Hysterical (1983) Embassy Pictures/Comedy-Horror RT: 90 minutes Rated PG (language, brief nudity, sexual humor, drug use/references, comic horror violence) Director: Chris Bearde Screenplay: The Hudson Brothers (Bill, Brett and Mark) and Trace Johnston Music: Bob Alcivar and Robert O. Ragland Cinematography: Thomas Del Ruth Release date: May 1983 (US) Cast: The Hudson Brothers (Bill, Brett and Mark), Franklin Ajaye, Charlie Callas, Bud Cort, John Diehl, Robert Donner, Murray Hamilton, Richard Kiel, John Larroquette, Julie Newmar, Gary Owens, Cindy Pickett, Clint Walker, Keenan Wynn. Box Office: N/A
Rating: ***
As a title, Hysterical is decidedly hyperbolic. You won’t be laughing hysterically, but you might giggle at the silly, juvenile antics of the characters in this silly, juvenile spoof of horror flicks. I know I did.
It came out in late spring ’83 on the heels of a couple of other PG-rated horror spoofs, Saturday the 14th and Pandemonium (both 1982). You have to love the contradictory nature of the PG ratings awarded to spoofs of R-rated movies. How likely is it that the mostly under-13 youngsters in attendance have even seen the movies (e.g. Friday the 13th) targeted by the send-ups? Keep in mind that they came out BEFORE there was a VCR in every home.
In any event, I didn’t get to see Hysterical until it came to cable TV in summer ’84. It didn’t open in any theaters that I could easily get to. I thought it was pretty funny at the time. On a recent trip to a used DVD store, I found a copy just collecting dust in the comedy section. I didn’t even know it was available in that format, but apparently it has been since ’01. I watched it for the first time in more than 25 years and still find it funny with its corny gags and goofball slapstick shtick.
Hysterical boasts an all-star cast headed by the Hudson Brothers. Who, you may ask, are they? It’s a fair question. They were a music group in the 70s whose biggest hit was “So You Are a Star” in ’74. They also had three comedy-variety shows at various points in the decade- “The Hudson Brothers Show”, a very short-lived midsummer replacement series (CBS, Wednesday nights); “The Hudson Brothers Razzle Dazzle Show”, a Saturday morning show aimed at kids and “Bonkers”, a half-hour syndicated show that they co-hosted with comedian Bob Monkhouse. I recall watching and loving these shows as a child. I mention all this as both a point of reference for my readers born after 1979 and a trip down memory lane for those closer to my age. Thanks for indulging me.
A flashback to 1882 shows us the origin of the supernatural goings-on in Hellview, OR. Feeling slighted by her lover, lighthouse keeper Captain Howdy (Kiel, Jaws from the James Bond movies), Venetia (Newmar, Catwoman from the Batman TV series) causes him to fall into the sea and the ship carrying his wife to crash. Since then, her spirit haunts the lighthouse and scares the hell out of the folks living in the coastal town.
Frederic Lansing (Bill Hudson, the one that was married to actress Goldie Hawn), a writer of trashy sex novels looking for inspiration, moves into the lighthouse much to the delight of Venetia who’s looking for a way to resurrect her deceased lover. When people start dying and becoming zombies, two bumbling paranormal experts- Paul (Mark Hudson) and Fritz Batton (Brett Hudson)- are called in to investigate and rid the town of the spirits once and for all. They more than have their work cut out for them when Frederic slowly becomes possessed by the spirit of Captain Howdy.
The movies spoofed in Hysterical are as follows: Friday the 13th, The Fog, Taxi Driver, Jaws, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Dracula, The Shining, Poltergeist, The Exorcist, The Music Man and Chariots of Fire. The eclectic cast includes the following: Cindy Pickett (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off) as Frederic’s romantic interest, Bud Cort (Harold and Maude) as the town coroner, comedian Charlie Callas as Dracula, Robert Donner (Exidor from Mork & Mindy) as town loony “Crazy Ralph”, western star Clint Walker as the sheriff, John Larroquette (Night Court) as a tour guide, comedian Franklin Ajaye (The Jazz Singer) as the librarian and Murray Hamilton as “The Mayor”, goofing on his role in Jaws.
It’s corny as hell, its IQ doesn’t exceed double digits and it doesn’t even come close to capturing the zany energy of Airplane, but I like Hysterical. For one thing, it has far more laughs than many of today’s spoofs- e.g. anything AND everything cooked up- or should that be half-cooked- by Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer. Even when it misses (which it sometimes does), Hysterical is still pretty good. It even gives us a rousing musical number, “The Zomboogie”.
I like the Hudson Brothers (if you couldn’t already tell). They make a fine comedy team in the tradition of the Marx Brothers. The whole cast looks like they’re enjoying themselves. The cheap special effects are pretty decent.
Ultimately, Hysterical works for the simplest of reasons- it is what it is and never tries to be anything more. It’s pure mindless silliness. You might find yourself giggling at it as long as you go in not expecting too much. When you do that, some movies exceed expectations and become enjoyable. This is one of those times.
