Eric’s Bad Movies at Film.com returns after a one-week hiatus with “Gymkata,” a film that, as promised, combines two sports: gymnastics and martial arts. The star is Kurt Thomas, who actually was a gymnast, though not a martial artist or an actor. It’s one of those legendary bad movies that has gained cult status, at least in part because for many years it was not available on home video. Not being able to see something always increases its notoriety.
Next week’s movie, from the 1990s, was directed by a man who had previously made a very well regarded Christmas comedy. This film’s three leading stars were all prior Oscar nominees (and one was a winner); a fourth would later win an Oscar for something else. This film was based on previous source material and was universally derided as a flop. Any guesses?
Ugh, is it Baby Geniuses?
Good to have you back Eric. Sorry about your grampsmear. I’m guessing it’s either Loose Canonns or My Summer Story.
“Loose Cannons”?
Diabolique, Positive. Top 3 stars are oscar nomie’s, director helmed Christmas Vacation, Based off of a novel. Gotta be it.
“a fourth would later win an Oscar for something else.” Can’t be Diabolique: None of the top stars won an Oscar after 1996, and Kathy Bates was only nominated.
Santa Clause 2?
Also, I’m glad you reviewed Gymkata. I read a short blurb about it in my Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader and thought it sounded hilariously horrible. 😀
Wow, this one’s baffling me–everything points to it being “Diabolique” except for that pesky “a fourth would later win an Oscar” thing. Is it possible Eric made a mistake somewhere along the line? I still think it’s “Diabolique”, but I remain puzzled.
This absolutely proves that children have the worst taste in movies. I remembered Gymkata with fondness, as I must have watched it dozens of times as a kid. But upon reading Eric’s review, those fond memories turned up again and logic beat the shipment out of them. And to think I was once scared of crazies with pitchforks (as I didn’t know how to pommel)!
…But no, let’s trust kids’ judgment and make Air Buddies; Dogs on Ice.
I keep invisioning the Griswolds…
I like to imagine the writer’s room conversation.
“Okay. So he’s in this grim looking city square, surrounded by bad guys. Out of the corner of his eye, he notices a…a…what does he notice?”
“A pommel horse!”
“Exactly! A pommel horse! Okay, stay with me guys…”
My bet is Maverick (I loved that movie but I believe it fits the criteria). Directed by Richard Donner (Scrooged), starring three nominees (Jodie, Foster, James Garner, and Graham Greene) and a winner (Mel Gibson). Although I could be wrong and it might be Lethal Weapon 4.
It can’t be Maverick, it wasn’t even close to a flop neither was Lethal Weapon 4. I can’t find the 4th Oscar winner on Diabolique though, so i am kind of confused…although I still say thats it.
It’s The Avengers! (Also directed by Chechik: Diabolique) Yay! That movie set the bar for my friends and I as the worst movie we’d had to sit through.
Of course, we could’ve left the theater. Especially seeing as how an usher let us get in for free.
(Anecdote time: When I was a kid, my brother and I rented “Mosquito Coast”, and hated it so much that we figured the only joy we could get out of it would be to tell our friend Matt how great it was, and hear HIM suffer. We didn’t quite pull it off. But in 1998, Matt came to me, telling me how I HAD to go see The Avengers. “Nice try!” I told him, “But I already saw it! You can’t trick me!” It was a bittersweet victory, at best.)
Ahh! It IS Avengers. Good call, I forgot how god-awful that movie is. I must have repressed that particular memory.
Love your ‘Bad Movies’, Eric, but that’s an eagle. Falcons are much smaller than that.