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Howard the Duck

Howard the Duck (1986)

August. 01,1986
|
4.7
|
PG
| Fantasy Comedy Science Fiction

A scientific experiment unknowingly brings extraterrestrial life forms to the Earth through a laser beam. First is the cigar smoking drake Howard from the duck's planet. A few kids try to keep him from the greedy scientists and help him back to his planet. But then a much less friendly being arrives through the beam...

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DilsNacke
1986/08/01

One of George Lucas's tech demos. A disgusting piece of cinema!

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Woodyanders
1986/08/02

Smartaleck mallard Howard finds himself stranded on Earth. Howard befriends spunky aspiring rock singer Beverly (an appealing and energetic portrayal by Lea Thompson, who looks absolutely adorable) and must save our planet from an evil alien being that has possessed the body of kindly scientist Dr. Walter Jenning (Jeffrey Jones having a delightfully histrionic eye-rolling ball). Director/co-writer Willard Huyck and co-writer Gloria Katz deserve praise for joyfully running with the absurd premise; this picture certainly rates as one of the most bizarre and ridiculous big budget movies to be produced and released by a major studio in the 1980's. Moreover, Huyck and Katz definitely nail the sense of go-for-broke pull-out-all-the-stops outrageous excess that permeated the 1980's: While this for the most part works in the film's favor (a wild action chase involving Howard flying a small plane is both funny and exciting in equal measure), said crazy excess does on occasion go a little too far (the infamous love scene between Howard and Beverly comes perilously close to being icky and distasteful). Tim Robbins contributes a lively turn as goofy'n'geeky lab assistant Phil Blumburtt. Richard Kline's slick cinematography, John Barry's dynamic score, and the flashy special effects are all up to par. Super catchy theme song and cool rock concert finale, too. A bit uneven and a tad overlong, but overall a real hoot and a half.

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ChrisBergoch
1986/08/03

Howard was an inspiration. A hero. Best Marvel film ever. Best film of 1986. Best performance of Tim Robbins' career. Cherry Bomb was the best 80's band of them all. Howard sharing a bed with Lea Thompson's Beverly was more life changing than Slave Leia. '86 Howard (along with Ed Gale's signature voice) should have been there in the stinger for that well-received but lackluster 2014 film. Very dark day for all ducks on all planets.

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Smoreni Zmaj
1986/08/04

This is the first Marvel movie and, after of course Guardians of the Galaxy, definitely most entertaining one of all about 25 I've seen so far. Movie was theatrical disaster and won bunch of "awards" for worst movie, directing, acting, etc. Is it artistic masterpiece? Od course not. But it was not supposed to be. Movie title is Howard the Duck, what those people expected from the story about alien duck that saves the world from evil space demons...I enjoyed it very very much and I intend to watch it many more times. It may lack artistic value, but other Marvel blockbusters don't have it either. The only thing that rises them above this one is high budget and CGI. But while they have arrogantly pretentious, Howard is down to earth honest adaptation of the comic-book that does not pretend to be something it is not, which is two hours of cheerful action for comic-book fans.8/10 (maybe even 9)

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