Directed by Jerry Paris and written by Gene Quintano, Police Academy 3: Back in Training is the story of the academy’s best graduates who are asked to return to the academy in order to train a new group of misfit recruits in order to save it from being shut down in a competition with a rival academy. The film is another comedy where cops do whatever it takes to save their academy as their new recruits include a cop’s wife, a Japanese police officer, a former merchant, and a reformed gang leader. With returning cast members Steve Guttenberg, Bubba Smith, Michael Winslow, David Graf, Leslie Easterbrook, Marion Ramsey, Bruce Mahler, Tim Kazurinsky, Bobcat Goldthwait, George R. Robertson, Lance Kinsey, Art Metrano, and George Gaynes all reprising their roles in the previous films. The film also stars Brian Tochi, David Huband, Shawn Weatherly, and Ed Nelson. Police Academy 3: Back in Training is a wild and exhilarating film from Jerry Paris.
When the state’s governor announces that its government is unable to support two police academies as one of them will be shut down, the two academies go into a competition where a committee will decide which one will stay and which one will shut down. That is pretty much the plot of the film where Commandant Eric Lassard (George Gaynes) brings back his top graduates from the past to spar with Commandant Mauser (Art Metrano) who leads the other academy. Yet, Mauser would get wind of what was to happen before the announcement as he and his assistant Captain Proctor (Lance Kinsey) team up with two of Lassard’s former cadets in Sgt. Blankes (Brant van Hoffman) and Sgt. Copeland (Scott Thomson) to ensure that Lassard’s academy goes down. Yet, Lassard brings in his top graduates in Sgt. Mahoney (Steve Guttenberg), Sgt. Hightower (Bubba Smith), Sgt. Tackleberry (David Graf), Sgt. Jones (Michael Winslow), Sgt. Hooks (Marion Ramsey), and Lt. Callahan (Leslie Easterbrook) to train the new recruits any way they can as well as do some humiliating things to Mauser.
The film’s screenplay is sort of a rehash of the first film which was about a group of misfits who attend the police academy in their desire to be cops as this one is also about a band of misfits that includes Tackleberry’s brother-in-law Bud Kirkland (Andrew Paris), a young heir named Hedges (David Huband), a Japanese police officer named Nogata (Brian Tochi), a beautiful woman named Karen Adams (Shawn Weatherly) whom Mahoney falls for, and the wife of a cop in Mrs. Fackler (Debralee Scott). Also joining Lassard’s academy is the former merchant shop owner Sweetchuck (Tim Kazurinsky) and his old nemesis in reformed gang leader Zed (Bobcat Goldthwait) as they become roommates and later work together to help Lassard win over the committee. Especially as Mauser is willing to do anything to make Lassard and his academy look bad as he becomes cocky in his pursuit as well as be humiliated by Mahoney and his gang in a series of hilarious pranks.
Jerry Paris’ direction is quite simple in terms of the compositions as he doesn’t go for anything new though there is this nice balance between action and comedy. Most notably as Paris brings back a few gags from previous films while creating new ones that play into Mahoney and his gang trying to one-up and humiliate Mauser who is doing everything he can to impress this committee. Paris’ usage of close-ups and medium shots do play out as it relates to Nogata’s attraction towards Callahan as well as some of the moments involving Sweetchuck and Zed as they play off this odd couple of meekish nerd and wild slob, respectively. Though there’s a few moments where some of the humor doesn’t exactly work which does lag the pacing of the film a bit. There are moments where it is about a group of misfits trying to rise above everything and save the academy from being shut down as well as deal with those who are trying to take it down. Overall, Paris creates a very fun and exciting film about a group of misfit cops and some new recruits battling it out with another academy in order to save their own.
Cinematographer Robert Saad does nice work with the film‘s cinematography where it‘s quite straightforward for the daytime scenes while it‘s more effective for the scenes at night that includes the opening meeting Mauser holds with Proctor, Blankes, and Copeland at a parking garage. Editor Bud Molin does excellent work with the editing as it‘s straightforward with some stylish transitions and rhythmic cuts to play into the film‘s humor and action scenes. Production designer Trevor Williams, with art directors Rhiley Fuller and Dennis Davenport and set decorator Sean Kirby, does brilliant work with the look of the academy as well as some of the locations in Toronto plus the look of Mauser‘s academy.
Costume designer Aleida MacDonald does superb work with the costumes from the different police uniforms such as the more dark-blue style of Lassard‘s academy to the more khaki-based look of Mauser‘s academy. Sound editor Dale Johnston does amazing work with the sound to play into the sound of gunfire and other sound effects including the self-made ones by Jones. The film’s music by Robert Folk is fantastic for its bombastic theme with some orchestral flourishes and jazz-based pieces while music supervisors Tena Clark and David Chackler bring in a soundtrack that features a mix of rock and pop music.
The casting by Fern Champion and Pamela Basker is great as it features notable small roles from David James Elliot as one of Mauser’s cadets, Ed Nelson as the governor, Bruce Mahler as Fackler, Arthur Batanides as Kirkland’s father, Georgina Spelvin as the hooker from the first film who humiliates Proctor in a funny way, David Huband as the posh cadet Hedges, Debralee Scott as Fackler’s wife who becomes a police cadet and falls for Bud Kirkland, Andrew Paris as Tackleberry’s brother-in-law Bud who becomes a cadet as he has the boxing skills to fight off criminals, the duo of Brant van Hoffman and Scott Thomson in their respective roles as the sniveling Blankes and Copeland who help Mauser in taking Lassard’s academy down, and George R. Robertson as Chief Hurst who becomes annoyed by Mauser‘s ass-kissing. Other notable small roles include Shawn Weatherly in a wonderful performance as Karen Adams as a cadet Mahoney takes a liking to as well as Brian Tochi in a terrific performance as the Japanese cadet Nogata who is skilled in karate as he falls for Callahan.
Lance Kinsey is very funny as the dim-witted Proctor who does everything for Mauser only to screw things up and also become a victim of the other Academy’s pranks. Marion Ramsey is fantastic as Hooks as she teaches the cadets in police work while being very suspicious about Blankes and Copeland. George Gaynes is superb as Commandant Eric Lassard as the eccentric academy leader who is hoping that his academy will win while just being focused on police work as he also proves to be a formidable badass. Art Metrano is excellent as Commandant Mauser as the film’s antagonist who tries to take down Lassard’s academy as his arrogance and brown-nosing ends up having him be the brunt of many of the pranks caused by Mahoney. Leslie Easterbrook is brilliant as Lt. Callahan who helps in the training of the new cadets while getting the attention of Nogata whom she is impressed by.
Michael Winslow is hilarious as Jones as he creates some noises to humiliate Mauser as well as help Nogata out in winning over Callahan. David Graf is terrific as Tackleberry as he helps Sweetchuck into become a tough police officer. Bubba Smith is amazing as Hightower as big man who gets things done while teaching cadets how to have police dogs as their equals. Tim Kazurinsky is fun to watch as the meek Sweetchuck who tries to gain some confidence as a cop. Bobcat Goldthwait is a riot as Zed as a reformed gang leader who decides to become a cop as he uses unconventional tactics to get results. Finally, there’s Steve Guttenberg in a marvelous performance as Mahoney as he aids in training the cadets as he also tries to boost their confidence while finding ways to humiliate Commandant Mauser.
Police Academy 3: Back in Training is a superb film from Jerry Paris. With its great cast as well as some very funny moments, it is a film that manages to be entertaining though it is quite flawed but saved by some of the scene-stealing performances of Art Metrano and Bobcat Goldthwait. In the end, Police Academy 3: Back in Training is a fantastic film from Jerry Paris.
Police Academy Films: Police Academy - Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment - Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol - Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach - Police Academy 6: City Under Siege - Police Academy: Mission to Moscow
© thevoid99 2015
Directed by Jerry Paris and screenplay by Barry W. Blaustein and David Sheffield, Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment is the sequel to the 1984 film where it revolves on six of its graduates who are assigned to help a police precinct captain to battle a local gang. The film plays into the world of gang culture as six young cops do whatever they can to battle this gang as Steve Guttenberg, Bubba Smith, David Graf, Marion Ramsey, Michael Winslow, Bruce Mahler, and George R. Robertson, and George Gaynes all reprise their roles from the first film. Also starring Bobcat Goldthwait, Tim Kazurinsky, Lance Kinsey, Art Metrano, Colleen Camp, Peter Van Norden, and Howard Hesseman as Captain Pete Lassard. Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment is a fun and wild film from Jerry Paris.
When a local gang runs amok on a city as a police precinct captain has 30 days to deal with the situation, he is given six new recruits who had just graduated from the police academy as they deal with this wild gang. It’s a film that sort of picks up where the previous film left off as Mahoney (Steve Guttenberg), Jones (Michael Winslow), Hightower (Bubba Smith, Tackleberry (David Graf), Hooks (Marion Ramsey), and Fackler (Bruce Mahler) are chosen to aid Captain Pete Lassard in shaping up his precinct which is filled with aging cops who are too overwhelmed to handle the situation. Yet, the local gang run by Zed McGlunk (Bobcat Goldthwait) are an unconventional gang who do what they want as the other problem Mahoney and his fellow graduates have is Lt. Mauser (Art Metrano) who also works at the precinct as he is trying to make sure they screw up so he can become the new captain of the precinct.
The film’s screenplay not only play to the struggle the rookies have to face in their very first assignment but also into the world of inter-police politics as Lt. Mauser is eager to make Cpt. Lassard look bad as Mahoney and some of the officers know exactly what Mauser is up to as they would pull a few pranks on him. There’s also some subplots as it relates to the rookies in their first assignment as some of them are paired with more experienced officers as Mahoney teams with a slob named Vinnie Schtulman (Peter Van Norden) and Tackleberry with Sgt. Kathleen Kirkland (Colleen Camp) whom he falls for as they both share a love of guns and firepower. The rookies’ encounter with Zed’s gang also has them meeting up with a frequent victim of the gang in Carl Sweetchuck (Tim Kazurinsky) who is put into some darkly-comical situations. The script succeeds in not just developing the rookies trying to get the job done but also take some major risks in putting Zed and his gang down for good while saving Captain Lassard’s job.
Jerry Paris’ direction is very lively as it is shot on location in Toronto and nearby locations in Ontario as he manages to keep things straightforward in the compositions. Notably as the streets in Toronto are given a very grimy look to play into a city coming undone by a gang as they wreak havoc on the street at it includes a scene walking into a supermarket and causing trouble with some funny moments. Paris’ usage of close-ups and medium shot do play into the action as well as some of the film’s comical moments that includes Jones using his martial arts skill to pretend he’s Bruce Lee or Hightower throwing a football to a street punk. The gags manage to keep things lively as it includes a scene at the Blue Oyster Bar where Zed’s gang definitely cross path with a bunch of men that shouldn’t be messed with. Paris also brings in bits of crass humor that is quite playful as it plays a moment in time where it was OK to be politically incorrect as well as elements that are quite silly but it’s not afraid to be silly or crass. Overall, Paris creates a very funny and engaging film about six rookies going all out against a street gang.
Cinematographer James Crabe does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography to play into the grimy look of the streets for some of the daytime exteriors as well as some unique lighting for its nighttime interior/exterior scenes. Editor Bob Wyman does terrific work with the editing as it‘s very straightforward to play into some of the film‘s humor and action sequences. Production designer Trevor Williams, with set decorators Robert C. Furginson and Dennis W. Peebles, does brilliant work with the look of the city streets to play into its sense of decay as it‘s being ruined by Zed‘s gang as well as the look of Zed‘s secret hideout.
Costume designer Bernie Pollack does nice work with the costumes as it mostly involve the uniforms and the grimy clothes of the gang. Sound editor Dale Johnston does superb work with the sound as it plays into the sound of gunfire and some of the sound effects that Jones make. The film’s music by Robert Folk is brilliant as it features the franchise’s theme as well as thrilling pieces involving the saxophone for its action as well as some of the romantic moments while the soundtrack includes some rock and pop music.
The casting by Pamela Basker and Fern Champion is great as it features some notable small roles from Julie Brown as a seamstress, Jason Hervey as a brat kid who refuses to go to school, Julie Paris as a check-out girl, Andrew Paris as Kirkland’s brother, Arthur Batanides and Jackie Joseph as Kirkland’s parents, Jennifer Darling as the city mayor, Kenji Shintani as a sushi chef, Ed Herlihy as Fackler’s veteran partner Dooley, Rich Hall as blond street punk, and George R. Robertson as Chief Hurst who demands Captain Lassard to turn things around. Other notable small roles include George Gaynes as the academy’s supervisor Commandant Lassard who would give his younger brother Pete the six rookies he needs, Tim Kazurinsky as a wimpy merchant named Sweetchuck who is a frequent victim of Zed and his gang, and Lance Kinsey in a funny performance as Mauser’s assistant Sgt. Proctor.
Peter Van Norden is terrific as the snobbish Schtulman who eats dirty food and always has his big dog Lou around him while Colleen Camp is wonderful as Kirkland who shares Tackleberry’s love of firearms and violence. Art Metrano is excellent as Lieutenant Mauser as a scheming officer who wants to oust Captain Lassard so he can run the precinct and be in total power as his funny moments involve him being the victim of the pranks. Bruce Mahler is very good as Fackler as the accident-prone officer who manages to use that flaw to his unknowing advantage while Marion Ramsey is superb as Hooks as she is forced to sit behind a desk and give out codes until she does what is right in the film’s climax. David Graf is brilliant as Tackleberry who not only copes with having the perfect woman as his partner but also in the fact that isn’t really experienced with being with women. Bubba Smith is fantastic as Hightower as the giant who not only gets the job done but also prove to be the one person that Zed’s gang is afraid of. Michael Winslow is amazing as Jones as he provides a lot of humor with his sound effects while being a total ass-kicker with his martial arts skills.
Bobcat Goldthwait is hilarious as Zed as a gang leader who likes to cause chaos while having a very sensitive side that makes him a very odd antagonist. Art Metrano is marvelous as Mauser as a lieutenant who wants to get rid of Captain Lassard as he mocks the new rookies as he also has an immediate dislike towards Mahoney as he becomes a victim of Mahoney’s pranks. Howard Hesseman is phenomenal as Captain Pete Lassard, Commandant Lassard’s younger brother, who copes with the on-going gang war as well as knowing that he has little time to shape things up in his precinct. Finally, there’s Steve Guttenberg in a remarkable performance as Mahoney as a rookie cop who deals with his first assignment while finding humor in his many situations while dealing with Mauser as he knows what he is up to.
Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment is an excellent film from Jerry Paris as it’s one of the finest films of the franchise. Most notably for its cast, music soundtrack, and its offbeat humor that manages to keep things being wacky as well as entertaining. In the end, Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment is marvelous film from Jerry Paris.
Police Academy Films: Police Academy - Police Academy 3: Back in Training - Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol - Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach - Police Academy 6: City Under Siege - Police Academy: Mission to Moscow
© thevoid99 2015
(Winner of the Palme d’Or at the 1955 Cannes Film Festival)
Directed by Delbert Mann and written by Paddy Chayefsky, Marty is the story about a lonely butcher whose life changes when he falls in love with a woman much to the dismay of his family and friends. The film is an exploration into a man trying to make changes in his life as he is played by Ernest Borgnine. Also starring Betsy Blair, Joe Mantell, Karen Steele, and Jerry Paris. Marty is an extraordinary film from Delbert Mann.
Told in the span of 48 hours, the film explores the life of a lonely butcher who is in his mid-30s and is convinced that he will never marry as he still lives with his mother (Esther Minciotti) while his younger siblings have already married. On one night where he reluctantly goes out, he meets a 29-year old schoolteacher named Clara (Betsy Blair) who came to the dancehall on a blind date as she and Marty would spend much of the night talking as friends wonder where he is while Marty’s mother would briefly meet Clara as it would play to all of her doubts about this young woman. It’s a film that plays into a man and a woman who both seem to have given up on the idea of a future until they meet and become comfortable with one another.
While Paddy Chayefsky’s script doesn’t have much of a plot, it makes up for it with its very strong dialogue as it explores Marty’s reluctance to go out as he been rejected numerous of times. At the urging of his mother and cousin Tommy (Jerry Paris), Marty would go to the Stardust dancehall with his friend Angie (Joe Mantell) as it’s another night of being rejected and such. Clara would arrive on a blind date as her date would leave her for another woman as the guy had earlier asked Marty to take her home for $5 which Marty refused. Marty would look at Clara as she left to go outside as he asked her to dance. While Marty nor Clara are the most attractive people in the room, they do manage to have personality as well as share their own anxieties about leaving their parents and move on to do something as adults.
There is also a subplot in the film as it relates to Tommy’s mother Catherine (Augusta Ciolli) who doesn’t get along with her daughter-in-law Virginia (Karen Steele) as Tommy asks Marty and his mother if his Catherine can stay with them. It would play into the idea about what if Marty did find someone as Catherine would put some thoughts into her sister’s head. Just as Marty seemed to have the best night of his life and a hopeful future, his mother and his friends would try to put doubts into his head.
Delbert Mann’s direction is pretty simple as it doesn’t play to any sense of style in favor of something more engaging in its approach to drama. Particularly as he shoots the film entirely on location in the Bronx while adding something that felt like audiences can relate to. Most of the compositions include a lot of medium shots and close-ups as Mann maintains that sense of intimacy in the direction as well as create some melodrama that isn’t too over-the-top. There are bits of humor such as Marty constantly talking and apologizing for talking so much as it is this nice mix of humor and light drama. Yet, the drama would become prevalent in the final moments as family and friends try to put doubt into Marty’s newfound happiness as it’s ending is a powerful one. Overall, Mann creates a very rich and captivating film about a lonely man finding hope in a woman who shares his own idea on loneliness.
Cinematographer Joseph LaShelle does excellent work with the black-and-white cinematography to play into the look of the interior and exterior scenes at night with its array of stylish lighting. Editor Alan Crosland Jr. does nice work with the editing as it’s mostly straightforward yet effective in its approach to drama while using a few transitional wipes for stylistic reasons. Art directors Ted Haworth and Walter M. Simonds, with set decorator Robert Priestly, do fantastic work with the set pieces from the look of the house Marty and his mother live in to the dancehall where he meets Clara.
Costume designer Norma Koch does terrific work with the costumes from the suit that Marty wears to the plain dress that Clara wears. Sound recorders Roger Heman Sr. and John K. Kean do superb work with the sound from the way the dancehall sounds to the quieter moments in the streets of the Bronx. The film’s music by Roy Webb is wonderful for its somber orchestral music to play into some of the drama as well as some upbeat pieces for the humor as it also features some jazz pieces in the film.
The film’s marvelous cast includes some notable performances from Augusta Ciolli as Marty’s very annoyed aunt Catherine, Esther Minciotti as his mother who ponders about being alone as she would briefly meet Clara, Jerry Paris as Marty’s accountant cousin Tommy who is a mama’s boy, Karen Steele as Tommy’s wife Virginia who wants to have her own life with Tommy and their newborn son, and Joe Mantell as Marty’s friend Angie who always try to set up him with girls only to find himself all alone when Marty meets Clara. Betsy Blair is amazing as Clara as this shy, plain schoolteacher who reluctantly accepts a blind date while finding someone in Marty that she can be comfortable with as it gives her some hope. Finally, there’s Ernest Borgnine in a remarkable performance as the titular character as this man who had been through enough rejection and heartache as he finally meets his soul mate in one unlikely night as it gives him hope and also ideas of what he wants to do with his future as it’s Borgnine at his best.
Marty is an excellent film from Delbert Mann that features an incredible performance from Ernest Borgnine in the titular role. Along with a wonderful supporting performance from Betsy Blair and Paddy Chayefsky’s screenplay, it’s a film that explores loneliness and the fear of adulthood while also being a hopeful film. In the end, Marty is a superb film from Delbert Mann.
© thevoid99 2014
