Munchies

A review by Michael O'May

I met Robert Picardo at a Star Trek convention once, because I’m not a huge Star Trek geek I brought my beat to hell VHS copy of Munchies for him to sign. He looked at me as straight as you could when I presented it and said. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”

For my very first Micro-Shock review I’m going to a favorite of mine, Munchies. Yes I said Munchies.

Munchies is a classic Roger Corman rip-off that does what he does so well, it’s so good you forget it’s a copy of a bigger movie. Munchies is the direct to video equivalent of Gremlins, minus the budget, Howie Mandel, and decent effects. What do you get for your 3 dollar rental fee in place of a 7 dollar movie ticket? Creative use of a small amount of money, hand puppets, and Frank Wellker (yes Megatron, but I’m not oblivious to the irony that he voiced stripe in Gremlins I was just trying to say he’s cooler than Howie Mandel unless we are talking about “Walk like a Man” then he isn’t- I’m rambling sorry)

Munchies is everything I love about the 80’s. It’s like Pee Wee’s playhouse threw up all over this movie. There is some criminal use of color and design that you could only get away with in 1987. Every single character in this movie is living and trying very hard to sell the lie that was the 80’s and they even have miniature golf! So what’s it about?

An archaeologist and his son travel to Peru or some other backwards ass place south of here to explore an ancient Mayan temple. After they discover the temple looks strikingly like a reused movie set in California they also discover a small creature next to a pool of toxic waste. So what do they do? They bottle some of the toxic waste (it’s not explicitly called toxic waste but its glowing green and bubbling, come on it’s the 80’s of course that’s what it is, that or maybe Mutagen- cowabunga motherfucker) and they kidnap the small creature, which by the way looks like the bastard offspring of a Jawa and the Geico lizard.

Fast forward a bit and the son, Paul, is left with a task, watch the creature for one day and he can go to L.A. to become a stand up comic, if he fucks up he has to go to community college and get a real job. If ever there was a reason for shenanigans… Paul makes the huge mistake of deciding to slip his lady friend some sausage while leaving the newly crowned Arnold the Munchie alone. Arnold goes on the lamb and we get to meet a wide selection of quirky characters that serve to fuck Paul’s plans of becoming the next Paul Reiser in fast succession. An idiot cop and his borderline retarded son, the evil twin snake oil salesman uncle, his “Tammy-Faye”-like wife, and their son “Dude” Macintosh, (yes I said “Dude” Macintosh) and Robert Picardo as a very determined ice cream salesman.

One by one this small yellow bus of a cast runs into the ever growing number of Munchies (instead of water if you cut them up they multiply). The Munchies are fun creatures that are played like mini party animals and stoners that bounce from one scene to the next looking for booze, pot and tail. The only thing that stops the fun is Paul who just sucks the life out of every scene he’s in with one bad joke or comedic observation after the next.

Long story short the good guys find a way to save the day but not before the Munchies raise lots of hell. “Munchies” is a fun ride that never takes it’s self seriously which is essential to a movie that is ultimately a cheap rip off.

I was surprised as to how well “Munchies” withstood the tests of time. I watched this movie to death as a kid and upon re-watching it now as an adult it still works but now on whole new levels. It’s a look back in time to a very ridiculous period in history, and somehow the film makers knew this. Munchies is very self aware of how ridiculous a time it was and it makes fun of it every chance it gets, something that was lost on me as a kid.

I recommend Munchies; it’s short, sweet and tongue in cheek. Look for it on an already out of print DVD or dusty old VHS near you, I recommend eBay. I give this gem 4 out of 5 gremlins rip offs.

P.S. I still want my autograph Picardo you shit sandwich!

The Checklist!
Midgets: Big Yes
Boobs: Big no
Mini golf: Hell yes
Robert Picardo turning into a werewolf?: No
E.T. references?: Oddly yes
Dude Macintosh!: in spades!

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