My friend Don Mancini just made my Friday, and hopefully yours, a little more cheery by pointing the way to this rare teaser trailer for 1941 which ran in theaters during Christmas 1978. Narrated by Dan Akyroyd (channeling the excitable newsreel-speak of Walter Winchell), the trailer is simply Belushi in character as Wild Wayne Kelso (a name that was obviously changed, like undoubtedly many things were in 1941 between December 1978 and December 1979) in a parody of the sort of xenophobia that would be so deliciously skewered in the finished film.Fans of 1941 will note that in between the filming of this trailer and shooting of the actual film that the name of Belushi's character wasn't the only thing to have changed. It seems Kelso himself may have become decidedly more wild-- he seems much tamer in this piece than the endearingly demented bomber we've come to know and love (well, some of us anyway). So take this little gift from Don and I (courtesy of Rob's Movie Vault as my way of saying "Happy a great weekend and thanks for being patient as I try to put the finishing touches on my comprehensive report on the TCM Classic Film Festival." My editor Keith Uhlich at The House Next Door is being exceptionally patient as well as I try to find time beyond the midnight hour to finish cranking the article out and polishing it up. We're looking at early next week to unveil it for you. Before then, there are a few other things to talk about, and talk we shall. But for now, enjoy the rare rantings of one Wild Wayne Kelso and keep in touch!
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You shouldn't miss the Korean spaghetti western The Good, The Bad and The Weird (I would have gone for Once Upon a Time in Manchuria) while it's in town. Not the movie for you if you're troubled by questions such as "How many cartridges can a repeater hold?" or "Where did the motorcycle come from?" or "Where does he get the gasoline for the motorcycle?" or "Can a horse outrun a jeep?", but it's the kind of movie that begs to be shown at a drive-in. I expect it'll find its way to the midnight movie circuit.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, Ackroyd might sound like Jack Webb, but he's trying to do Walter Winchell.
ReplyDeleteYou're right, Robert. For not particularly interesting reasons, Jack Webb has been on my brain lately. I'll fix that!
ReplyDeleteWow--I think I remember having seen that in a theater. I think I like it better now; maybe I was already a little Belushi-saturated at the time. That's a nice find, for sure!
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