Review of George Lucas Produced Marvel Character Film Howard The Duck
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HOWARD THE DUCK (1986)
FOWL ATTEMPT AT HUMOUR
FOWL ATTEMPT AT HUMOUR
by Bryn V. Young-Roberts
Howard the Duck (1986) Directed by Mallard Duck, err sorry, Willard Huyck. USA: PG Produced by George Lucas and based on the Marvel comic. Unintentionally beamed directly from the comfort of his living room on Duckworld, a planet very similar to ours but where ducks have evolved in the place of apes, Howard (Chip Zien) lands in a Cleveland alleyway and befriends Cherrybomb lead singer Beverly Switzler (Lea Thompson). With the aid of her science lab assistant friend Phil Blumburtt (Tim Robbins), the trio try to return the duck home to his planet but are interrupted by the arrival of an evil alien life form known as The Dark Overlord, occupying the body of Dr Jennings (Jeffrey Jones) and intent on world domination. Blamed for a major industrial accident, Howard must evade police and stop the evil Overlord in order to return home. Now a by-word for bad movies, the hype surrounding how awful Howard the Duck is will actually disappoint you as the odd moment sincerely entertains and amuses. |
The first gags are a collection of film posters in Howard’s apartment on Duckworld – ‘Mae Nest & D.C. Fowls in My Little Chickadee’, Indiana Jones parody ‘Breeders of the lost stork’, and a copy of Rolling Egg magazine. The rest of the film pretty much follows in vain, relentlessly and mercilessly delivering a paddling of very poor duck-based puns.
Within the first 10 minutes of the film it already begins to grate with uninspired, redundant dialogue such as ‘No more Mr Nice Duck’, ‘This is no place for an intelligent, sensitive duck’ and ‘No one messes with a master of quack-fu’ constantly reminding us that Howard is a duck, just in case the child-sized animatronic duck-shaped costume wasn’t enough. It would make for an excellent drinking game, players taking a shot every time a bad duck pun is made. Then again, they’d be dead before the title sequence.
The title design itself is actually worth noting, magnificent hand-drawn work by Dan Curry that foreshadows his great Emmy-winning career on various Star Trek shows years later. The bold audacity of the title sequence, among the finest of the eighties, suggests a confidence and satirical edge sadly missing from the rest of the film. Howard’s stargate experience is viscerally satisfying, with a cheeky nod to 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) that sets up an existential experience which never actually develops.
Within the first 10 minutes of the film it already begins to grate with uninspired, redundant dialogue such as ‘No more Mr Nice Duck’, ‘This is no place for an intelligent, sensitive duck’ and ‘No one messes with a master of quack-fu’ constantly reminding us that Howard is a duck, just in case the child-sized animatronic duck-shaped costume wasn’t enough. It would make for an excellent drinking game, players taking a shot every time a bad duck pun is made. Then again, they’d be dead before the title sequence.
The title design itself is actually worth noting, magnificent hand-drawn work by Dan Curry that foreshadows his great Emmy-winning career on various Star Trek shows years later. The bold audacity of the title sequence, among the finest of the eighties, suggests a confidence and satirical edge sadly missing from the rest of the film. Howard’s stargate experience is viscerally satisfying, with a cheeky nod to 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) that sets up an existential experience which never actually develops.
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Typical American humour of the age, every character, no matter how minor, is invited to be a wisecracking smart-ass and make comical asides. Unfortunately the script struggles to meet this demand and so the best of these on offer is probably a waiter’s jibe that Jennings ‘must ‘a ate the chilli’ during a scene in a diner when the transforming scientist growls and radiates an evil electrical power.
Throughout the film it is heavily implied that Beverly and Howard are actively involved in a cross-species relationship, a bedroom scene between the two making for sexually ambivalent viewing. Moments of humour, such as the scene when Phil and a couple of scientists walk in on what they think is the couple engaging in sexual relations are handled well and prove genuinely amusing, but ultimately fail to escape the prickly feeling that the film is skirting around the issue of zoophilia with an uncomfortable guffaw.
Howard’s temporary job at the sleazy Hot Tub Fever, where couples make out in the ‘Lava of Love’ Jacuzzi, only heightens a bipolar aspect of the movie, making an audience uneasy as they struggle to understand if they are watching a film for adults with childish duck-pun jokes, or a children’s film with severely misplaced adult themes. This is not helped by the lead character’s lack of restraint over his sexual desires, uncontrollably attempting to grope or bite women at every given opportunity.
Throughout the film it is heavily implied that Beverly and Howard are actively involved in a cross-species relationship, a bedroom scene between the two making for sexually ambivalent viewing. Moments of humour, such as the scene when Phil and a couple of scientists walk in on what they think is the couple engaging in sexual relations are handled well and prove genuinely amusing, but ultimately fail to escape the prickly feeling that the film is skirting around the issue of zoophilia with an uncomfortable guffaw.
Howard’s temporary job at the sleazy Hot Tub Fever, where couples make out in the ‘Lava of Love’ Jacuzzi, only heightens a bipolar aspect of the movie, making an audience uneasy as they struggle to understand if they are watching a film for adults with childish duck-pun jokes, or a children’s film with severely misplaced adult themes. This is not helped by the lead character’s lack of restraint over his sexual desires, uncontrollably attempting to grope or bite women at every given opportunity.
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Future Oscar-winner Tim Robbins’ character starts off as irritatingly two-dimensional but slowly becomes bearable, and even amiable, as the film progresses. Primarily due to poor dialogue which fails to successfully pull off a zany, erratic character, blame also partly lies with the actor, as his first scene is performed so cringe-worthily bad that one might assume he was just a stage grip asked to stand in for a performer. Further to this, his attempts at speaking to Howard in a Donald Duck voice make for awkward, uncomfortable viewing. It’s so bad that the next time you see The Shawshank Redemption (1994) you’ll be rooting for the Sisters when they corner Andy DuFrame and hope they savagely gang rape him before brutally disposing of his carcass.
A requirement of making her interactions with a talking duck more believable, Thompson’s character is charmingly dumb, informing Howard that the name of her planet is ‘Earth… I think’. Her character is an odd mixture of damsel in distress, needing a good duck to save her from a sexually exploiting band manager, potential rapists and an alien who wants to use her body to carry another life form, and a poor attempt at third wave feminism as a girl who is independent and can handle herself well in a fight. Despite these conflictions Thompson excels in playing the character, delivering dreadful dialogue with credibility and making conversation with a talking duck somehow ring true.
Jeffrey Jones steals the show as The Dark Overlord possessing the body of Dr Jennings. Chewing the scenery with a sinister, quiet malevolence, the visual effects surrounding him are but a bonus to what is already an effective portrayal of an almost omnipotent evil being.
Much more likable than in the comics, Howard’s personality in the film tones down his obnoxious, rude facets and, for the most part, succeeds in creating a character that the audience connect with and root for. The animatronics costume generally pulls off the illusion suitably for a comedic film, with movement from Ed Gale and voice by Chip Zien rounding out the character with a performance better than some of the cast members who aren’t confined to a duck outfit.
Preventing the audience to sit comfortably into the narrative, atmospheric character reactions to Howard are as bipolar as the film’s maturity, at times passers-by screaming and desperately clawing their way out of the duck’s vicinity as they fail to comprehend the horror of his existence, while at other moments being indifferently blasé in accepting a 3 foot, fully clothed, beer-swigging, cigar-smoking, talking duck.
A requirement of making her interactions with a talking duck more believable, Thompson’s character is charmingly dumb, informing Howard that the name of her planet is ‘Earth… I think’. Her character is an odd mixture of damsel in distress, needing a good duck to save her from a sexually exploiting band manager, potential rapists and an alien who wants to use her body to carry another life form, and a poor attempt at third wave feminism as a girl who is independent and can handle herself well in a fight. Despite these conflictions Thompson excels in playing the character, delivering dreadful dialogue with credibility and making conversation with a talking duck somehow ring true.
Jeffrey Jones steals the show as The Dark Overlord possessing the body of Dr Jennings. Chewing the scenery with a sinister, quiet malevolence, the visual effects surrounding him are but a bonus to what is already an effective portrayal of an almost omnipotent evil being.
Much more likable than in the comics, Howard’s personality in the film tones down his obnoxious, rude facets and, for the most part, succeeds in creating a character that the audience connect with and root for. The animatronics costume generally pulls off the illusion suitably for a comedic film, with movement from Ed Gale and voice by Chip Zien rounding out the character with a performance better than some of the cast members who aren’t confined to a duck outfit.
Preventing the audience to sit comfortably into the narrative, atmospheric character reactions to Howard are as bipolar as the film’s maturity, at times passers-by screaming and desperately clawing their way out of the duck’s vicinity as they fail to comprehend the horror of his existence, while at other moments being indifferently blasé in accepting a 3 foot, fully clothed, beer-swigging, cigar-smoking, talking duck.
More concerned with fashion than anarchy, criminal punks are standard eighties fare, aping A Clockwork Orange’s (1971) Alex and his droogs but with high pitched maniacal voices that result in exaggerated comedic parody as they hurriedly stumble over things. Police are even more comical, with an incompetence and general disbelief or acceptance of the situation to a degree that would make the Keystone cops blush.
Thanks to John Barry the film score is of the highest order, culminating in a lab disaster scene having more than a passing resemblance to a James Bond climax. Pop music throughout the film showcase the best styles of the era, most of which are performed by Thompson herself and used at just the right moments.
An ultra-light aircraft chase sequence lacks a certain sparkle but contains a handful of amusingly thrilling moments, including the obligatory knocking overboard of duck hunters on a boat. Stunts and police car wreckage are typical for any post Blues Brothers (1980) film of the era, but are done competently and provide some of the movie’s action highlights.
Although not perfect, the second half of the film is as good as any sci-fi comedy effects movie of its day, spouting a quintessential eighties aesthetic and philosophy that generally entertains with some stirring action. While the comedy aspect falls far short due to unimaginative dialogue, the effects are of equal and better quality than other films of its time.
And that is part of the problem, as an emphasis was placed on effects and telling a straightforward story over satire, replacing the comic book’s surrealist elements with supernatural features for ILM to supply. To their credit however, they do so very well, the climactic battle being a special effects extravaganza of the finest possible on offer. The stop-motion animation of the Dark Overlord is easily among the best of its period.
Thanks to John Barry the film score is of the highest order, culminating in a lab disaster scene having more than a passing resemblance to a James Bond climax. Pop music throughout the film showcase the best styles of the era, most of which are performed by Thompson herself and used at just the right moments.
An ultra-light aircraft chase sequence lacks a certain sparkle but contains a handful of amusingly thrilling moments, including the obligatory knocking overboard of duck hunters on a boat. Stunts and police car wreckage are typical for any post Blues Brothers (1980) film of the era, but are done competently and provide some of the movie’s action highlights.
Although not perfect, the second half of the film is as good as any sci-fi comedy effects movie of its day, spouting a quintessential eighties aesthetic and philosophy that generally entertains with some stirring action. While the comedy aspect falls far short due to unimaginative dialogue, the effects are of equal and better quality than other films of its time.
And that is part of the problem, as an emphasis was placed on effects and telling a straightforward story over satire, replacing the comic book’s surrealist elements with supernatural features for ILM to supply. To their credit however, they do so very well, the climactic battle being a special effects extravaganza of the finest possible on offer. The stop-motion animation of the Dark Overlord is easily among the best of its period.
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Bravely breaking down the fourth wall, Howard occasionally talks to camera, but the film squanders the advantages in doing so as an opportunity for observational humour or social comment. While amusing, the comedy aspect could be funnier, with Howard’s sarcastic comments not being nearly as witty or satirical as the writers likely intended.
In the PG version of the film, a couple of scenes involving Jennings alien tongue and a quick glimpse at a duck condom have been edited out so poorly that they grate the senses, badly cutting off images as well as the film score. Yet inexplicably a scene involving a pair of naked duck breasts at the beginning of the movie remains uncut!
A scene in which the lead causes a stir at a road-side café pretty much sums up the whole film. The American / Japanese all night Cajun sushi diner inhabited by a bloodthirsty red-neck mob hell bent on cooking our sentient feathered friend pretty much represents the film in a microcosm, an unsettled blend of genres and kitsch with a plot that prefers to ignore verisimilitude rather than work toward meeting it somewhere in the comedic / satirical middle.
Overall, the film almost successfully blends noir and sci-fi with the mid-eighties punk aesthetic while falling flat over the comedy. As a film for a mature audience its watchable mediocrity, but had all the adult content been replaced then perhaps it would be a children’s classic occasionally still getting air time on Saturday matinee television today.
In the PG version of the film, a couple of scenes involving Jennings alien tongue and a quick glimpse at a duck condom have been edited out so poorly that they grate the senses, badly cutting off images as well as the film score. Yet inexplicably a scene involving a pair of naked duck breasts at the beginning of the movie remains uncut!
A scene in which the lead causes a stir at a road-side café pretty much sums up the whole film. The American / Japanese all night Cajun sushi diner inhabited by a bloodthirsty red-neck mob hell bent on cooking our sentient feathered friend pretty much represents the film in a microcosm, an unsettled blend of genres and kitsch with a plot that prefers to ignore verisimilitude rather than work toward meeting it somewhere in the comedic / satirical middle.
Overall, the film almost successfully blends noir and sci-fi with the mid-eighties punk aesthetic while falling flat over the comedy. As a film for a mature audience its watchable mediocrity, but had all the adult content been replaced then perhaps it would be a children’s classic occasionally still getting air time on Saturday matinee television today.
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