Club Paradise

Last updated

Club Paradise
Club paradise.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Harold Ramis
Screenplay by
Story by
Produced by Michael Shamberg
Starring
Cinematography Peter Hannan
Edited by Marion Rothman
Music by
Distributed by Warner Bros.
Release date
  • July 11, 1986 (1986-07-11)
Running time
95 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$19 million [1]
Box office$12.3 million (domestic) [2]

Club Paradise is a 1986 American comedy film directed by Harold Ramis and starring Robin Williams, Twiggy, Peter O'Toole and Jimmy Cliff. Set in a fictional Caribbean banana republic, it follows a group of vacationers' attempts to create a luxury resort from a seedy nightclub, and the series of events that take place.

Contents

The film reunites director and cowriter, Ramis, with most of his SCTV co-stars — SCTV cast members, Andrea Martin, Eugene Levy, Rick Moranis, [3] Joe Flaherty and Robin Duke [4] play supporting roles in the film, as does cowriter, Brian Doyle-Murray, a former SCTV staff writer. It was the final film of actor Adolph Caesar, who died in March 1986, four months before the film's release. [5]

Plot

Jack Moniker is a Chicago firefighter who is injured on the job. Using his disability insurance payout, he retires to the small (fictional) Caribbean island of Saint Nicholas, and buys a small property. Anthony Croyden Hayes, appointed by the British crown as governor of St. Nicholas, is concerned more with vacationing than governing. Miss Phillipa Lloyd, who is visiting St. Nicholas with some friends, decides to stay permanently, and becomes Jack's girlfriend.

Jack befriends financially-troubled reggae musician, Ernest Reed, and they form Club Paradise, which they market as a Club-Med-style resort, complete with a brochure that features photographs of Jack in various disguises on every page. This attracts a handful of tourists, including Barry and Barry, who are there for the marijuana and the women. Much of the film involves the tourists' comic misadventures adjusting to island life, and the low-rent facilities of Club Paradise. Also traveling to the island is The New York Times travel writer, Terry Hamlin, who ends up spending most of her time in the company of Governor Hayes. Adding to the comedic content is suburban housewife, Linda White, who is vacationing with her husband, Randy, who, despite the very favorable surroundings and atmosphere, is not very randy.

Voit Zerbe plays a key role, as a developer who wants to force Jack and Ernest from their property so that he can build a massive high-end casino on the beach, as part of a deal that he is making with two business partners. To do that, he uses the help of the local prime minister, Solomon Gundy, and his men to cause trouble to have Club Paradise to close "legally". Jack and Ernest board Zerbe's yacht to provide some "useful intelligence" for Governor Hayes, by finding out what is going to happen to the future of Saint Nicholas. They skin dive to the yacht, where they are captured by local police and thrown in jail. When Prime Minister Gundy's strong-arm tactics do not work, he orders a military takeover of the island. Ernest builds up a resistance force, and St. Nicholas is soon threatened with the possibility of civil war, which is averted at the last minute with assistance from Jack and Governor Hayes. As Gundy's takeover fails, Zerbe and his partners leave Saint Nicholas, and head for the Cayman Islands.

Cast

Harold Ramis's wife, Anne Ramis, has a cameo as a travel agent.

Production

Shooting took place in Jamaica, Chicago and Los Angeles from April [6] to July 1985. [7] The titular "Club Paradise" was a set constructed on Winifred Beach in Portland Parish, while other scenes were shot in the city of Port Antonio. Warner Bros.'s production company planned to release it in early 1986, but held it back until July. [5]

Bill Murray turned down the film's lead role, which was eventually given to Robin Williams; his brother, Brian Doyle-Murray, ended up in the cast instead. [8] John Cleese was also slated to star, but immediately dropped out, before Peter O'Toole signed on to replace him. [9]

"Ed Roboto" is a pseudonym for Harry Shearer, who was asked to do a rewrite with Tom Leopold. Only two words of what the two writers wrote ended up in the film (the title). Shearer commented that he was "so appalled by the movie" that he removed his name from the credits. [10]

Adolph Caesar died of a heart attack four months before the film's release. [5]

Soundtrack

The film's soundtrack was released by Columbia Records, and includes several tracks by Jimmy Cliff, Elvis Costello, Mighty Sparrow, Blue Riddim Band and Well Pleased & Satisfied, some of which are unique to this release. It was released on CD in Japan in 1994, and in 2004 in Europe, with the latter including seven extra songs.

Reception

The film was given mostly negative reviews from critics, with Rotten Tomatoes maintaining Club Paradise an 11% rating, based on 28 reviews. [11] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "C+" on a scale of A+ to F. [12]

Variety said, "There are enough funny skits in Club Paradise to make for a good hour of SCTV, where most of the cast is from, but too few to keep this Club Med satire afloat for 104 minutes." [13]

People wrote, "Director Harold Ramis, who co-wrote the film with Brian Doyle-Murray, never stoops for an easy laugh. He seems capable, however, of making a movie with more momentum than this." [14]

Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film 2 stars out of 4 stars, and wrote, "The movie never really comes together, and I think the fault for that begins with Williams. When the star of a movie seems desperate enough to depend on one-liners, can the rest of the cast be blamed for losing confidence in the script?" [15]

Dave Kehr of the Chicago Reader wrote, "Moranis and Levy get most of the laughs as a pair of geeky business partners desperately on the make for beach bunnies; Williams is saddled with a lot of soggy insult humor that doesn't really let him show his gifts." [16]

Ramis said, "We thought Club Paradise had a good chance at the box office. But we were the fourth Caribbean comedy out that year, and none of them did any business. The casting ended up being diametrically opposed to what was intended. It was intended for Bill Murray and John Cleese, with Bill as the laid-back guy and Cleese as the over-the-top guy, and we ended up with Robin Williams and Peter O'Toole, with O'Toole as the laid-back guy and Robin the over-the-top guy. The polarities shifted, and it was probably not as interesting or as solid as it might have been if Bill and Cleese were there." [17]

Peter O'Toole's performance in the film earned a Razzie Award nomination for Worst Supporting Actor, but lost to Jerome Benton for Under the Cherry Moon . [18]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Belushi</span> American comedian, actor and musician (1949–1982)

John Adam Belushi was an American comedian, actor and musician. He was one of seven Saturday Night Live cast members of the first season. Along with Chevy Chase, he was arguably the most popular member of the Saturday Night Live ensemble. Belushi had a partnership with Dan Aykroyd. They had first met while at Chicago's The Second City comedy club, remaining together as cast members on the inaugural season of the television show Saturday Night Live.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Candy</span> Canadian actor and comedian (1950–1994)

John Franklin Candy was a Canadian actor and comedian who is best known for his work in Hollywood films. Candy first rose to national prominence in the 1970s as a member of the Toronto branch of the Second City and its SCTV sketch comedy series. He rose to international fame in the 1980s with his roles in comedic films such as Stripes (1981), Splash (1984), Brewster's Millions (1985), Armed and Dangerous (1986), Spaceballs (1987), Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987), The Great Outdoors (1988), Uncle Buck (1989), and Cool Runnings (1993). He also appeared in supporting roles in The Blues Brothers (1980), National Lampoon's Vacation (1983), Little Shop of Horrors (1986), Home Alone (1990) and Nothing but Trouble (1991).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bill Murray</span> American actor (born 1950)

William James Murray is an American actor and comedian, known for his deadpan delivery in roles ranging from studio comedies to independent dramas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brian Doyle-Murray</span> American actor (born 1945)

Brian Murray, known professionally by his stage name as Brian Doyle-Murray, is an American actor, comedian and screenwriter. He has appeared with his younger brother, actor/comedian Bill Murray, in several films, including Caddyshack, The Razor's Edge, Scrooged, Ghostbusters II, and Groundhog Day. He co-starred on the TBS sitcom Sullivan & Son, where he played the foul-mouthed Hank Murphy. He also appeared in the Nickelodeon animated series SpongeBob SquarePants as The Flying Dutchman, the Cartoon Network original animated series My Gym Partner's a Monkey as Coach Tiffany Gills, The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack as Captain K'nuckles, a recurring role as Don Ehlert on the ABC sitcom The Middle, and Bob Kruger in the AMC dramedy Lodge 49.

<i>Second City Television</i> Canadian television sketch comedy show

Second City Television, commonly shortened to SCTV and later known as SCTV Network and SCTV Channel, is a Canadian television sketch comedy show that ran intermittently between 1976 and 1984. It was created as an offshoot from Toronto's Second City troupe. It is a rare example of a Canadian show that moved successfully to American television, where it aired on NBC from 1981 to 1983.

<i>Caddyshack</i> 1980 American sports comedy film by Harold Ramis

Caddyshack is a 1980 American sports comedy film directed by Harold Ramis, written by Brian Doyle-Murray, Ramis and Douglas Kenney, and starring Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield, Ted Knight, Michael O'Keefe and Bill Murray with supporting roles by Sarah Holcomb, Cindy Morgan, and Doyle-Murray. It tells the story of a caddie, vying for a caddie scholarship, who becomes involved in a feud on the links between one of the country club's founders and a nouveau riche guest. A subplot involves a greenskeeper who uses extreme methods against an elusive gopher.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harold Ramis</span> American actor, comedian, and filmmaker (1944–2014)

Harold Allen Ramis was an American actor, comedian, and filmmaker. His film acting roles include Egon Spengler in Ghostbusters (1984) and Ghostbusters II (1989), and as Russell Ziskey in Stripes (1981); he also co-wrote those films. As a director, his films include the comedies Caddyshack (1980), National Lampoon's Vacation (1983), Groundhog Day (1993), Analyze This (1999) and Analyze That (2002). Ramis was the original head writer of the television series SCTV, on which he also performed, as well as a co-writer of Groundhog Day and National Lampoon's Animal House (1978). The final film that he wrote, produced, directed, and acted in was Year One (2009).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rick Moranis</span> Canadian actor, comedian and musician (born 1953)

Frederick Allan Moranis is a Canadian actor, comedian, musician, producer, songwriter and writer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dave Thomas (actor)</span> Canadian actor and comedian (b. 1948)

David William Thomas is a Canadian actor, comedian and television writer, known for being one half of the duo Bob and Doug McKenzie with Rick Moranis. He appeared as Doug McKenzie on SCTV, for which he won a Primetime Emmy Award out of two nominations, and in the film Strange Brew (1983), which he also co-directed. As a duo, they made two albums, The Great White North and Strange Brew, the former gaining them a Grammy Award nomination and a Juno Award.

<i>Caddyshack II</i> 1988 film by Allan Arkush

Caddyshack II is a 1988 American sports comedy film and a sequel to the 1980 film Caddyshack. Directed by Allan Arkush and written by Harold Ramis and PJ Torokvei, it stars Jackie Mason, Robert Stack, Dyan Cannon, Dina Merrill, Jonathan Silverman, Brian McNamara, Marsha Warfield, Paul Bartel, and Randy Quaid with cameo appearances by Chevy Chase and Dan Aykroyd. It tells the story of a wealthy and widowed real estate developer who goes up against Bushwood County Club's snobbish president in a golfing tournament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob and Doug McKenzie</span> Canadian comedy duo portrayed by Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas

Bob and Doug McKenzie are a pair of fictional Canadian brothers who hosted "Great White North", a sketch which was introduced on SCTV for the show's third season when it moved to CBC Television in 1980. Bob is played by Rick Moranis and Doug is played by Dave Thomas. Although created originally as filler to both satisfy and mock network Canadian content demands, the duo became a pop culture phenomenon in both Canada and the United States. The characters became the focus of a bestselling comedy album, The Great White North, in 1981 and starred in a feature film, Strange Brew, in 1983. They were later revived for an animated series, Bob & Doug, which premiered on Global in 2009.

The Second City is an improvisational comedy enterprise. It is the oldest improvisational theater troupe to be continuously based in Chicago, with training programs and live theaters in Toronto and New York. Since its debut in 1959, it has become one of the most influential and renowned in the English-speaking world. In February 2021, ZMC, a private equity investment firm based in Manhattan, purchased the Second City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe Flaherty</span> American actor (1941–2024)

Joseph Flaherty was an American actor, writer, and comedian. He is best known for his work on the Canadian sketch comedy SCTV from 1976 to 1984, his role as Harold Weir on Freaks and Geeks (1999), and as the heckler in Happy Gilmore (1996).

The Earle Grey Award is the lifetime achievement award for television acting of the Canadian Screen Awards, and its predecessor the Gemini Awards. It can be presented to an individual or collaborative team, and may be presented posthumously.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Juul Haalmeyer</span> Canadian costume designer

Juul Haalmeyer is a costume designer, best known for doing costume design on several iterations of SCTV. Haalmeyer also worked as a costume designer for many movies, television shows, theatre productions, concerts wardrobes for various artists and specials like Bridge to Silence, All My Sons, Long Day's Journey into Night, Noddy, the Shining Time Station Family Specials, Mr. Conductor's Thomas Tales, Diamonds, Andrea Martin: Together Again, and Ghostwriter.

The Ghostbusters franchise consists of American supernatural comedies, based on an original concept created by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis in 1984. The plot follows a group of eccentric New York City parapsychologists who investigate and eliminate ghosts, paranormal manifestations, demigods, and demons. The franchise expanded with licensed action figures, books, comics, video games, television series, theme park attractions, and other branded merchandise.

Steven Kampmann is an American actor, writer, and director. He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He may be best-known for his role as Kirk Devane on the first two seasons of Newhart.

<i>The Earth Day Special</i> 1990 American TV series or program

The Earth Day Special is a television special revolving around Earth Day that aired on ABC on April 22, 1990. Sponsored by Time Warner, the two-hour special featured an ensemble cast addressing concerns about pollution, deforestation, and other environmental ills.

The National Lampoon Show, a spinoff of the humor magazine National Lampoon, was a 1974–1976 stage show that helped launch the performing careers of John Belushi, Brian Doyle-Murray, Bill Murray, Gilda Radner, and Harold Ramis. The company's stage successor to National Lampoon's Lemmings (1973), some skits from the show made their way into the 1978 film National Lampoon's Animal House.

References

  1. ↑ "AFI|Catalog".
  2. ↑ "Club Paradise (1986) - Financial Information". The Numbers .
  3. ↑ Moranis and Ramis were never actually cast members of SCTV at the same time; Ramis left SCTV partway through season 2, before Moranis joined in season 3. Ramis also made a guest appearance on SCTV in season 5 -- by which time Moranis had left the series.
  4. ↑ Duke also was never an SCTV cast member at the same time as Ramis, having only appeared in season 3.
  5. 1 2 3 "Death ends late-blooming career of 'Purple' actor Caesar". Wilmington Morning Star . The New York Times Company. Associated Press (AP). March 8, 1986. p. 1D. Retrieved December 31, 2010.
  6. ↑ Maples, Tina (April 5, 1985). "Offstage: Tropical capers". The Milwaukee Journal . Journal Communications. p. 3 (Accent; Weekend). Retrieved December 31, 2010.
  7. ↑ "Harold Ramis Directs Robin Williams". The Mount Airy News TV Plus. Associated Press (AP). July 18, 1986. p. 8. Retrieved December 31, 2010.
  8. ↑ Pollock, Dale (October 23, 1984). "Bill Murray had reluctant backing for 'Razor's Edge'". Anchorage Daily News . Vol. 39, no. 297. Los Angeles Times. p. D-6. Retrieved January 3, 2011.
  9. ↑ "Actor cleaning up his act". Gainesville Sun . Sun wire reports. September 28, 1984. p. 2A. Retrieved January 3, 2011.
  10. ↑ Gurwitch, Annabelle (2006). Fired!: Tales of the Canned, Canceled, Downsized, and Dismissed. New York: Simon and Schuster. p. 65. ISBN   0-7432-9760-1 . Retrieved January 3, 2011.
  11. ↑ "Club Paradise (1986)". Rotten Tomatoes .
  12. ↑ "CinemaScore". Archived from the original on December 20, 2018. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
  13. ↑ "Club Paradise". Variety. January 1, 1986.
  14. ↑ "Picks and Pans Review: Club Paradise". People. July 28, 1986.
  15. ↑ Ebert, Roger (July 11, 1986). "Club Paradise Movie Review & Film Summary (1986)". Chicago Sun-Times .
  16. ↑ Kehr, Dave (January 1, 2000). "Club Paradise". Chicago Reader .
  17. ↑ "Interview with Harold Ramis". The A.V. Club . March 3, 1999.
  18. ↑ Korn, Steve (June 17, 2016). "Summer of '86: An All-Star Year for the Razzies". Yahoo! Entertainment . Yahoo! . Retrieved October 23, 2019. Peter O'Toole ... lost his Worst Supporting Actor bid in 1986 for Club Paradise, to Jerome Benton for Under the Cherry Moon.
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.