Movie Review #53: Ernest Scared Stupid (1991)

 

I am amazingly surprised it took me this long to discuss Mr. Ernest P. Worrell, played by Jim Varney. He was all over the place between I believe the early 1980s when he was just on tv as a spokesman for some random stuff. I don't know what he tried to sell you and I've never seen the commercials. He was insanely popular so he was put in to a movie called Dr. Otto and the Gloom Beam (1986), a movie I'm surprised no video store around us had. It was until I was an adult that I had even heard of it. It's on the Offical Never Ending List of Motion Pictures I Want To Watch Damnit list. He was given his own movie Ernest Goes to Camp (1987), then it was Ernest Saves Christmas, Ernest Goes to Jail, Ernest Scared Stupid (today's movie). This movie didn't make enough money at the box office but that didn't stop them. Ernest went direct to video with Ernest Rides Again (This one even has a Mr. Bill sketch! How 90s is that!?), Ernest Goes to School, Slam Dunk Ernest, Ernest Goes to the Army, and Ernest Goes to Africa. He even had his own tv show! Ernest was everywhere!

I loved this guy as a kid. The second a new Ernest movie hit the video store I was THERE. I re-watched Ernest Goes to Jail (the zenith of Ernest films) so many times and It never got old. Ever. I don't know how many times I saw any of the direct to video movies but I know the ones that were in theatres were ones and my sister would watch. My sister watched THIS movie so many times that I honesty grew sick of it. It was an Ernest movie I couldn't stand. However I figured 25 years after all of this happened, (I got a VCR in like 1996 so I didn't have to watch movies in the main room of the house.) it was time to give this movie a rewatch. I mean I had more or less forgotten most of the movie so I figured it was fair. Anyway I'm still kinda mixed on this film but I did have a good time.

First off, Jim Varney is still a lot of fun to watch. He is clearly having a great time with this role. I mean you don't do ten of them plus a tv show if you don't want to play the character. Ernest is very love him or hate him. I personally love him. He's so lovably silly and sincere. You feel that this guy is a real guy despite how weird he is. That's all on Jim Varney. He is my favorite 80s comedy weirdo. Sorry Pee-Wee, you'll have to take second place. The rest of the actors are pretty good. The kids are mostly likable and this film has EARTHA KITT in it. Eartha Kitt ruled. She is great in this movie and all of my favorite moments involve her and Ernest. The plot is easy going and all that. Ernest's grandfather puts a Troll in the ground and grows a giant oak tree all over him. The Troll curses him. There's also a saying that a Worrell ancestor will help him escape (and he does! as a huge accident!) and the Troll wants to kidnap children and turn them into wood statues so that he can grow a huge troll army! I must admit that I love the design of the Trolls in this movie. They are spectacular.

 The biggest problem is that this movie while yes, it does have some laughs, it has a lot of moments that I think fall flat. I really wish Gailand Sartain who played Chuck would have been in this movie because he worked so much better with Bobby. That's just me, but this movie is more likable and fun to watch than hilarious but I did laugh so I can't deny that. I so far still rate Ernest Goes to Jail as a better movie as it was likable and fun to wtach AND hilarious. Ernest Goes to Jail is a better movie than Gone With the Wind and everyone knows it but just don't want to admit it.

FINAL VERDICT: I had fun re-watching this movie and It's got me feeling like I should discuss some comedy horror movies. What are they? You'll find out soon duders and ladiers!