1990s John Goodman Sci-Fi Comedy Drama Is The Best Movie You Haven’t Seen And It’s In Trouble
The 1993 John Goodman film Matinee is at risk of fading into obscurity. No streaming service has managed to secure the rights to air the movie, and there are no plans for a 4K release. Fortunately, folks interested in the comedy from director Joe Dante can check it out via video-on-demand. The story is set in Key West, Florida, in 1962, during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
John Goodman Makes A Monster Movie In Matinee
It stars John Goodman as a film producer named Lawrence Woolsey (based on filmmaker William Castle) who arrives in the town to promote his new monster movie, “Mant!” The film within the film is about a half-man, half-ant creature terrorizing a small town. Matinee also follows the experiences of Gene Loomis (Simon Fenton) and his brother Dennis (Jesse Lee).
The siblings, who live on a military base with their mother Anne (Lucinda Jenney) while their father serves aboard a U.S. Navy submarine, are swept up in a wave of excitement, along with everyone else in the town, when they hear about Lawrence Woolsey’s horror film, “Mant!” which sets the stage for John Goodman’s Matinee.
Mant!
Woolsey, a flamboyant producer with a knack for showmanship, sees the missile crisis as the perfect backdrop for his film’s premiere. He arrives in Florida with his girlfriend Ruth Corday (Cathy Moriarty), along with two actors, Herb Denning (Dick Miller) and Bob (John Sayles), who he tasks with stirring up controversy and drumming up publicity for “Mant!”
As the town buzzes with anticipation, Gene befriends a classmate named Stan (Omri Katz) and finds himself drawn to Sandra (Lisa Jakub), the daughter of local activists Jack (David Clennon) and Rhonda (Lucy Butler). While navigating teenage struggles, Gene recognizes Herb from a previous Woolsey film, sparking his curiosity about the movie industry.
A Premiere Gone Wrong
Meanwhile, Woolsey ramps up his promotional efforts by introducing his innovative “Rumble-Rama” gimmick to enhance the theatrical experience. But when a chaotic series of events unfold during the premiere, including a scuffle with a delinquent named Harvey (James Villemaire) and being trapped in a fallout shelter with Sandra, Gene finds himself at the center of the action in John Goodman’s Matinee.
Matinee Pays Homage To Creature Features Of The Past
Joe Dante drew from his own childhood experiences growing up to create the setting and atmosphere of John Goodman’s Matinee. Due to his love of monster movies, the film pays homage to the B-movie creature features of the 1950s and 1960s, as well as the showmanship of directors like William Castle, who often used gimmicks to enhance the theatrical experience of their films.
Why It’s Worth A Watch
John Goodman’s Matinee received positive reviews from critics, who praised its nostalgic charm, clever humor, and heartfelt performances. Goodman’s portrayal of Lawrence Woolsey was particularly well-received. Despite its warm reception, the movie struggled to find an audience during its theatrical run. It only managed to bring in $9 million worldwide, falling short of its $13 million budget.
The movie currently holds a 93 percent critics rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, based on over 40 reviews. The audience score stands at a respectable 62 percent based on over 5000 reviews, indicating that John Goodman’s Matinee is a must-watch.
You can dive deeper into Matinee by listening to this episode of the GenreVision podcast.
