Very well executed

Highly Overrated But Still Good

From my favorite movies..

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

This is a very special film, a crazy comedy, directed by a great director, Otto Preminger, who made only dramas. A lot of big names in it, Groucho Marx, Mickey Rooney, George Raft, Burgess Meredith, Cesar Romero, Jackie Gleason and a few others. The film is neither bad nor extraordinary, it has some cool moments. Mostly for those who love actors even in bad situations/stories/scripts.

This movie earns a 'two' vote only due to its utter strangeness. This is like 'The Oscar' on mescaline. Throw in five million familiar faces, forget a script, and let a young Harry Nilsson do the music score.It's hard to imagine that the same talented director who made the excellent 'Anatomy of a Murder' was behind this strange acid-trip mixture of hippies, gangsters and prisons. But this film was directed by Otto Preminger.Oddest casting: Carol Channing as Jackie Gleason's wife. A look at Ms. Channing and you may question whether there are but two sexes on this planet. We are indeed treated to the vision of Ms. Channing in see-through bra and brief panties. It is almost an acid trip in itself.But that's really only the beginning. The casting features a very lovely Alexandra Hay, who I believe was a Playboy centerfold (I could be wrong, or dreaming). Luna is gorgeous as Groucho Marx's (who plays 'God', years before George Burns) mistress. I love her in that green thing she's almost wearing.Let's throw in seasoned character actors like Slim Pickens, Fred Clark and Mickey Rooney, too. If that isn't enough, somehow Frankie Avalon appears in the mix. This movie's thorough stupidity made me nostalgic for those brain dead beach flicks!The list goes on. The world's best 'Password' player, Peter Lawford. From the 'Batman' TV show, we throw in Frank Gorshin and Cesar Romero. Thankfully, the unfunny Arnold Stang is bumped off early in the movie.And who do we have as star? None other than comic genius Jackie Gleason. This may be the saddest part of the affair. Gleason was excellent in 'Requiem for a Heavyweight'. This should have been a spring board for Jackie to do serious acting, but his filmography is filled with duds. This has to be the most embarrassing attempt at comedy by a real master. Reginald van Gleason on acid is just not funny. Most of the people behind the scenes must have been stoned while making this.Someone referred to this film as a 'psychedelic gem'. I do agree people need to sit down and watch this film. Drink it in, as they say. This was Hollywood on its last legs. Most of these personalities needed jobs, and they settled for this garbage. Surely someone had to have smelled this movie. Take the money and run.I'm a big fan of Nilsson, and it is amusing to see his take as the 'tower guard' who is tripping on acid. The best part of the movie is the final credits, which are jocularly all sung by Harry. His song 'Skidoo', however, is a real 'stinkeroo', and in yet another odd turn, the title song is sung by Carol Channing in George Washington drag. Read that sentence again.Aside from Harry's song about garbage cans, and the spectacle of neon strobe lit garbage cans with people inside them dancing, I found no other highlights in this piece of cinema.Oh, I forgot, George Raft plays 'The Skipper'.Now if anyone thinks this movie is 'good' in any way...you are deluding yourself. As strange Hollywood cinema, 'Skidoo' is worse than 'The Oscar' and possibly just as strange as Ed Wood's 'Plan 9 From Outer Space'.But there's a big difference between an artless, wannabe director with a very limited budget and a respected Hollywood director with a roster of some talented personalities and millions to spend. Frankly, I prefer the quaint ineptness of Ed Wood to the nonsensical treacle that Preminger has created here.Having said nothing much good about this film, I do agree. You sit down. You watch this movie. I dare you to make it all the way through. I did, with a couple of cigarette breaks. This may be one of the worst Hollywood productions of all time.

I am not sure what to make of the terrible (and sometimes angry) reviews of this film. This is a good, if offbeat, film. Performances are good across the board, the direction is solid, and the script, though bizarre, moves pretty well. Perhaps people have thin skin. Preminger does poke uncomfortably at social mores, especially those that were emergent in the generation-gap era - drugs, sex, freedom, and gender power. Subversive? Hell yes. Maybe that's why the reviews are so bad. I loved the film. I loved Carol Channing as Jackie Gleason's turned-on wife. I loved Groucho Marx as "God". I loved Mickey Rooney as Gleason's best friend in prison. I ESPECIALLY loved Luna, as God's assistant (and what the hell is she almost wearing there?). In addition, Jackie Gleason takes acid in prison, Frankie Avalon is a hip gangster, and Carol Channing sings a Nilsson song. What's not to like? Honestly?

Following his weird "Hurry Sundown", Otto Preminger directed the cornball "Skidoo" in an attempt to appeal the people coming of age in the '60s. Total mistake! Jackie Gleason (the very embodiment of old school) and Frankie Avalon (of the Beach movies) were totally the wrong people to cast in this movie. In fact, just like "Hurry Sundown", "Skidoo" appears to be an excuse to have a giant cast*. This time, it includes three "Batman" villains (Burgess Meredith aka Penguin, Frank Gorshin aka Riddler, Cesar Romero aka Joker). The best scene is when the prison gets stoned; THAT would have been fun to experience! Anyway, "Skidoo" is not a terrible movie. It's just that Otto Preminger didn't know what the '60s were all about. Worth seeing for pure entertainment value. Also starring Carol Channing, Mickey Rooney, Slim Pickens, George Raft, Groucho Marx, Michael Constantine (the dad in "My Big Fat Greek Wedding"), John Philip Law (the angel in "Barbarella"), Arnold Stang and Richard Kiel.*The courtroom scene in "Hurry Sundown" featured four cast members from different TV shows: Burgess Meredith (the Penguin on "Batman"), Madeleine Sherwood (Reverend Mother on "The Flying Nun"), Jim Backus (Mr. Howell on "Gilligan's Island") and Robert Reed (the "Brady Bunch" dad).