26 ri(iar, dune 29 1984 _ _
THE bEffiblf 'AWN NEWS
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Be Well Read, &
Stay Out Of The Sun,
BY MICHAEL ELKIN
Come to
Special to The Jewish News
Bookstore
Filmgoer Michael Medved has
seen enough failed comedies to make
him want to gag. He has sat through
so many horrid horror movies that
full moons send him diving under his
bed.
Yet, Medved admits he has
enjoyed himself, gobbling Goobers
and passing the popcorn in the dark
as the worst films unspool in front of
him. Losers these films may be, but
they have proved productive for
Medved.
He has compiled these cinematic
clunkers into a dubious list of distinc-
tiion for a new book, The Hollywood
Hall of Shame: The Most Expensive
Flops in Movie History (Pedigree
Books), which he has co-written with
his younger brother Harry. The two
also shared writing credits on The
Fifty Worst Films of All Time and The
Golden Turkey Awards.
While some of those listed in
Shame come as no surprise to viewers
who have sat through Inchon and
Can't Stop the Music, there were
some mild shockers for the Brothers
Medved. "I know for Harry, Doctor
Doolittle was a surprise," said
Medved. "He had been into the movie
when he was younger. He even had
Doctor Doolittle toys."
So it was somewhat surprising to
discover thatDoolittle may have been
able to talk to the animals, but he
couldn't communicate to audiences.
The 1968 film, after two years of
screenings around the country, was
only able to earn $9 million.
For Harry's older brother, the
shock came with the discovery that
Reds finished in the red. "I liked that
movie," Medved said, still surprised.
But there is comfort for many in
knowing that even stars sometimes
have bad days. "Most people tend to
look at those in Hollywood as being
larger than life, as being different
from you and me," commented
Medved in trying to explain why
books detailing how bad things hap-
pen to good movies appeal to readers.
"All of a sudden, these demi-gods
make fools of themselves (in bad
films). There is a deep satisfaction in
that for the viewer."
The Medveds give directors a lot
of dubious credit in The Hollywood
Hall of Shame, such as Michael
Cimino, whose Heaven's Gate was a
financial debacle that closed the gate
on lavish filmmaking for many other
directors.
There are those who may blast
the Medveds for what they consider
to be pacreligious and unwarranted
attacks on their beloved films. Rub-
bish, says Medved to such criticism.
"That is precisely the attitude" -
that filmdom is on an artistically un-
touchable plane - "that hurts the
motion picture busines," he said.
"That is the kind of attitude that
leads to The Hollywood Hall of
iShame, What Ibis business needs -r7
as evidenced by Steven Spielberg -
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is a number of filmmakers who rec-
ognize film as a form of entertain-
ment, not a religion."
Enshrining Hollywood's horrors
was still a pleasant job for Medved,
who likes film. But when it comes to
the small screen, Medved has rib feel-
ing of affection.
"The difference between good TV
and bad TV is the difference between
good and bad heroin," he said of the
addictive medium. "Criticizing TV
shows is like tripping a dwarf.
There's no sport in it."
There's also no room for a televi-
sion set in the Santa Monica, Calif.,
Medved household that Michael
shares with Harry. "I haven't lived
Michael Medved has seen hundreds of
"clunkers."
with a television set for 17 years," he
said proudly.
Medved would rather spend his
time in other pursuits: reading or
writing. He also authored What
Really Happened to the Class of '65?
with David Wallechinsky; The
Shadow Presidents and Hospital:
The Hidden Lives of a Medical Center
Staff. Medved also enjoys following
his former hometeam, the Phillies,
and, of course, filmgoing. "The most
moving moments of my life have been
spent in the dark," he said.
For him, his past year's most
tender moments included Tender
Mercies and The Right Stuff. And he
has a special affection for Y entl,
Barbra Streisand's film version of the
I.B. Singer tale of a woman who dis-
guises herself as a boy to study at a
yeshivah.
Medved doesn't claim to be a
visionary but there are some films on
the upcoming agenda that he feels
safe to call as future Hall of Shamers.
"I think Cotton Club is a candidate."
he said of the film about the notorious
Harlem jazz club starring Robert De
Niro. "Then there's Once Upon a
Time in AmericU4 City Heat - yeh,
that looks good for us."
No matter how awful or disastr-
ous the film, Medved still finds a cer-
tain romance in the darkness of a
movie theater, .Nocm.atter, what, ,he
said, "I loire movies."
;