Yes, the atomic bomb is terrible. But unintentionally funny were some of the movies about the alleged effects of atomic mutation. Hi, I want to tell you about something that could have happened. Something that does happen in a certain movie. Picture Key West, Florida: your average American town. But, if a movie about the alleged effects of atomic mutation was brought there during the Cuban Missile Crisis...the result would be hysterical indeed. For the result...would be..."Matinée".
This movie is a real treat for any fan of the sci-fi/horror flicks of the late '50s and early '60s. John Goodman plays B-movie producer Lawrence Woolsey, bringing "Mant" (Half Man...Half Ant...All Terror!) to Key West, Florida, during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Naturally, the possibility of a nuclear attack heightens the mood in every way.
"Matinee" just may be the perfect movie about the adult world as seen from a youngster's point of view. And I don't just mean the great soundtrack. I think that it's safe to say that this movie has something for EVERYONE. Joe Dante has created another cool movie here. And of course it wouldn't be a Joe Dante movie without Dick Miller. He and John Sayles play representatives of Citizens for Decent Entertainment protesting "Mant" (or are they?). Kudos also to Cathy Moriarty as Ruth Corday, the actress who in the movie-within-a-movie plays the wife of the human-to-formic star; bravo also to Kevin McCarthy, playing the general in the movie-within-a-movie trying to stop the Mant. All in all, this movie shows why the word "cool" was invented.
This movie is a real treat for any fan of the sci-fi/horror flicks of the late '50s and early '60s. John Goodman plays B-movie producer Lawrence Woolsey, bringing "Mant" (Half Man...Half Ant...All Terror!) to Key West, Florida, during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Naturally, the possibility of a nuclear attack heightens the mood in every way.
"Matinee" just may be the perfect movie about the adult world as seen from a youngster's point of view. And I don't just mean the great soundtrack. I think that it's safe to say that this movie has something for EVERYONE. Joe Dante has created another cool movie here. And of course it wouldn't be a Joe Dante movie without Dick Miller. He and John Sayles play representatives of Citizens for Decent Entertainment protesting "Mant" (or are they?). Kudos also to Cathy Moriarty as Ruth Corday, the actress who in the movie-within-a-movie plays the wife of the human-to-formic star; bravo also to Kevin McCarthy, playing the general in the movie-within-a-movie trying to stop the Mant. All in all, this movie shows why the word "cool" was invented.