Coneheads (film)
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| Coneheads | |
|---|---|
 Coneheads poster |
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| Directed by | Steve Barron |
| Produced by | Lorne Michaels |
| Written by | Tom Davis Dan Aykroyd Bonnie Turner Terry Turner |
| Starring | Dan Aykroyd Jane Curtin Michelle Burke |
| Music by | David Newman |
| Cinematography | Francis Kenny |
| Editing by | Paul Trejo |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
| Release date(s) | July 23, 1993 |
| Running time | 88 min. |
| Country |  United States |
| Language | English |
| IMDb profile | |
Coneheads is the title of a 1993 movie based on the Saturday Night Live sketches about the Coneheads. As was the case with the previous SNL skit-inspired film The Blues Brothers, Coneheads has been said to have made an "accidental" or "unintentional" political statement or social commentary about the nature of the immigrant experience in America, the filmmakers' ostensible intent being merely to entertain.[citation needed]
The film's plot premise: the adventures of the Conehead family--whose ship, as part of an advance scouting mission for an invasion, is shot down by an F-16 fighter-interceptor of the New Jersey Air National Guard, and they try to assimilate into American society and pursue the immigrant's American dream.
The film stars Dan Aykroyd and Jane Curtin as Beldar and Prymaat Clorhone (who later Anglicize their Remulakian surname to "Conehead"), parents of Connie (Michelle Burke, taking over the role played by Laraine Newman on SNL). Michael McKean and David Spade play INS officials; also appearing are Sinbad and SNL alumni Phil Hartman, Jan Hooks, Tim Meadows, Jon Lovitz, Peter Aykroyd, Tom Davis, Garrett Morris, Chris Farley, Laraine Newman, Kevin Nealon, Julia Sweeney and Adam Sandler.
Although they do not appear onscreen together, this film marked the first pairing of SNLers Farley and Spade. This comedy duo would later go on to enjoy success in Tommy Boy and Black Sheep.
Other supporting cast members include Jason Alexander and Lisa Jane Persky. Alexander's Seinfeld co-star, Michael Richards, makes a cameo appearance, as do Eddie Griffin, Joey Lauren Adams, Parker Posey, Ellen DeGeneres, Drew Carey, Dave Thomas, and Tom Arnold.
The movie largely took place in Paramus, New Jersey, with scenes also shot in New York City and the New Jersey slums of Jersey City, and Wrightstown.
The film was directed by Steve Barron and produced by Lorne Michaels.
[edit] Critical response
Coneheads received a generally poor response from critics; its Rotten Tomatoes rating is 26 out of 100. It grossed about $21 million in the United States. Michael Richards was reportedly so unhappy with the film that he vowed to refund the money of any fan he met who had seen it.[citation needed]
[edit] Trivia
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Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines. The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones. |
- In a small change from the original sketches, daughter Connie in the film speaks in a typical American accent and acts like a typical American teen, having grown up on Earth. In the original sketches, Connie had the same alien accent and mannerisms as her parents.
- To date, Coneheads holds the record for having the most Saturday Night Live alums in a single film. Sixteen current, former, or future cast members of the show appeared in the film, and two others (Ellen Cleghorne and Brian Doyle-Murray) appeared in scenes that were cut from the film.
- Judging by the estimate that Connie is approximately 16 years old and Prymaat was pregnant with Connie when they learned that their rescue vessel would come to get them in 7 Zerls that would make one Zerl approximately 2.29 years.
- It should be noted that this film made a play on the futuristic design of the Mercury Sable by having them drive one, and by having many driving around their home planet.
- The soundtrack in the beginning ("Soul to Squeeze") was performed by the band Red Hot Chili Peppers.
- In the opening credits, Sinbad and Phil Hartman appear on one title card with Chris Farley and David Spade appearing on another. Both sets of these actors would go on to headline in movies: Farley and Spade in Tommy Boy and Black Sheep, and Sinbad and Hartman in Houseguest and Jingle All The Way.
- In Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult, Leslie Nielsen's character remarks to James Earl Jones and Olympia Dukakis that he loved them in Coneheads. Predictably, both actors exchange bewildered glances, as neither appear in the movie.
- David Spade's character of Eli Turnbull partly references his popular "Receptionist" character from Saturday Night Live, complete with the line "Can you be a lamb and have a seat?" Spade took over the role of Eli Turnbull from Steve Martin who played the IRS auditor on SNL.
- Phil Hartman and Laraine Newman portray associates of Beldar and Prymaat on the Coneheads' home planet. Newman occasionally played Connie Conehead on the Saturday Night Live Conehead sketches while Hartman portrayed Beldar Conehead in what was to be a new reincarnation of the characters in the late 1980s (one sketch in length, the recurring skit idea never took off, despite Dan Aykroyd's blessing).
- During the prologue scenes of the film, the radar operator character is depicted watching television. He happens to be watching the Star Trek episode, Arena.
[edit] External links
- Coneheads at the Internet Movie Database
