Whoops Apocalypse (film)
| Whoops Apocalypse | |
|---|---|
UK DVD cover
|
|
| Directed by | Tom Bussmann |
| Produced by | Brian Eastman |
| Written by |
Andrew Marshall & David Renwick |
| Starring |
Loretta Swit Herbert Lom Peter Cook |
| Distributed by |
ITC Entertainment (UK) Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (USA) |
|
Release date
|
1986 UK 1988 United States |
|
Running time
|
93 min |
| Country |
 United Kingdom
|
| Language | English |
Whoops Apocalypse is a 1986 ITC Entertainment film, directed by Tom Bussmann. The film shares the same title as the TV series Whoops Apocalypse, but uses an almost completely different plot from the series.
The beginning of the film parodies the Falklands War when a small British colony is invaded by its neighbour, the fictional country of Maguadora, whose dictator General Mosquera is played by Herbert Lom. The new president of the United States, Barbara Adams, tries to sort out the mess (both countries are hard on communism), but the peace talks are sabotaged by Lacrobat (Michael Richards), the world's leading terrorist. The British, under the leadership of PM Sir Mortimer Chris, send in a task force to seize the islands back. For revenge, Mosquera hires Lacrobat to kidnap the British Princess Wendy, to hold her for ransom to get the British out. Sir Mortimer then threatens that unless she is returned in 48 hours, he will release a nuclear strike. So now President Adams not only has to deal with Mosquera and Lacrobat, but she must also deal with Sir Mortimer, and also with the fact that Mosqueara decides to align himself with Russia, and this whole thing could start World War III.
Loretta Swit is Barbara Adams, the first female president. She was only sworn in office when the previous president, a former circus clown (a parody of Ronald Reagan's entertainment career), died after asking a journalist to hit him in the stomach with a crowbar as a test of physical strength (a take on the death of Harry Houdini). As comical satire, Swit plays the role straight. Adams, while trying to maintain the peace, is shown to be incompetent, especially when trying to handle questions from the press. Interestingly, her husband runs a weapons company which hired Lacrobat to start the war in the first place.
The film also features Peter Cook playing Sir Mortimer, an insane conservative British prime minister (an insane PM being one of the few similarities between the film and the series), who claims that unemployment is caused by evil invisible pixies. Later, he hands out Union Flag umbrellas to Conservative voters to protect them from nuclear bombs, and plans to reduce unemployment by pushing employed people off of cliffs, creating new jobs. Despite the fact he is clearly insane, the public adore him and follow him blindly. The rest of his party attempts to assassinate him, but he only loses his hand, getting a hook, instead. He then takes up a new policy of crucifying disloyal party members in Wembley Stadium.
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Wikipedia