Mad Movies with the L.A. Connection

I'm so relieved to find a place where people know this show! I thought it was only a dream...This was far and away the most hilarious TV I've ever seen, back when it meant something to be a cable channel. Not a line is wasted in these dubbed over flicks and even now I'll see something that awakens in me an old memory (we were cleaning up the lawn the other day and I ran over to my sig other with a bundle of brush and shouted-"Quick! Give them these sticks!") Yes! Bring it back in some form so I can die fulfilled!!!

It was a great show. My fave was "Night of the Living Dead"---Darlene was having a party and Dwayne, her cousin, was trying to help her by putting together some snacks. She told him there was a head of lettuce upstairs, it was a mutilated human head and he said, "this lettuce has gone bad". There was also a Sherlock Holmes movie with totally absurd dialogue: "This is Paper? It's so thin!" and I think in the same movie, an artist was painting and said, "All the threes are brown and the fives are gray", I thought that was so funny because in the Mamas and the Papas song, "California Dreamin'", the first line is "All the trees are brown and the skies are gray". The dialogue was usually so funny because it was so totally unexpected. Does anyone remember the scene from "A star is born" when Stormin' Norman is drinking eggs (hangover remedy) and you hear "cheep, cheep"? Funny, funny show. I would love for it to be released on DVD or something.

I stumbled across MM one night on Nick. From that moment I was hooked. To this day I still have a tape with about 10 of the episodes on it.

My favorites were the Little Princess, DOA (Ruesie), Beneath the 12 Mile Reef (Blueberry pancakes!! LOL)... aw heck, I liked them all.

I'm so sorry that the LA Connection couldn't get the rights to the originals but I'm looking forward to the new ones that they'll be putting out this year and next. The writers and performers on this show certainly knew their stuff. It remains a mystery to me why Nick or the Comedy network never picked this up in reruns.

Great show with timeless humor.

Good news to all of you who loved the classic Mad Movies from the 80's. Kent Skov of the L.A. Connection has issued news that they did not get the rights to the old shows, but they are going to remake new shows with the same films they produced in the 80's. These new shows will be uncensored and longer than the old versions we saw on TV. Best of all they are going to be released on DVD starting in 2006.

Words from Kent: We have good news and bad news.

The bad news is we have been trying for over 2 years to get back the rights to our original Mad Movies that aired in the 80's because we have had so many great letters and requests that we wanted our fans to be happy. We didn't get the rights. The good news is that we still have all those great films and we have decided to make brand-new, uncensored silliness once again using these great films. These new dubbing classics will be longer, around 25-30 minutes, updated to our times and commercial-free. That's right, Kent Skov, the original and current producer and writer, and his brilliant creative team, is back at it again.

So, if you liked the original Mad Movies you will love our MADDEST MOVIES on DVD for purchase this Fall, 2005.

The first title is fan favorite "Night of the Living Dead." We take this old movie and replace the dialog with a new, side-splitting funny story line. Here's a preview: A take off of 'Survivor' where the last one alive gets to keep the house. All the zombies are bankers, mortgage brokers, home insurance salesman and home improvement contractors all vying for a piece of the winner's equity! So, no need to be upset about not getting the original Mad Movies, this series will take comedy to a whole new level.

Starting in 2006 we take all 24 of the old movies you loved and replace each story line with insane new dialog for a new MADDEST MOVIES series.

Since this seems to be the only place in the world where any memory of this hilarious show exists, I wanted to put in my 2 cents. I saw this show during the nascent days of Nick at Nite in 1985/86, when, due to lack of programming and sponsors, there were full length movies in the wee hours, black and white classic shows in the evening (starting at 8 PM), and only one commercial interruption during the shows. Ah, the good old days.

Mad Movies took a very old or "B" movie and edited it. The original dialogue was cut completely, and most footage deleted. The edited version was really nothing like the original, not even being in the same chronology, and often repeating clips. The purpose was to fit in with the new funny "plot" in which new dialogue was added, a la the well known MST3K, but thanks to the editing and killing the original dialogue altogether, Mad Movies was much funnier. MST3K, maintaining the original length of the movie and dialogue, usually dragged in my opinion.

One of the two movies I remember well is the oft mentioned (here anyway) "Night of the Living Dead" in which the new plot was the kids planning a big house party. They kept showing one of the zombies approaching the house, and he'd always say "Telegram."

The other was Shirley Temple in "The Little Princess." If you've ever seen the original, you know that she often gets mad and throws sort of an enraged tantrum. The mad movies spoof made use of this by making her a possessed girl that needed an exorcism. It's amazing how well the original movie fit this new plot once edited. I can never watch the original without thinking of the demon inside every time she gets angry and frustrated.

Sadly, I believe I will never see these shows again, especially on the pathetic remnants of "Nick at Nite" which is now nothing more than overnight sitcom filler for Nickelodeon. I wonder if they are available for viewing at the Museum of Television and Radio History.