Skip to main content

Weird Movie Wednesday: Coneheads


Greetings and salutations earthlings, to another installation of Weird Movie Wednesday. I hope you are all prepared to talk about the funniest SNL movie of all time because today we are discussing The Coneheads. Okay, maybe its not the best SNL movie ever, but it is hilarious and weird and that's why we are gonna talk about it, but first a little back story.

The Coneheads is a movie based off of the classic series of Saturday Night Live sketches of the same name, starring Dan Akroyd, Jane Curtin, and Laraine Newman. In these sketches, we would explore the life of cone shaped headed aliens from the planet Ramulak, who have been stranded on Earth. In monotone speech, the Coneheads overly describe their lives while consuming mass quantities of food and beer. Oh, and raising a teenage cone. They are the average, alien family. The movie expands on their lives from how they got there, to their happily ever after. It guest stars SNL alums Adam Sandler, Chris Farley, David Spade, Laraine Newman, Phil Hartman, Jan Hooks, Garrett Morris, Kevin Nealon, and Tim Meadows. As well as appearances by Michael McKean, Jason Alexander, Micheal Richards, Ellen DeGeneres, Drew Carey, Parker Posey and more. Needless to say, it is star studded. The Coneheads is and about many things but all in all, its about a family. 

The movie starts with Mr. and Mrs.Conehead crashing into Earth and nearly escaping authorities that have spotted their UFO. They quickly acclimate to human life and, despite their cone shaped heads, they fit right in. Beldar (Mr.) even finds a job as a appliance repairman. When Beldar's boss finds out that he doesn't have any citizenship papers, he helps him get a false identity. This triggers an alert to the INS, our bad guys of the movie. Meanwhile, Beldar and, his wife Prymaat manage to make contact with their people and are informed that it will take several years before they can come and get them. In their despair, there is a light for Prymaat has become pregnant. They decide to do the only thing they can which is make money and make a life for themselves and their unborn cone. This includes having their teeth, which are rows and rows of horrible spikes, capped. While they work hard for their American Dream, they are attacked by the government, who have been trying to find the foreigners who have been living under their trap name. Once again, the Coneheads have been able to escape the government officials. They find new work as a taxi driver in NY. Once they have saved enough money they decide to buy a house in New Jersey, where they give birth to their daughter and raise her in a lovely family environment. Beldar finds a job teaching drivers ED and supports his family well. While they are off living that picture perfect family life, the guys trying to hunt them down have been promoted and have dropped finding what they assume now are extraterrestrial aliens. It isn't until the agency discovers a hole in their funding. Determined now to find the aliens, the bad guys make their move. 

Back at home, daughter Connie Conehead finds herself a boyfriend, a car mechanic named Ronnie. Things move fast for these two and Beldar doesn't approve, but allows his daughter to see him. Things seem to be going okay until Beldar receives word that their rescue ship is approaching and they need to be ready. The government officials find out about it and manage to attach to the Coneheads car as they are lifted into the spaceship. Everything seems to be going great for the Coneheads (minus Connie, who doesn't want to leave her life on Earth) who have offered gifts from Earth, including the two government agents as prisoners. The gifts are received well, however Beldar has changed his teeth and that is frowned upon in Ramulak. He is then sentenced to fight the ferocious Grathok. Using his new found Earth wits, he outsmarts the beast and in doing so he earns the right to having anything he wants. He asks to be returned to Earth so he can destroy it and to take the head of the INS with him. He bamboozles his leader, however, and gives the world to his daughter. And they all live happily ever after. 

That was a brief synopsis and I missed a lot of details, but only so I could tell you about my favorite parts of the movie. I want to start with their speech. Like I said earlier, it is a monotone barrage of overly specific details and spontaneous "EEEEEKKKS!". Everything they say is a dictionary definition of simple phrases and nobody around them says anything about it. They just casually go along with what they've said as though the Coneheads had spoke just like everyone else. I think my favorite example of this is during a scene where Mrs.Conehead is grocery shopping with her neighbor and are talking about how men are pigs. Mrs.Conehead defines pigs a text book definition and, without missing a beat, her neighbor responds "Exactly". Then Mrs.Conehead spots an eggplant, eeks, grabs the eggplant and laughs. No one says anything about how weird this is, which brings me to my next point; the coneheads misshaped heads. 

No one throughout the whole movie says anything about their cone heads. Their speech, I could see why people wouldn't say anything about that, but their heads? They are obviously cone shaped and hairless. I love this detail because literally no one either wants to be rude or really doesn't notice. The next thing that makes me laugh out loud is the mispronunciation of their last name. Even when they were using a different last name, everyone gets it wrong. The Coneheads, of course, politely and thoroughly state their name correctly. Its a simple running gag, but it works for me. I also love, and this is a little off topic (but falls into their politeness, I suppose) is how Mr.Conehead becomes sort of a chick magnet. He is drivers ed teacher and has passed himself off as being European. Well, this just drives one of his female students crazy (see what I did there?). I love this because why? Is it the giant misshaped head or the "European Accent"? Whatever it is it makes for hilarious and uncomfortable movie watching. 

The final thing that I love most about The Coneheads is Chris Farley. I love him just in general but he is particularly lovable in this movie. He plays Ronnie, Connie's boyfriend. He is a big party animal who truly loves his girlfriend, even if he was moving faster than she was. My favorite scene with him is after Mr.Conehead finds out that Ronnie was moving faster than they all are comfortable with. Beldar finds Ronnie sitting in his car and rips off the roof, warning him that if he ever sees him again there would be hell to pay. So what happens the next day? He sees him at the golf course. Beldar just tries to ignore him, but Ronnie just won't stop talking. He yells across the course something along the lines of "Hey Mr.Conehead, I hope you didn't hurt your hand when you ripped off the top of my car!...I'm alright!" and so on. Chris Farley is just genuinely hilarious and incentive to watch this movie. Come for the Coneheads and stay for Farley. 

Well, that's all for today. I hope you have enjoyed today's post. Feel free to let me know if you are familiar with this SNL classic. What's your favorite SNL movie? Maybe I will do a list of my favorite SNL movies before too long. I'm a huge fan of SNL, so maybe. Until next time stay spooky!







Comments

Popular posts from this blog

FearStyle Friday: Kingpin

Happy late FearStyle Friday! I've been super busy today, but I will always make time for you. Today we are talking about Kingpin, an off the wall comedy about a has been bowler training an Amish natural make it all the way to the bowling Nationals. I chose this movie for today because we went bowling last night. We usually go once a week (we like to bowl) and my brother and I couldn't stop quoting this movie. So, I thought I'd bring it to you. Kingpin is about and ex-pro bowler who had lost his hand to a bad hustle in his prime. He lives in a shanty of an apartment and has to try and sell novelties to pay his bills. While trying to make a living, he stumbles upon an amateur bowler who is just a natural. There's just one problem...he's Amish and obviously not supposed to be there. Roy offers to be the kids manager and make him a star. The kid declines his offer and pedals his way back home. However, the kids farm is in the weeds and they need half a millio

Weird Movie Wednesday: Klown Kamp Massacre

Welcome weirdos to another installment of Weird Movie Wednesday, where I talk about my favorite obscure horror movies. In keeping with my summer feeling, I've decided to search my movie archives for one of my favorite and very weird horror movies brought to you but the weirdos over at Troma. This movie is totally absurd and over the top, I don't know where to even start. I suppose the first thing to mention is that it is about Klowns (which I love), a summer academy for said klowns (also love), and a senseless slaughter. It's crazy yet so lovable that I just have to tell you about it, so let's do this. On graduation night, 15 years earlier, a klown looking to spread laughter was humiliated when his jokes didn't make anyone in attendance chuckle. To retaliate, he murders the lot of them. The senseless slaughter forced the shut down of the Klown Kamp Academy. Against the advice of locals, kamp owner Bozo goes ahead and reopens the kamp and unwitting klowns sign

Weird Movie Wednesday: Newly Deads

Welcome back, weirdo. I've got a movie treat for you today. It is one of the best, worst horror movies that I have ever seen. It's about mistaken identity, a murder, a honeymoon, and a vengeful zombie. Ladies and Gents, I present to you, Newlydeads. This is a Troma Classic about the murder of a transvestite and how he comes back for revenge. What happens is a classic tale of mistaken identity. The owner of this honeymoon hotel is taken aback by a beautiful blonde who is staying in a honeymoon suite. The two decide to pop some bubbly when uh-oh we learn that the blonde is more than what she seems. That's right she's a he and the owner doesn't play that game. In a blinding rage, the man kills the transvestite with the cork screw killing her dead and unkowingly creating a monster. Fast forward several years later, the owner of the hotel finds himself a love of his own and makes use of his honeymoon suite with his sweet on their wedding day. All the while, another cou

FearStyle Friday: The Leprechaun

Hello Lass's and Lad's, welcome to a so lucky it's scary FearStyle Friday. This week, in honor of everyone's favorite Irish holiday, we will be talking about the 90's classic horror film, The Leprechaun . You can't celebrate this holiday, as a horror fan, without even thinking about this classic. It has it all, it's funny, it stars a young, pre-Friends Jennifer Aniston, and is honestly kind of weird. So, let's do this. The Leprechaun begins in 1983, when a man named Dan O'Grady returns home to North Dakota from a trip to Ireland, where he had stolen a pot'o'gold from the titular Leprechaun. After burying the pot'o'gold, Dan finds that not only did the Leprechaun follow him home, but has killed his wife. In an effort to suppress the Leprechaun, Dan traps him in a crate with a four-leaf clover. The Leprechaun gets the last laugh, however, when Dan suffers a stroke before he has a chance to destroy him. Fast-forward ten years later,

Weird Movie Wednesday: My Mom

Hello and welcome to another special Weird Movie Wednesday. Today, I thought I would talk a little bit about my mom, her fave movies, and the movies she showed me that made me the horror nut I am today. Without her, I don't know that I would love these things as much as I do. This is an early Mother's Day surprise and an ode to mom. Enjoy. So, my mom is a horror fan from way back and she has never been shy in sharing her love for gore with her three kids. Growing up, there were few movies that were off limits and, as long as she was in the room, we could watch anything we wanted. Plus, she worked in a video store so, needless to say, we had access to a wide array to all the movies we could ever want. There were the staples such as A Nightmare on Elm St., Silver Bullet, Return of the Living Dead , Demons and all the Evil Dead's . Not to forget Texas Chainsaw Massacre, My Bloody Valentine, and Friday the 13th and the list goes on. But there were a few that she made us w

Weird Movie Wednesday: The Willies

  Happy Weird Movie Wednesday, kiddos! Hope we are all ready for some campfire tales. Lately, I have been surrounded by happy campers, people who are enjoying the sunshine and pleasant weather of the lake that I live on. All this merriment makes me think of one of my favorite horror anthologies, The Willies. It is a childhood favorite and a perfect movie for this time of year. So make you a s'more and let's get this one started. The Willies is about three boys who are sleeping out in a tent in their front yard. To alleviate the boredom of sitting out in an empty tent, they start telling campfire stories. They start small, sticking to local urban legends, then they head to the main event. A story so weird, you have to see it to believe it. The movie stars Sean Astin and the late James Karen and is just too good to miss. I thought I would retell each story for you, in my own words. They aren't very long and they should be just the thing to put you in the camping spi

Hello, is there anyone out there?

Hello. Good day. Howdy, hello.  I haven't seen this place in a while and just felt like hopping on for no reason what so ever. Things are crazy and I have had no time to think, let alone write. Come to think of it, I have a small audience on here, so I'm sure no one has missed me. But here I am, open to typing on the spot, wanting to catch up on all the goings on and talk about horror movies, just like the old days. There's no schedule- because I can't keep up- but there is stories. I think what is most important these days is to just be and that's what I plan to do; be.  So, I have been a gore hungry monster over 80's horror schlop forever and a day, but my latest obsession is made for T.V horror films. Not all of them are necessarily "made of T.V" but they have that "made for T.V feel. Right now, for example I am watching Mikey , a 1992 horror film starring Ashley Laurence from Hellraiser fame, about a kid whose a psychopath and kills off his a

FearStyle Friday: Happy Early Mother's Day!

Happy Early Mother's Day, Everyone! Hope everyone is having a lovely day celebrating mom or whoever the mother figure in your life is. Today, I have a special treat for you that you. I have been compiling a list of my 13 favorite mom's in horror movies. I even have my mom's stamp of approval. So, without further ado, here are those movie mama's. 13) A Nightmare on Elm St. (1984) We start off our list with Nancy Thompson's boozy mama, Marge. Desperate to keep their kids safe, Marge and other furious parents set Kruger a blaze. Now, wracked with guilt, she drinks her pain away and her secrete safe from her only child, Nancy. That is until Nancy figures it out on her own, propelling Marge to tell her daughter the truth of the matter in only a way that she could...Dramatically. This is may fave scene, by the way. So, funny. Revealing her dark past reignites her relationship with her daughter. Unfortunately, she does not make it to see her daughter put an end to