Having heard for years how awful Haunted Honeymoon was and long wanting to see Gilda Radner in her last movie, I taped this last night while the Emmys were on. Now that I've seen it, I can now say nobody in the cast and crew have anything to be ashamed about. I love the performances in the radio studio with Radner and Gene Wilder playing characters in a show with the same title as film. Dom DeLuise is amusing as Aunt Kate. But I want to really praise the hard-of-hearing butler Pfister (Bryan Pringle) who, because Wilder tells him his fiancée is slightly deaf, keeps shouting at Radner. And, yes, like many other comments here, I love Wilder's using someone else's legs as his in front of policemen. I also loved the "Ballin' the Jack" number between DeLuise and Radner and Radner's joke about the bug on the windshield. So in short, if you're a fan of all three stars, seek this out by all means!
53 Reviews
Just brilliant!
bannonanthony22 March 2001
Another film which no-one else seems to like, but which I find enjoyable. I think some people should give this picture a second chance. Gene Wilder plays a neurotic radio star called Larry Abbott, and on the eve of his wedding to co-star Vicky Pearle (the late Mrs. Wilder, Gilda Radner) his memories of a childhood trauma cause him to experience bizarre mood swings. His psychiatrist uncle arranges for him to spend the weekend at his aunt's Gothic mansion. The whole bizarre family gathers and a series of madcap events occur as a mysterious killer tries to bump Wilder off to get the family fortune. Wilder is not as funny as he usually is. He only really shines with the 'legs' joke in the cellar, but his co-stars generate a lot of smiles, especially the dragged-up Dom DeLuise as Great Aunt Kate, Bryan Pringle as the alcoholic butler Pfister and Gilda Radner herself raises mucho smiles. A young Jonathan Pryce is suitably hissable as bad guy Charlie. John Morris' music score is as excellent as ever as are the sets by Terence Marsh (THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION) who also co-wrote the script with Wilder. Just give it a chance.
Cheeziness has never been so much fun...or so bashed.
mark.waltz13 March 2017
Warning: Spoilers
A notorious flop during its initial release, it was the third and last pairing of Gene Wilder and Gilda Radner, and sadly her last film. It's basically a spoof of the Red Skelton "Whistling" series, casting Wilder as a cowardly host of a 1940's radio mystery show who ends up involved in murder himself. He's heading home with fiancée Radner where the greedy family awaits and family matriarch Dom de Luise fears for "her" life. It's another road to the old dark house where every cliché dating back to the silent era is used to create chills and laughter, including the original "The Cat and the Canary".
While de Luise won awards for "Worst Actress", he's actually very funny, performing an amusing version of "Balling the Jack" with Gilda who never got that one film role to rise above standard comedy. Radner is likable, perky and untraditionally attractive. Why Mel Brooks or Woody Allen never grabbed her up is a mystery in itself. Add on Jonathan Pryce as a sinister members of the family and other looking eccentrics, and you've got the recipe for old fashioned popcorn movie. For fans of"Downton Abbey", that is indeed Jim Carter ("Carson") as the sinister looking guest with the glowing eyes. Ann Way, hysterically funny as the feisty housekeeper, is instantly recognizable from "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie".
Delightfully atmospheric, this is a perfect companion piece to period comedy mysteries such as "Murder By Death" and "Clue". It has a nostalgic feel to it with it's radio background, period costumes and jazzy musical score. No modern classic, but not the disaster that it has been labeled as.
While de Luise won awards for "Worst Actress", he's actually very funny, performing an amusing version of "Balling the Jack" with Gilda who never got that one film role to rise above standard comedy. Radner is likable, perky and untraditionally attractive. Why Mel Brooks or Woody Allen never grabbed her up is a mystery in itself. Add on Jonathan Pryce as a sinister members of the family and other looking eccentrics, and you've got the recipe for old fashioned popcorn movie. For fans of"Downton Abbey", that is indeed Jim Carter ("Carson") as the sinister looking guest with the glowing eyes. Ann Way, hysterically funny as the feisty housekeeper, is instantly recognizable from "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie".
Delightfully atmospheric, this is a perfect companion piece to period comedy mysteries such as "Murder By Death" and "Clue". It has a nostalgic feel to it with it's radio background, period costumes and jazzy musical score. No modern classic, but not the disaster that it has been labeled as.
way underrated
esult4 March 2009
This is a surprisingly well-made movie. It's funny, sure, but not in the punchliney way you'd expect. It's more that the whole thing is just so unexpected. Gene Wilder is completely charming and does some great understated acting in this film; Gilda Radner is funny everywhere she goes. Dom DeLouise pulls off a great drag character, and no one works too hard on their jokes--it's just a good time, filmed with surprising confidence. Though it looks like it's going to be another bad script with tired jokes for a niche videostore crowd, it's actually an extension of many of Mel Brooks' best directorial moments. It even has a Brooksian meta- narrative about film-making. I imagine it might look silly and dated on a TV screen with a movie channel logo in the corner, but when it's treated like a film instead of a schlock night, it's a respectable piece of work well worth anyone's time.
Just an average comedy...
paul_haakonsen28 April 2017
"Haunted Honeymooon" is the type of movie that you sit down to watch because of the cast that were starring in the movie. I mean, with the likes of Gene Wilder and Dom DeLuise at the helm, you know that you will be in for a good time and a fun movie. Or so it would appear...
...However, "Haunted Honeymooon" turned out to be a mere mediocre movie, weighed down by a very generic and bland storyline that just seemed to be too random at times. It was as if they had filmed various things independently of each other and just cut it together for making a single movie.
Now, it is true about the cast, as they function as great bait to lure in the audience. And true to what we have previous seen from Gene Wilder and Dom DeLuise, then they perform exactly as to be expected, and they do so with their normal flair and showmanship. But they alone did not carry the movie just between the two, as the rest of the cast also really did great jobs in bringing their characters and role to life on the screen.
While this is a comedy, there was surprisingly little throughout the entire movie that will actually make you laugh out loud. Smirks and small chuckles is what is mustered most of the time.
This is not the best of Gene Wilder movies as both actor and director, not by a long shot. Sure, it is worth a watch, but just don't expect to be blown away by anything you see here.
...However, "Haunted Honeymooon" turned out to be a mere mediocre movie, weighed down by a very generic and bland storyline that just seemed to be too random at times. It was as if they had filmed various things independently of each other and just cut it together for making a single movie.
Now, it is true about the cast, as they function as great bait to lure in the audience. And true to what we have previous seen from Gene Wilder and Dom DeLuise, then they perform exactly as to be expected, and they do so with their normal flair and showmanship. But they alone did not carry the movie just between the two, as the rest of the cast also really did great jobs in bringing their characters and role to life on the screen.
While this is a comedy, there was surprisingly little throughout the entire movie that will actually make you laugh out loud. Smirks and small chuckles is what is mustered most of the time.
This is not the best of Gene Wilder movies as both actor and director, not by a long shot. Sure, it is worth a watch, but just don't expect to be blown away by anything you see here.
"Underrated Horror Comedy!"
gwnightscream5 November 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Gene Wilder directs & stars in this 1986 horror comedy co-starring Gilda Radner, Dom DeLuise, Jonathan Pryce and Paul L. Smith. This is sort of a send-up of the 1941 classic, "The Wolf Man" where we meet radio actor, Larry Abbott (Wilder) who is celebrating his wedding engagement to radio actress, Vickie Pearle (Radner). He takes her to the Abbott castle where he grew up for a family reunion hosted by his Aunt, Kate (DeLuise). Larry has a phobia in which he's scared of thunder and lightning since he was a child. Pryce (Brazil) plays Larry's cousin, Charles and Smith (Crimewave) plays Larry's uncle, Dr. Paul Abbott who plans on scaring Larry to death to cure him and has the whole family in on it. Soon, a mysterious killer who may be a werewolf starts stalking the castle and targets Larry. I've liked this film since I was a kid and think it's underrated. Wilder & Radner were great together, the rest of the cast is good as well as John Morris' score. I recommend this.
"This is just a filthy pigment of my diseased imagination." Unscary & unfunny comedy horror.
poolandrews8 October 2005
Warning: Spoilers
Haunted Honeymoon is set in the 1930's & starts in a radio studio where 'Manhattan Mystery Theatre' is going out live, actor Larry Abbot (Gene Wilder) & his co-star Vickie Pearle (Gila Radner, Wilder's then wife & her last film before she died) are soon to be married. However the engagement to Vickie has set a screw loose in Larry's head & he often can't control himself on-air. The shows sponsor Charlie (Lou Hirsch) is about to fire him when Larry's psychiatrist Brother Dr. Paul Abbot (Paul L. Smith) assures Charlie that he can cure Larry by literally scaring the condition out of him when the entire Abbot family meet up together at their large ancestral mansion to celebrate Larry's engagement. As the guests begin to arrive strange things start to happen, Larry's Aunt Kate (Dom DeLuise) talks of a Werewolf, a family member (Roger Ashton-Griffiths) is murdered shortly after being told the contents of rich Aunt Kate's will, Larry begins to start seeing ghosts & quickly discovers not everything is as it appears...
Staring, co-written & directed by Gene Wilder this is one tragic mess of a film, just about a complete failure on almost every level. The script by Wilder & Terence Marsh is supposed to pay homage to the old dark haunted house mysteries from the 30's like The Cat and the Canary (1939) among others. Unfortunately it also tries to mix other genres as well, comedy, musical & horror, quite simply it doesn't work in the slightest. The comedy elements are so unfunny I couldn't believe it, I did not laugh once during this film. It tries far too hard with all out slapstick, comedy sound effects & sequences which probably looked OK on paper but ended up being far from OK in the finished product. Scenes of Wilder trying to pass a dead body off as a living person by dancing with it in front of two idiotic cops (Billy J. Mitchell & R. J. Bell) is embarrassing to watch, or a scene in which Wilder is sitting on top of a stuffed moose head hiding from a snake is just dumb & Dom Deluise in drag as Aunt Kate is a truly hideous & laugh free image. Not one single moment of supposed comedy in Haunted Honeymoon worked for me, the jokes are far too drawn out & predictable. The mystery elements are better but are all but lost amongst the lame attempts at humour & nothing is explained, the killer is revealed but how he achieved certain things are unclear like them walking down a wall & those crazy mirror effects. There is even a brief musical interlude as Vickie & Aunt Kate perform a little number, once again it just comes across as embarrassing to watch. I also hated the ending, it makes a mockery of everything that precedes it & is just lazy & clichéd. One area in which Haunted Honeymoon does succeed is with it's good atmosphere, the period production design & sets are excellent & really capture the feel of those old horror mysteries. The cinematography & special effects are good & generally speaking Haunted Honeymoon is very well made with that Hollywood polish about it. The acting is pretty bad by all involved including Wilder whom I usually like, perhaps he was more concerned about behind-the-camera activities as director rather than acting in front of it, Dom Deluise is highly annoying & irritating as Aunt Kate. As far as I'm concerned Haunted Honeymoon is a complete failure as either a horror mystery or a comedy & I just can't see what sort of film goer this would appeal too & enjoy it. Haunted Honeymoon was Wilder's last directorial effort to date which says it all really, you have been forewarned!
Staring, co-written & directed by Gene Wilder this is one tragic mess of a film, just about a complete failure on almost every level. The script by Wilder & Terence Marsh is supposed to pay homage to the old dark haunted house mysteries from the 30's like The Cat and the Canary (1939) among others. Unfortunately it also tries to mix other genres as well, comedy, musical & horror, quite simply it doesn't work in the slightest. The comedy elements are so unfunny I couldn't believe it, I did not laugh once during this film. It tries far too hard with all out slapstick, comedy sound effects & sequences which probably looked OK on paper but ended up being far from OK in the finished product. Scenes of Wilder trying to pass a dead body off as a living person by dancing with it in front of two idiotic cops (Billy J. Mitchell & R. J. Bell) is embarrassing to watch, or a scene in which Wilder is sitting on top of a stuffed moose head hiding from a snake is just dumb & Dom Deluise in drag as Aunt Kate is a truly hideous & laugh free image. Not one single moment of supposed comedy in Haunted Honeymoon worked for me, the jokes are far too drawn out & predictable. The mystery elements are better but are all but lost amongst the lame attempts at humour & nothing is explained, the killer is revealed but how he achieved certain things are unclear like them walking down a wall & those crazy mirror effects. There is even a brief musical interlude as Vickie & Aunt Kate perform a little number, once again it just comes across as embarrassing to watch. I also hated the ending, it makes a mockery of everything that precedes it & is just lazy & clichéd. One area in which Haunted Honeymoon does succeed is with it's good atmosphere, the period production design & sets are excellent & really capture the feel of those old horror mysteries. The cinematography & special effects are good & generally speaking Haunted Honeymoon is very well made with that Hollywood polish about it. The acting is pretty bad by all involved including Wilder whom I usually like, perhaps he was more concerned about behind-the-camera activities as director rather than acting in front of it, Dom Deluise is highly annoying & irritating as Aunt Kate. As far as I'm concerned Haunted Honeymoon is a complete failure as either a horror mystery or a comedy & I just can't see what sort of film goer this would appeal too & enjoy it. Haunted Honeymoon was Wilder's last directorial effort to date which says it all really, you have been forewarned!
Fun combination of horror and comedy. I wish the movie had more laughs in it though.
Boba_Fett113817 July 2007
It's amazing that a movie with such a concept and people involved wasn't more fun to watch. The movie seriously lacked some good laughs at times and I feel that the movie in its core had far more potential.
It's obvious that Gene Wilder wanted to make a Mel Brooks kind of movie. The movie definitely has the same atmosphere and ideas as "Young Frankenstein". Unfortunately its not as good and it shows how much quality Mel Brooks actually has, to have the skill to have simple, predictable and silly humor and still make an hilarious and classic movie with it.
The humor in this movie is just as absurd and predictable and unfortunately it just doesn't always work out.
The story is totally uninteresting and just serves as an excuse to put as many crazy characters as possible into the movie. It's a weird looking bunch with Dom DeLuise playing a woman! Could be me but I thought the sight of him was pretty darn hilarious! Halve of the time I didn't even bother to wanted to know what the story was all about, it was that absurd really!
The movie of course also features Gene Wilder but unfortunately he hasn't given himself better material and dialog to work with. So it's hardly his best or most comical role. The movie further more also features Jonathan Pryce, in one of his earlier movie roles.
Quite frankly I don't understand who the movie has such a bad reputation. I mean the movie is not all that bad. Yes, you have to like these sort of movies (Mel Brooks-type of humor movies) but I've seen far worse genre movies receiving far better criticism. It just doesn't seem really fair.
The special effects are definitely acceptable for its genre and year it was made in. So was its make-up and its entire professional visual look.
If you like these type of movies its very well worth seeing, though it's definitely not the best movie in its genre that is around.
6/10
http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/
It's obvious that Gene Wilder wanted to make a Mel Brooks kind of movie. The movie definitely has the same atmosphere and ideas as "Young Frankenstein". Unfortunately its not as good and it shows how much quality Mel Brooks actually has, to have the skill to have simple, predictable and silly humor and still make an hilarious and classic movie with it.
The humor in this movie is just as absurd and predictable and unfortunately it just doesn't always work out.
The story is totally uninteresting and just serves as an excuse to put as many crazy characters as possible into the movie. It's a weird looking bunch with Dom DeLuise playing a woman! Could be me but I thought the sight of him was pretty darn hilarious! Halve of the time I didn't even bother to wanted to know what the story was all about, it was that absurd really!
The movie of course also features Gene Wilder but unfortunately he hasn't given himself better material and dialog to work with. So it's hardly his best or most comical role. The movie further more also features Jonathan Pryce, in one of his earlier movie roles.
Quite frankly I don't understand who the movie has such a bad reputation. I mean the movie is not all that bad. Yes, you have to like these sort of movies (Mel Brooks-type of humor movies) but I've seen far worse genre movies receiving far better criticism. It just doesn't seem really fair.
The special effects are definitely acceptable for its genre and year it was made in. So was its make-up and its entire professional visual look.
If you like these type of movies its very well worth seeing, though it's definitely not the best movie in its genre that is around.
6/10
http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/
Great Performances; Lousy Movie
gftbiloxi18 April 2005
I enjoy Gene Wilder, and certainly I'll be the first to say that he has done some wonderful work both on screen and behind the scenes in many films. But he is also the frothy sort of artist who is at his best when firmly grounded by the restraint of a hardnosed director--and for HAUNTED HONEYMOON he had no such restraints. He was writer, director, and star, and the result is way too much froth and not nearly enough substance.
The premise of the film is clever, a parody of the spooky-comedies of the 1940s and 1950s that were popularized by the likes of Red Skelton, Abbot and Costello, and Crosby and Hope. Two radio stars (Wilder and Radner) have become engaged and they rush off to the groom's ancestral home for the wedding... and promptly encounter everything from cobras in the closet to werewolves in the winecellar. And the script and production values are often quite amusing, with repeated references to James Whale's 1930s classic THE OLD DARK HOUSE, and even the score borrows a few phrases from "I've Written A Letter To Daddy" from WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE? But the plot goes no where, and not even the stars of the film can save it.
Which brings us to why the film is nonetheless worth watching. Wilder is excessive, to say the least, but his failings here are as director and writer; as a performer he manages quite well. And his co-star is the late and much missed Gilda Radner. Sadly, Radner never found her place on the big screen before her untimely death, and HAUNTED HONEYMOON is no exception; Wilder doesn't seem to know how best to display her talents. But even so, there are moments when she illuminates the film to a remarkable comic degree, giving the viewer a glimpse of what might have been if the role had been more carefully tailored to her talents. And then there is Dom DeLuise, who offers a hilarious throw-away performance in drag as Aunt Kate... And when Gilda and Dom join forces to perform the old Vaudeville song "Ballin' the Jack" the result is pure movie magic.
Unfortunately, though, it isn't enough. The story is just too weak, too many of the one-liners fall flat, too often cast members who might have given great comic performances are neglected. I'll give it three stars... one each for Wilder, Radner, and DeLuise. But I'm erring on the generous side. Incidentally, this film is not to be confused with a Robert Young-Constance Cummings effort of the 1930s, also entitled HAUNTED HONEYMOON and based on the play and novel by mystery author Dorothy Sayers--a very good film, by the way, which sad to say has never been released to the home market.
Gary F. Taylor, aka GFT, Amazon Reviewer
The premise of the film is clever, a parody of the spooky-comedies of the 1940s and 1950s that were popularized by the likes of Red Skelton, Abbot and Costello, and Crosby and Hope. Two radio stars (Wilder and Radner) have become engaged and they rush off to the groom's ancestral home for the wedding... and promptly encounter everything from cobras in the closet to werewolves in the winecellar. And the script and production values are often quite amusing, with repeated references to James Whale's 1930s classic THE OLD DARK HOUSE, and even the score borrows a few phrases from "I've Written A Letter To Daddy" from WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE? But the plot goes no where, and not even the stars of the film can save it.
Which brings us to why the film is nonetheless worth watching. Wilder is excessive, to say the least, but his failings here are as director and writer; as a performer he manages quite well. And his co-star is the late and much missed Gilda Radner. Sadly, Radner never found her place on the big screen before her untimely death, and HAUNTED HONEYMOON is no exception; Wilder doesn't seem to know how best to display her talents. But even so, there are moments when she illuminates the film to a remarkable comic degree, giving the viewer a glimpse of what might have been if the role had been more carefully tailored to her talents. And then there is Dom DeLuise, who offers a hilarious throw-away performance in drag as Aunt Kate... And when Gilda and Dom join forces to perform the old Vaudeville song "Ballin' the Jack" the result is pure movie magic.
Unfortunately, though, it isn't enough. The story is just too weak, too many of the one-liners fall flat, too often cast members who might have given great comic performances are neglected. I'll give it three stars... one each for Wilder, Radner, and DeLuise. But I'm erring on the generous side. Incidentally, this film is not to be confused with a Robert Young-Constance Cummings effort of the 1930s, also entitled HAUNTED HONEYMOON and based on the play and novel by mystery author Dorothy Sayers--a very good film, by the way, which sad to say has never been released to the home market.
Gary F. Taylor, aka GFT, Amazon Reviewer
I like the setting
selcho2 July 2021
Unredeemable.
gridoon28 December 1999
"Haunted Honeymoon" suffers from a classic case of "all setup, no payoff". It keeps introducing new eccentric characters, then drops them and gives them nothing to do. It has a promising (and game) cast, but wastes it. And it can't seem to find a consistent tone; for example, that brutal fistfight near the end is an unforgivable mistake.
The film does have a few scattered laughs (Wilder's version of the song "Get Happy"), and Gilda Radner has a wonderful presence, but nothing can really redeem this confusing and convoluted mess.
The film does have a few scattered laughs (Wilder's version of the song "Get Happy"), and Gilda Radner has a wonderful presence, but nothing can really redeem this confusing and convoluted mess.
Laughter and Sin, this is a charming underrated gem
Sleepin_Dragon17 August 2015
I've loved Haunted Honeymoon ever since I was a kid, and saw it in the Cinema. Naturally as you get older you see things with different eyes, and what I remembered as a scary tale of Werewolves is actually a rather sweet, funny and hugely entertaining trip down memory lane.
It's tragic to think that this was Gilda Rander's before she tragically lost her life, but she gives a sparkling performance and bounced of husband Gene Wilder beautifully.
It's a great little tail of Werewolves, deception, Transvestism and jealousy.
I have never been able to decide who's the funniest, whether it's Aunt Kate or Rachel, both are so much fun, Rachel, played by Ann Way is a joy, especially when she's bashing poor Pfister about, she's a diminutive terror.
The music is really nice the whole way through, it's so dramatic, it fits in great with the film, real 80's Chiller feel to it.
I am stunned by the bad reviews that surround this film, to me it's just a bundle of fun. Take Dom LeLuise's performance for what it is, hugely over the top, but truly funny.
Best scene has to be Eagle Rock, which is a show stopper, I love it, Gilda had gorgeous legs. You can't help but smile watching it.
What happens to Larry's old girlfriend Susan, where does she go?? Was the Werewolf talking to Susan in the Wine Cellar, don't know.
I grew up on this film and I still love it, sure it's daft, but it doesn't try to be anything else.
It's tragic to think that this was Gilda Rander's before she tragically lost her life, but she gives a sparkling performance and bounced of husband Gene Wilder beautifully.
It's a great little tail of Werewolves, deception, Transvestism and jealousy.
I have never been able to decide who's the funniest, whether it's Aunt Kate or Rachel, both are so much fun, Rachel, played by Ann Way is a joy, especially when she's bashing poor Pfister about, she's a diminutive terror.
The music is really nice the whole way through, it's so dramatic, it fits in great with the film, real 80's Chiller feel to it.
I am stunned by the bad reviews that surround this film, to me it's just a bundle of fun. Take Dom LeLuise's performance for what it is, hugely over the top, but truly funny.
Best scene has to be Eagle Rock, which is a show stopper, I love it, Gilda had gorgeous legs. You can't help but smile watching it.
What happens to Larry's old girlfriend Susan, where does she go?? Was the Werewolf talking to Susan in the Wine Cellar, don't know.
I grew up on this film and I still love it, sure it's daft, but it doesn't try to be anything else.
A lovely homage to classic horror-comedies
MissSimonetta1 September 2023
HAUNTED HONEYMOON is such an affable comedy that it's hard for me to understand how the critics could so thoroughly reject it. No one would ever argue it's a masterpiece, but it's delightfully corny and at times genuinely creepy. You can tell Gene Wilder has true affection for old-school horror and horror-comedies (look out for nods to THE OLD DARK HOUSE and THE SPIRAL STAIRCASE). I also appreciate his grasp of the period: characters actually quip in the style of 1930s/1940s comedy. The story is true farce and honestly less important than individual moments and performances. As a result, it doesn't always hang super well together, but the ride is so much fun that it's hard to care.
Haunted Honeymoon review.
Ben-Hibburd20 October 2017
Gene Wilder's Haunted Honeymoon is an honourable failure. The film is written and directed by Wilder and it contains a-lot of the same visual and comedic motifs associated with his earlier collaborations with Mel Brooks. Whilst I understood what Wilder was going for I felt the film missed the mark both in its comedy and plot. The film was incredibly dull, after watching the film I can barely remember any genuinely hilarious scenes.
Gene Wilder plays Larry Abbot a neurotic horror radio presenter, who returns to his family castle where he grew up after getting engaged. He decides to take his fiancée Vickie Pearle (Gilda Radner) back home for the marriage. To cure Larry of his neuroticism his uncle decides to scare the irrational fear he has, out of him. There's also a badly underutilised murder mystery plot that's going on in the background, as someone wants to murder Larry.
Gene Wilder is as always his charming self, he carries this movie, and I would hate to of seen this without him, because it would of been a total disaster. The rest of the cast is pretty forgettable. Dom DeLuise seemed like he wasn't interested in the film and that came off in his performance. Terence Stamp was wasted in the film, he had very little screen-time. Gilda Radner had a decent amount of chemistry with Wilder but nothing noteworthy.
In the end this film, has many scripting issues, it's a film that want's to be its own film, whilst having the same comedic tone as a Mel Brooks film. The plot barely makes any sense and even when it does it's not interesting, and to be brutally honest this film felt like the unfunny b- roll material left out of Young Frankenstein. The only reason I would recommend this film is for Gene Wilder who shows again why he was an incredible on-screen talent.
Gene Wilder plays Larry Abbot a neurotic horror radio presenter, who returns to his family castle where he grew up after getting engaged. He decides to take his fiancée Vickie Pearle (Gilda Radner) back home for the marriage. To cure Larry of his neuroticism his uncle decides to scare the irrational fear he has, out of him. There's also a badly underutilised murder mystery plot that's going on in the background, as someone wants to murder Larry.
Gene Wilder is as always his charming self, he carries this movie, and I would hate to of seen this without him, because it would of been a total disaster. The rest of the cast is pretty forgettable. Dom DeLuise seemed like he wasn't interested in the film and that came off in his performance. Terence Stamp was wasted in the film, he had very little screen-time. Gilda Radner had a decent amount of chemistry with Wilder but nothing noteworthy.
In the end this film, has many scripting issues, it's a film that want's to be its own film, whilst having the same comedic tone as a Mel Brooks film. The plot barely makes any sense and even when it does it's not interesting, and to be brutally honest this film felt like the unfunny b- roll material left out of Young Frankenstein. The only reason I would recommend this film is for Gene Wilder who shows again why he was an incredible on-screen talent.
A bizarre late-night laugh
musicnina5 January 2002
This is the sort of off-the-wall comedy that is perfect for the wee hours -- so long as you don't wake up the rest of the household, either screaming or laughing! DeLuise and Radner were especially good (as you might expect) -- it would be hard to beat their duet of "Balling the Jack." If you're looking for a logical plotline, you will have to go elsewhere. There are more twists and turns and unresolved moments than actual dialogue, I believe. However, if totally bizarre is what you're after, this is it! I found it thoroughly enjoyable.
"I swear to God your tie is straight."
utgard1422 July 2014
Weak homage to old dark house comedy mysteries from the '30s & '40s. As a matter of fact, it actually uses some jokes taken straight from some of those movies. The plot sees two radio stars (Gene Wilder, Gilda Radner) engaged to be married who stay at the family mansion with his eccentric relatives. There a series of strange things happen. Yawn. I had hopes for this one, despite its reputation as being terrible. But it's pretty lame. Wilder and Radner try, but they just can't make a go of such tired material. Dom DeLuise, who benefited more from the pity of his friends than perhaps any other actor in the history of movies, stinks to high heaven. He deservedly won a Razzie Award for his awful performance. This movie has the sad distinction of being Gilda Radner's final film.
Gilda Radner's autobiography offers some insight.
lee_eisenberg6 March 2006
When "Haunted Honeymoon" was released, the critics panned it and almost no one saw it. But it does have a certain charm to it. Featuring Gene Wilder and Gilda Radner as husband-and-wife-to-be Larry Abbot and Vickie Pearle staying in a Gothic mansion where there may or may not be a werewolf, the movie's completely silly but pretty funny. There's certainly an air of "Young Frankenstein" here. Dom DeLuise looks really zany playing a woman, and the movie also stars Jonathan Pryce and Paul Smith (the prison guard from "Midnight Express").
If you want to know more about this movie, read Gilda Radner's autobiography "It's Always Something". She talks about how they filmed it, and Gene Wilder stayed in England to edit it. While he was there, Chernobyl happened. So, she was worried about him in Europe with a radioactive cloud hanging over it.
I wonder what ever became of Gene Wilder. He seems to have disappeared ever since Gilda Radner died.
If you want to know more about this movie, read Gilda Radner's autobiography "It's Always Something". She talks about how they filmed it, and Gene Wilder stayed in England to edit it. While he was there, Chernobyl happened. So, she was worried about him in Europe with a radioactive cloud hanging over it.
I wonder what ever became of Gene Wilder. He seems to have disappeared ever since Gilda Radner died.
A Weak Horror Comedy
Theo Robertson4 October 2005
If you watch the opening title sequence you can easily understand the problem with the rest of the movie : A transvestite falls dying against a window consciously telling the audience " It's not what you think , it's not what you think " . Seconds later something stirs in the bushes back to camera , the figure turns and we see it is a werewolf - then the action cuts to a radio studio ! And that sums up the movie . Camp transvestites are not laugh inducing while sequences that reveal the previous action was part of radio play is akin to someone waking up and discovering it was a bad dream . Bad dream sequence = bad movie
I know that fusing comedy with horror is never easy but when you've got some talented people behind and in front of the camera you should demand more . Gene Wilder directs and he worked on YOUNG FRANKENSTIEN . Trying to tell me he forgot everything he knew from that classic comedy horror ? I also couldn't noticing that most of the cast are British . You'll recognise most of their faces if not their names and you can't help but notice their absolutely atrocious American accents ! I really do hate it when American actors try ( And fail ) to do British accents and we've got a trans Atalantic role reversal here . Trying to tell me Jonathan Pryce couldn't have done better ?
I won't waste any more words on this movie except to reiterate that it's a lazily written , badly acted and hugely disappointing film
I know that fusing comedy with horror is never easy but when you've got some talented people behind and in front of the camera you should demand more . Gene Wilder directs and he worked on YOUNG FRANKENSTIEN . Trying to tell me he forgot everything he knew from that classic comedy horror ? I also couldn't noticing that most of the cast are British . You'll recognise most of their faces if not their names and you can't help but notice their absolutely atrocious American accents ! I really do hate it when American actors try ( And fail ) to do British accents and we've got a trans Atalantic role reversal here . Trying to tell me Jonathan Pryce couldn't have done better ?
I won't waste any more words on this movie except to reiterate that it's a lazily written , badly acted and hugely disappointing film
Goofy fun
Leofwine_draca12 November 2015
Gene Wilder made this film as a tribute to the 'old dark house' style movies popular during the 1930s. I guess nobody remembered or appreciated those films because this was a massive bomb on release and hardly anybody bothered going to see it. It's a shame, because it's as equally enjoyable as more popular '80s fare like POLICE ACADEMY.
The plot has a straightforward premise about a group of characters meeting up at a creepy old house for a wedding, but it becomes increasingly convoluted as time goes on. There's a murderer on the loose, and the jokes and chills come thick and fast. It's very similar to MURDER BY DEATH, although not as funny or well-written as that film.
Still, Wilder is on strong form here, as is Gilda Radner as his bride to be. The worst thing about the film are the plot twists, especially at the climax, which are a step too far. Still, the spooky atmosphere is fun, and as this was filmed in the UK, there's an exemplary supporting cast including Jonathan Pryce and Peter Vaughan. My favourite character is the underrated Ann Way (CLOCKWISE) as the housekeeper.
The plot has a straightforward premise about a group of characters meeting up at a creepy old house for a wedding, but it becomes increasingly convoluted as time goes on. There's a murderer on the loose, and the jokes and chills come thick and fast. It's very similar to MURDER BY DEATH, although not as funny or well-written as that film.
Still, Wilder is on strong form here, as is Gilda Radner as his bride to be. The worst thing about the film are the plot twists, especially at the climax, which are a step too far. Still, the spooky atmosphere is fun, and as this was filmed in the UK, there's an exemplary supporting cast including Jonathan Pryce and Peter Vaughan. My favourite character is the underrated Ann Way (CLOCKWISE) as the housekeeper.
It should have been titled "Try Hard"
ksdilauri14 December 2019
Having missed seeing this since its release in 1986, I wanted to catch up, thinking it would be similar to "Young Frankenstein". It unfortunately never comes close, except for the creepy castle setting. The script is weak and not very funny, unworthy of the talented leads. There are too few good moments to recommend it to anyone but die-hard fans of Wilder, Radner, and DeLuise. Check your DVD, too---mine had muted vocals, but the background track was loud. Very annoying for the people in the apartment upstairs.
I shouldn't like it but I do
coopesean13 July 2023
I know this film is Kitsch with a capital K but I love every minute of it.
There's something really special about it knowing the two stars where deeply in love, with Gilda Radnor battling on with strength and determination.
The film is very British, and has a real naivety that belies the age it was made. I am a huge Gene Wilder fan and maybe this film doesn't hit the heights of some of his bigger movies like Stir Crazy, Blazing Saddles, the list goes on.
Part supernatural, part thriller and part who do it, with a Orson Welles feel to the movie. Set in a aging country house where something is very wrong and keeps you wanting more. Great British supporting cast with Jonathon Pryce, Peter Vaughn and the brilliant butler played by. Jim Carter.
Relax, chill out with a whimsical who done it.
There's something really special about it knowing the two stars where deeply in love, with Gilda Radnor battling on with strength and determination.
The film is very British, and has a real naivety that belies the age it was made. I am a huge Gene Wilder fan and maybe this film doesn't hit the heights of some of his bigger movies like Stir Crazy, Blazing Saddles, the list goes on.
Part supernatural, part thriller and part who do it, with a Orson Welles feel to the movie. Set in a aging country house where something is very wrong and keeps you wanting more. Great British supporting cast with Jonathon Pryce, Peter Vaughn and the brilliant butler played by. Jim Carter.
Relax, chill out with a whimsical who done it.
Wouldn't be fond of the film really...
Irishchatter27 April 2015
Warning: Spoilers
I mean I honestly love both Gilda & Gene on this, they showed great chemistry for each other regardless if they were a couple or not. However I didn't find the whole storyline funny in fact wasn't that great to be honest with ya.
I can't tell you how many times I got annoyed when Gene Wilder's kept asking too much to anyone if his tie was 'straight '. Whoever made him say this should've at least make him minimize it, it just hurts your head so much!
Dom Deluise looked quite good in dressing up as a drag queen but he kept popping up as if he played the hero in which he didn't, he's meant to be a supporting character like! It was just annoying whenever someone said a line, he interrupted always! I think they should've picked someone else for the supporting role. I respect him deeply as an actor but he didn't do well in this movie!
I didn't like what Gildas character wedding dress turned out to be, it looked like a white mother of the bride outfit then an actual bride outfit. The wardrobe department should really have gotten a better dress then Gilda would look like an actual bride for her character.
The reason I came upon this film only because of Gene Wilder and Gilda Radner really. The rest can forget about it!
I can't tell you how many times I got annoyed when Gene Wilder's kept asking too much to anyone if his tie was 'straight '. Whoever made him say this should've at least make him minimize it, it just hurts your head so much!
Dom Deluise looked quite good in dressing up as a drag queen but he kept popping up as if he played the hero in which he didn't, he's meant to be a supporting character like! It was just annoying whenever someone said a line, he interrupted always! I think they should've picked someone else for the supporting role. I respect him deeply as an actor but he didn't do well in this movie!
I didn't like what Gildas character wedding dress turned out to be, it looked like a white mother of the bride outfit then an actual bride outfit. The wardrobe department should really have gotten a better dress then Gilda would look like an actual bride for her character.
The reason I came upon this film only because of Gene Wilder and Gilda Radner really. The rest can forget about it!
Charming.
FiendishDramaturgy22 January 2004
Warning: Spoilers
Brilliantly witty horror/comedy starring the best husband & wife team in the genre of comedy.
Gene Wilder is, admittedly, an acquired taste. His humor is expressive and intelligent and not for everyone. But who can not love sweet little Gilda Radner? This is one of the few collaborations between the husband & wife team of Wilder and Radner, and one of Wilder's best attempts, in this critic's opinion.
While there are a few plot holes here, this movie was not meant to be an Oscar contender, nor was it made to be thought-inspiring. This is pure entertainment which hits dead on the mark.
Gilda is sweet, competent, and assertive here as Vickie Pearle, fiancé to Larry Abbott (Wilder). The couple work as radio stars for a weekly horror broadcast, but Larry is having some anxiety problems, and it's up to Vickie to help keep him glued together. Just as their show is starting to top the charts, Larry begins to show serious signs of wear, and now his uncle, Paul Abbott, steps in and takes Larry's reins.
It seems Dr. Abbott knows how to cure Larry's problem, but with murder, treachery, and intrigue all around him, will Larry ever be cured of his anxiety?
This is a wonderfully fun movie with an all-star cast, which bears a definite Agatha Christie feel about it, even with Dom DeLuise in drag!
I adore this movie, and watch it often.
It rates an 8.4/10 from...
the Fiend :.
Gene Wilder is, admittedly, an acquired taste. His humor is expressive and intelligent and not for everyone. But who can not love sweet little Gilda Radner? This is one of the few collaborations between the husband & wife team of Wilder and Radner, and one of Wilder's best attempts, in this critic's opinion.
While there are a few plot holes here, this movie was not meant to be an Oscar contender, nor was it made to be thought-inspiring. This is pure entertainment which hits dead on the mark.
Gilda is sweet, competent, and assertive here as Vickie Pearle, fiancé to Larry Abbott (Wilder). The couple work as radio stars for a weekly horror broadcast, but Larry is having some anxiety problems, and it's up to Vickie to help keep him glued together. Just as their show is starting to top the charts, Larry begins to show serious signs of wear, and now his uncle, Paul Abbott, steps in and takes Larry's reins.
It seems Dr. Abbott knows how to cure Larry's problem, but with murder, treachery, and intrigue all around him, will Larry ever be cured of his anxiety?
This is a wonderfully fun movie with an all-star cast, which bears a definite Agatha Christie feel about it, even with Dom DeLuise in drag!
I adore this movie, and watch it often.
It rates an 8.4/10 from...
the Fiend :.
haunted honeymoon
lecare2219 March 2006
Okay, so it wasn't everyone's best work. If you look at it with no presupposed ideas about everyone, you will find a nice funny movie. There are bits which are priceless. If you think of the humor they were all trying to put forth with Gilda so sick and Gene so worried, maybe it will help to understand somewhat why more attention wasn't paid to a script or to more proper editing. I still find it a breathe of fresh air compared to a lot of movies released in the last 20 years. And isn't it rather funny to see an Englishman do an American accent badly, which was what they were supposed to be doing? It is a comedy, for crying out loud. It wasn't made as a movie to win a Nobel peace prize, but I am sure you will smile and even chuckle a little. Pop some popcorn, settle back, and enjoy.
Amusing But Not Amazing
gavin69428 April 2016
Larry Abbot, speaker in the radio horror shows of Manhattan Mystery Theater wants to marry. For the marriage he takes his fiancée home to the castle where he grew up among his eccentric relatives. His uncle decides that he needs to be cured from a neurotic speech defect and exaggerated bursts of fear: he gives him a shock therapy with palace ghosts.
You really can't dislike any film with Gene Wilder, Gilda Radner and Dom DeLuise. I mean, that is just guaranteed to be fun to watch no matter what happens. But this is really pretty tame. Some good moments of humor, surrounded by lots of just average scenery. And at a very short run time (barely over an hour), it seems odd they didn't have enough jokes to fill the script.
You really can't dislike any film with Gene Wilder, Gilda Radner and Dom DeLuise. I mean, that is just guaranteed to be fun to watch no matter what happens. But this is really pretty tame. Some good moments of humor, surrounded by lots of just average scenery. And at a very short run time (barely over an hour), it seems odd they didn't have enough jokes to fill the script.
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