Chicken Park
Chicken Park | |
---|---|
Directed by | Jerry Calà |
Produced by | Galliano Juso |
Written by |
Gino Capone Galliano Juso |
Starring |
Jerry Calà Alessia Marcuzzi Rossy de Palma |
Music by |
Giovanni Nuti Umberto Smaila |
Cinematography | Blasco Giurato |
Distributed by | Metro Film |
Release dates |
April 5, 1996 (Turkey) August 21, 1996 (Spain) |
Running time | 93 min |
Language | English |
Chicken Park is a 1994 comedy parody film directed by and starring Jerry Calà that parodies various movies, especially the 1993 film Jurassic Park.[1] The movie was released on April 5, 1996 in Turkey and Calà's directorial debut.[2]
Synopsis
When Vladimiro's (Jerry Calà) chicken is stolen while he's in the Dominican Republic for a cockfight, he immediately begins trying to get it back. During his searches he discovers an entire zoo full of gigantic chickens.[3]
Cast
- Jerry Calà as Vladimiro
- Demetra Hampton as Sigourney
- Alessia Marcuzzi as Airplane hostess
- Lawrence Steven Meyers as Dr. Eggs
- Rossy de Palma as Necrophelia Addams
Production
The film was shot between Santo Domingo and Rome.[4][5] It was filmed in English.[6] The budget was two billion and a half lire.[6][7] The film marked both the directorial debut of Calà and the film debut of actress Alessia Marcuzzi.[8] It was also the last work as special effects artist for Antonio Margheriti.[9] Calà had previously announced his debut as director with a completely different project, a biographical drama film about Umberto Bossi and Lega Nord, Il Longobardo, that was eventually abandoned.[5]
Parodies
The film mainly parodies Jurassic Park but also references many outher films and cultural icons in some gags, such as:
- The Addams Family
- Godzilla
- Home Alone
- The Deer Hunter
- Full Metal Jacket
- Sister Act
- Pretty Woman
- Hot Shots!
- Ferrero Rocher
- Mandrake the Magician
- Pope John Paul II appears as washer
- Il Postino: The Postman
- Edward Scissorhands
Release
Chicken Park premiered at the 14th edition of Fantafestival, in which it entered the main competition.[10] Due to production problems, it was not released theatrically in Italy.[7] Broadcast by Italia 1, at its television premiere the film was seen by over 4 million people.[11] The film was later released in Turkey as Piliç parki and subsequently in Spain as Pollo jurásico.
Reception
Critical reception for the film was generally negative,[2] with L'espresso calling the film "trash" and MDZ Online commenting that the film was of such poor quality that it had the potential to become a cult classic.[12][13] Film critic Marco Giusti referred to the film as "supertrash", "more stupid than funny" and a film in which the best actor probably is Jo, the chicken owned by Calà.[4] According to film critic Paolo Mereghetti the film fails almost entirely to raise a smile and the English version of the film, with Calà self-dubbing himself, is a must for trash-lovers.[14] According to author Massimo Bertarelli, the film is just made of "exasperating drollery and depressing sloppiness".[15]
References
- ↑ "Scheda del film Comico di Jerry Calà". Il Cancello. Retrieved 25 February 2013.
- 1 2 "When Comedy Fails: Two reviews by SC magazine contributor Mike Sullivan". Shock Cinema Magazine. Retrieved 25 February 2013.
- ↑ Pino Farinotti, Rossella Farinotti. Il Farinotti 2012. Dizionario di tutti i film. Newton Compton, 2011. ISBN 88-5413-182-2.
- 1 2 Marco Giusti. Dizionario dei film italiani stracult. Sperling & Kupfer, 1999. ISBN 88-200-2919-7.
- 1 2 Giovanna Grassi (12 January 1994). "Cala' : con i polli sfido Spielberg". Corriere della Sera. Retrieved 27 February 2013.
- 1 2 F. C. (10 March 1995). "Attenti al gallo, è un vero gigante". La Stampa. p. 27.
- 1 2 Giovanna Grassi (9 March 1995). "Cala' : mi gioco Demetra contro Lorella". Corriere della Sera. Retrieved 27 February 2013.
- ↑ Andrea Scalzi (29 December 2005). "Ero "bona" ora sono timida". La Stampa. p. 29.
- ↑ Luca M. Palmerini, Gaetano Mistretta, Margot Winick. Spaghetti nightmares. Fantasma Books, 1996. ISBN 09-6349-827-4.
- ↑ "Roma capitale dell' horror: saranno le donne a scegliere il mostro piu' " bello "". Corriere della Sera. 8 June 1994. Retrieved 27 February 2013.
- ↑ Alessandra Comazzi (12 March 1995). "Nell'orticello di Jerry Calà un gallo non è un dinosauro". La Stampa. p. 25.
- ↑ "Joyas del "cine basura": "Pollo Jurásico", esas películas malas que da gusto mirar". MDZ Online. Retrieved 25 February 2013.
- ↑ L'Espresso, Volume 42, Issues 1-8. L'Espresso Publishing. 1996. p. 97.
- ↑ Paolo Mereghetti. Il Mereghetti. B.C. Dalai Editore, 2010. ISBN 88-6073-626-9.
- ↑ Massimo Bertarelli. Millecinquecento film da evitare. Gremese Editore, 2003. ISBN 88-8440-264-6.