Bruce Vilanch Movies
With his unmistakable presence -- characterized by an obese figure, oversized red glasses, a shaggy blonde mane, and a scruffy, unkempt beard -- Bruce Vilanch checked in as one of Hollywood's most colorful characters for decades. His effeminate presence and apparel (both of which played up Vilanch's open homosexuality) only heightened this. Though known to many as an onscreen character player and comedian, Vilanch scored his most resounding successes as a gag writer for stand-up comics such as Bette Midler, Billy Crystal, Lily Tomlin, and Roseanne; in fact, a point arrived where many considered him the go-to comic for stand-up sets and a first-choice writer for events such as the perennial Oscar, Grammy, Emmy, and Tony telecasts. A native of Paterson, NJ, Vilanch attended Ohio State University as a theater and journalism major. After graduation, Vilanch moved into show business professionally, with comic roles in features such as the 1975 Mahogany (as a fashion designer), the 1984 Ice Pirates, the 1986 thriller The Morning After, and the 2008 Adam Sandler comedy You Don't Mess with the Zohan. On the side, Vilanch did frequent uncredited rewrites of Hollywood features and enjoyed a lengthy and productive tenure as a writer of features for the Chicago Tribune newspaper. Vilanch's professional mainstay, however, remained comedy writing. He was the subject of the all-star 1999 documentary Get Bruce! and played Edna Turnblad during an extensive run of the Broadway musical Hairspray. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- 2008
- PG13
- Add You Don't Mess With the Zohan to QueueAdd You Don't Mess With the Zohan to top of Queue
Judd Apatow teams up with his former roommate Adam Sandler to write a star comedy vehicle for the actor in You Don't Mess With the Zohan, the tale of an Israeli commando who fakes his own death so he can follow his dream -- to be a hairstylist in New York City. I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry's Dennis Dugan directs for Happy Madison Productions and Columbia Pictures. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Adam Sandler, John Turturro, (more)
- 2007
- R
Uprooted from her comfortable San Francisco home and transplanted to a generic Southern California suburb by her two well-meaning moms, open-minded high-school sophomore Tru despairs at being surrounded by close-minded football players and air-headed Paris Hilton wannabes until she gets the idea to combat small-town intolerance by co-founding a local chapter of the Gay-Straight Alliance. Life in her new town isn't easy, so in order to fend off boredom, Tru frequently escapes into fantasy. But whether she's retreating into a picture-perfect, Leave It to Beaver-style household with two mothers and two fathers or dancing in the streets West Side Story-style, Tru's depressive new surroundings always remain the same once she's snapped back to reality. When the star quarterback at her new high school begins paying special attention to Tru, her initial elation is soon tempered by the revelation that he's actually just another closet case in search of a sympathetic shoulder to cry on. Though Tru is at first frustrated by the prospect of putting on a false front in order to protect the athlete's true sexuality, she decides to address the homophobic attitudes of her new classmates directly by opening a local chapter of the Gay-Straight Alliance. As the movement begins to gain steam, however, Tru is forced to reconcile her unguarded position on sexual orientation with the private pledge she has made to her closeted classmate. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Najarra Townsend, Bruce Vilanch, (more)
On the heels of a successful debut at the Celebration Theater in Los Angeles and an impressive eight year run on the New York stage, the raucous musical showered with accolades by both LA Weekly and Backstage West and featuring show-stopping tunes by Bruce Vilanch, Shelly Markum, Stephen Bates, Robert Schrock, and Mark Winker can finally be enjoyed by theater fans who may not have had the opportunity to catch it in person. Everyone knows that nudity is only natural, and as an impressive cast of actors, singers, and dancers including Kevin Stea, Jason Currie, Phong Tryong, Joseph Keane, Andrew Blake, Anthony Manough, and original cast-member Vincent Samora drop their drawers to perform such sings as "Fight the Urge", "Nothin' But the Radio On", and "Robert Mitchum", home viewers can finally find out firsthand what all the fuss and fun is about. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
It's no secret that stand-up comics are a tortured lot, and in this documentary filmmaker Andrea Meyerson pays special tribute to some of the most talented - and tormented - gay comedians around. While some gay comics seek to refute common stereotypes, others thrive on them. From comedy queen Bruce Vilanch - who has penned the jokes for sixteen Oscar telecasts - to Texas football fan Scott Kennedy - who watches the games for much more than the touchdowns - these are the talented folks who eschew contemporary taboos to take an honest look at everyday gay life. Additional featured comics include Eddie Sarfaty, Bob Smith, Andre Kelley, and Alec Mapa. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Born as a series of three-minute chucklers on Icebox.com (and aired later on the Showtime pay-cable network), veteran Simpsons-producer Mike Reiss' giddily irreverent tale of a homosexual duck (voiced by Jim J. Bullock) determined to re-define his sexual orientation comes flaming to life on the big screen courtesy of director/animator Xeth Feinberg. With special appearances by Conan O' Brien, Mark Hammill, David Duchovny, Tim Curry, Bruce Vilanch, and Billy West, this lightning fast collection of gags, pop-culture riffs, and catchy tunes follows the web-footed, unlucky-in-love fowl as he navigates the sometimes perilous gay scene. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jim J. Bullock, Jackie Hoffman, (more)
"A family walks into a talent agent's office..." So begins "The Aristocrats," a joke kept mostly secret by stand-up comedians for decades. An intentionally "bad" joke, the laughs in The Aristocrats aren't in the punch-line (one of the only elements that's the same every time), but in the set-up, made unique by each comedian who tells it in an attempt to fashion the world's dirtiest joke. The cat was finally let out of the bag by Penn Jillette and Paul Provenza, the seasoned funnymen who gathered together a hundred people to tell a hundred different renditions of the bit. Among those presenting their personal take on The Aristocrats in this film of the same name are Jason Alexander, Robin Williams, Gilbert Gottfried, Jon Stewart, Emo Philips, and Chris Rock. The Aristocrats premiered at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- 2003
Another presentation of the American Movie Channel's AMC Project anthology, Gay Hollywood follows five openly gay men, all employed (not always gainfully) in show business, as they discuss the ups and downs of their Hollywood careers. The quintet includes two aspiring screenwriters, Lance and Benjamin; Robert, an actor/model; Allan, a director; and Micah, a standup comedian. The documentary also offers a capsule history of homosexuality in Hollywood, from the "closeted" years of William Haines, George Cukor, Rock Hudson et al., to the more liberal atmosphere of the late 20th to early 21st century. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dustin Lance Black, Q. Allan Brocka, (more)
- 2001
Los Angeles' Miss USA 2000 Pageant is a beauty contest with a difference -- while in many ways it seems like a typical pageant, complete with contestants competing in evening gown, swimsuit, and talent categories, and celebrity judges weighing in on their presentations, the participants in Miss USA 2000 are all drag queens, with the men posing as women and also posing as representatives from different nations from around the world. Queen of the Whole Wide World is a documentary that offers a behind-the-scenes look at the annual event (which in 2000 raised close to a quarter-million dollars for AIDS-related charities), with the participants speaking both "in character," as they prepare for the gala event, and out of costume about their personal lives. Linda Blair and Julia Louis-Dreyfus both appear briefly as judges at the pageant. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Scott Lane
As a child, Lucy Cullins asked Santa Claus to bring her father home from Vietnam. But when her dad returned in a pine box, the embittered Lucy decided that Christmas -- and every other holiday for that matter -- was a humbug. Now all grown-up (and played by Whoopi Goldberg), Lucy is the hard-as-nails producer for the Shop-A-Lot Channel, a home-shopping cable service. While auditioning actors to play Santa Claus for a hokey Yuletide informercial series, Lucy hires a twinkly eyed old gentleman named Nick (Nigel Hawthorne), who, unbeknownst to everyone but the audience, is the genuine, bonafide "Ho Ho Ho" man himself. Facing mandatory retirement at age 200, Nick must find someone to take his place as Santa Claus for the next two centuries. The person he chooses in none other than Lucy Cullins -- and if she doesn't accept the job, the North Pole will melt, wreaking havoc upon everyone in the world, whether they're "naughty" or "nice." Originally conceived as a vehicle for a black man, Call Me Claus was reshaped as a showcase for Whoopi Goldberg when the actress signed on as co-executive producer. Also in the production lineup was country & western singer Garth Brooks, who penned a handful of new songs for the occasion. Call Me Claus debuted over the TNT cable network on December 2, 2001. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Whoopi Goldberg, Nigel Hawthorne, (more)
A man hoping to move out of the closet falls into a trap of drug-fueled hedonism in this cautionary drama. John (Jonathan Wade Drahos) is a police officer from a small town who is forced to leave his career behind when it is discovered that he's gay. Hoping to find more tolerant surroundings, John moves to West Hollywood and rents an apartment with Nina (Kiersten Warren), an old friend from his high school days. One night, John attends a party where he meets Hector (Andre Khabazzi), an attractive hustler with whom he quickly strikes up a relationship. Hector is a regular on the L.A. party circuit, and John soon falls in with him, but the endless barrage of music, drugs, and anonymous sex proves more than John can handle, and he soon develops a dangerous dependence on amphetamines. William Katt, Nancy Allen, and Bruce Vilanch also appear in the supporting cast. Circuit had its premiere at the 2001 L.A. Outfest, a festival devoted to gay and lesbian-themed films. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jonathan Wade Drahos, Kiersten Warren, (more)
This is a documentary portrait of a Hollywood comedy writer cited by many of entertainment's biggest stars as their comedic "secret weapon." Bruce Vilanch is a rotund, hirsute New Jersey native who left a job at a Chicago newspaper in the 1970s to become a gag writer for singer and actress Bette Midler. After toiling for several years in the dying genre of television variety shows and celebrity roasts, Vilanch became a staple of awards shows, scripting one-liners and song parodies at the Oscars, Emmys, and Grammys, for such luminaries as Robin Williams, Billy Crystal, and Whoopi Goldberg. All three of those stars, and many others, are interviewed about Vilanch's contributions to their work. Of particular note is a national controversy sparked by Vilanch's "off-color" racial remarks written for Ted Danson and Goldberg at a Friar's Club event, and his memorable riffs for emcee Crystal on the one-armed push-ups of Jack Palance at an Oscar telecast. Get Bruce! made Vilanch a more recognizable figure to mainstream audiences, and he became a regular on the TV game show revival of Hollywood Squares. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bruce Vilanch, Bette Midler, (more)
Soul diva Jackie Washington is determined to hit the comeback trail but seems to be having trouble finding the on-ramp in the mock-documentary comedy Jackie's Back. Jackie (played by Jenifer Lewis) was a Rhythm and Blues singer who had a few late '60's and early 70's hits, including "Yield" and the memorable "Look At Me (My Love For You Has Only Made Me Love Me More)," but she's spent much of the 80's and 90's playing the "Where Are They Now?" circuit. However, Jackie has organized what she hopes will be a gala comeback concert, and filmmaker Edward Whatsett St. John (Tim Curry) is on hand to film the event, and discusses the high and (frequent) low points of Jackie's career with such friends and well-wishers as Bette Midler, Liza Minnelli, Penny Marshall, Jackie Collins and Dolomite himself, Rudy Ray Moore. Meanwhile, Jackie's big gig is not going quite the way she planned. Directed by Robert Townsend, Jackie's Back was produced for the Lifetime Cable Network and originally aired June 14, 1999. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jenifer Lewis, Tim Curry, (more)
Corbin Bernsen plays a hard-boiled 1940s private eye operating in the 1990s in the made-for-TV Love Can Be Murder. No, he's not a senior citizen: he's dead. It is the ghost of Bernsen who teams with the very much alive Jaclyn Smith, a contemporary PI. She's trying to solve the decades-old homicide case which Bernsen was working on when he was sent into the Big Sleep by persons unknown. Topper Returns, anyone? Love Can Be Murder was originally telecast December 14, 1992. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1990
In this complicated and exciting above-average made-for-cable suspense thriller, a woman searches for her missing husband with surprising results. When Valerie's (Mimi Rogers) husband Darryl (Cliff De Young) leaves for work one morning and never returns, she hires private-eye Shepard (Mark Harmon) to find him. Valerie learns that David has a second identity and might be hiding out. As the investigation continues, Shepard and Valerie become increasingly attracted to each other and begin an affair. Director Ivan Passer gets an excellent performance from Mimi Rogers who makes the most of her enigmatic character. This thriller delivers when it needs to and builds a great deal of suspense with some surprising plot twists. Fourth Story was also released as Basic Deception. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide
- 1989
The made-for-TV It Nearly Wasn't Christmas stars Charles Durning as the one and only Santa Claus--a role for which Durning evidently required no padding. The plot would have us believe that Santa is on the verge of cancelling Christmas (didn't know he could do that). The reasons are the usual: the holiday has become too commercialized, and people have become too self-centered. Santa's faith in humanity is renewed by a little girl (Risa Schiffman), who hopes that the Holiday spirit will be instrumental in reuniting her estranged parents. It Nearly Wasn't Christmas was syndicated to local TV outlets during the week of December 16, 1989. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1988
- R
Julia's (Kim Delaney) nightmare begins when she picks up hitchhiker Trey (Miles O'Keeffe) on a desolate road. Once back in the big city, Julia finds she is being stalked by the persistent Trey. Just why he is so obsessed is revealed in the film's climax. Meanwhile, Julia is also being followed by someone hired by her sleazy boyfriend (Timothy Bottoms), and someone has just murdered her best friend. Director Larry Brand shows up in a small role as a cop. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kim Delaney, Timothy Bottoms, (more)
In this excellent thriller, crisply directed by Sidney Lumet, Alex Sternbergen (Jane Fonda), a washed-up, alcoholic actress who never quite made it, wakes up one morning in an unfamiliar, luxurious loft apartment, only to find the corpse of a stranger next to her in bed. Alex can remember nothing of the night before. In a panic, she tries to flee but is unable to get a flight out of Los Angeles, and short of cash, she hitches a ride with Turner Kendall (Jeff Bridges), a disabled former policeman who happens to be fixing his car in the airport parking lot. Alex tries to get rid of Turner and returns to the loft which she cleans in a futile attempt to get rid of her finger prints. Turner continues to take an unappreciated interest in Alex and keeps turning up unexpectedly, much to her annoyance. Finally, desperate and on the run, and never sure that she didn't commit the murder, Alex allows Turner to help her. Alex also confides in and is helped by her ex-husband and friend Joaquin Manero (Raul Julia), the only man she completely trusts. Despite Alex's suspicion of Turner, she slowly falls in love with him. The movie quickly moves to a surprising conclusion, and creates a good deal of suspense, particularly when Alex is confronted with a corpse that just won't stay put. The highlight of the film is the performance by Jane Fonda reminiscent of her magnificent performance as Bree Daniels in Klute. The Morning After never rises to the quality of Klute, but Fonda's performance was strong enough to earn her an Oscar nomination. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jane Fonda, Jeff Bridges, (more)
In this undistinguished parody of the sci fi genre, Robert Urich is Jason who leads a band of pirates in redistributing the wealth of the few to the coffers of the needy. He also joins up with Princess Karina Mary Crosby in searching for her father and a possible source of water in the next galaxy. Meant to be a campy romp through the sci fi genre, the film stops short of achieving a goal that should have been effortless. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Urich, Mary Crosby, (more)
Bette Midler's wildly funny and theatrical stage show is preserved on the big screen in this concert film shot in California in 1980. Along with her usual raunchy comedy material and over-the-top staging, Midler performs some of her best known songs (including "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" and "Chapel of Love") along with Bruce Springsteen's "E Street Shuffle," om Waits' "Shiver Me Timbers," and the Faces' "Stay With Me." ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bette Midler, Irving Sudrow, (more)
- 1978
Wookie sidekick Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) races across the galaxy to spend the holidays with his family in this TV movie, which was broadcast after Star Wars became a pop phenomenon but before the release of The Empire Strikes Back. Sometime after the events of the first film, Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Chewbacca are working a reconnaissance mission while Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), and the others pursue their own missions. Back on Chewie's home planet, preparations are underway for Life Day, the most important holiday in the Wookie calendar. As Chewbacca's family -- wife Malla (Mickey Morton), son Lumpy (Patty Maloney), and father Itchy (Paul Gate) -- anxiously awaits his return, agents of the Empire continue to oppress the people of their planet. Eventually, the Wookie clan is reunited, but not before Bea Arthur, Art Carney, Diahann Carroll, Harvey Korman, and Jefferson Starship appear in various vignettes. Broadcast once and only once -- on November 17, 1978, on CBS -- The Star Wars Holiday Special has never received an official video or DVD release. Despite George Lucas' avowed loathing of the project, however, bootlegs are traded avidly by Star Wars fans eager to see the first appearance of bounty hunter Boba Fett (in an 11-minute animated sequence). ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, (more)
Directed by Berry Gordy, Jr. as a vehicle for his star Diana Ross, Mahogany traces the life of a poor girl who makes it in the fashion world (first as a model, then designer) and deserts her boyfriend (Billy Dee Williams) in the meantime, hooking up instead with a photographer (Anthony Perkins). The song "Do You Know When You're Going To" (Gerry Goffin/Michael Masser) was Oscar-nominated. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Diana Ross, Billy Dee Williams, (more)
