Monkey Shines (1988)

the audience applauded

Good , But It Is Overrated By Some

a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

I don't what I expected but I this was not as good as hope for,I saw this on TV over the weekend, I did miss the first 8 minutes of the movie, I Don't think I missed to much.I enjoyed some parts of the movie, most of the time, i was rooting for The Monkey anyway,I didn't like the Allen at all, I didn't really care for me at all, I did not really sorry for me at all.One hell of nasty person, I know it's was be really hard just blow all time but there was no need of him being a ass to everyone who was to help him6 out of 10

While this will likely never be considered one of filmmaker George Romero's best, it still represents a commendable effort in one of his rare forays into studio productions (in this case Orion). Scripted by Romero based on a novel by Michael Stewart, it tells the story of Allan Mann (handsome Jason Beghe), a law student who gets into a horrible accident that renders him a quadriplegic. He soon becomes despondent enough to attempt suicide, but soon he receives some temporary salvation in the form of Ella (Boo), a capuchin monkey who is trained to see to his needs. What he doesn't know is that his friend Geoffrey (John Pankow) has been playing mad scientist and injecting the cute lil' thing with human brain cells. Soon the bond between patient and helper becomes so strong that a mental connection is made, and Ella is physically acting out Allan's worst impulses. So what is he going to do about this little homicidal primate? Romero does a good job here at telling a fairly interesting story, although some viewers might be turned off at the lack of sympathetic characters. Most of them are flawed to some degree or another - creepy dean Burbage (Stephen Root), smarmy, incompetent doctor Wiseman (Stanley Tucci), fair-weather girlfriend Linda (Janine Turner), bitchy nurse Maryanne (Christine Forrest, a.k.a. Mrs. Romero) - and even a guy like Geoffrey, who initially just wants to help, has his problems as he's obsessed with his work. At least Allan has an appealing love interest played by Kate McNeil, whom horror fans will recognize as the lead in the slasher "The House on Sorority Row". The cast is pretty good overall; Joyce Van Patten plays the stereotypically smothering mother to good effect, and it's a treat to see character actors Root and Tucci near the beginnings of their careers, but the one performer the audience is likely to remember is Boo, who's adorable and very well trained; the animal action is first rate throughout (there's also a rather annoying bird on hand). The evolving relationship between Allan and Ella makes for a compelling hook, and it makes one appreciate the real-life efforts that people put into training service animals, and the animals themselves. The film is light on horror - most of the violence is implied - as Romero tends to go for a more psychological approach, and refrains from going for the gore. Overall, this is a decent flick, worth a look for genre fans who are interested in checking out Romero's non-zombie films. Seven out of 10.

I hated this movie. It was boring, it dragged, it wasn't scary, and it had nothing noteworthy. Before you start flaming me keep in mind that I do realize that this is George Romero and the studio messed him over or whatever. I feel bad for the guy and I like his films, but at the end of the day this movie is just flat out dumb. If you've seen the cover for this movie ignore it and move along. This cover was skunk turds. It showed this evil monkey looking creepy and scary. Well guess what that monkey isn't even in the film. Instead we get a super smart helper monkey. If it sounds cool to you I can't blame you but it was a bunch of garbage.Nothing in this movie is scary. The plot is too ridiculous for the audience to relate too, thus nullifying the feeling that this could happen to you. The tension in the film really doesn't work, because even though the main guy is in a wheel chair helpless, he goes so slow and it just seems humorous rather than scary. The worst part of this movie is the pace. It drags along from one uninteresting scene to the next before somebody dies. It must have been at least one hour before there was any action, and that includes the monkey killing the bird. So really if your a horror fan and a Romero fan then you will still hate this movie. This film is more for the stay at home mom who has a soft spot for paraplegics and they want tension, drama, and a feel good ending. So please do yourself a favor and skip this garbage.

The fact that this person says "George Romero" 'always disappoints' can be taken to mean (a) the average 'non-horror' movie fan or (b). the average movie-fan" - which yeah, maybe that's why he's never made the crossover BIG as in HUGE time, unless you count "Night of the Living Dead" as one of the CLASSIC horror films of ALL times! The man (Romero)has films like "Day of The Dead" which was one of those movies even fans kind of wondered about a bit (as Laurel Entertainment was transforming itself) but Entertainment Weekly voted "Day" one of the best horror films of all time as well. I certyainly believe the Romero catalogue are all excellent stabs at pieces of social issues that lie underneath whatever events were going on with the world from a historic standpoint as well. But then what would I know, I was only the Garbage Man(uncredited) in "Monkey Shines: An Experiment in Fear"rik billockPS Also I was in "Dawn of the Dead"(the original-Mall Suit Zombie)"Knightrdiers" (Blacksmith) "The Dark Half"(Donaldson Cop #2) "Night of the Living Dead-90"(Porch Cameo Zombie-Gerry Gerely made me up like Farmer Ned, who I play in "Flesh Eater") and I was supposed to be silo zombie in "Day of the Dead" BUT politics ruled its ugly head!