Coneheads

Dir: Steve Barron

1993

****

May I have 698 words with you? Based on a Saturday Night Live sketch from the early 80s, critics and audiences panned Coneheads upon its 1993 release but personally, I think it has aged remarkably well. I didn’t see it when it came out, it looked a bit rubbish if I’m being honest and I thought in 1993 that it was a little passed its sell by date. While there is something very ‘80s’ about it, I would argue that it intentionally avoids certain clichés of the decade. For instance, the Coneheads – a family of aliens stranded on planet earth – are never registered as different by any of the humans they encounter. As their name suggests, they have huge cone-shaped heads and speak scientifically but their colleagues and neighbours see them as eccentrics and nothing more. This is quite refreshing and helps move the story along so it can concentrate on the more comical and less obvious aspects of the situation. Since 1993, the issue of immigration has become heated debate, so on reflection it is rather nice to see a cheerful and upbeat film that expresses the positivity of the subject. The Coneheads have their own belief system, customs and traditions but they also embrace America and its way of life. There is actually very little that is ‘alien’ about the film. While it may come across as a goofy film about funny shaped extra-terrestrials, it is actually a rather tender look at society, belonging, adapting and embracing. It’s pretty funny too. It might be that in 1993, many comedy films relied on catchphrases and certain characteristics that made them stand out. It seemed that most Hollywood scriptwriters were more concerned about getting one of their new made-up words into society’s consciousness than they were actually writing memorable stories. I remember many a classmate adding the word ‘not’ after saying something they didn’t mean (Wayne’s World) and it becoming quite tiresome, but thankfully the rather meaningless ‘Sta-tion’ (Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey) came and went within a week or so. I do remember people referring to their mothers and fathers as ‘Parental units’ though and a few of them still do. While Coneheads may have seeped into some people’s vocabulary, it is purely out of good writing and I would argue that its script is one of the best comedy scripts of the early 90s. Tenderness and comedy are not always the easiest things to merge but Coneheads manages it effortlessly; “If, for some reason your life functions ceased, my most precious one, I would collapse, I would draw the shades and I would live in the dark. I would never get out of my slar pad or clean myself. My fluids would coagulate, my cone would shrivel, and I would die, miserable and lonely. The stench would be great.” It is classic Dan Aykroyd, and the last lead performance of his that has been truly great. I love his and Jane Curtin’s chemistry; she is brilliant and perfect in the role. I love the silliness of their ‘alienisms’ and how it is actually observational humour, making point on our own funny rituals. I like the cheesy poster. I really love it all. Unappreciated at the time, I feel now, with lady nostalgia by my side, that this is something of a delayed classic. Seriously, there are not many comedies of its ilk made since that are as funny. The supporting cast is awesome, it includes; Sinbad, David Spade, Michael McKean, Adam Sandler, Drew Carey, Dave Thomas, Parker Posey, Jason Alexander, Michael Richards, Ellen DeGeneres, Jon Lovitz, Tom Arnold and the late Phil Hartman and Chris Farley. Comedians and Saturday Night Live regulars all at the top of their game at the time. The physical comedy is actually brilliant, each cameo performance is delivered perfectly, no matter how short and simple it may be. You may not like the film but you cannot deny its charm. Seriously, when Dan Aykroyd’s Beldar confesses to his daughter “Your positive perception of me is vital to my existence. Besides, it is not every day a father can give the world to his child.” I nearly almost cried. Coneheads deserves some love and it gets plenty from me.