I can well appreciate who so many people don't like this film. First time I saw it, the first episode made no sense at all to me as I didn't understand what was being parodied, although I must admit that any movie with Candy Clark will certainly get my vote. Up to that time, however, I'd never seen a personal growth film or advertisement. Now I really enjoy this segment. I've always loved the spoof of the Greek tycoon. In this one, however, it's the lovely Ann Dusenberry on whom the camera really shines. (I was surprised to discover that she has made so few movies to date, preferring TV by a very wide margin.) However, my favorite of the three episodes is most definitely the third. Going right against his usual trademark, Richard Widmark is absolutely priceless as the do-nothing cop.

That National Lampoon put their name to this mess speaks volumes about those folks. National Lampoon's Movie Madness is one witless and unfunny film with most of the cast looking around wondering how they got into this mess and will their paychecks clear? Bad agents I assume.Three genres of film are dealt with in three short films that are allegedly satirical. The first is a soap opera with husband and wife Peter Riegert and Candy Clark seeking to explore different dimensions of themselves. Woody Allen does this a whole lot better and this shows that you can't spoof a spoof.The second stars Ann Dusenberry and it's a takeoff on those rise in business films that Bette Davis and Barbara Stanwyck did so well. Dusenberry was a stag party dancer who was disgraced by some dairy industry executives and she vows to bring them all down with, wait for it, margarine. It seems slightly above the other two in quality.Finally there's one pained looking Richard Widmark breaking in a new partner, the ultimate in idealistic rookies in Robby Benson. Widmark looked like he was about to pass a kidney stone and Benson either has no flair for satire/comedy or he got lousy direction. Nothing remotely funny in this police story.Skip this one by.

I just saw this Movie on a local TV Station (TV8's "Big Chuck and Little John" in Cleveland, Ohio) I had never heard of this movie and decided to watch it.I know of no thesaurus that can even come close to aiding me in describing how bad this movie really is. The script is awful. The acting, well other than one of two exceptions, is pointless since there is nothing in this material that merits any real effort.It looks like a bunch of little ideas, leftover from various writing sessions, that where thrown into a blender. It's not just funny. The "parody" aspect is strained at best. Some references where almost out of date (even for the time of it's release). No wonder I had never heard of it, it's really bad, worse than anything Saturday Night Live, MAD TV or even In Living color put out in their worst days.If you see it on TV, it is a great example of how NOT to make a movie. Whatever you do DON'T WASTE A CENT.Adam

This film was suppose to be the follow-up to ANIMAL HOUSE. But it sat on the shelf for a while and finally went straight to cable. As a longtime fan of National Lampoon magazine I was eager to see the film (the shelf period should have warned me). And when I finally did see it I was very disappointed. Aside for a few moments of gratuitous nudity, this film has nothing going for it at all. The 3 segments just lie there with no other purpose than to say "ha ,ha, ha isn't this funny". How they managed to get veteran actors Robert Culp and Richard Widmark to appear in this junk is beyond me. Lampoon has gone on to make other films. Some good ones (VACATION, CHRISTMAS VACATION) and some stinkers (CLASS REUNION, THE DON"S ANALYST, DAD'S WEEKEND OFF) but this film has to be the worst from a franchise that was once at the cutting edge of contemporary humor.