Return to
Polar Blair's Den Menu Page
Howard the Duck
(1986 Film)
Back to "Live-Action Film Adaptations" Main Page
Back to "Movies" Main Page
About This Movie
Cast
Gallery
The DVD release of this film features interviews of the cast and crew, original trailers, behind-the-scenes featurettes, and all kinds of cool stuff! A must-buy for fans of the film!
Cast:
Chip Zien as Howard T. Duck (voice)
Ed Gale as Howard T. Duck
Lea Thompson as Beverly Switzer
Tim Robbins as Phil
Jeffrey Jones as Dr. Jennings
Holly Robinson
Director- Willard Huyck
Writers- Willard Huyck and Gloria Katz
Producer- Gloria Katz
Executive Producer- George Lucas
Howard the Duck (1986): This is an incredible movie! It baffles me why this flopped since it so perfectly captures the quirkiness of the 1980s. And not only did it flop, it bombed so bad and received such negative critical reviews that it nearly made "Howard the Duck" a cardinal sin for anyone to mention. It was nearly impossible to find on VHS and hardly ever on TV. I have only one thing to say to all the people who blasted this movie, caused it to flop, and pick on the people who DO like it: "F*** YOU!"
I think it was really just a case of people getting on the bandwagon without really thinking about it. A lot of those who downplayed this movie didn't really see it. And a lot of people wanted to take a potshot at George Lucas who was at the top of his form. It doesn't make sense to me, but I never followed the pack. I liked this movie when it first came out and I like it just as much today if not more. I think a lot of things in this movie makes more sense now that I'm an adult.
But time went on, and a lot of people figured out for themselves that this was a cool movie. Since the release of "Howard the Duck" it is far more liked now than it ever was. So much so that in 2009, "Howard the Duck" got an official DVD release! The popularity of this movie is a paradox. In 1986 it bombed royal and became the butt of jokes for comedians and episodic television, but nowadays, what other movies from 1986 do you remember? "Howard the Duck" is probably the most widely remembered movie from that year. And deservedly so.
I think the cast and crew of "Howard the Duck" should be tickled with the fact that nowadays, in a time where hit movies are only hit movies for a few weeks, "Howard the Duck" has been remembered by people for over two decades with no end in sight. Everyone involved did a wonderful job. On the DVD release, most of the major cast, and Willard Huyck and Gloria Katz ALL openly admit that they are proud of this work. It's great to see that almost everyone who headlined the production appears in recent interviews (Ed Gale, Lea Thompson, Jeffrey Jones, Willard Huyck, Gloria Katz).
What I would like to ask the nay-sayers, if I gave a d***, is "Why do you hate 'Howard the Duck' so bad?" Is the duck not cute and funny? Are the actors not top-notch? Is the movie not filmed well with incredible special effects and continuous action? Is the story not entertaining? I can see how some people would like the movie better than others, but how can anyone hate this movie so vehemently? Everyone should at least like this film for its parts.
"Howard the Duck" is, of course, based on the Marvel Comics title of the same name. This film pretty much follows the origin story set in the comics. Howard is pulled from his planet of Duckworld onto Earth through a vortex. Our plucky duck tries to adjust to Earth while finding out how he can get back home. In the process another alien, much more sinister, is brought down to Earth and takes over the body of kindly scientist Dr. Jennings. This "Dark Lord of the Universe", as he is called, plots to bring down the other Dark Lords and take over the world! It's up to Howard to save the world from a terrible fate!
This movie was made with the intent of being a series. Of course that never happened. It would be most interesting, however, to see another "Howard the Duck" film made. I know it won't possibly be a sequel because the first film is over 23 years old. It also wouldn't be good to change any of the cast. But if "Howard the Duck" was given a reboot, with today's outstanding CGI effects, I think it would take. I'd say in a few years, when more people like the original film and it has more of a following, we might just see another "Howard the Duck" film.
Chip Zien as Howard T. Duck (voice)
Ed Gale as Howard T. Duck
Lea Thompson as Beverly Switzer
Tim Robbins as Phil
Jeffrey Jones as Dr. Jennings
Holly Robinson
Director- Willard Huyck
Writers- Willard Huyck and Gloria Katz
Producer- Gloria Katz
Executive Producer- George Lucas
Howard the Duck (1986): This is an incredible movie! It baffles me why this flopped since it so perfectly captures the quirkiness of the 1980s. And not only did it flop, it bombed so bad and received such negative critical reviews that it nearly made "Howard the Duck" a cardinal sin for anyone to mention. It was nearly impossible to find on VHS and hardly ever on TV. I have only one thing to say to all the people who blasted this movie, caused it to flop, and pick on the people who DO like it: "F*** YOU!"
I think it was really just a case of people getting on the bandwagon without really thinking about it. A lot of those who downplayed this movie didn't really see it. And a lot of people wanted to take a potshot at George Lucas who was at the top of his form. It doesn't make sense to me, but I never followed the pack. I liked this movie when it first came out and I like it just as much today if not more. I think a lot of things in this movie makes more sense now that I'm an adult.
But time went on, and a lot of people figured out for themselves that this was a cool movie. Since the release of "Howard the Duck" it is far more liked now than it ever was. So much so that in 2009, "Howard the Duck" got an official DVD release! The popularity of this movie is a paradox. In 1986 it bombed royal and became the butt of jokes for comedians and episodic television, but nowadays, what other movies from 1986 do you remember? "Howard the Duck" is probably the most widely remembered movie from that year. And deservedly so.
I think the cast and crew of "Howard the Duck" should be tickled with the fact that nowadays, in a time where hit movies are only hit movies for a few weeks, "Howard the Duck" has been remembered by people for over two decades with no end in sight. Everyone involved did a wonderful job. On the DVD release, most of the major cast, and Willard Huyck and Gloria Katz ALL openly admit that they are proud of this work. It's great to see that almost everyone who headlined the production appears in recent interviews (Ed Gale, Lea Thompson, Jeffrey Jones, Willard Huyck, Gloria Katz).
What I would like to ask the nay-sayers, if I gave a d***, is "Why do you hate 'Howard the Duck' so bad?" Is the duck not cute and funny? Are the actors not top-notch? Is the movie not filmed well with incredible special effects and continuous action? Is the story not entertaining? I can see how some people would like the movie better than others, but how can anyone hate this movie so vehemently? Everyone should at least like this film for its parts.
"Howard the Duck" is, of course, based on the Marvel Comics title of the same name. This film pretty much follows the origin story set in the comics. Howard is pulled from his planet of Duckworld onto Earth through a vortex. Our plucky duck tries to adjust to Earth while finding out how he can get back home. In the process another alien, much more sinister, is brought down to Earth and takes over the body of kindly scientist Dr. Jennings. This "Dark Lord of the Universe", as he is called, plots to bring down the other Dark Lords and take over the world! It's up to Howard to save the world from a terrible fate!
This movie was made with the intent of being a series. Of course that never happened. It would be most interesting, however, to see another "Howard the Duck" film made. I know it won't possibly be a sequel because the first film is over 23 years old. It also wouldn't be good to change any of the cast. But if "Howard the Duck" was given a reboot, with today's outstanding CGI effects, I think it would take. I'd say in a few years, when more people like the original film and it has more of a following, we might just see another "Howard the Duck" film.