MovieChat Forums > Sky Pirates (1986) Discussion > Smoke me a kipper...

Smoke me a kipper...

posted 15 years ago by RunDeckardRun
2 replies | jump to latest

I saw this for 10p in a charity shop and had to buy it: I was not disappointed in that this is a great example of 'so bad it's good'!

This could have actually been a half-decent film: there's some good strong camerawork and some nice VFX - especially of the aircraft - but the bizarre jumps in the action and story made me wonder if anybody had actually checked what the editor had done to it..! This film was always going to be super cheesey and badly written and acted, but the editing was truely atrocious, especially at the end which had all the dramatic tension of buying a packet of Polos from the local shop.

I actually quite liked the 'what had actually happened' mystery generated by the trial and the way that this made you carry on watching. I also thought that the aircrew glimpsing events and objects from their future as their plane went out of control was quite inventive. What I thought was really bad though was the lead actor: he had absolutely none of Harrison Ford's charisma or presence and had exactly 2 facial expressions: tough blank stare and mad grin. How did he ever get cast as the lead?!? And what was with the Savage character at the end: was his new outfit (coupled with his fiercely blonde hair) meant to be some sort of German uniform meaning that he was really a Nazi all long?!

Most importantly though: was the lead character one of the main inspirations for Ace Rimmer, especially during the wing-walking scene?

[–] KevBaby 13 years ago

Haha I had an inkling Ace Rimmer was the bloke from Red Dwarf but had to do the search to be sure. I'd love to hear more from you about how you arrive at the comparison. Haven't seen Red Dwarf in quite a while.

Re Sky Pirates and the "What I thought was really bad though was the lead actor: he had absolutely none of Harrison Ford's charisma or presence and had exactly 2 facial expressions: tough blank stare and mad grin" appraisal. No this would not have been John Hargreaves' portfolio centrepiece, but he was one of the most respected aussie actors going around. See if you can get a look at "My First Wife" to triangulate on what he presents in his films. Better still, get hold of the first "Long Weekend" movie, where his performance is almost equally as wooden, yet somehow, perfect.

Knowing and appreciating his work in more adept pieces allows me to somehow feel defensive of his performance here. I could try to fabricate some form of high-art, nose-tapping, beyond-the-realms-of-our-understanding satire explanation. But I don't think its any of those things. Well, lets just pretend that I have. Yes, cliche after cliche (dialogue, event and imagery) is delivered almost accidentally deadpan. Ha, so be it. Still a design in brilliance despite - oops, I mean: *due* - to its flaws.

Nothing bad you say about him would worry him (had he still been with us), anyway). Because, as he says: "I don't believe in curses." As long as his hair isn't ruffled, nor is he.

I have no idea where I was going with this.

[–] dazzaler44 8 years ago

John Hargraves was a bit of hammy actor to be honest (all the critics and fans raved how great he was but I simply found him "playing the same role in every performance" very bland actor.