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Howard the Duck [1986] (1 disc)

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Director:Willard Huyck
Writer:Gloria Katz
Willard Huyck
Composer:John Barry
Songs:Thomas Dolby
Length:110 minutes
(1 hour 50 minutes)
MPAA Rating:PG
Sorting Category:Graphic Novel
Sorting Tub:Bravo
IMDB Rating:4.0/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating:17%
Amazon Rating:3.5/5 stars
User rating sites like above
are subject to change
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Classifications:
  • Fantasy
  • Sci-Fi
  • Kids
  • Action
  • Comedy
  • Drama
  • Family
  • Puppets
Available Formats:
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HD DVDBlu-ray
3D Blu-rayDigital
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Synopsis: An unsuspecting Duck gets yanked into a strange place where the people don't have feathers and beaks.


Reaction: Not great cinema, but this one earns points for originality.


Personal Rating: 6/10


Highlights
 "If God had intended for us to fly, he wouldn't have taken away our wings!"

Select Cast and Crew
Willard Huyck => Director / Writer
Gloria Katz => Writer
John Barry => Composer
Thomas Dolby => Songs
Steve Gerber => Marvel comics character: Howard the Duck
Chip Zien => Howard T. Duck (voice)
David Paymer => Larry, Scientist
Dominique Davalos => Cal, Cherry Bomb
Ed Gale => Howard T. Duck
Holly Robinson Peete => K.C., Cherry Bomb (as Holly Robinson)
Jeffrey Jones => Dr. Walter Jenning
John Fleck => Pimples
Jordan Prentice => Howard T. Duck
Lea Thompson => Beverly Switzler
Lisa Sturz => Howard T. Duck
Liz Sagal => Ronette, Cherry Bomb
Mary Wells => Howard T. Duck
Mel Blanc => Daffy Duck (voice) (archive footage)
Paul Guilfoyle => Lieutenant Welker
Peter Baird => Howard T. Duck
Richard Kiley => The Cosmos (voice)
Steve Sleap => Howard T. Duck
Tim Robbins => Phil Blumburtt
Tim Rose => Howard T. Duck

Random Trivia For This Title:

  • George Lucas's close friend John Landis was originally slated to direct this film but after reading the script turned down the opportunity due to the police car crashes in the finale. He felt this was too similar to that of his previous film The Blues Brothers.
  • Lea Thompson actually did the singing for all of the songs of her character's band, as did the other actresses in the group. On the 2009 DVD, Thompson states that even during filming the studio had not made a final decision as to whether to keep Thompson's singing voice or dub her.
  • WILHELM SCREAM: Heard when Dr. Walter Jenning (while being the Dark Lord) sends the man through the window with his energy and the guy lands on a car.
  • Jay Leno was up the role of Phil Blumburtt.
  • In a 1986 interview in "Star Hits" magazine, singer [?] Belinda Carlisle stated that she auditioned for a role in the film.
  • According to reports at the time of the movie's release, George Lucas was heavily in debt (having just built the $50-million Skywalker Ranch complex) and was counting on this film to get him back in the black. When it bombed, he was forced to start selling off assets to stay afloat. His friend [?] Steve Jobs, the CEO of Apple Computer, offered to help by buying Lucasfilm's newly-launched CGI animation division for a price well above market value, and Lucas, in desperate straits and thankful for the assistance, agreed. That division eventually become Pixar Animation Studios.
  • WILHELM SCREAM: When Howard knocks the duck hunter out of his boat and shouts "Banzai!"
  • Executive producer George Lucas spent $2 million on Howard's duck suit, and eight different actors worked inside the costume. According to the 2009 DVD release, a child actor was intended to be the "main" Howard, but didn't work out; another actor, Ed Gale ended up performing the lion's share of the major scenes as Howard and as such earned himself a credit at the start of the film.
  • Popular vocalist [?] Tori Amos auditioned for the part of Beverly Switzler, eventually played by Lea Thompson. So did Phoebe Cates.
  • Howard landed on Earth on 8 September. It was on that date in 1966 that [Star Trek] premiered on NBC.