MUNCHIES

US, 1987, 83 minutes, Colour.
Harvey Korman, Charles Stratton.
Directed by Bettina Hirsch.

Munchies is a short, derivative film from Gremlins (with Melves, reading a magazine with a photo of Gremlins during the movie).

The film pokes fun at some science fiction films, the search for aliens. It also pokes fun at Americanism - the Fourth of July, anti-communism, patriotism. The film is a star vehicle for Harvey Korman - as a good twin and a bad twin.

The film is fairly basic in its comedy. It also has a few underlying themes about capitalism, toxic waste.

1.Gremlins comedy? Touch of mild horror? Touch of mild violence? Spoof?

2.California, the town? Peruvian antiquities? Action sequences? Comedy?

3.The title: the creatures, their being cousins of the Gremlins? Their behaviour, speech, eating, destructiveness, imitating humans? Being destroyed by electricity?

4.Simon and his research? Send-up of scientists and searches for aliens? Peru? His return? Hopes? Absence for most of the film? Return with the professor? The happy ending? The contrast with Cecil, the capitalist, his loud style, TV advertising? Money-making, the toxic waste? His relationship with Melves? Adopting Dude? His antagonism, listening-in devices, stealing Arnold? Destructiveness? The pursuit of the creatures, multiplying them? Comedy routines - Dude's death, with Melves, the opening of the mini-golf? The burger order? The clash with Ed? The final defeat?

5.Paul and Cindy, romantic, with the Munchies? Pursuing and being pursued? With Eddie? The hopes for the comic routine? The happy ending?

6.Eddie and the satire on the cops, the speeding, backfiring, heroic action, macho? In the shadow of his father? Cindy leading him on? In action, sent up? The spoof of his father? The helmet? Macho? Hungry? Their turning on Cecil?

7.Bob and his wife and child, the attack, at the mini-golf? The two girls? The response to the Munchies?

8.Arnold and the Munchies, nice, imitating Dude's bad behaviour? Turning destructive? Mayhem in the town?

9.The popularity of the Gremlins theme? Its many imitators (Critters, Ghoulies)?