Episode 231 — The Master of Disguise (Live from The Beacon Theatre)

[gigi-tastic 2322]

1 hour ago, Cam Bert said:

It's time for...

How Did This Get Named?

Frankly today's movie is not all that funny or interesting but different enough to still comment on. 

変身パワーズ　(Henshin pawaazu) or Transformation Powers!

What is interesting to note is that while at first I thought this title was self explanatory (he has powers that allow him to transform) upon reading some Amazon reviews there appears to be a slight double meaning which I don't know if it was intentional or not. A lot of reviews seemed to be this the title was a play on Austin Powers. Obviously there is a slight Mike Meyers connection to all this but I'm not sure if that is intentional or not. The poster has a colour scheme not unlike the first Austin Powers, so maybe. Anyway you'll be happy to know that this movie is rocking a two star rating on Amazon and nobody has given it more than three stars. Choice comments from the reviews are "These are American styled jokes and that must be be why I'm not laughing", "I think this is a kids movie", "The most interesting thing is the special feature on the Turtle Club" and my favourite "Another in the dark history of nice guy Adam Sandler's Happy Madison's attempts to give his loser friends their own movie."

I feel like this describes the movie PERFECTLY "1000 faces and not a single clue" is exactly how I would describe this movie. 

[gigi-tastic 2322]

So as June noted the Master of Disguise ... Clan? Business? Organization? Whatever they call themselves, is apparently made up of only men with no women in the Disguisey family using the Master of Disguise powers. So is it just because Mama married into the family ( I assume) and the powers of Disguise are genetic and Pistachio is an only child ? Or are the women in the family regardless of marrying into or being born in the family not allowed/cannot inherit the powers. If it's the latter case what happens if a generation is just girls? Are there no masters?  Do they have to marry and their husbands become the masters? Do they just hope that they can crank out a male heir?  Is this a Henry VIII situation waiting to happen?

[Cam Bert 8145]

Hold on to your butts because here's my theory, this whole movie is a lie and it is all an elaborate ruse orchestrated by his family to trick him into an arranged marriage!

Let's look at the facts. First, his grandfather shows up immediately after the parents go missing. How'd he know if he'd been out of contact with the family? Then he takes Pistachio under his tutelage and gives him the family book. Their family is an ancient Italian family and their guide book is written all in English. Now his family has some American ties true but at the time this book was supposedly written America wasn't a thing and they would have written it in Italian. Also the book is oddly specific to everything his grandfather said and exactly what's going on. You can say it's just a coincidence or everything is following a script concocted by his father and grandfather. Why was Jennifer hired as his assistant? They interviewed many more qualified people who literally not given a chance. Then she magically happens to show up that moment and gets the job despite not knowing anything about it. If though they both object to her they hire her. They even start laying the seeds in about not falling in love with a big old wink.

Why would they do all this? Simple, they need an heir! Pistachio is the last in the long line of this great family and is clearly a little soft in the head. His parents are aware of this, and realize that this man child is never going to attract a stable girlfriend so the family line will die with him. James Brolin contacts his father and they work out this plan. They find a willing woman, Jennifer, and either manipulate her or pay her a large sum to marry their son. However, they realize that with his obsession with large posteriors  he'd never willingly go after Jennifer. It's at this point they start working on a way to get him to fall for her. This is where letting him in on the family secret with the book that basically forces him to fall in love with her comes into play. Think about it. Why else was the mystery so simple to solve? They had it all worked out that even he could solve it and he couldn't even do that! She has to tell Pistachio what to do at all times. When all is done their son is a little bit more mature and now they can have a future heir. If that fails she already has a son to past done the Disguisy name down on to. Also why would a young boy befriend a man with a dog in a day and age in which stranger danger is taught all the time? He was in on it too. I bet he wasn't even that clumsy.

[doxrus 54]

23 hours ago, E.Lerner said:

The implication is that the Masters of Disguise are essentially the Illuminati — capable of invisibly controlling world events. I think that's what they were going for with their iconography and quasi-magical abilities as well.

But they're just one family, with a closely guarded tradition that even Pistachio was unaware of. It's a conundrum: they're involved in international events, yet their numbers are small - the film presents Fabbrizio as the only working member of the clan. Not exactly a global network. And if they've worked around the world for centuries, you'd think they'd have lost their accents. Also, if you're a super secret spy family, why not blend in to your surroundings, rather than stand out in this way?

[gigi-tastic 2322]

5 hours ago, Cam Bert said:

Hold on to your butts because here's my theory, this whole movie is a lie and it is all an elaborate ruse orchestrated by his family to trick him into an arranged marriage!

Let's look at the facts. First, his grandfather shows up immediately after the parents go missing. How'd he know if he'd been out of contact with the family? Then he takes Pistachio under his tutelage and gives him the family book. Their family is an ancient Italian family and their guide book is written all in English. Now his family has some American ties true but at the time this book was supposedly written America wasn't a thing and they would have written it in Italian. Also the book is oddly specific to everything his grandfather said and exactly what's going on. You can say it's just a coincidence or everything is following a script concocted by his father and grandfather. Why was Jennifer hired as his assistant? They interviewed many more qualified people who literally not given a chance. Then she magically happens to show up that moment and gets the job despite not knowing anything about it. If though they both object to her they hire her. They even start laying the seeds in about not falling in love with a big old wink.

Why would they do all this? Simple, they need an heir! Pistachio is the last in the long line of this great family and is clearly a little soft in the head. His parents are aware of this, and realize that this man child is never going to attract a stable girlfriend so the family line will die with him. James Brolin contacts his father and they work out this plan. They find a willing woman, Jennifer, and either manipulate her or pay her a large sum to marry their son. However, they realize that with his obsession with large posteriors  he'd never willingly go after Jennifer. It's at this point they start working on a way to get him to fall for her. This is where letting him in on the family secret with the book that basically forces him to fall in love with her comes into play. Think about it. Why else was the mystery so simple to solve? They had it all worked out that even he could solve it and he couldn't even do that! She has to tell Pistachio what to do at all times. When all is done their son is a little bit more mature and now they can have a future heir. If that fails she already has a son to past done the Disguisy name down on to. Also why would a young boy befriend a man with a dog in a day and age in which stranger danger is taught all the time? He was in on it too. I bet he wasn't even that clumsy.

This fits with my theory of their being fake Italians. I now believe they have been faking it since his birth. 

[joshg 207]

15 hours ago, Cam Bert said:

Hold on to your butts because here's my theory, this whole movie is a lie and it is all an elaborate ruse orchestrated by his family to trick him into an arranged marriage!

Let's look at the facts. First, his grandfather shows up immediately after the parents go missing. How'd he know if he'd been out of contact with the family? Then he takes Pistachio under his tutelage and gives him the family book. Their family is an ancient Italian family and their guide book is written all in English. Now his family has some American ties true but at the time this book was supposedly written America wasn't a thing and they would have written it in Italian. Also the book is oddly specific to everything his grandfather said and exactly what's going on. You can say it's just a coincidence or everything is following a script concocted by his father and grandfather. Why was Jennifer hired as his assistant? They interviewed many more qualified people who literally not given a chance. Then she magically happens to show up that moment and gets the job despite not knowing anything about it. If though they both object to her they hire her. They even start laying the seeds in about not falling in love with a big old wink.

Why would they do all this? Simple, they need an heir! Pistachio is the last in the long line of this great family and is clearly a little soft in the head. His parents are aware of this, and realize that this man child is never going to attract a stable girlfriend so the family line will die with him. James Brolin contacts his father and they work out this plan. They find a willing woman, Jennifer, and either manipulate her or pay her a large sum to marry their son. However, they realize that with his obsession with large posteriors  he'd never willingly go after Jennifer. It's at this point they start working on a way to get him to fall for her. This is where letting him in on the family secret with the book that basically forces him to fall in love with her comes into play. Think about it. Why else was the mystery so simple to solve? They had it all worked out that even he could solve it and he couldn't even do that! She has to tell Pistachio what to do at all times. When all is done their son is a little bit more mature and now they can have a future heir. If that fails she already has a son to past done the Disguisy name down on to. Also why would a young boy befriend a man with a dog in a day and age in which stranger danger is taught all the time? He was in on it too. I bet he wasn't even that clumsy.

[willycliffton 10]

did anyone else think the grandfather was a poorly-costumed Jeremy Irons?

with some of these movies i feel like a better question is "WHY did this get made"? who is this supposed to appeal to? I remember working at the local theater when this came out and loved Carvey from SNL and Wayne's World but couldn't even bring myself to go watch it for free.....i did chuckle a couple of times watching it for this but oof magoof

what about this was appealing for Carvey? hopefully he was paid well because I felt like I could see this disappointment in his face during some of these exceptionally unfunny bits.

[gigi-tastic 2322]

Why is Jennifer getting job leads from her son? In the interview she mentioned that he is the person who told her about the position they are hiring for. She then backs  that up by apologizing for not knowing what she's applying for and says that her son is only 7 . She seems shocked that Pistachio is actually named Pistachio (which fair. Though you named your kid Barney so glass houses and all bitch). Like she thought her son made his name up. So she took the advice of her seven year old to apply for a random job she knows nothing about, where she shows up dressed very casually after yoga class no resume to be seen , for a job with a man whose name she doesn't even know.  Either she is INCREDIBLY desperate for work (and that sweet sweet dental insurance) or she has  confidence I can only dream about.

[gigi-tastic 2322]

Just out of curiosity based on that truly upsetting Second Opinion, what is your comfort movie/s? I don't know if it counts but I rewatch John Mulaney , Maria Bamford and a few other comics stand ups specials . I also really love the movie Clue and What We Do In The Shadows. 

[Omaxem 232]

1 hour ago, gigi-tastic said:

Just out of curiosity based on that truly upsetting Second Opinion, what is your comfort movie/s? I don't know if it counts but I rewatch John Mulaney , Maria Bamford and a few other comics stand ups specials . I also really love the movie Clue and What We Do In The Shadows. 

Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Airplane! always make me feel better. 

 

Outside of film, there's the " Travel Bug with August Lindt " ep from S01 of The Andy Daly Personal Pizza Party Podcast, and lately this:

 

[theworstbuddhist 572]

3 hours ago, gigi-tastic said:

Just out of curiosity based on that truly upsetting Second Opinion, what is your comfort movie/s? I don't know if it counts but I rewatch John Mulaney , Maria Bamford and a few other comics stand ups specials . I also really love the movie Clue and What We Do In The Shadows. 

Over the years it's been dumb stuff I can quote and laugh at like Megaforce (still waiting for that episode to air!), Baseketball, and Hot Rod. Lately it's been the Netflix film of To All the Boys I've Loved Before.

[theworstbuddhist 572]

1 hour ago, Omaxem said:

Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Airplane! always make me feel better. 

 

Outside of film, there's the " Travel Bug with August Lindt " ep from S01 of The Andy Daly Personal Pizza Party Podcast, and lately this:

 

That's a lovely album. I like a lot of Richter's work, especially the stuff in The Leftovers. See also: Cliff Martinez.

[E.Lerner 111]

100% percent agree with Jason and June's delight with Data's running fart gag. So much of my enjoyment of that joke comes from it being Spiner, so the fact that they referred to him exclusively as "Data" really nailed it for me. 

I also think Spiner was channeling a particular TNG episode in his portrayal of Devlin Bowman. In The Most Toys, he's pitted against a sleazy, smarmy, somewhat dorky villain — Kivas Fajo, played by the great Saul Rubinek — who kidnaps people, fakes deaths, and otherwise plots and schemes to get his hands on the galaxy's rarest treasures.   

[Cam Bert 8145]

9 hours ago, gigi-tastic said:

Why is Jennifer getting job leads from her son? In the interview she mentioned that he is the person who told her about the position they are hiring for. She then backs  that up by apologizing for not knowing what she's applying for and says that her son is only 7 . She seems shocked that Pistachio is actually named Pistachio (which fair. Though you named your kid Barney so glass houses and all bitch). Like she thought her son made his name up. So she took the advice of her seven year old to apply for a random job she knows nothing about, where she shows up dressed very casually after yoga class no resume to be seen , for a job with a man whose name she doesn't even know.  Either she is INCREDIBLY desperate for work (and that sweet sweet dental insurance) or she has  confidence I can only dream about.

Because they're both in on it! 

4 hours ago, gigi-tastic said:

Just out of curiosity based on that truly upsetting Second Opinion, what is your comfort movie/s? I don't know if it counts but I rewatch John Mulaney , Maria Bamford and a few other comics stand ups specials . I also really love the movie Clue and What We Do In The Shadows. 

Oooo... I have a bunch of movies that if I'm in a bad mood I'll put on. Things like Big Trouble in Little China, Tremors, Black Dynamite, Guardians of the Galaxy, etc. just things that are undeniable fun and not trying to be anything more. Ghostbusters is the one movie I always go back to the most. It is the movie I have seen the most and probably the movie that really got me into movies when I was young so when I watch it often brings a lot of those feelings back.

[Cam Bert 8145]

So this is a minor thing but I think the Bo Derek costume was a bad idea. The opening scene reads "Palermo 1979" and you have Bo Derek dressed as her character in 10. Prior to 10 Bo Derek was in one movie, Orca, so she was a virtual unknown at the time. 10 did break her big into the public consciousness but 10 came out in October of 1979. Based on my research while I couldn't find an exact date for Italy most European countries didn't even get the movie 10 until February of the following year. Running around as Bo Derek from the movie would have been the same as running around as a generic beautiful blond. There is no way anybody in Italian would have know who she was or cared about Bo Derek from the movie 10 in 1979. The fact that Brent Spiner's character knows that it's Bo Derek means this movie either starts in November or December of 1979 or he was a big fan of the movie Orca and was looking forward to her next role.

[Cameron H. 23786]

33 minutes ago, Cam Bert said:

So this is a minor thing but I think the Bo Derek costume was a bad idea. The opening scene reads "Palermo 1979" and you have Bo Derek dressed as her character in 10. Prior to 10 Bo Derek was in one movie, Orca, so she was a virtual unknown at the time. 10 did break her big into the public consciousness but 10 came out in October of 1979. Based on my research while I couldn't find an exact date for Italy most European countries didn't even get the movie 10 until February of the following year. Running around as Bo Derek from the movie would have been the same as running around as a generic beautiful blond. There is no way anybody in Italian would have know who she was or cared about Bo Derek from the movie 10 in 1979. The fact that Brent Spiner's character knows that it's Bo Derek means this movie either starts in November or December of 1979 or he was a big fan of the movie Orca and was looking forward to her next role.

This is the content I live for.

 

[gigi-tastic 2322]

3 hours ago, theworstbuddhist said:

Over the years it's been dumb stuff I can quote and laugh at like Megaforce (still waiting for that episode to air!), Baseketball, and Hot Rod. Lately it's been the Netflix film of To All the Boys I've Loved Before.

If you like To All The Boys I've Loved there's a WILD rabbit hole you need to fall down based on the actor who plays the love interest! His dad reportedly bought his way into Hollywood and may have used money stolen from investors from awful movies to do so. The first video on the movie in question is insane in and of itself and worth a watch too.

 

[Cockney Mackem 514]

On 1/19/2020 at 12:13 PM, Cam Bert said:

Hold on to your butts because here's my theory, this whole movie is a lie and it is all an elaborate ruse orchestrated by his family to trick him into an arranged marriage!

Let's look at the facts. First, his grandfather shows up immediately after the parents go missing. How'd he know if he'd been out of contact with the family? Then he takes Pistachio under his tutelage and gives him the family book. Their family is an ancient Italian family and their guide book is written all in English. Now his family has some American ties true but at the time this book was supposedly written America wasn't a thing and they would have written it in Italian. Also the book is oddly specific to everything his grandfather said and exactly what's going on. You can say it's just a coincidence or everything is following a script concocted by his father and grandfather. Why was Jennifer hired as his assistant? They interviewed many more qualified people who literally not given a chance. Then she magically happens to show up that moment and gets the job despite not knowing anything about it. If though they both object to her they hire her. They even start laying the seeds in about not falling in love with a big old wink.

Why would they do all this? Simple, they need an heir! Pistachio is the last in the long line of this great family and is clearly a little soft in the head. His parents are aware of this, and realize that this man child is never going to attract a stable girlfriend so the family line will die with him. James Brolin contacts his father and they work out this plan. They find a willing woman, Jennifer, and either manipulate her or pay her a large sum to marry their son. However, they realize that with his obsession with large posteriors  he'd never willingly go after Jennifer. It's at this point they start working on a way to get him to fall for her. This is where letting him in on the family secret with the book that basically forces him to fall in love with her comes into play. Think about it. Why else was the mystery so simple to solve? They had it all worked out that even he could solve it and he couldn't even do that! She has to tell Pistachio what to do at all times. When all is done their son is a little bit more mature and now they can have a future heir. If that fails she already has a son to past done the Disguisy name down on to. Also why would a young boy befriend a man with a dog in a day and age in which stranger danger is taught all the time? He was in on it too. I bet he wasn't even that clumsy.

If that's the case he could have done a lot worse than Jennifer Esposito

[Cockney Mackem 514]

11 hours ago, Cam Bert said:

So this is a minor thing but I think the Bo Derek costume was a bad idea. The opening scene reads "Palermo 1979" and you have Bo Derek dressed as her character in 10. Prior to 10 Bo Derek was in one movie, Orca, so she was a virtual unknown at the time. 10 did break her big into the public consciousness but 10 came out in October of 1979. Based on my research while I couldn't find an exact date for Italy most European countries didn't even get the movie 10 until February of the following year. Running around as Bo Derek from the movie would have been the same as running around as a generic beautiful blond. There is no way anybody in Italian would have know who she was or cared about Bo Derek from the movie 10 in 1979. The fact that Brent Spiner's character knows that it's Bo Derek means this movie either starts in November or December of 1979 or he was a big fan of the movie Orca and was looking forward to her next role.

What if James Brolin's commitment to the cause was such that he was inhabiting the role of Bo Derek at all times in 1979 to fulfil his mission? So he would have filmed "10" with Dudley Moore as Bo Derek as part of his cover. In fact, what if he *created* the character of Bo Derek solely for his Disguisey missions, including marrying filmmaker John Derek and building an acting and modelling career? What if there was NO BO DEREK, and it was always James Brolin all along?

[Johnnyunusual 11]

Am I the only one distracted by the three theme songs of the film?  In order, they are (according to wikipedia): "M.A.S.T.E.R. pt 2" by Play, "Master of Disguise" by Vitamin C, and "M.A.S.T.E.R. Pt. 1" by Hardhedz.  Strangely, I thought it had more because it felt like there were quite a few montages (including the end credits, which seemed to be a deleted scenes dumping ground) in the film where at least one is played.  They all pretty much feel really similar in sound and in aggrandizing our hero so it took me a bit to realize there were different ones throughout.  Anyone else have any thoughts on the "theme" songs for the film?

Also worth noting: according to imdb, Dana Carvey made this because it was g-rated and he wanted to make something he could show his kids.  I wonder if he ever did?

[taylor anne photo 11311]

17 hours ago, gigi-tastic said:

Just out of curiosity based on that truly upsetting Second Opinion, what is your comfort movie/s? I don't know if it counts but I rewatch John Mulaney , Maria Bamford and a few other comics stand ups specials . I also really love the movie Clue and What We Do In The Shadows. 

Clueless, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, and For a Good Time, Call... are definitely mine. I also love watching cooking shows despite my lack of cooking.

[Cockney Mackem 514]

29 minutes ago, taylor anne photo said:

Clueless, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, and For a Good Time, Call... are definitely mine. I also love watching cooking shows despite my lack of cooking.

Galaxy Quest for me

[ManScene ManVoice 13]

Nothing of substance to add, but, to this day I still quote the jaws scene. 
 

“29 kids go into the water, 22 come out, the ice cream man gets the rest.”

 

makes no sense but I love it. 

[questionmarks 18]

Putting all the pieces together, it seems clear the sequel to this movie would've featured a bizarre set of contrived flashbacks to explain that Jennifer Esposito's son actually is a Disguisey because she and Pistachio had an encounter eight years ago that they both sort of forgot for some reason. 

[gigi-tastic 2322]

21 hours ago, Cam Bert said:

So this is a minor thing but I think the Bo Derek costume was a bad idea. The opening scene reads "Palermo 1979" and you have Bo Derek dressed as her character in 10. Prior to 10 Bo Derek was in one movie, Orca, so she was a virtual unknown at the time. 10 did break her big into the public consciousness but 10 came out in October of 1979. Based on my research while I couldn't find an exact date for Italy most European countries didn't even get the movie 10 until February of the following year. Running around as Bo Derek from the movie would have been the same as running around as a generic beautiful blond. There is no way anybody in Italian would have know who she was or cared about Bo Derek from the movie 10 in 1979. The fact that Brent Spiner's character knows that it's Bo Derek means this movie either starts in November or December of 1979 or he was a big fan of the movie Orca and was looking forward to her next role.

This is another example of why they are clearly not real Italians. They would know that the latest American movies would get to Italy later in the year #FakeItalians