In the tradition of my previous reviews of such immortals as Super Fuzz and Streets of Fire, I am presenting a pre-review of Dr. Detroit. A pre-review, you ask? Well, I saw this movie multiple times in the 1980s, but it has been awhile. I've got it loaded on my queue, but I simply can't wait to post on this gem of 1980s cinema, so I'll have to go with my memory (and a few You Tube clips!).
All I really have to say about Dr. Detroit is that I recall it being silly and fun in the way many 1980 comedies were. Dan Ackroyd leads as a teacher who is initially fooled into portraying himself as a rival pimp to "Mom," but ends up enjoying the less-academic side of his personality. Also in the cast are Fran Drescher, Donna Dixon (of "Bosom Buddies" fame, and future wife of Ackroyd), Howard Hesseman, and T.K. Carter. Kate Murtagh, by the way, is all kinds of AWESOME as "Mom."
A couple of other random observations:
1. I thought Heath Ledger's turn as the Joker was fairly innovative - until I realized he is simply a more serious, creepier Dr. Detroit! Doubt me? Watch this...
2. I always figured the end of the movie, which teases a "Dr. Detroit II: The Wrath of Mom," was just a joke. However, IMDB notes that Dan Ackroyd was working on a sequel until this movie bombed at the box office.
3. And bomb it did, taking in only $10 million, which was pitiful even back then.
4. Donna Dixon ended up marrying Dan Ackroyd, and appeared in Spies Like Us (Another candidate for a Movie Flashback review, bte!) with her hubby.
A fuller, better review can be found here. I can't wait for this thing to arrive in the mail!
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