Anyone who was around in the 80s and 90s has either seen, or at least heard of the rubber faced child like redneck Ernest P. Worrell portrayed by Jim Varney. He was a character who appeared in various commercials as he would annoy his neighbor Vern with the product that he's selling as the viewer would watch the commercial from Vern's point-of-view. To eventually starring in numerous TV Specials, movies, and even having his own TV Show that lasted for only 1 Season. He was a character who many kids adored for his cartoony approach, and likable child like innocence; but was hated by adults (Especially Critics) for how over the top annoying he was. As a kid, I only heard about this character through the video covers of him that I would see at my local "Blockbuster". And despite that I never rented any of the film's that star this crazy childish redneck. Judging by the posters and titles for his films, he seemed like a fun character who goes on these crazy misadventures like going to Jail, Camp, or being "Scared Stupid". Later on during my youth, right around the time where I was just starting Middle School, my Dad finally bought me a DVD starring Ernest which was "Ernest Saves Christmas", and while I enjoyed the character alright, I got bored by the film pretty fast, which as a result turned off my interest from seeing another Ernest movie. I didn't even bother to watch the VHS of "Ernest Goes To Jail" that my Dad and I discovered in an old Video Storage Cabinet a few years later. Now being an adult who hardly has a nostalgia connection to any of these films, I have been curious for quite some time in seeing these movies. I'm not expecting them to be masterpieces, or to even be good movies for that matter. But since these films star a character who's been around for a very long period of time, as much as I know how many people felt about the character, I just wonder if I'm one of those people who can see the good in the comical and innocent nature that the kids see; or if I'm one of those adults who just finds him stupid and obnoxious. So for the next few years (Since I have so much other stuff to review, as well considering that two of these films are Holiday related) I will be reviewing the TV Specials and films that star Ernest. And depending how much I can tolerate this character, MAYBE I'll review his Commercial Compilation videos, and his TV Show that ran for 1 Season after this run of reviews that strictly focus on his Movies and TV Specials, starting with his TV Special debut...
In this made for TV Special, Ernest finds his old Family Album in his attic and visits his neighbor Vern to show him the album and tell him all about his family history. What we get from here on out are different short sketches that star Varney playing Ernest's relatives from the past and present, as the Special would cut back to Ernest showing his album to his neighbor as a way to tie all these skits together. This Special may not have Varney starring as Ernest all the way through, but the different characters that he does play are pretty much like his character Ernest when it comes to humor and (For the most part) personality. And since Varney was going to play out the comedy that he was known for from his commercials for a TV Special that's almost an hour long, people weren't sure if his act was going to keep them entertained for a long period time, where with his commercials his act only lasted for at least 30 seconds. Even though the character of Ernest would be starring in a bunch of movies and such after this Special, does the character, as well as Varney's act in general make a good first impression for a longer running time; ON WITH THE REVIEW!
On an important note, I will be reviewing each sketch individually, as well as rating them.
ERNEST P. WORRELL
The bits that involve Varney playing his iconic character are mostly just as good as when he does his commercials. If you liked his personality, and found him funny in the commercials, then you're going to enjoy him in this Special fine. If you however didn't enjoy him in the commercials to begin with, already I'd strongly recommend you skip this Special. The scenes with Ernest that transition to the next skit, pretty much play-out like one of his commercials from the way they're shot and presented. Being a person whose hardly watched Ernest as a kid (Though I did watch a few of his commercials before reviewing this Special), I think he's alright. He's not as funny as grown-ups playing child-like characters like Rowan Atkinson as Mr. Bean, and Paul Reubens' as Pee-Wee Herman for example. But his optimistic child-like personality is pretty likable, and the energy and the amount of expressions that he puts into his performance are quite impressive. Yeah, there are some moments that are pretty unfunny. Like when Ernest gets electrocuted as he fixes a TV (That feels very forced and phony from how Varney just suddenly pretends that he's being electrocuted); and the bit where he's seen playing with one of his old toys which starts out fun and innocent, but then goes on to the point where he looks like that he's having a nervous breakdown. But there are a few moments that do bring a few good laughs, especially during the scenes where Ernest constantly tries to show Vern his Family Album as Vern tries to push-him away. These bits with Ernest are very and hit miss, but they do serve as a good transition to all these different skits. And honestly, even when Varney isn't funny, he's still entertaining instead of being dull, or irritatingly obnoxious.
RATING 3/5
DAVY WORRELL
Our first sketch involves Varney playing a Davy Crockett like Indian fighter named Davy Worrell, who's being chased by off-screen Indians, and runs to his Fort for protection only to discover that all the men have left and that the Indians are surrounding the entire Fort. The only thing that Davy can do now to protect himself is to fool the Indians into thinking that the army is still at the Fort by pretending to be all of them. The first sketch for this TV Special is actually not bad. It really does have a very fun set-up, and how Varney executes the set-up with his style of humor is actually pretty funny. I wasn't dying of laughter since the bit does go on long enough to the point where it becomes a bit tiresome as you start wondering how does a whole army of Indians not pick-up on the fact that there's only one guy as you're watching it, instead of going along with it for how funny it is. But Varney does prove that he has a comedic talent. The energy, the expressions, and the voices that he makes as he quickly switches characters to convince the Indians that there's a whole entire army in the Fort, along with the editing, and props to support Varney's performance is pretty entertaining, as well as impressive for how much energy and life he gives to this performance. Aside from the skit dragging on to the point where it starts to get tiring, the stereotypes on Native Americans in the skit is pretty insulting. I know we hardly see them, but the stereotypical war cries, and the gag of one of the Indians gazing through the Fort's peephole wearing eyeliner since he/she (I really couldn't tell 100%) is wearing war paint Make-Up are pretty cringe worthy. Aside from all that, it's still a good skit where Varney really expresses his gifted talent, which is honestly better than he does with the Ernest bits throughout the Special.
RATING 4/5
ACE WORRELL
The next sketch fast forwards to the 1930s where we meet fighter pilot Ace Worrell who's famous for mapping out the strategy of how the army is going to kill King Kong up on the empire state building. The idea for the skit is another fun set-up, and in all honesty, I do think this skit is better than the last one. Instead of just seeing Varney performing by himself again, we see him work-off of an army of soldiers as he tells them his plans to kill King Kong, as we're flooded with some funny visuals, a humorous supporting cast of undisciplined soldiers, and funny and energetic expressions and line delivery from Varney as he plays this strict and childish pilot. On top of it, unlike the last skit, it didn't feel like it was dragging on, it actually did run at a very fine pace. I'm not going to say that this skit is comedic gold or anything, but it’s definitely one of Varney's funniest performances that deserves to be seen.
RATING 5/5
LLOYD WORRELL
After getting two sketches that I found to be funny, the following skit about Varney as Ernest's great hillbilly Uncle Lloyd is where I suddenly find myself losing all the enjoyment that I had with all the previous sketches. Instead of being comically lighthearted like the previous skits were, this one takes a dark turn as we watch Varney play this mean hillbilly who abuses his dimwitted obese Son named Mistake both physically and verbally, as they pretend that they are eating food on empty plates since they can’t afford food. On one hand, I give Varney credit for taking a dark turn when it comes to his family friendly comedy, and while this isn't doing anything as bad as say having him swear at his son, or have his abusive nature become brutal to the point where its hard to watch since the cartoon like tone throughout the special still remains in this sketch. It’s still pretty mean-spirited to the point where it’s not funny. I know it's going for dark humor, but the situation itself is not funny, and the things that support the skit don't help it either. Varney slurs way too many times as this mean Father to the point where he becomes painfully annoying. The supporting cast of characters isn’t at all funny. The visual gags that we get are just there. And the slapstick between the Father and the son is despicably mean spirited at its unfunny glory. It was interesting seeing Varney take a bit of a dark turn, and while this skit isn't as dark as seeing something like the little girl in “A Haunted House” crying her eyes out as she's brutally being hit by her Father's belt for example; it still feels pretty mean and unpleasant as opposed to being funny.
RATING 1/5
BILLY BOOGIE WORRELL
So after watching that horrible skit, Varney plays Ernest's crazy Boogie dancing cousin Billy Boogie who carelessly operates a fast amusement park ride called "The Scrambler". Much like the last skit, I do have a lot of problems with it. When the skit first started as we look at the fast paced editing of the ride, and Varney dancing around, at first I enjoyed it since it's timed really well with the music that's playing in the background. But after awhile since the whole skit never stops its fast paced editing, it started getting as nauseating as the characters experiencing the ride itself. The weird part with these fast edits is for no rhyme or reason a creepy Tiki mask just keeps popping out of nowhere when you least expect it. I really don't see the point in that! I guess the skit is also trying to scare us, while it’s trying to make us sick. Watching the people who go on the ride suffer is almost as unpleasant as watching Lloyd Worrell abuse his Son. We get one or two vomit jokes that are timed very poorly, and we see a cute old couple suffer from a heart attack on the ride that looks painful, instead of funny. However, I'll admit, unlike the last skit, there were a few things that kept my interest ok. Varney is fun to watch as this cool disco dancing maniac who carries a surprisingly cool and smooth voice. Some of the lines that he says are occasionally funny. And the disco music that’s played in the background is so cool and catchy that I could honestly listen to that disco music with Varney's cool and hip comical voice, over and over again. However, the amount of times that Varney says the word “Boogie” does a get a tad bit annoying after awhile. It may not be a funny skit that's almost as bad as the previous one, but Varney's entertaining performance, and the cool disco music playing in the background is what makes this skit worth a view.
RATING 2/5
RHETCH WORRELL
Instead of meeting another current Family member of the Worrell family, we go back in time to the old West where we meet Ernest's great-grandfather Rhetch Worrell who's one of the worst card players of all time. Remember how unfunny and mean-spirited the skit involving Lloyd Worrell was? Well, we're pretty much back to the same level of bad, after seeing a serviceable skit. While Varney does a pretty good Clark Gable impression for his character that’s an obvious parody of Rhett Butler from "Gone With The Wind". This skit is really dull when it comes to comedy. The visual gags such as the guy watching the card game that Rhetch is playing through opera-glasses, and the burnt marks on Retch's girlfriend's face from his long Cigar for example, are just thrown in gags with little comedy provided by the actors. The cast is forgettable. The joke of Rhetch being a bad card player is never funny. And to make this skit as unpleasantly mean spirited as the skit with a hillbilly abusing his son, how about we see the card players bet on woman as they throw them around like ragdolls? Oh yeah, this Special is going there! I was really hoping the Special would bring itself back-up and be as funny as the first two skits, but unfortunately, there isn't any redemption here.
RATING 1/5
POP WORRELL
Our last skit involves Ernest as a kid who’s simply going fishing with his Pop (Played by Varney), and what should be a cute conclusion to a Special full of hits and misses, it does the exact opposite. Before we see Ernest and his Pop go fishing, what we get is 5 minutes of absolute filler of the two just simply walking to find a fishing spot as Pop Worrell just blabs and blabs about things that aren't funny, while a young Ernest won't shut-up about wanting to go fishing. When the two finally go fishing, well if you enjoyed the abuse of a son, a friendly and innocent elderly couple, and women; how about we see some more child abuse! Unlike how the stupid son was played by an adult in the Lloyd Worrell skit, young Ernest is played by a kid, and the abuse that he has to suffer is getting his finger caught in a fish hook as his Pop is wheeling him in as he's running away crying. We don't see blood or anything, but the scream of pain that the kid makes sounds more painful than it is funny, and thinking about the pain that the kid is going through as his Dad tries to wheel him in like a fish on the move is pretty disturbing rather than working with the skit's live action cartoon nature. Plus the editing and the timing for that gag is one big dull mess. The character that Varney plays isn't even funny or remotely interesting either. At least with the other bad skits, Varney was at least trying to do something funny and a tad bit different from his Ernest character. This is just Varney playing an old man who never shuts the hell up. What's so interesting or funny about that? Well I guess to Varney and the people behind the Special, they thought this character and performance was so good, that they decided to show him during the closing credits as he still blabs about things that are pointless and unfunny. By the way, if you thought my description of the creepy Tiki head popping out of nowhere during the Billy Boogie skit was weird and strange, how about having Ernest and his Pop go fishing with a man who looks, dresses, and acts like Queequeg from "Moby Dick". Even in the Specials live action cartoon like standards this idea is stupid! Unless if you want to watch a skit involving an old man who won't shut the hell up, child abuse, and a completely outlandish character, this is another skit that I highly recommend you skip.
RATING 0/5
OVERALL ON THE SPECIAL
So how was this first attempt of bringing Varney's act to a longer running time? It's really a huge mess. Varney does have a talent when it comes to expressions, voices, and movement, but in terms of the material that he's given to work with when conveying all his different talents, its pretty bad. The first two skits from the way they were written and set-up were mostly funny skits that work towards Varney's advantage when it came to showing all his different talents. And the bits of Varney portraying his iconic character Ernest were entertaining, and did a very fine job of taking us in and out of those skits. But once we got to the third skit, that's where the whole Special goes completely down hill as we're flooded with skits that are dull, annoying, weird, uncomfortable, and awfully mean spirited to the point where they're not funny, nor seem all that family friendly either. Even Varney's portrayal of Ernest as the Special moves forward begins to lose his charm and comical touch. Yes, I did say the Billy Boogie skit was worth a view, but honestly, I recommend the soundtrack more than I do the actual skit for how creepy and nauseating it looks. I know this sounds weird, but I would rather just listen to skit instead of watching it, since the music and Varney's voice mix together perfectly. As close as I am to giving it a 1/5; since the first 19 minutes of the Special are enjoyably entertaining with plenty of good laughs, I say the Special is worth watching for the first 19 minutes only. Once you see Ernest fall off the ladder as the scene fades out, you can turn it off.
RATING FOR THE SPECIAL 2/5
Now if you would excuse me, I got to listen to more of that Disco music that Billy Boogie loves to dance too!
No comments:
Post a Comment