As a charter SNL fan, I was looking forward to seeing this film in the theatres in 1981 -- the TV promos were hysterical.
But once I was in my seat, I sat there for two hours. And no one laughed, including myself... Funny things that had been in the trailers never made it to the final film.
Not one laugh. Not one.
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Non-sequiturs are delicious.
It's a bad movie but there are some laughs in it for sure
shareYes, it's a bad movie by movie critic standards, but it's one of those bad movies that's so full of good bits that it's worth watching a dozen times!
Here, you have a choice, you can watch "The English Patient" or you can watch "Neighbors." I'm going to pick "Neighbors" every time!
I saw this movie in the theater and the TV promos, at least the ones in my area, gave away the payoff of every physical gag in the movie. Every one. I don't think I laughed or was surprised by anything.
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It's all like some bad movie.
I just watched it today for my first time and Wow what a bad, terrible movie lol I couldn't get over how nothing made sense. Oh well at least I finally got around to watching it
shareWow what a bad, terrible movie lol I couldn't get over how nothing made sense.
34 years later and I have to agree. I love Belushi and Akroyd, but I'd been putting off watching this since childhood cause I remember an adult saying it was terrible.
Anytime it feels like it might start to go somewhere it just goes in another nonsensical direction, but rather than comedic it's just confusing. It's all over the place in terms of story, tone, and characterization, all of which I could forgive if it made me laugh. As it was I found myself amused at the best of moments, but more often bored or perplexed.
I think the problem was the fact that there were a lot of arguments during the shooting of the film. Dan and John didn't get along with the director, who didn't want their improv (big mistake), and they tried to rush the film to get it out by Christmas. Funny thing: Originally it was going to be made at 20th Century Fox, but Sherry Lansing told the producers they won't do it because they didn't think it was funny. Guess she was right.
shareYeah, they really did a hit and run theory with this film. They originally were going to release it earlier in December, thinking they had a hit, but when they realized they had crap, they decided to release it right before XMAS, when many people attend films, so they could hit that market. Also, using the names of the big people involved would have everyone clamoring to see it. Actually, the film is 90 minutes, but I can understand you sitting there in silence. Did you ask for your money back?
shareI did read a little bit about the film after watching it, curious about what brought this final product into existence.
As the opening credits rolled, I hoped it'd probably be like a lot of vehicles led by SNL alumni: silly and predictable, but light and funny.
Aykroyd/Belushi is a proven combo, Bill Conti is one of my favorite composers of all time, and Jon Avildsen is the guy who made Rocky and The Karate Kid (granted he did make Rocky V and The Karate Kid III). Had all those elements complemented each other, it could've made for a heck of a film, but it's clear there was no unified, unanimous creative vision for this.
The irony about Bill Conti is that he wasn't the orignal guy who did the music. It was Tom Scott, a friend of John's, who was hired and then replaced by Conti. Avildsen was probably not the right director for this type of material, even though he had pursued the book rights.
shareFor as bad as it is I always have wondered what it would have been like if Akroyd and Belushi had switched roles. I think that would have been a much tee fit for both of them. And because of that who knows what great scenes could have come improv.
shareThey did...it was originally written with belushi as Vic and aykroyd as earl...changed per belushi's request
sharehttps://www.datalounge.com/thread/16916169-film-sets-that-were-a-notorious-nightmare-to-work-on....
"Neighbors" with John Belushi and Dan Ackroyd. Belushi was drugged out most of the time and decided that he knew better than anyone else how the picture should be directed. He constantly fought with the director and the picture wound up to be a mess of massive proportions.share
—Anonymous
reply 155 05/16/2016
I was also completely floored by how absolutely unfunny this was!
Just watched it on cable, and no difference.
What the @#$% were they thinking?
I. Drink. Your. Milkshake! [slurp!] I DRINK IT UP! - Daniel Plainview - There Will Be Blood
This is not a bad movie. It's just not the comedy that people were expecting since Belushi and Ackroyd were the leads.
It a look at what an unsatisfying and unfulfilled life Belushi's character has. His meeting Ackroyd and Moriarty's character acts as a catalyst for him to realize that fact and for him to make the decision to change his life.
It's really more a drama than a comedy.
That's an accurate way to look at it.
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