Kids in the Hall: Brain Candy

1 Conversation

The Kids in the Hall was a sketch comedy television show that aired from 1989 to 1995. The show was written and acted by five Canadians: Dave Foley, Bruce McCulloch, Kevin McDonald, Mark McKinney, and Scott Thompson. It was amazingly funny and inventive, rivaling Monty Python's Flying Circus. The Kids were famous for dressing up as women, and gay characters were common on the show, largely because Scott is gay in real life. After the show ended, the Kids got back together one more time in 1996. The result was Kids in the Hall: Brain Candy, their first (and probably only) movie.If you have never seen the television show, chances are you will not enjoy the movie. If you are a fan of the show, you still may not like the movie. I thought it was terrible the first time I saw it. Critics generally hated it or didn't understand it, and as far as I know it was a failure at the box office. But Brain Candy is a bold, daring movie. It is dark, disturbing, artistic, and yet very funny at the same time. Once you get over the fact that it is very unlike the television show, you will begin to appreciate how good it really is.Here is the basic plot: Chris Cooper (Kevin) is a scientist working for Roritor Pharmaceuticals. Chris has just invented a drug that fights depression and makes people happy all the time, partly by reminding them of their happiest memories. The founder of the company, Don Roritor (Mark), made it big years ago with a drug called Stummies, but lately Roritor has fallen on hard times. Don, looking for the next Stummies, pressures Chris into making his anti-depression drug available to the public. Initially the drug is a success, outselling even penicillin, and everyone who takes it is happy. Chris becomes a celebrity, alienating Alice (Bruce), his would-be girlfriend. Soon the people who have taken the drug fall into comas, unable to escape their happy memories.The Kids strong suit has always been the various characters they play, and this movie is no exception. They play over 40 characters, most of which are new creations. Mark steals the show as Don Roritor, the ruthless head of Roritor Pharmaceuticals. His voice and mannerisms are very reminiscent of Doctor Evil from the Austin Powers films, although Don came first. Don't forget to check out the similarities between Dr. Evil's grey suit and the dark blue suit Don wears near the end of Brain Candy.Don isn't the only great character in the movie, however. Bruce plays some wonderful roles, such as Grivo, the depressed heavy metal rocker who performs "Some Days It's Dark." After taking the drug, he writes a much more upbeat song entitled "Happiness Pie." Bruce also plays Cisco, the cocky head of marketing for Roritor, and Cancer Boy, who sounds a bit like Gavin from the television show.Unsurprisingly, Scott plays a gay character, this time a man named Wally who doesn't realize he is gay. Everyone else knows it, including his wife and children. Scott also does a great old lady, in this case playing the first test subject for the drug. Kevin spends a large amount of time in the role of Chris Cooper, but also plays Chris' dad and Wally's wife. Dave Foley fans will be disappointed to find out that he has the least screen time in the movie, and in fact was the only Kid not listed as a writer. But he is very funny as Marv, the corporate yes-man and assistant to Don Roritor.In addition to the new characters, I counted eleven characters that originally appeared in the television show: The police cops (Bruce and Mark), Sid and Sharisse (Bruce and Mark), Raj and Lacey (Scott and Kevin), the cab driver (Mark), Nina Bedford (Mark), Melanie (Mark), Elizabeth II the Queen of England (Scott), and Bellini (Paul Bellini), who as always is dressed in nothing but his trademark towel.One final note about the movie - the music is very well done. In addition to "Some Days It's Dark," "Happiness Pie," and Scott singing "I'm Gay," the background music fits the film perfectly. Although Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet do not perform the television theme in the movie (it's too upbeat), they do provide some music, including the opening credits song. The soundtrack is one of the better ones I've heard. It includes songs by They Might Be Giants, Liz Phair, Pavement, Matthew Sweet, Yo La Tengo, Cibo Matto, Pizzicato Five, Odds, and The Tragically Hip, as well as Bruce, Scott, and yes, even Paul Bellini.

Bookmark on your Personal Space


Conversations About This Entry

Entry

A124156

Infinite Improbability Drive

Infinite Improbability Drive

Read a random Edited Entry


Written and Edited by

Disclaimer

h2g2 is created by h2g2's users, who are members of the public. The views expressed are theirs and unless specifically stated are not those of the Not Panicking Ltd. Unlike Edited Entries, Entries have not been checked by an Editor. If you consider any Entry to be in breach of the site's House Rules, please register a complaint. For any other comments, please visit the Feedback page.

Write an Entry

"The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a wholly remarkable book. It has been compiled and recompiled many times and under many different editorships. It contains contributions from countless numbers of travellers and researchers."

Write an entry
Read more