Films Outside the LoopJeanne Chappé |
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If you don't like sex, you won't like this film! Actually...if you don't like sex, you probably don't like much of anything. This is a total farce in la-la land and should be taken tongue-in-cheek with a great deal of glee. Paul Bartel co-wrote and directed this film. In case you are not familiar with Paul Bartel, he also wrote and directed "Eating Raoul". Paul Bartel plays Mo Van De Kamp and he is a "thinologist"! Only in California. He also has a very randy dog named Bojangles. There are a number of inside jokes about living in Southern California but these inside jokes don't get in the way if you haven't experienced this phenomena. Southern California is a very weird place.
Clare Lipkin (Jacqueline Bisset) and Lisabeth Hepburn-Saravian (Mary Woronov) live side by side in Beverly Hills and they are best friends. Clare's husband, Sidney (Paul Mazursky), has recently died of auto-erotic strangulation and Lisabeth is going through a divorce from Howard Saravian (Wallace Shawn) who is a creepy gynecologist. He won't go away. Actually...neither will Sidney. He keeps coming back from the dead to haunt Clare!
When Lisabeth's home is being fumigated to get rid of wood eaters, she and her family go next door to stay with Clare. This group includes her ill son, Willie (Barret Oliver), her brother and her brother's new wife! A little surprise when her brother returns from Las Vegas. Ed Begley, Jr. plays Lisabeth's brother (Peter) and his new wife (To-Bel) is played with total charm by Arnetia Walker. Another major player is Clare's daughter, Zandra (Rebecca Schaeffer).
Surrounding these rich bitches (their words) are servants who have their own problems. Rosa (Edith Diaz) is 'burnt out' as a housekeeper and starts spouting very weird predictions. Juan (Robert Beltran) owes $5000 to bad people and Frank (Ray Sharkey) is just bored with life. Frank makes a bet with Juan so that Juan can repay his debt. They will each try to 'nail' the other's boss. If Juan wins the bet, he will have the $5000 to pay off his debt. If Frank wins the bet, he will have his way with Juan. Interesting bet!
Peter has written a new play called "Nocturnal Admissions"! Watch out for the "petty dictators".....
Runtime: 1:35
This film is available on VHS, cable or satellite.
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