9.
Wednesday, October 30, 1985
Daily Nebraskan
Varney as Dr. Otto displays
zaniness, but minimal humor
By Mike Grant
Staff Reporter
"There are two kinds of movies . . .
this is the ot her kind" proclaims the ad
for "Dr. Otto and the Riddle of the
Gloom Beam."
This defines the film as precisely as
possible.
Jim Varney stars as Dr. Otto. The
name probably doesn't sound samiliar,
but Varney's portrayal of Ernest P.
Worrell on the Robert's Dairy com
mercials make him one of the funniest
character actors around today.
Movie Review
The film begins with Dr. Otto invent
ing "The Magnetic Gloom Beam," which
renders all credit cards and bank
account records useless by demagnetiz
ing their information strips. Soon all of
the Western world is tottering on
economic collapse.
"World domination is a thankless,
grueling task," Dr. Otto says, "but
someone has to do it."
A major bank in Cincinnati responds
by sending out Lance Sterling (Myke
Mueller), a clutzy, ail-American boy, to
stop Dr. Otto, his former high school
classmate.
What follows are 90 minutes of high
school memories, with Dr. Otto zapping
all sorts of places and changing into
disguises via his changing coffin.
We learn, for instance, that Lance
had a model childhood, while Dr. Otto
blew up his parents for Christmas. Dr.
Otto changes into characters like Rudd
Hardtack, an unsociable mercenary
soldier; Aunti Nelda, the obese inn
manager who wears a neckbrace; and
Guy Dandy, a fun-seeking millionaire.
In the end, our hero Lance wins, of
course. But Dr. Otto is allowed to
survive, perhaps for a sequel.
"Dr. Otto and the Riddle of the
Gloom Beam" was apparently made to
show off Varney's versatility as a
character actor. Oddly enough, the
father he gets from the character of
Ernest in the dairy commercials, the
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Jim Varney as the villain, Dr. Otto, in "Dr. Otto and the Riddle
of the Gloom Beam."
less funny he gets.
Mueller as Lance Sterling is equally
unfunny. While his dialogue with his
secretary, Doris, is supposed to be
bouncy, falls flat on its face.
The movie has witty background
details like a laboratory that looks like
an amusement park, a robot with a
constantly changing "have-a-nice-day"
face and a lead villain with a live hand
implanted in his head. But all in all,
there's more humor in a half-hour
segment of "Benny Hill" than in this
entire movie.
I kept trying to think of a term to
describe this kind of movie. My brother,
who accompanied me to the screening,
came up with "highly marginal." Per
haps he's being too kind, but perhaps
there's something endearing about
watching a low-budget movie like this
make so much noise while doing so
little.
So I'll give this movie a $1.50 rating.
Perhaps Varney should stick to dairy
commercials until a better vehicle for
his talents comes along. Know what I
mean? "Dr. Otto and the Riddle of the
Gloom Beam" is now playing at East
Park 3 at 66th and 0 streets.
If people can stand Lincoln
what are they doing here?
Here is the first of a non-exhaustive
list of things that irritate me.
People who continually complain
about Lincoln. If they don't like it, why
don't they do something about it, or
why don't they just leavtf That's what
I'm doing.
Intersections without stoplights,
stop or yield signs. What are you sup
posed to do? If you charge through,
someone might hit you. If you stop,
there's never anyone there.
Tom
Modeler
O People who refuse to wear seat
wits because they are "confining"
Jen refuse to drive small cars because
they are "unsafe." Of course, if they
want to spend the money on gas that's
Jeir problem. I don't want to give
tnem a ride in my VW anyway.
Ronald Reagan. The first 4V4
years were amusing, but the joke is
Rowing old.
Cockroaches. We must eradicate
Mem. We must eliminate them.
Whiskers. I find that if you let 4
jays of dead skin build on your face,
having isn't too bad. But then you look
Me a bum.
h ,Diet Pepsi commercials. They
"e two strikes against them to begin
Li d,et PP Pepsi. I think the
wncept of diet pop is decadent. WTiy
wink pop but for the sugar rush and
f caffeine picker-upper? Oh, because
" tastes good." That's just plain hed
Jgjm. Just like non-alcoholic beer and
c2ai Vra. 8etting sidetracked. In any
' rePsl is disgustingly sweet, and
most importantly, their commercials
are crass. Diet Pepsi ads now claim
they have "more real cola taste" than
Diet Coke. How can you have more
"real Cola taste"? What does that mean?
Sprite commercials. Are we really
to believe that just because it beat 7-Up
in taste tests, it actually tastes better?
All that means is that in their taste
tests, more people preferred Sprite.
That does not provide objective evi
dence that something tastes better.
You cannot say objectively some
thing tastes better. If they had just
blindly asserted "Sprite tastes better,"
it wouldn't bother me as much.
What is Lymon anyway?
O Doesn't anyone have their own
opinion anymore? All these commer
cials talk about is freedom of choice
the freedom to choose their product.
Then they say to choose their product
because other people choose their pro
duct that's individual expression
for you.
O Charging for air at gas stations.
That's really hitting below the belt a
little like pay toilets.
O People who handle records im
properly you really don't have to
touch the vinyl surface. Also, try put
ting the paper sleeve in sidewise, so
that the record doesn't fall out when
you pick up the album cover. And try to
keep the dust cover on the turntable
it's there for a reason.
O Aspirin bottles. Aspirin is very
cheap if you buy a bottle of 100, but
how long does it take to use up 100
aspirin? Unless you have chronic head
aches, a long time. The savings are
purely theoretical.
And you never have the bottle with
you when you need it so you have to go
out and buy some more. I was once with
someone who spent a dollar for a pack
age of six.
A similar case can be made tor
mayonnaise.
O It is too controversial to print
(Editor's note).
Kennedys' concert
one of long series
DEAD from Page 12
After a three-year ceasefire, The
Dead Kennedys are back. The show at
the Omaha Civic Auditorium's Music
Hall promises to be one of the most
exciting events in a long series of local
appearances by national acts.
Tickets are $7.50 in advance. Tickets
still are available. The Dead Kennedys
will perform at 8 p.m. today.
Pay the $7.50. You won't be cheated.
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tunity employers.
VISA
MASTERCARD
NEED FURNITURE?
We have it1 Find a large selection of quality, affordable
used furniture and household goods at ONE MORE TIME,
850 N. 27th, 474-2065, 10-6, Mon.-Sat.
COLLEGE SWEATSHIRTS and T-SHIRTS!! Any school in
the country Sportswear manufactured by Russell and
tones $l5each postpaid. Box 317, Brookhaven, MS
39601 VfeaMC call 1-fo0-231-4190.
NU-KSU Football tickets $12. Call 488-3720 aft. 6 p.m.
Page 13
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4 -ff'
VJiSooo vjcnls you to come
to a JdJorjacn Pcity?
Grandmother's is out to make 1935's
Halloween sufe md fun. So we're having
a Safe Hslloween Party.
To make it fun, there will be:
o Music and Dancins
Costume Contest Judsed by Mel Mains, 9 P.M.
Halloween Party Games and Prizes
To play it safe, Grandmother's is providing:
Free soft drinks for the desisnated driver
o Party van between the Student Union
and Grandmother's, besinnins at 6:30 p.m.
For a grand time, plan on attending
Grandmother's Safe Halloween Party:
o Thursday, October 31
o 201 Sun Valley Elvd.475-3677
Grand Food Grand Car Grand Values
