*sniff* *sniff* Ah, do you smell that, Mr. Voice In My Head?
Why, yes, Dr. Psy, I do. It smells pungent . . . the delicious stench of festering . . . with just a hint of rot and decay. The smell of dying fruit, Indian graveyards, and roasting children.
Um, dude, I don't think we're talking about the same thing.
Oh. What were you talking about?
The Naked Gun. What I was smelling was the smell of good comedy.
Oh, is that all. How . . . human of you.
Right. Folks, don't mind him, just read the plot synapses.
Lt. Frank Drebin (Leslie Nielsen) is the biggest damn idiot in the history of law enforcement--
And this is years before Mark Ferman.
Um, right. Yet, somehow, Drebin has become respected by his captain (George Kennedy) and beloved by his city (Los Angeles). About a week before Queen Elizabeth the 2nd is due to arrive in the City of Angels Drebin's partner and long time friend, Nordberg (*ahem* O.J. Simpson)--
*cough*guilty*cough*
Now that's enough out of you. Nordberg is attacked by a gang of drug dealers. While investigating, Drebin uncovers a plot by one of the richest men in town, Mr. Vincent Ludwig (Ricardo "Kahn" Montalban) to kill the queen. Apparently Prince Charles is mad as hell and isn't going to take it any more, so he's been leading a double life as a rich socialite all these years in order to off his dear old mommy.
Oh, no, wait, that's what happens in my version. Sorry. No, in this version, Ludwig is just a rich guy who's motives really aren't explained very well. Do I care? Hell no, guys. This movie is to damn funny for me to care.
Yeah, people, the O. J. jokes alone are--
What did I say?
Oh, well ex-CUSE me, Mr. Big Shot Critic. You know, now that you've had your anniversary and come up in the world you seam to be forgetting the little people that--
Hey, isn't VIP on right about now?
Oo, oo, where, where, where?
Good question, why don't you go find out?
Good idea. (He scurries away)
*whew* Glad that's over. Okay, where were we?
Ah yes, comedy. I'm really sorry we don't have more of them in the AYTIWS Vault. I've been slugging through horror and sci-fi for so long that laughing at something I'm supposed to laugh at was quite a different experience for me.
The Naked Gun, derived from a TV series called Police Squad, does pretty much what it's father show did: spoof those old cop shows that have since been banished to places like TV Land. (Ya know, if TV Land showed crappy movies from the 50s along with crappy series I'd be a happier camper.) Frank does his internal monologue in a carbon copy of Joe Friday's dull tones, and Nielsen's dead pan acting stacks right up there with good old Joe. The only difference is, Nielsen is doing it for laughs intentionally (wow, it's weird typing that).
Nielsen's competition comes in the form of Priscilla Presley. She plays Jane Spencer, Frank's girlfriend, and the two almost seam to be in some kind of contest for who can say the most ridiculous line with the straightest face. See if you can find out who wins, I sure as hell can't.
Montalban supplies the closest thing to a straight man in the flick, and even he has his moments of comedy. Without a doubt, he and Nielsen carry the movie.
At this point in time, O.J. was a major football star. He could have gotten off scott free without ever having to slice open any more cans of whoop ass on other football stars. As such, he took a stab at acting, and even though Nordberg spends almost the whole movie bedridden, the Juice's acting in Nordberg's early scenes show that O.J. obviously had a lot of experience with things thrashing around in pain.
Now who's making that--
Quiet, you!
Now, if you want a good hard laugh, then look no further then The Naked Gun. It's named The Naked Gun for Christ's sake, what more do you need?
Gs (out of a possible five)
LAUGH AT THE STUPIDITY.
MOCK O' METER
MOCK O' METER FOR O.J.'S SCENES