Evil Roy Slade [Import]

I had been looking for a copy of this video for years. I had first viewed this movie while I was in high school and it was a movie made for TV. It is probably the funniest movie I have ever watched. When I watched it again, I was laughing so hard, I fell off the couch! My daughter enjoyed watching it, and so have all of the people who have watched it. I am now waiting for this to come out on DVD, so that I can buy another copy, in case my VHS doesn't get returned or simply wears out.

This movie was made in a time when family-viewing films were more common. I would place it into the same category of many of the Disney films of the era.

A gunfighter is attempting to reform himself for the love of his life. The Evil Roy Slade trys real, real hard to become a member of society. My favorite scenes are when he becomes a shoe salesman. People working with the buying public will understand his frustration with the customers.

Again, a wonderful, funny look at life for the entire family.

To the uninitiated this film may seem a bit dated--after all it's a made-for-TV film from the early '70s, how good can it be? In this case, outstanding! I was a senior in high school when I saw "Evil Roy Slade" in its debut on NBC in the Spring of 1972. Coming just as "Monty Python" was beginning to be aired in the U.S. and before Mel Brooks hit the screen with "Blazing Saddles" ('73) and "Young Frankenstein" ('74) there had been little of this sort of zany humor since the days of Ernie Kovacs. And as a TV flick, it had to stay within the bounds of what was then proper without the language and sexual innuendo which the Python crew and Brooks could play for admittedly hysterical--but crude and non-family-friendly laughs. The numerous great lines ("9 to 5 job? The only job I like is 9 men, robbin' 5!")and John Astin's creation of "Evil Roy" and Dick Shawn's "Bing Bell" took on a life of their own among my friends and I back then. Last week my two sons (10 and 8) and I watched the film for the first time--and the same thing has happened: "Is that the door?" "key-chonk-a-tonk," "See my new doll house," and "Cain't walk without mah guns!" are part of our daily banter now. A great comedy, ahead of its time, that you can actually view with your kids!

How time flies. We remember so many scenes and catch phrases, but seeing the movie again is not as good as our memories. However, still a nice time to pass time.