Load of rubbish!!

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

This isn't as much a movie as it is a loose assembly of B- to Z-grade movies that have been produced between the 1940's and late 1970's (and not only did they come from Hollywood but Japan as well), narrated by numerous "Saturday Night Life"-comedians. We're talking movies like "Mars Needs Women", "Reefer Madness" (who but Cheech and Chong would be more likely to make fun of that one?), "The Incredible Strange Creatures who stopped living and became mixed up Zombies"; indeed, we're talking the works of Edward D. Wood Jrn.It's nice to see some of your favorite 80's comedians, some which have passed on since (John Candy, Gilda Radner), others which have fallen into obscurity (Dan Akroyd, Cheech and mainly Chong). Granted the gags and jokes are all rather silly, definitely not especially gifted (and considering that this is from 1982 and that we are used to a little sharper, even cynical humor these days, they haven't aged very well), but then again, we're dealing with bottom-of-the-barrel films, hence let's just call them appropriate.It's also interesting to reflect, 30 years down the road, how many truly awful movies have been produced since then and the path that the industry in general has taken. Movies like "Battlefield Earth" or M. Night Shyamalans "The Last Airbender" (well, actually every Shyamalan picture since "The Sixth Sense") would certainly not be out of place if they ever remade "It Came from Hollywood". However, there is one exception: while "It Came from Hollywood" focuses on films that were generally generated by a shoe-string budget, the more recent cinematic train-wrecks have swallowed millions upon millions of dollars.Seven from ten points out of sheer curiosity value – wait; make those six points for having included "The Incredible Shrinking Man" and "War of the Worlds".

It's just sad how little this movie is recognized and how it has been recalled for DVD. You have some of the biggest stars of the time taking about bad B movies of the 50's 60's and 70's like A.p.e the giant claw Earth vs the flying saucers the Colossal man. I can only imagine a movie like this today stars like johnny Depp Leonardo Dicaprio Jake Gyllenhaal Taking about old B movies of the past including ones from the 80's like Hobgoblins the Abomination Deadly spawn Lobster man from mars and bad shot on video movies. This is a classic that more people should know about all the stars do a good job the clips are great it never takes it self seriously. I first saw this on HBO way back in 92 or 93 and i will never forget the first time seeing it this any fan of John Candy Gilda Radner Dan Aykroyd or b movies should see it.

Good intentions aside, at times I had trouble really getting into this pleasantly interactive, short-lived little documentary/Mystery Science Theater 3000 style arrangement that presents a variety of random clips from supposedly old b-grade to z-grade Hollywood features (though its hard to grasp why "War of the Worlds", "The Incredible Shrinking Man" and "The Day the Earth Stood Still" made its way in) that are set-up through specific genders (monsters, gorillas, animals going berserk, brains, troubled teenagers, Ed Wood, Aliens, giants and musicals) with them being wittily dissected/or informatively discussed by comedians Dan Aykroyd, John Candy, Gilda Radner, Cheech and Chong. The thing was I thought the best moments actually involved the crazy movie clips themselves, than that of it focusing on its mugging stars and the wraparound sequences. The problem was that I found most of the remarks (which at times were surprisingly sparse) not to be all that funny, well Cheech and Chong came across more so genuinely smooth in their humour within the cinema (especially Chong at the candy bar and sitting their watching the films) and it came across an inspired choice for them to rip on the eccentrically pitched cautionary drug movies. However some of those scenes with the other stars in between the collection of clips just didn't gel, as for one Aykroyd really did get on my nerves. Some skits were better implemented than roughly penned others, but the feature does feel like one big trailer (or movie preview) for bad schlock movies… some which are hard to believe you're actually seeing it on screen. Nothing is safe in the wryly tongue-in-cheek "It Came from Hollywood".

A film that I always enjoyed. Various comedians host tributes to some really bad movies. There's one whole section just for Ed Wood. If you like MST3K, you'll like this. In fact, look for Phantom of Krankor in a cameo!