Tuesday 20 September 2011

This ain't Happy Days XXX (4 Stars)


Casting is spot on in Axel Braun's Happy Days spoof for Hustler. Especially the voice of Howard Cunningham (James Bartholet) as he informs us in voiceover that the production was "filmed in front of a live, masturbating audience". The art direction, recreated set design and costumes are all faultless right down to the old fashioned underwear and body hair. In fact everything is so much like the original that they didn't even change any of the names.

Richie (Alan Stafford), Ralph (Jack Lawrence) and Potsie (Anthony Rosato) have their eyes on a trio of cheerleaders and wish they had a way with the ladies like the Fonz (Tommy Gunn). Richie is picked to ask him for some advice. Fonzie is game and invites two chicks (Tori Black & Codi Carmichael) into his office to give the guys a show rather than some actual advice. After that he tells the guys what to wear, how to walk and most importantly: Fonz recites the HNC: how to nail chicks.

Meanwhile, Joanie (Missy Stone) loves Chachi (Kris Slater) and tells him to stop seeing other girls if he wants to go steady. A little later she calls her best friend Jenny (Penny Flame), unaware that Chachi is right there about to fill Jenny's mouth as soon as she stops talking on the phone. Back at Arnold's Diner Richie manages to impress one of the cheerleaders and get a date with her after closing time. Potsie and Ralph however end up chickening out.

The exposition (as in talking) scenes in between those in which the actors expose themselves are surprisingly lengthy and feature plenty of nods to plots and lines from the original series. For instance, Ralph and Potsie overhear the Fonz scolding his nephew about cheating on "Shortcakes". So the nerd patrol visit Joannie and the three of them end up popping each others cherries as Joannie decides to rob Chachi by "stealing her own virginity". This turns out to be the most inspired scene in the film, with little Joannie shouting out orders to the two bumbling guys all the way.

But there's still more to come: downstairs, Mr. Cunningham is off delivering a speech at the Leppards Lodge while his wife (Raquel Devine) promises Fonzie anything to make sure Richie stops doing his Fonzerelli impression. Before long, The Fonz and Mrs Cunningham are going at it, the Nerd Patrol is on the stairs watching again and in typical sitcom style, everybody walks in just after their climax. Cue audience laughter and freeze frame.

(review quoted from Wolfgang Rodenbach)

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