The Official Razzie Movie Guide

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY 1 JAN. 2005

Wilson founded the Razzie Awards in 1981 when the sheer badness of Xanadu and the Village People's Can't Stop the Music made him laugh until he cried. Since then, the "awards" have gone to movies that he deems prime examples of Hollywood time-wasting, such as Anaconda, Battlefield Earth and Glitter, though few of the recipients have shown up to accept their gold spray-painted trophies. This book compiles Wilson's bitingly funny commentary on Razzie dis-honorees from all 24 ceremonies held so far, as well as choice bombs from years past, such as High School Confidential (1958) and The Creeping Terror (1964). In extended plot summaries, Wilson hurls hilarious barbs at "meteoric misfires," of which there are apparently many: in The Green Slime, a giant asteroid headed for Earth is described as "a megaton orange crumb donut," while Brooke Shields, who won the "Worst Actress" award in the first Razzies for her role in Blue Lagoon, is said to be "so incapable of expressing human feelings that one begins to wonder if sunstroke may be her problem." The films are categorized by theme ("Doofy Twosomes," "When Mad Scientists Go Bad," etc.), and each entry features a selection of blurbs from other reviewers who were moved to trash-or cheer-its silliness. Wilson also includes excerpts of "dippy dialogue" (from The Oscar: "Will you stop beating on my ears! I've had it up to here with all this bring-down!") and tips on can't-miss DVD "chapter stops." This is a raucously funny reference for anyone who can find joy in the hopelessly cheesy, poorly acted and terribly executed. As Wilson writes: "You've gotta take your entertainment however you can get it."