Modern Problems: Difference between revisions
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Max gets his revenge by using his powers to humiliate his rival, meanwhile freaking out the other guests. Finally, he sees himself becoming a monster, and by a fortuitous stroke of lightning his powers are transferred to Dorita, the voodoo-practicing maid. Max's girlfriend forgives him and he realizes that she truly does love him. |
Max gets his revenge by using his powers to humiliate his rival, meanwhile freaking out the other guests. Finally, he sees himself becoming a monster, and by a fortuitous stroke of lightning his powers are transferred to Dorita, the voodoo-practicing maid. Max's girlfriend forgives him and he realizes that she truly does love him. |
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==Cast== |
==Cast== |
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* [[Chevy Chase]] as Maxwell "Max" Fiedler |
* [[Chevy Chase]] as Maxwell "Max" Fiedler |
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* Mitch Kreindel as Barry |
* Mitch Kreindel as Barry |
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* [[Dabney Coleman]] as Mark Winslow |
* [[Dabney Coleman]] as Mark Winslow |
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==Production== |
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[[Michael Shamberg]] and [[Doug Kenney]] had a deal with [[Ken Shapiro]] to make a film/ Kenney had a title, ''Teenage Communists from Outerspace'' and Shapiro wanted to make a film about telekinesis. This led to ''Modern Problems''.<ref>At the Movies; Chevy Chase up in the air over new role. |
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Chase, Chris. New York Times 24 Dec 1981: C.6. </ref> |
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Filming started in March 1981.<ref>BRIEFLY Casting notes from all over |
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The Globe and Mail; Toronto, Ont. [Toronto, Ont]02 Mar 1981: P.17. </ref> It was Chase's fifth movie in two years following ''Caddyshack'', ''Seems Like Old Times'', ''Oh Heavenly Dog'' and ''Under the Rainbow''.<ref>MOVIES: Chevy Chase, Hollywood's busiest actor |
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Vernon, Scott. Chicago Tribune 16 Aug 1981: d28. </ref> "There were problems doing the film," said Chase later. "There were times when I wasn't happy at all with the way things were going. Though I'm bound to say considering it was Ken Shapiro's first film as director he's come up with a very funny film."<ref name="chase"/> |
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Chase was nearly electrocuted while filming a flying scene involving wires and had to spend several weeks in hospital.<ref name="chase"/> |
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The film's release was complicated by the 1981 air traffic controller's strike.<ref>FILM CLIPS: A SKELETON IN CLOSET OF 'BODIES' FILM CLIPS |
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Boyer, Peter J. Los Angeles Times 12 Aug 1981: g1.</ref> |
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The film was recut prior to release to get an R rating which upset the writers who felt the film's best laughs were lost.<ref>FILM CLIPS: THE PRICE OF A PG RATING FILM CLIPS: PRICE OF A PG RATING |
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Boyer, Peter L. Los Angeles Times 9 Dec 1981: h1. </ref> |
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==Reception== |
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The film was released on Christmas Day without advanced screenings to the press. "I'm really happy with ''Modern Problems''," said Chase prior to release. "I don't pretend to know why Fox isn't showing it to the press. I can only suppose it's because they don't want to take the chance of getting bad reviews."<ref name="chase">NO HOOPLA FOR CHASE'S NEW MOVIE: CHEVY CHASE |
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Mann, Roderick. Los Angeles Times8 Dec 1981: g1. </ref> |
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The ''New York Times'' said "it's not that ''Modern Problems'' is so bad, though it is incredibly sloppy, but that it's the kind of movie that doesn't need reviews to find its audience. The members of that audience, whose inner clocks are set by their television habits, don't worry much about consistency or point of view. And, having short attention spans, they immediately forget the long dull patches that separate the truly funny sequences."<ref>CHEVY CHASE, TRAFFIC CONTROLLER: [Review] |
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Canby, Vincent. New York Times 28 Dec 1981: C.16</ref> |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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* [[List of American films of 1981]] |
* [[List of American films of 1981]] |
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Revision as of 12:51, 24 February 2020
| Modern Problems | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Ken Shapiro |
| Written by | Ken Shapiro Tom Sherohman Arthur Sellers |
| Produced by | Alan Greisman Michael Shamberg |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Edmond L. Koons |
| Edited by | Michael Jablow |
| Music by | Dominic Frontiere |
| Distributed by | 20th Century Fox |
Release date |
|
Running time | 89 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $8 million[1] |
| Box office | $26,154,211 |
Modern Problems is a 1981 American fantasy comedy film written and directed by Ken Shapiro and starring Chevy Chase, Patti D'Arbanville and Dabney Coleman. The film grossed $26.2 million in the United States. A DVD release of the film was issued in 2005.
Plot
Max Fiedler is an air traffic controller at New York's Kennedy Intl. Airport whose life is slowly going down the drain. His girlfriend, Darcy, has just left him because of his jealousy and negativity. Now, everywhere he goes he seems to run into her with Barry, her old friend, which drives Max crazy. One night while he's driving home from a party at a gay nightclub in Lower Manhattan, a tanker truck spills nuclear waste onto his car and through his open sunroof, covering him with glowing green goo. The next day, he notices that he has developed telekinetic powers. With this newfound discovery, Max decides to put his powers to use by striking back at his tormentors to win back the love of Darcy.
He is asked to spend the weekend at the summer beach house of Brian, a paraplegic friend, who has also invited some other friends, including Max's ex-wife Lorraine as well as his ex-girlfriend, plus self-confidence author and womanizer Mark Winslow who has designs on Darcy. Winslow constantly demeans and derides Max, while trying to seduce Darcy (although his egomanical bragging and unabashed nudity just seem to alienate her).
Max gets his revenge by using his powers to humiliate his rival, meanwhile freaking out the other guests. Finally, he sees himself becoming a monster, and by a fortuitous stroke of lightning his powers are transferred to Dorita, the voodoo-practicing maid. Max's girlfriend forgives him and he realizes that she truly does love him. en
Cast
- Chevy Chase as Maxwell "Max" Fiedler
- Patti D'Arbanville as Darcy Carson
- Mary Kay Place as Lorraine
- Nell Carter as Dorita
- Brian Doyle-Murray as Brian Stills
- Mitch Kreindel as Barry
- Dabney Coleman as Mark Winslow
Production
Michael Shamberg and Doug Kenney had a deal with Ken Shapiro to make a film/ Kenney had a title, Teenage Communists from Outerspace and Shapiro wanted to make a film about telekinesis. This led to Modern Problems.[2]
Filming started in March 1981.[3] It was Chase's fifth movie in two years following Caddyshack, Seems Like Old Times, Oh Heavenly Dog and Under the Rainbow.[4] "There were problems doing the film," said Chase later. "There were times when I wasn't happy at all with the way things were going. Though I'm bound to say considering it was Ken Shapiro's first film as director he's come up with a very funny film."[5]
Chase was nearly electrocuted while filming a flying scene involving wires and had to spend several weeks in hospital.[5]
The film's release was complicated by the 1981 air traffic controller's strike.[6]
The film was recut prior to release to get an R rating which upset the writers who felt the film's best laughs were lost.[7]
Reception
The film was released on Christmas Day without advanced screenings to the press. "I'm really happy with Modern Problems," said Chase prior to release. "I don't pretend to know why Fox isn't showing it to the press. I can only suppose it's because they don't want to take the chance of getting bad reviews."[5]
The New York Times said "it's not that Modern Problems is so bad, though it is incredibly sloppy, but that it's the kind of movie that doesn't need reviews to find its audience. The members of that audience, whose inner clocks are set by their television habits, don't worry much about consistency or point of view. And, having short attention spans, they immediately forget the long dull patches that separate the truly funny sequences."[8]
See also
References
- ^ "Modern Problems (1981) - Financial Information". The Numbers.
- ^ At the Movies; Chevy Chase up in the air over new role. Chase, Chris. New York Times 24 Dec 1981: C.6.
- ^ BRIEFLY Casting notes from all over The Globe and Mail; Toronto, Ont. [Toronto, Ont]02 Mar 1981: P.17.
- ^ MOVIES: Chevy Chase, Hollywood's busiest actor Vernon, Scott. Chicago Tribune 16 Aug 1981: d28.
- ^ a b c NO HOOPLA FOR CHASE'S NEW MOVIE: CHEVY CHASE Mann, Roderick. Los Angeles Times8 Dec 1981: g1.
- ^ FILM CLIPS: A SKELETON IN CLOSET OF 'BODIES' FILM CLIPS Boyer, Peter J. Los Angeles Times 12 Aug 1981: g1.
- ^ FILM CLIPS: THE PRICE OF A PG RATING FILM CLIPS: PRICE OF A PG RATING Boyer, Peter L. Los Angeles Times 9 Dec 1981: h1.
- ^ CHEVY CHASE, TRAFFIC CONTROLLER: [Review] Canby, Vincent. New York Times 28 Dec 1981: C.16
