FORGOTTEN FILM: PANDEMONIUM (1982)

I saw PANDEMONIUM at the very least twenty times between the years of 1982 and 1984. It wasn’t that I liked the movie that much, it was just constantly on cable.

PANDEMONIUM was a PG rated spoof of slasher films. Reminiscent of STUDENT BODIES but with a better cast.

Opening in 1963, a group of cheerleaders are killed, impaled on a javelin while carrying oversized vegetables. (“Hungarians Questioned” is a newspaper headline, if you didn’t get the shish kabob joke). After a rash of more cheerleader killings, a local cheerleader camp is closed down.

Cut to present day, the camp is reopening. Six people are headed to it (each introduced with VICTIM #1, VICTIM #2 on the screen). The victims include a telepathic girl (Carol Kane), along with Judge Reinhold, Debralee Scott and Marc McClure.

Even though this is set in Indiana, a Canadian Mountie (Tom Smothers) is in charge of the police department. He and his horse are worried about the murders starting up again. Especially since there have been recent escapees from both the local prison as well as the mental asylum. And to add to the fun, it is Thursday July 12th (an alternate title the film used). The next day is Friday the 13th.

When I saw this film all those times years ago, I always thought it was a very crude film. Both in the humor (at one point someone is sent to the gas chamber, which is just a big fat guy eating a big bowl of baked beans) as well as the execution of it.

I haven’t seen it since the mid 80’s. I found a used VHS sometime in the 90’s, but never watched it. Since the film has never been released on video, I watched a commercial TV airing of it. Surprisingly, I still knew the film well enough to catch some of the TV edits (did you know you can’t use the word “pork” on TV but at the same time the word is used, you can show people smoking marijuana?).

Obviously inspired by AIRPLANE, the film contains such jokes as a father (Donald O’Connor in a cameo) telling his son not to be a black sheep, like his brother. They then cut to a shot of his brother, a black sheep. Early on, someone talks about the camp, and during their speech, the word “Exposition” appears on the screen.

One of the big selling points of the film, for me and my sister back in the day, was that Paul Reubens had a small role as Tom Smothers' assistant. This was before PEE WEE’S BIG ADVENTURE when he was the star of the hysterical HBO special THE PEE WEE HERMAN SHOW.

Watching this again (coincidentally moments after I caught the end credits of that HBO special on cable) I was surprised to see several other cast members of THE PEE WEE HERMAN SHOW in this film. Phil Hartman (Captain Carl) had a cameo at a crime scene. Edie McClurg played a parent. And, while I didn’t recognize him, I noticed John Paragon (Jambi the Genie) was listed as a prisoner. I’m not sure if the filmmakers were from the Groundlings (where Pee Wee originated) or not. One of the writers is credited on ROCK N ROLL HIGH SCHOOL but little else.

The cast makes it watchable. Debralee Scott (profiled here) is always fun to watch. Marc McClure (forever known to me as Boris from FREAKY FRIDAY) was one of those actors who probably would have had a better career if Tom Hanks never came along. I think Hanks stole many of McClure's roles. You still see him turn up in commercials, but he was a lot better than that. Judge Reinhold is another actor that I actually believe is underrated. He is good here. Teri Landrum as one of the victims was very funny, but didn’t seem to do anything after this.

Other members of the cast include cameos by Tab Hunter, Eileen Brennan (billed only as “A Friend” in the credits), Pat Ast, twins Candi and Randi Brough, Eve Arden and Kaye Ballard

PANDEMONIUM was directed by Alfred Sole. After beginning as an architect, he got into movies directing Adult Films and the horror film ALICE SWEET ALICE. This would be his last and only studio feature, before going back behind the camera working as a Production Designer on TV shows such as VERONICA MARS and CASTLE.

The film was NOT a hit at the box office. I have no memory of it ever playing theatrically. But, I am rather surprised that this film hasn’t made it to DVD. It played nonstop during the early days of cable. I wasn’t alone in watching it. And, since it is still airing on broadcast TV, surely it isn’t forgotten.

Here are some clips that were posted on YouTube



Carol Kane’s introduction with “A Friend”



This scene has nothing to do with the film. It was like they brought in actors, who had nothing to do with the overall story, and had them improv to fill up time.



Contains probably the biggest laugh, the one about bologna.

PANDEMONIUM was released on VHS by MGM. Used copies range in price from $25 to $75.