Psychohosebeast! (Wayne's World (DVD))

Member Name: ihatebroccoli

Product:	Wayne's World (DVD)
Date:	13/11/00 (341 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Mike Myers, great script

Disadvantages: Painful ribs (from laughing)

I have been quoting from this film since that fateful day in 1992 when I saw it whilst on holiday in the states. I suppose I should really be on about this film, being as it features adults playing teenagers again, but hey, it’s just so funny, I’m going to let this one slide.

The film grew out of a skit performed on the American show Saturday Night Live, where Mike Myers and Dana Carvey were regulars. Before Wayne’s World, Myers had only done one other virtually unheard of film, and that was a bit part. Wayne’s World literally catapulted him to fame in the film world, leading to a sequel of course, and then on to So I Married an Axe Murderer, and the Austin Powers films, all of which were in classic Myers humour. Dana Carvey on the other hand, has featured very little in anything major since. He appears in this years Little Nicky starring Adam Sandler, but even then, it’s only a bit part. Bit of trivia: he also appeared in Halloween II back in 1981.

Directed by Penelope Spheeris, Wayne’s World features Wayne Campbell (Mike Myers) and his friend Garth Algar (Dana Carvey), who both live in Aurora, Illinois, which is a suburb of Chicago. Wayne and Garth both have a TV show on “Cable Access” a local TV network where ordinary people can host their own shows, called “Wayne’s World”. It is a popular show amongst young people, and soon, TV slick man Benjamin (Rob Lowe) discovers WW, and decides to exploit it, bringing in a sponsor, and generally commercialising the show. Wayne and Garth sign contracts for “5 thousand dollars each” and the show becomes “Noah’s Arcade presents Wayne’s World.”

The problems start from here. Wayne and Garth have a falling out, Wayne and his girlfriend Cassandra have a falling out, and Wayne temporarily leaves the show, but it’s still incredibly funny, especially with Wayne’s constant conversations wi
th the camera (only Wayne and Garth get to talk to the camera). Ed O’Neill (Married With Children) also appears as Glen, the psychotic owner of Stan Mikita’s Donuts – Wayne and Garth’s usual hang out.

I don’t know whether it’s because the grouping of Wayne and his friends and the music they were in to struck a chord with me at the time, but I could easily see my own social life in the portrayal of theirs when I was a teenager. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t have a TV show or anything, but I used to cruise around with my friends, wearing my disgustingly faded band t-shirts, with my long hair, playing air-guitar, and finally managed to afford the electric Fender Stratocaster I had had my eye on in the music shop window for some time. Cue: “it will be mine, oh yes, it will be mine.”

Rob Lowe has got to be one of the best characters in the film as Benjamin the TV executive – with his slick moves, and city apartment. He “has a cool car, does not live with parents”, and is instantly a threat to Wayne with regard to his girlfriend Cassandra. Another great character is Wayne’s ex-girlfriend Stacey (Lara Flynn Boyle), who is a bit nuts, and buys Wayne a gun-rack for “their anniversary”. When Wayne explains: “we broke up two months ago!” Stacey simply answers: “well, that doesn’t mean we can’t still go out…if you’re not careful Wayne, you’ll lose me”. Tia Carrere is the ultimate kung-foo-fighting babe, as Wayne’s current girlfriend Cassandra, who also plays in her own band, Crucial Taunt, and appears on the soundtrack.

There are always funny outside references as well throughout – such as the Star Trek whistling when Wayne and Garth are lying on the bonnet of the “Mirth Mobile” (Garth’s car) looking up at the stars, and the “Laverne and Shirley” reference when th
ey are travelling to see the Alice Cooper concert in Milwaukee. There are also the “Scooby doo” references, “if it wasn’t for you darn kids I’d have gotten away with it too!”, and “It’s old man Withers, the owner of the haunted amusement arcade”.

Wayne’s World and its follow up have also had their fair share of cameos. Brian Doyle-Murray appears as Noah Vanderhoff, Ione Skye as Elyse, Benjamin’s love interest in the beginning. Meatloaf also appears as “Tiny” the bodyguard at “The Gas Works”, a club, which Wayne and his friends frequent, and the late Chris Farley as the Security Guard at the Alice Cooper gig. Mr Big the owner of Sharp Records is also played by Frank DiLeo, who used to be Michael Jackson’s manager.

Sure, this film has its fair share of “toilet humour”, but it is also incredibly clever and hysterically funny at times. Never has Bohemian Rhapsody taken on such head-banging connotations as when Wayne, Garth, and their crew are in the “Mirth Mobile”. The two main characters Wayne and Garth bounce off each other’s humour fantastically. Wayne is the louder one, with most of the wisecracks, and Garth is the “silent but deadly” one who, although acting a little weird at times, provides a brilliant alter ego for Wayne.

Classic quotes:

Wayne: Garth, marriage is punishment for shoplifting in some countries!

Wayne: I’d have to say "asphinctersayswhat".
Noah Vanderhoff: What?
Wayne: Exactly.

Stacey: Happy Birthday Wayne
Wayne: Err…what is it?
Stacey: It’s a gun rack
Wayne: A gun rack? A gun rack! What am I going to do…with a gun rack?!

Wayne: Officer Koharski! *aside* Anyone here smell bacon?
Garth: I certainly smell a pork product of some kind.

Classic scenes:

- The “I will not bow t
o any sponsor” scene.
- The Gas Works – Garth does his Mission Impossible thing, and manages to remove an irritating gig-goer from the floor.
- Wayne, Garth and Cassandra in the music shop, ogling the Fender Stratocaster.

The soundtrack features the likes of:

Ugly Kid Joe, Black Sabbath, Alice Cooper, Queen, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Tia Carrere, and of course, Wayne and Garth, singing the song from the closing credits.


If you haven’t seen this film, go and see it now! I implore you! If you need a good laugh, Wayne’s World is perfect. The characters are great, the plot is funny, there’s even a “baddie”, *and* multiple endings! Now that’s gotta be reason to rent it! ;-)

Currently available on VHS in the UK, and also as a boxed set (2 videos) of Wayne’s World and Wayne’s World 2. I’d advice buying the double video if you want more of the same as it works out cheaper, but I’m holding out for the DVD (fingers crossed).

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