Munchie Strikes Back

Last updated
Munchie Strikes Back
Munchie strikes back.jpg
DVD cover
Directed by Jim Wynorski
Written byJim Wynorski
R. J. Robertson
Produced by Mike Elliott
Starring Lesley-Anne Down
Andrew Stevens
Howard Hesseman
Cinematography Don E. FauntLeRoy
Edited byBrian Katkin
Music byChuck Cirino
Production
company
Distributed by Concorde Pictures
Release date
  • June 29, 1994 (1994-06-29)
Running time
94 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Munchie Strikes Back is a 1994 American comedy feature film directed by Jim Wynorski and written by Wynorski and R. J. Robertson, as a sequel to Munchie . While Dom DeLuise provided the voice of Munchie in the first movie, this time it was done by Howard Hesseman. [1] [2]

Contents

Synopsis

Because of the repercussions left from his last adventure, Munchie must appear before a celestial court presided over by Kronus. The tribunal proceeds to blame Munchie for a number of historical calamities, including the sinking of Atlantis, the crash of the Hindenburg , the cataclysm of Vesuvius and the meltdown of Chernobyl. As punishment, he is sentenced to help single mother Linda McClelland. Linda's son, Chris, is the only one who can see Munchie and Munchie and he become best friends. Chris is the pitcher of a Little League team and is being bullied by Brett Carlisle, who is his rival in baseball as well as for the attentions of the girl next door, Jennifer. While out of town on a business trip, Linda's boss makes improper advances to her. When she refuses his advances, he fires her. This creates financial hardship on the family. Munchie intervenes in their lives, making it so Chris has a perfect game and impresses Jennifer, and Linda finds a bag of money to prevent eviction. Munchie appears back before the tribunal, who assign his next punishment...to help Bill Clinton.

Partial cast

Critical response

Reviewers generally found the movie a poor sequel to Munchie . TV Guide offered that Munchie Strikes Back "turns an annoying, no-budget children's movie into an annoying, no-budget children's series," and in considering the film's attempts at humour, wrote the film "is the sort of ill-considered comedy in which a Little League team can be named the 'Hillside Stranglers', and big laughs are expected from the sight of a woman kicking a dog." [3] X-Entertainment was only slightly less harsh, with its review saying, "The series saw its last hurrah in the movie we're reviewing today, 1992's Munchie Strikes Back. Assuming that at least some of you have seen Munchies, throw away everything you think you know about the lore. The last two films were entirely different and strictly for kids. It's for this reason that I'm having trouble calling this pile of shit a pile of shit — putting myself in the mindset of a seven-year-old, it's not too terrible. Can't really recommend it as fodder for your bad movie nights (stick with the original for those), but if you've ever wanted 80 minutes' worth of Howard Heeseman voicing the poor man's ALF, Munchie Strikes Back caters to your unique and pitiful whim." [4] John Stanley gave the film one-and-a-half stars, denouncing it as a watered "down kiddie fantasy from the Roger Corman factory..." [5]

Related Research Articles

"D'oh-in' in the Wind" is the sixth episode of the tenth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It first aired on Fox in the United States on November 15, 1998. In the episode, Homer Simpson travels to a farm owned by Seth and Munchie, two aged hippies who were friends with Homer's mother. After finding out his middle name is "Jay", Homer is drawn to the carefree lifestyle of hippies, and decides to become one himself.

<i>Flight of the Navigator</i> 1986 film by Randal Kleiser

Flight of the Navigator is a 1986 American science-fiction adventure film directed by Randal Kleiser and written by Mark H. Baker, Michael Burton, and Matt MacManus. It stars Joey Cramer as David Freeman, a 12-year-old boy, who is abducted by an alien spaceship and transported from 1978 to 1986. It features an early film appearance by Sarah Jessica Parker as Carolyn McAdams, a key character who befriends David in a time of need.

<i>Chopping Mall</i> 1986 film by Jim Wynorski

Chopping Mall is a 1986 American independent techno-horror film co-written and directed by Jim Wynorski, produced by Julie Corman, and starring Kelli Maroney, Tony O'Dell, John Terlesky, Russell Todd, Paul Bartel, Mary Woronov, and Barbara Crampton. It focuses on three high-tech security robots turning maniacal and killing teenage employees inside a shopping mall after dark.

Jim Wynorski is an American screenwriter, director, and producer. Wynorski has been making B-movies and exploitation movies since the early 1980s, and has directed over 150 feature films. His earliest films were released to film theaters, but his later works have predominantly been released through the cable or straight-to-video market. He often works under pseudonyms such as "Jay Andrews," "Arch Stanton," "H.R. Blueberry," "Tom Popatopolis," and "Noble Henry." His adult films often spoof popular horror movies: Cleavagefield, for example, parodies Cloverfield, The Bare Wench Project parodies The Blair Witch Project, and Para-Knockers Activity parodies Paranormal Activity.

<i>Slayers Gorgeous</i> 1998 Japanese anime film directed by Hiroshi Watanabe

Slayers Gorgeous is a 1998 Japanese comic fantasy anime film written by Hajime Kanzaka and directed by Hiroshi Watanabe. Gorgeous is the fourth film in the Slayers saga and the final anime entry in the prequels to the main series. It received mostly favorable reviews, and was followed by the short Slayers Premium in 2001.

<i>Munchies</i> (film) 1987 comedy horror film

Munchies is a 1987 comedy horror film starring Harvey Korman, Charlie Stratton, and Nadine Van der Velde. Directed by Tina Hirsch, the film editor for Gremlins, the film features a similar plotline.

<i>Rubin & Ed</i> 1991 British film

Rubin & Ed is a 1991 independent buddy comedy film written and directed by Trent Harris. It stars Crispin Glover and Howard Hesseman as an unlikely pairing on a road trip through the Utah desert.

<i>The Return of Swamp Thing</i> 1989 film by Jim Wynorski

The Return of Swamp Thing is a 1989 American superhero film based on the DC Comics' character of the same name. Directed by Jim Wynorski, it is a sequel to the 1982 film Swamp Thing, having a lighter tone than its predecessor. The film has a main title montage consisting of comic book covers set to Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Born on the Bayou", and features Dick Durock and Louis Jourdan reprising their roles as Swamp Thing and Anton Arcane respectively, along with Sarah Douglas and Heather Locklear.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Devon Werkheiser</span> American actor (born 1991)

Devon Joel Werkheiser is an American actor and musician. As an actor, Werkheiser is known for his starring role as Ned Bigby on the Nickelodeon sitcom Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide, and for his role as the lead character Nolan Byrd in the 2007 Nickelodeon television movie Shredderman Rules. Werkheiser also played Peter Parkes in the fourth and final season of the ABC Family series Greek.

<i>Sorority House Massacre II</i> 1990 film by Jim Wynorski

Sorority House Massacre II is a 1990 American slasher film directed by Jim Wynorski, featuring scream queens Melissa Ann Moore and Gail Harris. It follows five sorority sisters who are stalked and murdered by an unknown assailant after purchasing a large house. Much like its predecessors, Sorority House Massacre II has received a cult following over the years.

<i>Transylvania Twist</i> 1989 American film

Transylvania Twist is a 1989 comedy film that parodies horror films. Originally released by Concord Production Inc., this film is distributed on home video by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. In the film Angus Scrimm reprises his role of the "Tall Man" from the Phantasm films, as a parody. The humor of the film is most often said to be in the style of Airplane!, and Mel Brooks comedies. It occasionally breaks the fourth wall rule with characters looking at the camera, and one even saying "I'm in the wrong movie". The film's main theme has been released on a variety of albums, and the entire soundtrack was released on CD and as a direct download in the year 2010, twenty-one years after the movies initial release.

The Committee was a San Francisco-based improvisational comedy group founded by Alan Myerson and Jessica Myerson. The Myersons were both alums of The Second City in Chicago. The Committee opened April 10, 1963 at 622 Broadway in a 300-seat Cabaret theater that used to be an indoor bocce ball court in San Francisco's North Beach.

<i>Munchie</i> 1992 American comedy movie

Munchie is a 1992 low budget comedy film directed by Jim Wynorski. The film stars Andrew Stevens, Loni Anderson, Dom DeLuise and Jennifer Love Hewitt in her film debut. The film was released in Tennessee on May 15, 1992.

<i>Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of Time</i> 1991 American fantasy adventure film

Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of Time is the 1991 sequel to the 1982 film The Beastmaster. Marc Singer reprises his role as Dar, a barbarian from another dimension who travels to 1990s Los Angeles and befriends a young woman, Jackie Trent, played by Kari Wuhrer. Dar must stop his evil brother, played by Wings Hauser, from bringing back a neutron bomb.

<i>The Wasp Woman</i> (1995 film) 1995 American TV series or program

The Wasp Woman is a 1995 television body horror film directed by Jim Wynorski and starring Jennifer Rubin, and Doug Wert. It is a remake of the 1959 film of the same name, which was produced and directed by Roger Corman. The film first aired on the Showtime Network in 1995.

<i>Bigfoot</i> (2012 film) 2012 American TV series or program

Bigfoot is a 2012 American action adventure film produced by Asylum and Syfy.

<i>Skyward</i> (film) 1980 American TV series or program

Skyward is a 1980 American made-for-television drama film starring Bette Davis, Howard Hesseman, Marion Ross, Suzy Gilstrap, Clu Gulager and Lisa Whelchel. It was directed by Ron Howard, written by Nancy Sackett and broadcast on NBC on November 20, 1980.

<i>Inside Out</i> (1986 film) 1987 film

Inside Out is a 1986 American drama film about an agoraphobe that was directed by Robert Taicher and written by him and Kevin Bartelme and starred Elliott Gould, Howard Hesseman and Jennifer Tilly.

<i>The Great American Traffic Jam</i> 1980 American TV series or program

The Great American Traffic Jam is a 1980 American made-for-television movie which first aired on NBC on October 2, 1980. The comedy revolves around a large "all-star" cast getting stuck in a massive Los Angeles area traffic jam, with multiple interweaving story lines among those stuck.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Belcher</span> Character from the animated sitcom Bobs Burgers

Robert "Bob" Belcher Jr. is the main protagonist of the adult-animated sitcom Bob's Burgers created by Loren Bouchard for FOX. He is the often stressed, anxious patriarch of the Belcher family and owner of his restaurant Bob's Burgers. He is known for being mild-mannered, pessimistic, and a terrible businessman, often having financial struggles in keeping the restaurant running and paying rent. He has a rivalry with the Italian restaurant owner across the street, Jimmy Pesto, and quarrels with local health inspector Hugo. Bob is a third-generation restaurant owner, and by nature, loves his business and has big ideas for his different burgers. He has a strong love for his family, including his wife Linda, and his children Louise, Gene, and Tina Belcher.

References

  1. Erickson, Hal. "Munchie Strikes Back". All Movie Guide . Retrieved 2009-09-07.
  2. "Munchie Strikes Back". American Humane Association . Retrieved 2009-09-07.
  3. "Munchie Strikes Back: Review". TV Guide . Retrieved 2009-09-07.
  4. "review 'Munchie Strikes Back'". X-Entertainment. Retrieved 2009-09-07.
  5. John Stanley, Creature features: the science fiction, fantasy, and horror movie guide (2000), 354.