SHORT PEOPLE TV: 🍿Intermission

80s Embarrassing Moments

Andrew Wright — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 11:22:09 GMT

Cinema doesn’t always need dissecting. Sometimes it’s enough to talk about the moments we love. INTERMISSION is a brief pause to celebrate the joy of cinema: a lighter look at favourites, overlooked gems, and the small things that remind us why we keep watching.
The films that make me smile, move me, or simply deserve a little more love.
(Please do comment with your suggestions!)

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Ferris Bueller’s Day Off - Ed Rooney on the phone

If there’s one thing John Hughes did well, it was create two of the biggest tight-ass principals in movie history: namely, Vice Principal Richard Vernon in The Breakfast Club and Ed Rooney. It’s hard to pick the bigger authoritarian a-hole of the two, as Paul Gleason’s Vernon is more reality-based than Jeffrey Jones’s increasingly Looney Tunes Ed Rooney.

Rooney has an array of humiliations thrown at him throughout Ferris Bueller’s Day Off - the final insult being the school bus ride home after the worst day of his life - but it’s this phone call that sets the ball rolling.

Rooney’s dogged belief that Ferris will not pull the wool over his eyes is thrown into a cocked hat early on, as he believes he has caught his arch-nemesis in a lie. Well, he has! But that wascally wabbit Bueller knows his enemy well, and is always one step ahead…

Weird Science - Social death by frozen drink

Teenagers Gary and Wyatt are literally humiliated in the opening scene, as pretty-boy bullies Ian and Max swiftly yoink down the weaklings’ P.E. shorts in front of cheerleaders and girls-of-their-dreams, Deb and Hilly. But it’s this scene in the shopping mall, where Gary and Wyatt’s home-made wish-fulfilment Lisa has unlocked their self-esteem, that for once in their lives they don’t feel like “total dicks”.

Well.

A Fish Called Wanda - Archie Interrupted

John Cleese’s stiff-as-a-board Archie Leach holds the key to criminals Otto, Ken and Wanda getting their mitts on a stash of loot, and it’s down to Wanda to seduce Archie. Miraculously, she actually does - or is Archie actually seducing her with his mastery of foreign languages?

In this NSFW clip, Archie prances around an apartment loaned to him by a friend so he can keep his affair with Wanda hidden from his pursed-lipped fusspot wife, Wendy.

But when the underpants come off and are placed on his face, Archie is interrupted by an entire family who have leased the apartment.

The great British nightmare: nudity plus witnesses.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles - “Those aren’t pillows!”

It’s only the beginning of his journey through hell, but uptight Neal Page wakes up to the nightmare rocket fuel of blabbermouth Del Griffith nibbling his ear, as the two have had no option but to share a bed.

Then comes the realisation:

“Why are you holding my hand?”

“Where’s your other hand?”

The Naked Gun - The Mic is Still on

Having mic trouble at a press conference is one thing, but when super-cop Frank Drebin swaps the table mic for a wireless mic, he forgets to switch the damn thing off before he heads to the bathroom.

Blissfully unaware, Frank treats the press and his superiors to what can only be described as the deafening sound of a never-ending cascade of wee.

Roxanne - Can I Fluff Your Pillows?

Hunky fireman Chris may have the looks, but every time he so much as looks at Roxanne, it ends in disaster. Only his new boss and pal C.D. - who is also in love with Roxanne but burdened by the shame of his prize hooter - can save the day.

Chris becomes C.D.’s avatar, feeding him lines that he longs to say to Roxanne. But when the plan malfunctions, Chris is left to scramble through his own horror show of romantic platitudes.

BONUS ENTRY:

Crocodile Dundee - Mick’s Party Faux Pas

There are certain 80s comedy scenes that haven’t aged too well. Sure, we all laughed back in the day, but for the modern viewer, the joke has become somewhat questionable.

This is one of them.

Mick Dundee, newly dropped into New York society, approaches a party with the same blunt curiosity he’d apply to something slithering across the Outback. In a previous scene, Mick’s bluntness is used to conclude, “That guy’s a sheila!” Later on, we get the reverse of this joke. Suspecting an older, deeper-voiced female party guest of being a man, Mick decides the best way to confirm his suspicions is with a full-on public grope.

Crocodile Dundee recently received a remastered 4K re-release - The Encore Cut - and these jokes were removed, deemed too inappropriate for modern audiences. Or was it also to protect the character of Mick Dundee from being a casual sexual assaulter? Paul Hogan says it isn’t due to “wokeness”, but more “Mick wouldn’t do that.” Hmm. But he did?

Mick’s response in these scenes comes from a place of genuine innocence, and it could be argued that the joke is on filterless Mick, as he simply doesn’t understand the New York way of life compared with living in the Outback. But it remains a scene of mortifying social disaster and inappropriate behaviour - and one that Paul Hogan may well hope people forget in future generations.

But is that even possible, given that the scenes in question are still out there, easily found and endlessly argued over?

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BEST MUSICAL MOMENTS

Andrew Wright — Sat, 13 Jun 2026 15:10:55 GMT

Cinema doesn’t always need dissecting. Sometimes it’s enough to talk about the moments we love. INTERMISSION is a brief pause to celebrate the joy of cinema: a lighter look at favourites, strange obsessions, overlooked gems, and the small things that remind us why we keep watching.
My selections range from cult favourites to crowd-pleasers - the films that make me smile, move me, or simply deserve a little more love.
(Please do comment with your suggestions!)

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10. THE MUPPETS CHRISTMAS CAROL

Paul Williams-penned songs feature twice in this list (you already know what the other choice is!), and combining his talent with the Muppets AND A Christmas Carol… well, no wonder The Muppet Christmas Carol has become essential viewing every Christmas.

It has a genuine warmth. You don’t even care about Michael Caine’s singing.

It Feels Like Christmas is so jolly, so catchy, that you’ll end up humming it throughout the year. I particularly love that the song has barely got going before a band of baby-faced carol singers start attacking each other. That’s detail for you.

9. THE BLUES BROTHERS

They’re on a mission from God - and God has great taste in music, and celebrity cameos.

Is The Blues Brothers actually a musical? Sure, they get the band back together and perform a few shows, but it isn’t a typical musical… until THIS:

And then - AND THEN - they have the audacity to follow it up in the next scene with this:

All of this is glorious, and it features the general public bursting into dance, so it’s a musical in my books.

8. LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS

Probably the ultimate “I’ve got to get out of this place AND LIVE!” song. All credit to the creators, Alan Menken and writer Howard Ashman, because those lyrics set the time, place, and circumstances while introducing where all the characters are in their lives.

Seymour and Audrey are dreaming of a better life, and who among us hasn’t done that?

As for the film itself, director Frank Oz does a stellar job balancing the gee-whiz ‘50s/’60s sci-fi parody with genuine darkness. And what a cast: Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene, Steve Martin, Vincent Gardenia, John Candy… and a giant puppet plant operated by a small army.

7. SWEET CHARITY

What an absolute showcase for the brilliance of Shirley MacLaine, but also what a surreal, quirky, bizarre experiment in style. It’s incredibly long, and at many times self-indulgent and goes off on tangents, but it’s a story about having faith in the rest of the world despite everyone else behaving like a trash bag. I can get on board with that message.

6. A CHORUS LINE

“I hope I get it.” Yeeeeeeeeaah… Terrence Mann is the dependable assistant choreographer putting a gazillion wannabe dancers through their paces as surly theatre director Michael Douglas picks them off like some jazz-handed Predator… well, not quite - he just says “No thank you” and they go home. But that’s about it, story-wise.

A Chorus Line is mostly derided by musical theatre fans AND critics AND cinema audiences - but hey, I like it! Any ‘70s or ‘80s New York-based film is fine by me (I’ve no idea why), and Richard Attenborough’s attempt to bring what is, story-wise, the same plot beat over and over (it’s about dancers auditioning for their big break), is noble but doesn’t quite nail it because I’m not sure if it naturally translates from theatre to film. It tries to flesh out Michael Douglas’s character (the only big name in the cast - and no, he doesn’t sing), but it’s probably best just to enjoy the cast of unknowns being all teeth ‘n tushy in order to impress Herr Direktor.

I mean, look at this big labrador puppy getting all excitable:

The ending of A Chorus Line is one of those “But what does it mean?” The film charts the journey of a handful of hopefuls - yet there they are, all dressed alike in golden top hats and tails, all of their uniqueness removed as they high-kick into infinity with all those dreamers who came before them. Is this heaven? Are they all dead? How big is that stage, exactly?

5. HEAD

I’m a huuuuuuge fan of The Monkees. I grew up watching repeats of their TV show (a staple of school-holiday morning television), and if you thought that show was surreal, then Head takes things to a new dimension. Davy performing Harry Nilsson’s Daddy’s Song (and dancing with Oh-Mickey-You’re-So-Fine singer Toni Basil) is the highlight, and is my favourite example of how editing isn’t just splicing different shots together - it is for creating art.

4. EVITA

Yes, yes, it’s Madonna’s best film and best performance - and she is extremely well-cast, there’s no denying it - but it’s Antonio Banderas who really makes the film pop. He’s angry, cynical, and continuously informing the audience who Evita really is, especially in this opener, but he often does it with a wry twinkle in his eye (when he’s not scowling. Which is a lot.). Any film/musical biopic that opens with the main character’s persona being absolutely mowed down by her biggest critic is always worth a watch. Alan Parker directs it like a serious biopic. There are no moments of people bursting into song and dance. Songs aren’t so much as performed by spoken-sung. Save for a few moments, it plays like one long montage, but there is a campiness to it, intentional or not.

3. GREASE

“How low can you go…” Yes, I’ve deliberately avoided mentioning the usual suspects, because this is my favourite sequence from Grease - the dance elimination - and it contains one of my favourite shots from any film:

I just love the energy of all these 30-something TEENAGERS all doing their best to be seen by the TV cameras. I’m smiling just thinking about it…

2. THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW

One of my favourite songs - let alone from a musical. It’s just lovely. It’s up there with “Regrets, I’ve had a few…” It’s just the ultimate song about going through life not fitting in, yet it’s all so bloody uplifting.

1. BUGSY MALONE

A source of endless confusion for me as a child, having watched a film about kids singing with adult voices, and characters being offed with splurge guns (poor Knuckles!). Are they all dead? Is this heaven? WHAT? (It’s reassuring to know I’ve been overinterpreting this kind of stuff since I was small. But why do I always end up thinking like this?)

“You give a little love and it all comes back to you…” Who can argue with that?

BONUS ENTRY: LABYRINTH

In 1986, David Bowie appeared in not one but two musicals (the other being Absolute Beginners), and although Labyrinth only has a scant number of performed songs (including Magic Dance, Within You, and Chilly Down), I’ve gone for As the World Falls Down.

It’s dreamy, melancholy, and odd. Watching it as a child, it felt romantic and a bit grown-up, but now I’m much older, it feels impossibly wistful and sad.

The scene plays out like that moment in childhood where you feel the pull to let go of childish things — I believe it’s called “growing up” (which, ultimately, is what Labyrinth is about). A slow dance at the end of the world, with eerie masks and Bowie’s big hair. But for all of Jareth’s temptation, he already knows the moment won’t last.

Ain’t that the kicker?

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UNDERSEEN FILMS

Andrew Wright — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 12:03:06 GMT

Cinema doesn’t always need dissecting. Sometimes it’s enough to talk about the moments we love. INTERMISSION is a brief pause to celebrate the joy of cinema: a lighter look at favourites, top fives, strange obsessions, overlooked gems, and the small things that remind us why we keep watching.

There are some movies you can’t seem to escape these days, as they play on repeat on multiple channels (Hello, Kindergarten Cop, Hot Fuzz, and any Jurassic Park). To counteract this lack of imagination (not that there’s anything particularly wrong with these films - they’re just ALWAYS ON), here are my recommendations for films that have slipped through the cracks somewhat and maybe need a shout-out.

Here’s my top five underseen movies!

(Please do comment with your suggestions!)

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5. ONE FALSE MOVE

A trio of murderers on the run head for Star City, Arkansas, unaware that the police are already waiting for them. Bill Paxton gives his best performance (Hudson from Aliens aside) as a local hick sheriff playing with the big boys for the first time. It slow burns to an inevitable conclusion, but it’s worth watching for Paxton alone.

If this isn’t remade with Chase Infiniti within a couple of years, I’ll eat my invisible hat.

Watch the trailer

4. LIVING IN OBLIVION

Ever wanted to know what it’s really like to make a low-budget film? Watch this. Steve Buscemi is the director struggling to keep his sanity as he contends with egotistical lead actor Chad Palomino, a pretentious cinematographer named Wolf and an irate Peter Dinklage.

It’s one of Buscemi’s best (and that’s saying something. When has he ever not been great?), and Dermot Mulroney’s Wolf is also hilarious. It’s one of those films that could have only been made by those who have lived it.

Watch the trailer

3. SOUTHERN COMFORT

Essentially James Cameron’s Aliens before Aliens came along, this Walter Hill film follows a squad of National Guard soldiers who get on the wrong side of the local Cajuns, and before you can say “headless chickens”, the soldiers are desperately trying to outrun their unseen assailants. Keith Carradine and Powers Boothe are a perfect pairing as the only two guys who seem to have a grasp on the situation. Ry Cooder’s haunting score sticks with you long after.

Watch the trailer

2. TRUST

Hal Hartley’s quirky, edgy indie comedy drama, starring the late Adrienne Shelly as Maria, who connects with outsider Matthew after inadvertently triggering the death of her father due to a row over her unplanned pregnancy. Maria and Matthew are in many ways opposites, but find a connection of mutual friendship - and trust. Martin Donovan is brilliant as the, at times, psychotic Matthew, and Adrienne Shelly just shines in the main role.

I would also recommend the documentary about Shelly - Adrienne - It is properly heartbreaking.

Watch the trailer

1. THE CHOCOLATE WAR

Adapted from Robert Cormier’s novel, the premise is simple: Dare I disturb the universe? Well, teenage schoolboy Renault decides to do just that by rebelling against the teachers and the school’s secret society at a Catholic school.

Ilan Mitchell Smith is great as the quiet, sensitive teen dealing with the loss of his mother, going up against ritual humiliation and bullying, all overseen by Archie, Assigner of The Vigils, who in turn is controlled by acting headmaster Brother Leon, who expects every boy to do their bit and sell boxes of chocolates for the school fundraiser. John Glover is superb as Brother Leon, a showboating ringmaster of a bully; charming and exuberant as he diminishes students with humiliation and violence. It’s one of the rare book adaptations where the ending is changed for the better, and it’s one which resonates deeply with me.

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HONOURABLE MENTIONS

A further selection of perhaps not-quite classic films, but films which deserve more attention.

THE BIG PICTURE

A tale of warning, as Kevin Bacon’s young up-and-coming film director enters the Hollywood studio system, and has all of his soul sucked from him. That sounds far heavier than the film actually is (it’s actually a light, easy-going sort of movie), but it’s a fun, funny film which picks its targets with ease and shoots ‘em all down. Worth checking out for Martin Short’s bubble-haired, cross-eyed agent. Who loves knitting.

Watch the trailer

WHILE WE’RE YOUNG

Ben Stiller and Naomi Watts are an “older couple” who befriend “younger couple” Adam Driver and Amanda Seyfried - and before you can say “reliving their youth”, the older couple are dressing like the hipsters and feeling rejuvenated by their energy (kind of like Cocoon, but without the aliens). Naturally, downfall comes, as Stiller especially struggles to stay relevant and for his life to have some sort of meaning. It’s much like those classic “couples” movies of the 70s and 80s, and it’s worth watching for Adam Driver’s increasing levels of pretentiousness.

Watch the trailer

ART SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL

A spiritual sequel to Ghost World (another movie to check out if you haven’t already, also directed and written by Terry Zwigoff and Daniel Clowes), this sees a young art student falling for a life model whilst navigating the fickleness of the art world. But then things take a bit of a turn. I’m not entirely certain if the last half hour actually works, but up until that point there are some brilliant characters and dialogue delivered by John Malkovich, Steve Buscemi, and Jim Broadbent. I watched it again recently and laughed out loud for the first hour.

Watch the trailer

MEANTIME

For me, this is Mike Leigh’s best film, probably because I used to spend quite a few of my Saturdays in Hackney (visiting my grandparents), where this was filmed. It’s got an amazing before-they-were-famous cast: Tim Roth, Gary Oldman, Phil Daniels, Pam Ferris, Alfred Molina… The Pollock family live in a rundown flat in East London, and are struggling to get by financially - and with each other. It’s a multiple character study and not exactly heavy on plot, but there is a vast amount that rings very true.

There is no trailer for Meantime (it was made for television), so what this instead.

THE QUIET EARTH

A mid-80s low-budget New Zealand sci-fi drama, directed by Geoff “Young Guns II” Murphy, it follows Hobson, a man who wakes up to find he is the last person alive in the world. All the clocks have stopped at the same time. All humans and animals have vanished. Hobson attempts to unpick what has occurred, whilst slowly descending into madness.

I saw this a long time ago, and it stuck with me. Yes, there are low-budget limitations, but it’s a story which keeps you hooked: You want to know what’s gone wrong as much as Hobson does…

Watch the trailer

THE TALL GUY

Writer Richard Curtis’s first incarnation of himself on-screen (before Hugh Grant took over that particular job in Four Weddings), this time in the avatar of Jeff Goldblum (appearing in the first of a trio of “European” films, along with Mr. Frost and The Favour, The Watch and the Very Big Fish). Jeff is a struggling actor and straight man to Rowan Atkinson’s viciously self-aggrandising comedy star, Ron Anderson (see what they did there?). Jeff falls for Kate Lemon (Emma Thompson), and things seem to be on the up in more ways than one (fnar fnar), until Jeff is cast as the lead role in the stage musical Elephant!

I love this film. It never fails to make me smile. It is still Richard Curtis’s best film script (sorry Four Weddings, Love Actually and Notting Hill, but this is less smug), it has some big laughs, and it’s probably my favourite Jeff Goldblum performance.

Watch the trailer

And finally…

The most recent film on this list is one that should NOT be forgotten. In fact, ITV2, if you’re reading this, please show it daily. Everyone should be made to watch it just to realise a) how screwed up this world is and b) how we ended up in this mess.

THE BIG SHORT

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END CREDITS

Andrew Wright — Sat, 06 Jun 2026 19:28:13 GMT

Cinema doesn’t always need dissecting. Sometimes it’s enough to talk about the moments we love. INTERMISSION is a brief pause to celebrate the joy of cinema: a lighter look at favourites, top fives, strange obsessions, overlooked gems, and the small things that remind us why we keep watching.

I do like a movie that puts a little imagination into its end credits: A farewell and thanks for the good time. A celebration of what you’ve just experienced.

Pixar movies used to do that outtakes thing, which was fun for a while until it became expected… then it got a little old ‘n tired. Jackie Chan showed us over and over how he almost killed himself repeatedly whilst making his movies. As for Marvel films: Yes, yes, TEASE US WITH WHAT’S TO COME… until sitting through ten minutes of credits resulted in a communal “Eh?” from those who remembered to stay seated.

So, in celebration of films that knew how to give the audience a decent send-off, here’s my top five END CREDITS!

(Please do comment because I know I’ve overlooked LOTS!)

GOOD WILL HUNTING

We follow Will Hunting as he drives off into what is presumably a happy future to the sounds of Elliott Smith’s Miss Misery AND Starland Vocal Band’s Afternoon Delight (how’s that for a diverse choice of songs?). “But Andy, it’s just a car driving. What’s special about that?” It’s a long shot, trailing Will’s car, which slows down to a standstill as Will/the car drives out of sight, just as Afternoon Delight ends. He’s out of there. Gone. Love it.

THE BLUES BROTHERS

Having got the band back together, and back into prison, the Blues Brothers Rhythm and Blues band perform for the inmates, and before you know it, everyone is dancing on the canteen tables and having a whale of a time. Even the band is kicking their legs in unison, cutting straight into the cast of legendary performers such as James Brown and Aretha Franklin, all singing a line from Jailhouse Rock. Even the flippin’ crew joins in! Madness! And madness is what perfectly sums up The Blues Brothers.

It also serves as a bittersweet reminder that most of the cast are no longer with us.

JAWS

The survivors are swimming home. John Williams’ reassuring score informs the audience that they can breathe now. They’re safe. On screen, a curve of beach and grass juxtaposed against the blue sky and ocean… Grab your coats, time to go.

But wait… what’s that? It’s the survivors, finally touching ground after such a traumatic encounter with Bitey McBiteface. And they step onto the beach as the credits/music ends. Now they’re safe. Perfect.

THIS IS SPINAL TAP

If you’ve got bits of movie left over THAT ARE ACTUALLY FUNNY, this is how you do it - and make sure you end on a zinger. (Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, I’m looking in your direction…)

PREDATOR

You’ve just sat through an intense action/horror movie, most of the characters have met grisly endings - even Arnold is looking defeated in his victory - so what better way to let the audience know everything is okay than the main cast giving winks and nods directly to camera, as if to say “It’s fine, we were only pretending!” But one question remains unanswered: Why didn’t Arnie give us a cheeky wink?

The BBC sitcom “You have been watching…” version of all-time great actioners.

HONOURABLE MENTIONS

Here are some more of my favourites, because like the end credits of a Marvel film, I couldn’t stop.

IRON MAN 3

I swear these end credits took longer to cut together than the entire film. Accompanied by the most over-excited 60’s-spy-film kitsch score, this is the equivalent of being beaten around the head by audio and visuals.

FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF

Having spent the day trying to catch that skiving little smug wotsit Ferris, Ed Rooney is well ‘n truly defeated. To add insult to injury, he has to take the school bus home to the sounds of Yello’s sampled electronica and staple of most 80s comedies, ‘Oh Yeah’.

But wait, what’s this? Ferris is back?

THE SCREAM MOVIES

Opting for what is essentially “You Have Been Watching…”-style characters pulling trademark scared/wild-eyed/goofy freeze-frame expressions, they have become a staple for the franchise. We expect them. But shame on Scream 7 for doing such a half-arsed job. (Those “AI” cameos? Yuck.)

WALL-E

As the credits roll, we’re treated to beautiful art depicting how humanity and the robots worked together for a better future. From cave drawings to Van Gogh-style post-expressionism, it charts the progression of life - and the development of art - and shows how the humans became human once more. All that, and a nice Peter Gabriel song. Lovely.

DAZED AND CONFUSED

More “Here’s the cast! Remember them?!” stuff, but also quite handy because the cast is so big it’s kind of hard to remember who everybody is… Foghat’s Slow Ride perfectly utilised, it fits the film’s “just hanging out with the characters” vibe.

YOUNG SHERLOCK HOLMES

A horse and carriage makes its way through a snowy wasteland to the sounds of the film’s jaunty, under-appreciated score. Only once the credits have cleared do we realise WHO is in the carriage… Ah, what could have been…

WORST END CREDITS

Any film - usually comedies - that couldn’t figure out how or where to insert a particular scene or had a so-so joke left hanging around so the filmmakers decided to insert it into the credits as an afterthought. Is the film over or what? And if it’s not that, it’s a montage of actors ad-libbing unfunny lines. JUST. STOP. IT.

And finally…

Here’s a fun video covering some of those mentioned above, while also looking at the different “genres” of end credits.

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