Much of Groove Tube is satirical so it would be nice for the viewer to have as many personal references, as possible, to that which is being satirized.There is no way to fully appreciate Kramp Easy Lube's kitchen segment unless you had to endure the original Kraft recipe TV segments. Shapiro's "way too calm" narration and hand movements are classic but the ridiculous directions are mostly funny because none of us could follow Kraft's original directions either.I give credit to those younger people that see the creativity in this film but I understand where many don't get it."Trying to tell a stranger 'bout rock and roll".As to Mr. Shapiro, I, too, have wondered for years how a perfect successor to Mad Magazine, and predecessor to SNL, can just drop off the map of creative irreverence. Maybe I don't want to know.In any case, Ken Shapiro's genius lives on in the digital world and this old baby boomer is grateful.

I saw this in Detroit in what must have been its original run. I literally rolled into the aisle of the theater. It was that funny. I haven't seen it since, but would love to. Where do you get a copy? Anybody saying anything about it being dated or overdone are, for my money, just a bunch of poseurs. Each skit is either wickedly, erotically or perversely hilarious. Each one! There is not a weak one included. The opening sequence, for instance, which parodies 2001, features gorilla go-go-dancers with pendulous breasts. Felinni would have filmed it had he the wicked wit... If you come to this film with an open mind and a blithely sneering heart, you'll pencil it right into your very best list.

I noticed that the release date listed on your web site is 1974. That is strange, because I distinctly remember seeing the film in theaters in 1972. If people are confused, that may be because another multi-style movie came out in 1974 called "Tunnelvision", which was also a satire of TV genres but with a twist; The story was set in 1985 (11 years in the future) in which a Congressional committee was investigating the practices of Tunnlevision, which was a completely uncensored TV network. During a sample viewing of one of the Network's daily showings, the shows, commercials and news broadcasts showed futuristic forecasts of world events and celebrities (of 1974). Of course, this was all comedic speculation, but I found it funny all the same. Anyway, "The Groove Tube" was released in 1972, not 1974 as your web site reports.

"The Groove Tube" was one of only two Ken Shapiro movies, the other one being the equally zany "Modern Problems". This one is just a full-scale parody of TV. Aside from Shapiro - who apparently didn't do anything after "Modern Problems" - the movie also stars Chevy Chase and Henry Winkler's cousin Richard Belzer. The three cast members (plus some other people in smaller roles) appear in various skits. One of the funniest ones features Chase in a Geritol-spoofing commercial, in which he's describing the medicine as his wife strips, and it ends with her humping him. There's also a pornographic news program, an irritating cooking show, and the epic tale of some drug dealers.Anyway, the whole thing's just a real hoot. In my opinion, the three best TV-spoofing movies are this one, plus "Tunnelvision" and "Kentucky Fried Movie" (although I might also include "The Truman Show"). Really funny.I wonder what ever did become of Ken Shapiro.