Howard The Duck - cult classic or merely fowl?

This was one of the "surprise" films at the CWRU SF Film marathon, which was greeted with a lot of groans. Personally, I don't think it is a bad film. I was actually impressed with the Howard costume, which doesn't make me think "Man In Suit".

The main problem with the film is that it is one big hunk of velveta. The human performers really are not that good. (Then again, we are comming to expect that from Lucas)

Course, the big question is, why did Lucas think this was going to be a great idea for a film?

Jason

I havent seen it since 1985 but I remember it not being so bad - Ive definitely seen worse.

Or maybe I was just lusting after Lea Thompson

lea thompson did look very nice in that film. :b

Dear Lord, you've suffered. I didn't think there was a movie on this planet that's worse.

Amen. I don't have any taste for it now, but it will always hold a place in my heart

Definitely foul fowl, the biggest Lucas turkey prior to the SW prequels. The "duck out of water" aspects were cute for a while, but got old fast, and the silly "monster" plot was dull, dull, dull.

Lea Thompson did look fetching in her underwear, though.

I saw this in the theater, opening weekend if I remember correctly. (I also saw Leonard Part 6 on opening night!)

I don't think I'd buy it, but I'd love to see it again because I remember watching it on HBO as a young'un; I'd like to see how it stands up after all these years.

Why do people keep blaming Lucas for Howard the Duck? He put his name on the picture to help sell it as a favor to the directors/writers/producers Hyuck and Katz, who did a dialogue pass on Star Wars and were good friends of his. He had little to do with the film.

See the movie poster in Steve's post? George Lucas put his name on top of everyone else's. The IMDB lists him as executive producer on the film.



I very much doubt we'd be hearing that if the film had been a success.

Actually, I liked that film too.

Jason

On Deadly Ground

//Ken

Like I said, he was asked to put it there as a favor to help gain notoriety for the film, which was written/directed/produced by two good friends of his who had helped him out on Star Wars. He had little if anything to do with the film. It was purely a marketing move on the part of his friends, who were having trouble getting it made and getting word out.

Yes, and it succeeded in doing what it was supposed to do--associate him with the film, which answers your question about why people perceive him to be responsible for it.

I really hate to admit this, but I enjoyed Howard the Duck many many years ago. Cheesy as hell, but I had fun with it. I'm not sure how it would stand up today, but I doubt I would put it into a "worst movie ever" category. There are far, far worse things lurking in the darkness of the video void than Howard the Duck.

I really would like the DVD :b

I watched this not to long ago, hadnt seen it in years and years, it is just a fun little movie I think.

Foul very fowl!

I think HOWARD THE DUCK falls into the same category of cult classic as CAN'T STOP THE MUSIC. It's entertaining because you can see that a lot of money and effort went into making it and it fails spectacularly on every level.

Have you seen Gymkata?

Haven't seen "Star Wars Ep. 1", have you?

Howard the Duck isn't that bad of a movie....if you compare it to Manos, The Hands of Fate.

I liked howard the duck better then episode 2.

JACOB

I think that at the time this movie came out it was a rather crappy PG adventure flick with pretty decent special effects. The first time I saw it I can recall getting a bit of a chuckle out of Howards copy of "Playduck", but it was all downhill after that.

I saw a few clips of it on cable a month or so ago. I was heading out, so wasn't able to watch more of it. What I did see was surprising though. The years have transformed this meagre film into... (insert dramatic drum roll) ...the "SO BAD IT's HILARIOUS" cheez-o-rama flick!

Now that the special effects of the film are as cheesy as the rest of it, I bet you could cough up a lung while watching this flick! Worst movie of all time? I think that's pretty subjective. The cheesier a film is the more I laugh, but drag me into see a numb-witted estrogen flick like "Divine secrets of the Blah Blah Sisterhood" (or whatever it was) and I'm going to claw out my eyeballs and plug my ears with them. Howard the duck might have a similar effect on the movie-lactose intolerant.

I'd like to put forth another nominee for cheesiest big budget 80's sci-fi flick though: Lifeforce. A friend loaned this to me and I spent Tuesday evening cracking up because of it. It features space vampires who come to earth and turn everybody in London into lifeforce-sucking zombies. The queen space vampire just happens to be a rather nubile young woman who spends approximately 95% of her considerable on-screen time *totally* naked. (not even a space-vampire thong here folks) The movie does take a break from endless T&A for a large section of time when she possesses various people and eventually winds up in Patrick Stewart, who plays the head doctor of a mental institution. Now, this queen space vampire has a thing for the astronaut that first found her by Haley's Comet, so imagine if you will, a very drugged up Patrick Stewart (voiced over by the actress who plays the queen) elaborating on her feelings for this astronaut. Trekkies will be scarred for life!

I could party with Howard.

I suspect that Jar Jar Binks would last about 30 seconds before I went scampering for my 12 gauge and rock salt...

I liked the 1st 45 minutes of the film, and then it did go to hell.