Bushwhacked (film)

Last updated
Bushwhacked
Bushwhacked.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Greg Beeman
Written byJohn Jordan
Danny Byers
Tommy Swerdlow
Michael Goldberg
Based onOriginal Characters by John Hughes
Produced by Charles B. Wessler
Paul Schiff
Starring
Cinematography Theo van de Sande
Edited byRoss Albert
Music by Bill Conti
Production
company
Distributed by 20th Century Fox
Release date
  • August 4, 1995 (1995-08-04)
Running time
90 minutes [2]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$7.9 million (U.S. only) [2]

Bushwhacked is a 1995 American adventure comedy, [3] film starring Daniel Stern, Jon Polito, Anthony Heald and Brad Sullivan. Directed by Greg Beeman, it was his last theatrical film before he moved on to direct television films for Disney Channel beginning in 1997. This also marked Sullivan's last theatrical film appearance before his retirement in 2000 and death in 2008.

Contents

Plot

Deliveryman "Mad" Max Grabelski (Daniel Stern) is charged with delivering packages to millionaire Reinhart Bragdon (Anthony Heald) for $50 tips. During a late night delivery, Max accidentally stumbles across a fire in Bragdon's mansion and is cornered by FBI Agent Palmer (Jon Polito), but accidentally picks up Agent Palmer's gun and manages to escape. Max later sees a news report in which Palmer claims that Bragdon was killed in the fire, which was set up by Max to stop him from exposing a money-laundering conspiracy. Now on the run from the law, Max contacts his boss and learns that a final package is to be delivered to Bragdon, but at his mountain cabin in Devil's Peak.

Max heads for Devil's Peak to clear his name, but a store clerk and scoutmaster Jack Erickson (Brad Sullivan) recognize his face and he is forced to threaten both with his gun, gluing Erickson to his car's steering wheel and ordering him to drive off to lure the police away while stealing Erickson's van. He is subsequently mistaken for a scoutmaster scheduled to lead a group of Ranger Scouts (consisting of five boys and one girl) on an expedition. Max goes along with the ruse to keep heading for Devil's Peak. The FBI find and release Erickson, and set up a base of operations at a nearby cabin while Palmer and Erickson pursue Max and the scouts. Though they are nearly captured, Max cuts the bridge between two cliffs, forcing Palmer and Erickson to take the longer route.

Along the way, the scouts become curious of Max's unorthodox capabilities as a scout leader. They build a makeshift radio and learn who Max truly is. They lace his water with sleeping pills and use smoke signs to signal their location to Erickson. Max ends up sedated, but Palmer handcuffs Erickson to a tree and captures Max alone, promising the scouts a rescue helicopter, but the suspicious scouts follow in secret. Max awakens and Palmer leads him to a helicopter, where Max discovers Bragdon is alive; he then reveals that he is a criminal and that Palmer is one of his henchman posing a FBI agent and their plan was to steal the laundered money from the authorities and Bragdon faking his death after coming under suspicion in order to frame Max. Before they can kill Max, the scouts intervene and knock Palmer out, but Max falls into the river and the scouts follow to rescue him and escape the criminals. They reach safety before going over a waterfall and throw their backpacks in the river to drive Palmer and Bragdon off. Out of supplies, the scouts decide to remain with Max, accepting him as their scout leader and help him reach Devil's Peak. Meanwhile, one of the scouts' mothers, Mrs. Patterson (Ann Dowd) uncovers Max's discarded tissue and realizes that he is leading them to Devil's Peak, and gives chase in her van when Palmer's bumbling assistant, Agent McMurrey (Thomas Mills Wood), refuses to help her. She arrives first, but is captured by Bragdon.

After scaling the treacherous mountainside, Max and the scouts finally arrive as Bragdon receives the final package. Palmer catches up and prepares to kill them, but is subdued by Erickson, who freed himself and followed Max. Erickson tells Max that he needs to have a serious talk with him for taking the scouts in his place, Max sneaks into the cabin to free Mrs. Patterson while Erickson and the scouts glue Palmer to a tree as payback for handcuffing Erickson to the tall tree. Bragdon appears and forces Max and Mrs. Peterson to the edge of the cliff at gunpoint. Mrs. Patterson's son, Gordy (Blake Bashoff), charges Bragdon but falls over a cliff and hangs onto a branch for his life. Max knocks Bragdon out by punching his dentures out of his mouth and climbs down the cliff and pulls Gordy to safety just before the branch falls away.

With Bragdon and Palmer captured, Max's name is cleared and in response to his efforts, he is awarded a Ranger Scout Leader honor and given charge of an even bigger group of scouts for a more challenging mission, much to his surprise and chagrin.

Cast

Critical response

The film received a 10% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 20 reviews. [3] It grossed $7.9 million in the United States. [2]

Related Research Articles

<i>Twin Peaks</i> American drama television series

Twin Peaks is an American mystery serial drama television series created by Mark Frost and David Lynch. It premiered on ABC on April 8, 1990, and originally ran for two seasons until its cancellation in 1991. The show returned in 2017 for a third season on Showtime.

<i>Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me</i> 1992 American psychological horror film

Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me is a 1992 American psychological horror film directed by David Lynch and written by Lynch and Robert Engels. It serves as a prequel to the television series Twin Peaks (1990–1991), created by Mark Frost and Lynch, who were also executive producers. It revolves around the investigation into the murder of Teresa Banks and the last seven days in the life of Laura Palmer, a popular high school student in the fictional Washington town of Twin Peaks. Unlike the series, which was an uncanny blend of detective fiction, horror, the supernatural, offbeat humor, and soap opera tropes, the film has a much darker, less humorous tone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony Almeida</span> Fictional character

Anthony "Tony" Almeida is a fictional character portrayed by Carlos Bernard on the television series 24. Almeida appeared in a total of 126 episodes, the second highest number of episodes of any character in the series, third being Chloe O'Brian (125) and first being Jack Bauer (192), portrayed by Mary Lynn Rajskub and Kiefer Sutherland, respectively. Despite initially having friction with Jack Bauer, he eventually develops a strong friendship with Jack and becomes one of the few people Jack trusts unconditionally with his life. However, the loss of his wife Michelle Dessler and unborn son at the hands of a government conspiracy drives him into despair and then rage. His descent into darkness and evil to seek revenge against those responsible for destroying his life is widely lamented by fans and showcases a dark contrast to Jack whose life has also been ruined by the government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dale Cooper</span> Fictional character in TV series Twin Peaks

Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent Dale Bartholomew Cooper, portrayed by Kyle MacLachlan, is a fictional character who is the protagonist of the ABC television series Twin Peaks and its 2017 revival series by Showtime. He also plays a supporting role in the prequel film Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me.

<i>The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle</i> (film) 2000 film directed by Des McAnuff

The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle is a 2000 American live-action/animated adventure slapstick comedy film directed by Des McAnuff and produced by Universal Pictures, based on the television cartoon of the same name by Jay Ward. Animated characters Rocky and Bullwinkle share the screen with live actors portraying Fearless Leader, Boris Badenov and Natasha Fatale along with Randy Quaid, Piper Perabo, Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell. June Foray reprised her role as Rocky, while Keith Scott voiced Bullwinkle and the film's narrator. It also features cameo appearances by performers including James Rebhorn, Paget Brewster, Janeane Garofalo, John Goodman, David Alan Grier, Don Novello, Jon Polito, Carl Reiner, Whoopi Goldberg, Max Grodenchik, Norman Lloyd, Jonathan Winters and Billy Crystal. The film follows a young rookie FBI agent named Karen Sympathy enlisting the help of Rocky and Bullwinkle to stop Boris, Natasha, and Fearless Leader from taking over the United States.

<i>8mm</i> (film) 1999 thriller film by Joel Schumacher

8mm is a 1999 American crime thriller film directed by Joel Schumacher and written by Andrew Kevin Walker. A German–American production, the film stars Nicolas Cage as a private investigator who delves into the world of snuff films. Joaquin Phoenix, James Gandolfini, Peter Stormare, and Anthony Heald appear in supporting roles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob (Twin Peaks)</span> Fictional character from the television series Twin Peaks

Bob is a fictional character in the ABC television series Twin Peaks, played by Frank Silva. He is an interdimensional entity who feeds on pain and sorrow. An inhabiting spirit, he possesses human beings and then commits acts of rape and murder in order to feast upon his victims.

Philip Anthony Mair Heald is an American character actor known for portraying Hannibal Lecter's jailer, Dr. Frederick Chilton, in The Silence of the Lambs and Red Dragon, and for playing assistant principal Scott Guber in David E. Kelley's Boston Public. Heald also had a recurring role as Judge Cooper on Kelley's The Practice and Boston Legal. He had a prominent role as a troubled psychic in The X-Files episode "Closure".

Margaret Lanterman (née Coulson), better known as the Log Lady, is a character in the television series Twin Peaks (1990–2017), created by Mark Frost and David Lynch. She appears in both seasons of the show, the prequel film Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, and the 2017 revival series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scouting in popular culture</span>

Since Scouting began in 1907, it has entered into many elements of popular culture, including movies, TV and books.

<i>When the Wind Blows</i> (Patterson novel) 1998 novel by James Patterson

When the Wind Blows is a novel by James Patterson, followed by the sequel The Lake House. It also served as inspiration for the Maximum Ride spinoff series for teens.

<i>Big Nothing</i> 2006 film by Jean-Baptiste Andrea

Big Nothing is a 2006 black comedy crime film directed by Jean-Baptiste Andrea, starring David Schwimmer, Simon Pegg and Alice Eve. It had its world premiere at the Cardiff Film Festival on 18 November 2006, and was released in the United Kingdom on 1 December 2006.

<i>Mad City</i> (film) 1997 film by Constantin Costa-Gavras

Mad City is a 1997 American thriller drama film directed by Costa-Gavras, written by Tom Matthews based on a story by Matthews and Eric Williams, and starring Dustin Hoffman and John Travolta, with a supporting cast featuring Mia Kirshner, Alan Alda, Blythe Danner, Ted Levine, Raymond J. Barry, and Larry King. This is Costa-Gavras' first English-language film since Music Box (1989). The title comes from a nickname of Madison, Wisconsin, where it originally was going to be set, and was used for its multiple meanings.

Bradford Ernest Sullivan was an American character actor on film, stage and television. He was best known for playing the killer Cole in The Sting, hockey goon Mo Wanchuk in Slap Shot, mobster George in The Untouchables (1987) and the gruff Henry Wingo in The Prince of Tides (1991).

<i>Henry Aldrich, Boy Scout</i> 1944 film

Henry Aldrich, Boy Scout is a 1944 American comedy film directed by Hugh Bennett and written by Muriel Roy Bolton and Agnes Christine Johnston. Ninth in a series of 11 films made between 1939 and 1944 about the Aldrich family and their irrepressible teenage son, Henry, played by Jimmy Lydon, it also stars Charles Smith, John Litel, Olive Blakeney, Joan Mortimer, David Holt, and Minor Watson. Released on January 13, 1944, by Paramount Pictures, it was the first feature film to be made in cooperation with the Boy Scouts of America, who provided a technical advisor to the studio.

Episode 16 (<i>Twin Peaks</i>) 9th episode of the 2nd season of Twin Peaks

"Episode 16", also known as "Arbitrary Law", is the ninth episode of the second season of the American mystery television series Twin Peaks. The episode was written by series co-creator Mark Frost, producer Harley Peyton and regular writer Robert Engels, and directed by Tim Hunter. It features series regulars Kyle MacLachlan, Michael Ontkean, Ray Wise and Richard Beymer; and guest stars Miguel Ferrer as Albert Rosenfield, Don S. Davis as Major Briggs and Al Strobel as MIKE.

<i>Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces</i> 2014 feature-length compilation of deleted and extended scenes from Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me

Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces is a 2014 feature-length compilation of deleted and extended scenes from Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, a 1992 film directed by David Lynch and written by Lynch and Robert Engels. It was released over twenty-two years after the movie and the original series ended and three years before the revival, Twin Peaks: The Return, aired.

<i>The Secret History of Twin Peaks</i> Novel by Mark Frost

The Secret History of Twin Peaks is an epistolary (dossier-style) novel by Mark Frost, which provides background information on the history of the fictional town and characters from the television series Twin Peaks. The book was published in October 2016, several months before the debut of a new season of the series in May 2017. A follow-up book, Twin Peaks: The Final Dossier, also written by Frost, was released after the new season aired. The audiobook release features four original cast members from the original and sequel television series, Kyle MacLachlan, Russ Tamblyn, Michael Horse, and David Patrick Kelly, joined by original cast member Chris Mulkey and cocreator Mark Frost, and introduces 2017 season actors Amy Shiels, Robert Knepper, and James Morrison.

Episode 9 (<i>Twin Peaks</i>) 2nd episode of the 2nd season of Twin Peaks

"Episode 9", also known as "Coma", is the second episode of the second season of the American mystery television series Twin Peaks. The episode was written by Harley Peyton, and directed by series co-creator David Lynch. It features series regulars Kyle MacLachlan, Michael Ontkean, Ray Wise and Richard Beymer; and guest stars Chris Mulkey as Hank Jennings, Miguel Ferrer as Albert Rosenfield, David Patrick Kelly as Jerry Horne. Don S. Davis as Major Garland Briggs, Victoria Catlin as Blackie O'Reilly, Don Amendolia as Emory Battis, Frances Bay as Mrs. Tremond, Grace Zabriskie as Sarah Palmer, and Catherine E. Coulson as the Log Lady.

References

  1. ↑ Petrikin, Chris (February 18, 1998). "Fox renamed that toon". Variety. Retrieved March 31, 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 boxofficemojo.com. "Bushwacked". Accessed February 26, 2016.
  3. 1 2 "Bushwhacked". rottentomatoes.com. 1 January 1995. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.