Episode 164 - The Wraith: LIVE!

[Cameron H. 23786]

Don't take my word for it. It's merely how I made sense of this all. I think it's just as believable that in the end like Cameron said that she's cashing in her soul and Jake is collecting. Depends on how happy and ending you want.

 

I think it's pretty clear where I fall...

 

 

 

[taylor anne photo 11311]

 

I think it's pretty clear where I fall...

 

 

 

Stop copying my ~vibe~

 

[Cam Bert 8145]

 

I think it's pretty clear where I fall...

 

 

 

And where I fall

 

 

[Cinco DeNio 5290]

I had tweeted Paul and the HDTGM twitter accounts literally for years trying to get this movie watched. Why? Because I remember as a kid watching it and it being just as terrible as it is now, but for some reason I still love it.

 

[snip]

 

Thank you for watching this movie. I have always loved the show, but this one felt very special to me. Now I am going to bother you until you watch Freejack.

"It only took 6 years. I think I'll start writing them twice a month." - Andy Dufresne

[Cinco DeNio 5290]

On the side of Skank's car, does he have a count of the races he's won? He beat 4 cars, 3 motorcycles, and then...

 

He beat 2 people in wheelchairs? And one dog? Does he get to keep the wheelchairs if he wins? What does he get when he beats a dog?

 

"For I hadn't had so much fun since the day

My brother's dog rover

Got run over.

(rover was killed by a pontiac. and it was done with

Such grace and artistry that the witnesses awarded the

Driver both ears and the tail - but I digress.)"

- Tom Lehrer, In Old Mexico

[FlapjackWillie 4]

I've lost all faith in this podcast.

 

How did they miss the obvious clues that this takes place in the Solarbabies universe? First there are the orbs, which were partial addressed. But the most telling clue is the use of the term "dog squeeze". They were so close when they were talking about villain's made up words, and I was screaming at my phone when no one brought it up.

[Blast Hardcheese 636]

The part of this movie that I loved was that the road pirate gang was operating under the premise that as long as they stole someone's car after a race then everything was square and legal. Even when the opponent had been forced into the race at the threat of rape and/or murder. And based on Packard yelling at Rughead that he almost lost a race maybe they would actually surrender their car after a loss? It doesn't seem like their operation was any secret and Randy Quaid never busted them so maybe it is all legal and I'm the dummy.

 

Thank you! In all of my years (oy vey!) of watching wonderfully horrible movies, this conceit infuriated me to no end.

 

The baddies in The Wraith are essentially compelling their victims to "race for pink slips" under the threat of rape/murder of their loved ones. This might be a testament to their love of racing, but the gang could have essentially skipped a step and simply demanded that their victims sign over their cars instead.

 

But even at that, couldn't the victims of these crimes go to the police and tell them that they were kidnapped, then robbed and had to sign their cars over under extreme duress? I mean the gang doesn't wear masks, they are locals and they actually let their victims go after stealing their cars. It seems like a fairly open and shut case since these criminals are so exceptionally dumb. This entire race-for-pink-slips-or-else scenario smacks of one of those faux law-and-logic loopholes idiotic people convince themselves is clever.

 

If I was going to find one little flaw with this movie that wasn't mentioned in the episode it would be that this movie lacks the tiniest bit of dramatic tension. The "good guy" is essentially omnipotent and the gang he is fighting stand absolutely no chance against him. There isn't one second of this movie where you think "uh oh how is Wraith going to get himself out of this one?"

 

I completely agree with you about this movie lacking dramatic tension due to The Wraith being omnipotent. RoboCop had Directive 4, and The Crow had his guardian crow getting shot, but the hero of this movie had bupkis: he couldn't lose if he wanted to. I think that's why the gang just sits there when our hero saunters in to their barn lair and Light Bright-shotguns the place up: they know there's absolutely no point in doing anything about it.

[Cakebug Tranch 6873]

I completely agree with you about this movie lacking dramatic tension due to The Wraith being omnipotent. RoboCop had Directive 4, and The Crow had his guardian crow getting shot, but the hero of this movie had bupkis: he couldn't lose if he wanted to. I think that's why the gang just sits there when our hero saunters in to their barn lair and Light Bright-shotguns the place up: they know there's absolutely no point in doing anything about it.

 

Plus, his means of road-killing each of the bad guys is essentially the same thing: drive fast, get a little further ahead, suddenly stop in the middle of the road, allow them to crash into me, explosion. I kept waiting for the Wraith to Sleepaway Camp-style one-up his kills, but it was the same idea every time. Without a stated weakness, the Wraith is mostly just a sociopathic bully, toying with weakling mortals that can't hurt him. Even the act of putting the GPS on his engine so he can't run away comes to nothing, so why bother with it?

[Cameron H. 23786]

I've lost all faith in this podcast.

 

How did they miss the obvious clues that this takes place in the Solarbabies universe? First there are the orbs, which were partial addressed. But the most telling clue is the use of the term "dog squeeze". They were so close when they were talking about villain's made up words, and I was screaming at my phone when no one brought it up.

 

To be fair, Paul mentions right up top that the orbs travel like Bodhi in Solarbabies. Perhaps this was all they felt they needed to say about the matter.

 

I know the connection isn't "dog squeeze" levels of irrefutable evidence, but at least it's something. Please, let this gif of our patron saint help ameliorate your shattered faith.

 

 

 

[JammerLea 2070]

Okay, my last point I wanted to address is...

 

Why the hell is Billy the ONLY kitchen staff on hand at the drive-in?? I mean, who's washing dishes?? Who's taking the money?? The girl are just running orders to patrons, so I guess they can take money from customers, but we never see them go inside to put it anywhere. I'd hope that Billy isn't handling the money while cooking, because that is just unsanitary. Actually I don't recall seeing any order slips either, which is insane considering the place is shown to have a constant stream of customers. How does it stay open?? Or maybe Sheriff Loomis getting his food on the house isn't actually anything special, and everyone gets their food free. It makes about as much sense as anything else in this parentless town.

[Cam Bert 8145]

Okay, my last point I wanted to address is...

 

Why the hell is Billy the ONLY kitchen staff on hand at the drive-in?? I mean, who's washing dishes?? Who's taking the money?? The girl are just running orders to patrons, so I guess they can take money from customers, but we never see them go inside to put it anywhere. I'd hope that Billy isn't handling the money while cooking, because that is just unsanitary. Actually I don't recall seeing any order slips either, which is insane considering the place is shown to have a constant stream of customers. How does it stay open?? Or maybe Sheriff Loomis getting his food on the house isn't actually anything special, and everyone gets their food free. It makes about as much sense as anything else in this parentless town.

Yes!!! He's also seemingly there from open until close except for the day when he decides to take Keri home midday which again is odd when he's doing everything inside! Also when he gets beat up and everybody just stands around. If the man is beat up who is going to make your burgers people?

[bandsaboutmovies 7]

Obviously, Skank is an early adopter of the Death Race, as seen in Death Race 2000 (and the inferior sequels and remakes).

 

Paul should totally rewatch Condorman. How often do you get to see Michael Crawford -- the Phantom of the Singing Opera -- play superhero in a movie with Oliver Reed?

[FlapjackWillie 4]

 

To be fair, Paul mentions right up top that the orbs travel like Bodhi in Solarbabies. Perhaps this was all they felt they needed to say about the matter.

 

I know the connection isn't "dog squeeze" levels of irrefutable evidence, but at least it's something. Please, let this gif of our patron saint help ameliorate your shattered faith.

 

 

 

"It's pronounced Bodhi!"

 

I just knew that they would address it after JM pointed it out in the Solarbabies episode.

[grudlian. 4725]

To my ears, Skank is not referring to the swimming hole as "Queef City," but Quiff City. My hunch is that the writers confused the word quiff which is a pompadour-like hairstyle popularized by Smiths singer Morrissey, with quim which is British slang for ladyparts. That or it was their sly way of calling Morrissey a pussy.

 

The subtitles on Netflix say "quiff" but the subtitles on this seemed especially lazy. There were words that should have been capitalized but weren't. I don't remember any misspellings though.

[Blast Hardcheese 636]

Paul should totally rewatch Condorman. How often do you get to see Michael Crawford -- the Phantom of the Singing Opera -- play superhero in a movie with Oliver Reed?

 

Great! Now I have the Condorman theme song stuck in my head. Thanks a lot.

 

No actually, wait. It's still pretty catchy. So, thanks a lot, man.

[Ambientnite 2]

The idea in my head is that Charlie Sheen isn't Jamie, but instead of Vengeful Spirit created during Jamies murder that comes to the town to, much as a ghost or kitsune, clean up several issues in respects to Jamies death. It was created because both Billy & Keri bottle up their emotions/feelings about what happened and "summoned him". He heads to the quarry following his instincts of revenge and when he locks eyes with Packard he sees Packards "deepest secret" which is the murder of Jamie. He then uses his car to try and kill Packard but the lackey Oggie gets in the way and dies first. The Wraith "steals his soul" killing him personally before the crash finishes him off and then when watching the aftereffects one of his "braces" disappears, almost like a chain that is binding his spirit to the earth, and hopefully by killing all of the crew he can break all the chains and move on to the afterlife, kinda like the "unfinished business" in Casper. But, maybe just bad continuity/editing he shows up in a later scene and that brace that disappeared has reappeared, perhaps because Oggie didn't actually have something to do with the murder but the Wraith isn't sure since he just has the flashes to go off of. So instead he goes to the garage to try and gleam more information from the gang and threatens them with the shotgun, where he gets another flashback, different perhaps because it's from one of the other guys perspectives. So he takes some time to investigate more and eventually determines what he needs to do to break his chains: Kill Packard, Skank, and Gutterboy; save Keri from the awful relationship with Packard (and maybe a bit more); and say goodbye to his brother one last time before moving on.

[Cam Bert 8145]

Time for another...

 

How Did This Get Named?

 

It's been awhile since something with a completely different name or somewhat of a story behind it. The Wraith is know in Japan as 処刑ライダー (Shokei Raidaa) or Execution Rider. Fun quick aside, Boondock Saints is called 処刑人 (Shokeinin) or Executioners. So why this name and not a direct translation? Do the Japanese not believe in ghosts. Oh, they VERY much believe in ghosts and the supernatural. Rather this is a take on the long running Japanese special effects kid series Kamen Rider or Masked Rider. In another sense he is executing people I suppose too, I guess giving us further evidence for the spirit of vengeance take. I also found this interesting. While the DVD and BluRay of this movie use the more current Wraith in front of the car poster the original movie theater pamphlet is more akin to the current cover.

 

[Cakebug Tranch 6873]

One of these days a 'How Did This Get Named' must make it on to the minisode. These are always brilliant, Cam! Way to go!

[Cameron H. 23786]

As the hosts mentioned in the episode, The Wraith has a pretty bitchin' soundtrack. I was wondering, from the current HDTGM catalog (Sorry, "The Last Dragon." Not yet. ) does anyone have any favorite songs? For me, there are quite a few, but I think I'm currently really feeling Stan Bush's "Never Surrender" from Bloodsport

 

 

Anyone else have any favorites? You can find quite a few here...

[taylor anne photo 11311]

As the hosts mentioned in the episode, The Wraith has a pretty bitchin' soundtrack. I was wondering, from the current HDTGM catalog (Sorry, "The Last Dragon." Not yet. ) does anyone have any favorite songs? For me, there are quite a few, but I think I'm currently really feeling Stan Bush's "Never Surrender" from Bloodsport

 

Anyone else have any favorites? You can find quite a few here...

Because I'm never actually giving up the fight that Spice World is a fun campy movie -

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOPFBEbSiHg

[tomspanks 9039]

Because I'm never actually giving up the fight that Spice World is a fun campy movie -

 

I considered this for my next MM pick.

[Smigg 1488]

Because I'm never actually giving up the fight that Spice World is a fun campy movie -

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOPFBEbSiHg

 

Especially when you stick to my theory that Spice World is a prequel to the Crank movies.

[tomspanks 9039]

Especially when you stick to my theory that Spice World is a prequel to the Crank movies.

 

How so?

[Smigg 1488]

 

How so?

 

I'm glad you asked, Tomathy. Here is my first ever post on these forums.

Well, when you look at it from a different perspective, it makes perfect sense,

 

Geri Halliwell kisses the Alien on the mouth.

The scene where they're all pregnant (including Geri)

 

Now, this following point changes the whole movie

 

Geri Halliwell is Chev Chelios' mother in Crank 2.

 

Spiceworld is actually the first Crank movie! Geri banged the alien offscreen, got pregnant via the alien and gave birth to Chev Chelios!!

 

That explains why the flashback scene in Crank 2, set in the 90s shows Chev as a kid, when Chev is about 40, it's the alien genes which is making him age much faster, on top of that, Chev never met his father.

 

So, Geri Halliwell got pregnant with the Alien in Spice World, gave birth to Chev Chelios, who has almost superhuman abilities to take pain, and even live without a heart.

 

To make it even weirder, Wedding Crashers also fits into the Crank universe too.

[joel_rosenbaum 1269]

As the hosts mentioned in the episode, The Wraith has a pretty bitchin' soundtrack. I was wondering, from the current HDTGM catalog (Sorry, "The Last Dragon." Not yet. ) does anyone have any favorite songs?

Probably "Halcyon/On" from Hackers. But that was a huge song that was famous in its own right.

 

If we're talking about songs that figure prominently in the movies they were played in, probably "Same Song" in Nothing But Trouble. Featuring Tupac in his debut performance with Digital Underground.