An Exercise In Nonsense

The first must-see film of the year.

The acting in this movie is really good.

Ok... Let's be honest. It cannot be the best movie but is quite enjoyable. The movie has the potential to develop a great plot for future movies

John Ritter and Pam Dawber(both sitcom veterans) play Roy and Helen Knable, a suburban couple who unwittingly become sucked into their new television, and find themselves bouncing through different TV series & movies, which are being aired on a demonic TV station run by Spike(Jeffrey Jones, well cast) who puts them through(among other unfortunate TV watchers) an ordeal to see if he can capture their souls for Satan, and earn himself a promotion! Plot of course is ludicrous, but this is supposed to be a comedy, and while some of it is funny(amusing joke titles of TV series and films, and a clever in-joke with John Ritter and two old cast mates...) not enough of it is, as the film seems like a nutty cross between "Network" and "Beetle Juice"! Watchable to a point, but should have been grounded a little further in reality to be successful.

It's a given that Ritter will be funny at an insurance convention and so will Eugene Levy. The only real highlight I can see is Heather McComb. Thanks to the director for putting her in tight jeans and sweaters, especially when her cheerleader friends come to their house to practice. She very was hot in this movie, especially because she was only 14 while filming it. Too bad they didn't take that remote and put in into a porn movie for just 1 scene, the deflowering scene. Now that would have made this movie a really good one. The scenes where Pam Dawber was tied up waiting to be saved were also hot. The director did another nice job of busting some good cleavage out on Pam. You didn't see that in Mork & Mindy. As it is it barley keeps you interested.

I think this is a very entertaining, funny, and a great send-up of '80's TV. My teenage kids just watched it and they got the references to the sitcoms and game shows (even after never having seen them). There was so much clever word play- one joke after the other! There aren't too many "horror-comedies", but this one works for teens and up. It might be too scary for young audiences- too many hell, death, and devil references. I thought the stars, Jack Ritter and Pam Dawber were perfect. The plot (both funny and suspenseful) holds your interest, the special effects were good, as was the acting. I saw it years ago and liked it then, but apparently it held its own today because my kids enjoyed it too...and that's saying something!

I have always liked this film, since I was younger. It's an expensive flop but at the same time I think it has plenty of laughs and is entertaining. The late great John Ritter is always good value and likeable as is Pam Dawber, the ultimate fanciable former sitcom star. She is differently attractive and I have always fancied her like many others, particularly from the Mork And Mindy days, you know that sitcom with Robin Williams that you used to find funny but when you look back now it kinda sucks!This is good family entertainment. It's inconsistent and some of the references aren't that funny but on the most part the referencing of old movies and TV shows is where most of the humour lies. Good fun. ***