Almost Heroes may have flopped upon its release, but it held strong as the underdog in round one of the "Summer Movies of 1998" bracket.
Cult status for a film is often achieved years after its release and was, more often than not, not an immediate success at the box office. Notable films from 1998, like The Big Lebowski and Rushmore have their devout fans, propelling both films into something more than a cult following.
Is it possible Almost Heroes has reached the point of beloved cult status? Likely not, though the film advanced to the round of 32 in the May region with a victory over 6th-seeded Quest for Camelot.
Twenty years have gone by since the release of the Christopher Guest directed Almost Heroes. The film stars Matthew Perry and Chris Farley and also was the last film starring Farley in a leading role. The comedic heavyweight passed away in 1997 at the age of 33.
For the uninitiated, Almost Heroes tells the story of two intrepid explorers, Edwards (Perry) and Hunt (Farley). Edwards and Hunt wish to be the first to reach the Pacific Northwest. Of course, they are in direct competition with a couple of explorers who happen to go by the names of Lewis and Clark.
Perry was about halfway through a ten-season run playing Chandler Bing on Friends at this time while Farley -- while filming this movie -- was fresh off of a successful run on Saturday Night Live.
Even with Guest's deft hand -- he was coming off the indie success of directing Waiting for Guffman -- and a couple of his normal "players" (Harry Shearer and Eugene Levy), Almost Heroes never found a market. The film made roughly 6.1 million dollars at the box office (off a budget of 30 million) and carries a Rotten Tomatoes score of 8% (audience score of 64%)
Looking back at the film now it's easy to recall a certain fondness. Farley is still beloved, especially among fans who grew up being entertained by him in the 90's. And Guest, mainly since appearing in This is Spinal Tap, is still appreciated for roles in front of and behind the camera. Almost Heroes might not go down as a great film in the annals of history but for now, it is advancing in the summer movies of 1998 bracket.
May region, round 1 results
Outside of the upset win by Almost Heroes, there was only one other instance in which the lower-seeded film claimed victory. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is easily a darling among critics and fans alike as the number nine seed. But I thought there might be a bit more love given to Patrick Swayze and the movie Black Dog.
I guess Road House love doesn't carry over.
Higher seeds prevailed in the other six matches, leaving us with the following matchups in the round of 32:
- 1) Deep Impact
- 9) Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
- 5) Bulworth
- 4) Hope Floats
- 11)Almost Heroes
- 3) The Horse Whisperer
- 7) He Got Game
- 2) Godzilla
Now, if were simply looking at soundtracks, Bulworth and He Got Game might have the edge. Perhaps that's why you voted. But always remember that Puff Daddy ne P. Diddy ne Puffy Combs ne Sean Combs ne Brother Love sang a song with Jimmy Page for the Godzilla soundtrack.
Voting continues
There's still time to vote in the first round for the regions of June and July (August opens on 7/25).
Early indication has another film in which Farley made an appearance (Dirty Work) losing its first-round matchup. But again, there's time if you'd like to see this Norm Macdonald classic move on.
And another movie along the lines of Almost Heroes, Jane Austen's Mafia!, is on track to pull off an upset of its own. By advancing, does Jay Mohr have what it takes to finally be called the king of 1998? (More on that at a later date)
Get over to Twitter to vote. (And via the Twitter account below) Leave your thoughts. Retweet. Or if there's a film from that summer you'd like to me talk about, leave a comment.
Have fun. And one remember: May your feet be swift, your bats be mighty and...oh, wait. Wrong year.
Thanks for stopping by.
photo courtesy of flickr.com
Stay up-to-date with the "Summer Movies of 1998" bracket, plus thoughts on the Red Sox, pop culture and more over on Twitter: @jasonrh_78
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