you are saying that it's just modern sensibilities that don't "get" this movie. But wasn't it panned at the time, too? It's just not funny, and while movies like Vacation and Animal House are considered classics today, this isn't, and with good reason.

It's not funny, it's overproduced, and it's very, very uneven.

[–] brinsonmh 9 years ago

It was panned at the time, and I helped. Saw it opening day and was expecting great comedy given the cast, and just a few laughs from a full theater. Weird vibe to see 300 or so people sit in silence with all the stuff going on in the flick. We all kept waiting for it to get rolling but it never did. Friend I went with had the same reaction.

Word of mouth was how movies were hits or duds back in the day, and I was glad to save my other friends 2 hrs and a few bucks.