Steve Oedekerk
21 connections found
View:
Connections, in both directions
Made with Jimmy Wang Yu's cooperation (fans will know Jimmy as the director/star of the classic “Master of the Flying Guillotine” and such early Jackie Chan vehicles as “The Killer Meteors” and “Fantasy Mission Force”), “Kung Pow” is very much an affectionate spoof, an homage that pokes fun while confessing fondness--not necessarily a recipe for great comedy, but an approach which the film's small but specific target audience is sure to appreciate.
For this chop-socky farce � the title an obvious reference to the 1973 Bruce Lee classic Enter the Dragon � writer/director/star Steve Oedekerk (he penned the hammy script for Patch Adams) has taken a superfluous 1976 Hong Kong actioner (Tiger & Crane Fists), redubbed it with silly, droll dialogue, and spliced himself into the plot � as the protagonist, of all things.
Combining scenes from The Matrix , Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Enter the Dragon, a whole variety of Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan movies, as well as scenes from Twister with a heavy dose of Tom Green humour and fart and poop jokes, Kung Pow! Enter the Fist is 73-minutes too long.
For example, an especially gross gag involving Nobby and Sebastian hiding inside an elephant’s vagina (vaguely reminiscent of a 20 year-old gag from “Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls”) is bawdy, irreverent sketch comedy stuffed into an ostensible satire – where it absolutely doesn’t belong.
Cummings’ face-based performance recalls the elastic volatility of a young Jim Carrey, specifically the scene in “Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls” when he’s birthing himself out of an animatronic rhinoceros’ butthole.
Master of the Flying Guillotine (1976)
Directed by Jimmy Wang Yu
influenced Kung Pow: Enter the Fist (2002)
Made with Jimmy Wang Yu's cooperation (fans will know Jimmy as the director/star of the classic “Master of the Flying Guillotine” and such early Jackie Chan vehicles as “The Killer Meteors” and “Fantasy Mission Force”), “Kung Pow” is very much an affectionate spoof, an homage that pokes fun while confessing fondness--not necessarily a recipe for great comedy, but an approach which the film's small but specific target audience is sure to appreciate.
A number of genres have been successfully spoofed ( Galaxy Quest , Blazing Saddles, most Mel Brooks films come to think of it, Scary Movie ) and then there are others that fall flat, like Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid, Not Another Teen Movie and this hunk of junk.
There are animal rights messages and a few sparks of cleverness, but the bat recovery scene recalls "Pee Wee's Big Adven-ture's" snake rescue; Ace's elongation of the word "loser" ("lah-hoo...suh-her") was uttered by Louie DePalma on TV's "Taxi"; "Trading Places" originated the dubious idea of a villain receiving his comeuppance via gorilla rape; and John Waters should receive even more dubious credit for introducing the talking derriere concept in "Pink Flamingoes."
Beyond retreading and elongating the "Wayne's World" sketch - not to mention copying Woody Allen who basically did the same thing with his 1966 film, "What's Up, Tiger Lily" (which was a re-dubbed version of the Japanese spy caper "Kagi No Kag") - the filmmaker has created one of those vanity projects - in which he also stars -- that he apparently believed was some terrific comedy.
The Crying Game (1992)
Directed by Neil Jordan
influenced Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1995)
Plot
"When Nature Calls" both improves and embellishes the mean-spirited original, a movie that borrowed its twist from "The Crying Game" as it turned sexual ambiguity from something wonderful and mysterious into something silly and repugnant.
The zany parody of '70s Hong Kong martial arts movies is the brainchild of actor/writer/director/all-around silly guy Steve Oedekerk, writer of such films as “Patch Adams,” the Eddie Murphy remake of “The Nutty Professor” and “Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls,” which he directed.
Only Oedekerk (he also wrote "Patch Adams" and "The Nutty Professor") expands the level of appropriation: re-creating the film's sets at a Mexican location, body-doubling the Hong Kong actors from the original film and adding new characters, scenes and visual effects.
For this chop-socky farce � the title an obvious reference to the 1973 Bruce Lee classic Enter the Dragon � writer/director/star Steve Oedekerk (he penned the hammy script for Patch Adams) has taken a superfluous 1976 Hong Kong actioner (Tiger & Crane Fists), redubbed it with silly, droll dialogue, and spliced himself into the plot � as the protagonist, of all things.
Steve Oedekerk wrote Patch Adams and Nutty Professor II: The Klumps.
Unfortunately, writer/director Steve Oedekerk - the writer of "The Nutty Professor" and "Patch Adams" and director of "Ace Ventura: When Nature calls" - either didn't see that film or learn its lesson of brevity as he's delivered a full-length version of what's essentially the same gag in "Kung Pow! Enter the Fist."
That's all Oedekerk ( Nutty Professor II: The Klumps ), Patch Adams ) has done, although he's also added in live-action fantasy sequences that we as technically challenged teens couldn't without our own film studio.
The beginning riffs on Sly Stallone's Cliffhanger: Ace (Jim Carrey) and his raccoon pal are hanging from a rock at a very high altitude when the daffy detective loses his grip on the little paw, and the ill-fated ringtail loses his life.
Combining scenes from The Matrix , Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Enter the Dragon, a whole variety of Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan movies, as well as scenes from Twister with a heavy dose of Tom Green humour and fart and poop jokes, Kung Pow! Enter the Fist is 73-minutes too long.
Not all of the gags are kung fu-related--Oedekerk gets some mileage out of the effects tricks he has used in his popular “Thumb” shorts (“Thumb Wars,” “The Blair Thumb,” “Thumbtanic”) by superimposing a human mouth and eyes on his tongue (a character named “Tonguey” in the movie)--but it's merely one gag among many, the best ones being nothing more than inspired moments of bad overdubbing.
Or parodies of The Matrix and The Lion King.
The spoofs of "The Matrix" and "The Lion King" aren't exactly fresh, but they still manage a good deal of hearty chuckles.
Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay (2008)
Directed by Hayden Schlossberg
influenced by Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1995)
As is usually the case with comedic sequels, Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay - like Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls and Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey before it - has been infused with an uncomfortably over-the-top sensibility that handily obliterates the easy-going feel of its predecessor (ie it's bigger but rarely better).
The spoofs of "The Matrix" and "The Lion King" aren't exactly fresh, but they still manage a good deal of hearty chuckles.
Combining scenes from The Matrix , Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Enter the Dragon, a whole variety of Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan movies, as well as scenes from Twister with a heavy dose of Tom Green humour and fart and poop jokes, Kung Pow! Enter the Fist is 73-minutes too long.
Feeling like a self-indulgent exercise - somewhat like last year's Tom Green fiasco "Freddy Got Fingered" - the film is awful from the get-go and never improves from there.
The zany parody of '70s Hong Kong martial arts movies is the brainchild of actor/writer/director/all-around silly guy Steve Oedekerk, writer of such films as “Patch Adams,” the Eddie Murphy remake of “The Nutty Professor” and “Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls,” which he directed.
Oedekerk — best known as the writer of the sequels to The Nutty Professor and Ace Ventura — works overtime on this ugly baby, serving as writer, director, producer and star.
Only Oedekerk (he also wrote "Patch Adams" and "The Nutty Professor") expands the level of appropriation: re-creating the film's sets at a Mexican location, body-doubling the Hong Kong actors from the original film and adding new characters, scenes and visual effects.
Unfortunately, writer/director Steve Oedekerk - the writer of "The Nutty Professor" and "Patch Adams" and director of "Ace Ventura: When Nature calls" - either didn't see that film or learn its lesson of brevity as he's delivered a full-length version of what's essentially the same gag in "Kung Pow! Enter the Fist."
The film, written and directed by Steve Oedekerk (who also wrote "Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius," "The Nutty Professor" and "Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls") uses footage from a 1977 martial arts film called "Savage Killers" (AKA "Tiger & Crane Fist") starring Hong Kong action star Yu Wang.
Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (2004)
Directed by Danny Leiner
influenced by Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1995)
As is usually the case with comedic sequels, Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay - like Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls and Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey before it - has been infused with an uncomfortably over-the-top sensibility that handily obliterates the easy-going feel of its predecessor (ie it's bigger but rarely better).
Dirty Pretty Things (2002)
Directed by Stephen Frears
influenced by Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1995)
Okwe's world consists of meting out clap remedies to fellow cabbies, playing chess with his bemused mortician attendant buddy Guo Yi (Benedict Wong, "Spy Game") and casting a blind eye towards streetwalker Juliette (Sophie Okonedo, "Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls") and her jovial cab driver customer Ivan (Zlatko Buric, "Bleeder") who tryst in his hotel.