'80s Roulette: IT CAME FROM HOLLYWOOD

This 'bad movie' compilation probably shouldn't throw stones

I have (almost) every single movie released in theaters in the ‘80s in the United States on a hard drive and once I week, I’m going to hit shuffle and review whatever film comes up first.

Welcome to ‘80s Roulette!

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OCTOBER 29, 1982

It Came From Hollywood
Dan Aykroyd, John Candy, Cheech Marin, Tommy Chong, Gilda Radner, Don E. Carney, Honey Sheperd, Teena Nickolas
cinematography by Fred J. Koenekamp
screenplay by Dana Olsen
produced by Jeff Stein and Susan Strausberg
directed by Malcolm Leo and Andrew Solt
Rated PG
1 hr 20 mins

A fistful of comedy stars introduce segments about “bad” movies from the ‘50s and ‘60s.

“Hey, what’s this movie about again, man?”

It Came From Hollywood is a slapshod compilation film about “bad” movies that is remembered today (if it is remembered at all) largely for the comedy stars who host the various clips packages. When it was released, the mainstreaming of “let’s get together and ironically watch terrible movies” was a new thing, largely driven by the Medved Brothers and their back-to-back books. I read The 50 Worst Films of All Time (and How They Got That Way) by Harry Medved and Randy Dreyfuss (as well as an uncredited at the time Michael Medved) over and over, fascinated by it and by the entire idea of devoting critical time and attention to “bad” art.