teb@stat.Berkeley.EDU (Thomas E. Billings) (10/16/89)
MEET THE HOLLOWHEADS
A film review by Thomas E. Billings
Copyright 1989 Thomas E. Billings
Synopsis:
Set in a bizarre, cartoonish world filled with tubes and pipes of all kinds,
this is the story of Henry Hollowhead, a meek man who brings his tyrant boss
home for dinner one evening. A weird, outrageous, very campy film, gross and
even sick at times, but very, very funny! A probable hit as a midnight and/or
cult film.
U.S.A., color, 1989, 87 minutes.
Director: Tom Burman
This is the feature film debut of Director Tom Burman, and this film makes
a very impressive debut indeed! It's not easy to characterize, but let me try:
take 2 parts of "The Jetsons," 1 part "Leave it to Beaver," and add 1 part of a
human version of Godzilla. Add special effects, imaginative set design, and
plenty of very sick humor.
The plot concerns one evening in the life of the Hollowheads, when Henry's
boss, an evil lecherous tyrant, invites himself over for dinner. As it turns
out, Henry, and particularly his cruel, evil boss, get far more than they
expected!
One of the nice features of this film is that it creates a whole new world
through the "magic" of film. It is a world where everything involves pipes or
tubes; even the character's dialogue is loaded with references to pipes and
tubes. The set design is original, imaginative, and cartoonish.
The world of the Hollowheads is populated with strange creatures and
people. The Hollowheads have a pet that resembles a cross between a dog and a
person. This pet is infested with large beetles, which the children pry off
and use as ammunition in a sling-shot device (making a bloody mess). They keep
a large, one-eyed, multi-tentacled monster in an aquarium in their living room.
At times, they chop off a tentacle and eat it (along with servings of green
slime and blue powder; yum!). Needless to say, the dietary habits of the
Hollowheads will offend squeamish viewers.
The dialogue is witty and quite funny at times. One quote that could
become famous: "Just say no to butt polish!" (In the world of the Hollwheads,
"butt polish" is some sort of aphrodisiac drug).
Although funny and enjoyable, the film starts to drag at the hour mark.
However, keep watching, for the last 20 minutes are pure insanity, and
extremely funny (though gross at times). Overall, this is film is very good to
excellent; recommended to all but the squeamish!
Distribution. Screened once only, at the Mill Valley Film Festival (Marin
County, Calif.). Print Source: Moviestore Entertainment; no additional
information available on release plans.
Reviewer: Thomas E. Billings, Department of Statistics
University of California, Berkeley
Reviewer contact: teb@stat.Berkeley.EDU