ALL SCI-FI

[Bud Brewster]

I haven't seen this movie since the 1980s. I remember it being funny in a few spots, but it lacked an interest plot that bore more than a small resembles to the movie it parody's, The Incredible Shrinking Man.

This agrees with some of the reviews quoted in the Wikipedia article.
_______________________________________

The New York Times' Vincent Canby called the film "a low-key comedy that rambles from one comic idea to the next with the slightly uneasy manner of a nightclub comedian doing a new improvisation. It succeeds in bits and pieces that are separated by long patches that are more remarkable for their good will than for their wit."
_______________________________________

Rick Baker (Oscar winner for his make-up in The American Werewolf in London) created the gorilla suit and wore it in the film. It's probably the best reason for watching the movie.

IMDB says that Richard Matheson, the author of the novel — The Shrinking Man — disliked the film, calling it "terrible" and unfunny.

Apparently the movie isn't in high demand, because Wikipedia has this to say about it's home video history.
_______________________________________

The film was released in pan-and-scan on VHS by Universal on July 13, 1994. On November 4, 2009, an unmastered low-quality DVD release (manufactured on demand using DVD-R recordable media) in 16:9 anamorphic widescreen was offered under the Universal Vault Series banner.

It was later released by Shout! Factory as a "Collector's Edition" Blu-ray on November 14, 2017, with an updated transfer, and includes interviews and a deleted scene with Edith Ann, who is also played by Lily Tomlin.
_______________________________________

Even Shout Factory's trailer looks fuzzy, like a 16mm print.

___The Incredible Shrinking Woman Official Trailer


__________
_________________
____________
Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Bud Brewster]

________________________________

Lillie Tomlin is a little like Jim Carrey.

They're both loaded with talent, but they need writers and directors who keep them from over-indulging themselves whenever the camera is rolling.

With Carrrey, nobody ever told him that Jerry Lewis had already over-done his crazy antics, and the only people who still like that stuff were the French — for reasons nobody understands.

With Tomlin, she dazzled America with her original Rowan and Martin's Laugh In characters — but after that, nobody was able to integrate her talent with this movie and create a story which portrayed a typical mother whose body suddenly started shrinking!

Add to this the fact that the cast was a trifle lame, and the photography was poor. Frankly, it was below the standards of 1980 TV series . . .
_________________
____________
Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[scotpens]

[Gord Green]

The problem with this movie was that it was a one joke idea stretched out to two hours!
_________________
There comes a time, thief, when gold loses its lustre, and the gems cease to sparkle, and the throne room becomes a prison; and all that is left is a father's love for his child.

[Bud Brewster]

________________________________

Thanks, scotpens. I fixed both mistakes.
_________________
____________
Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)