Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol * (1987, Steve Guttenberg, Kim Cattrall, G W Bailey, Bubba Smith, George Gaynes, Michael Winslow, David Graf, Sharon Stone) – Classic Movie Review 6944

Director Jim Drake’s 1987 comedy Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol again stars the amiable and talented but luckless Steve Guttenberg, who is back as Mahoney for his final fling before graduating for ever from the Police Academy series. No Police Academy reunion for Guttenberg, then.

This naff comedy is even less funny than before, with the performances and the jokes still at a low level, so it is a breathtaking thought that yet worse was still to come, with three more episodes of descending quality.

As the subtitle Citizens on Patrol suggests, the gormless gang enlist the help of the great American public in their attempts to ‘clean up the streets’. Yeah, right, bah, humbug.

Also in the cast are Kim Cattrall, G W Bailey, Bubba Smith, George Gaynes as Commandant Lassard, Michael Winslow, David Graf, Sharon Stone, Marion Ramsey, Leslie Easterbrook, Tim Kazurinsky, Lance Kinsey, Bobcat Goldthwait, Derek McGrath, David Spade (in his  first film role), Randall ‘Tex’ Cobb and Colleen Camp.

Sharon Stone recalled: ‘Hanging out with a gang of comedians, it was the best therapy.’

Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol is written by Gene Quintano, based on the characters created by Neal Israel and Pat Proft in Police Academy (1984).

Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol is directed by Jim Drake, runs 87 minutes, is made by the Ladd Company, is released by Warner Bros, is written by Gene Quintano, based on the characters created by Neal Israel and Pat Proft, is shot by Michael D Margulies, is produced by Paul Maslansky, is scored by Robert Folk, and is designed by Trevor Williams.

Producer Paul Maslansky has a cameo as a warden at the retirement home.

This is the only Police Academy movie to get a Razzie Award nomination. Brian Wilson’s ‘Let’s Go to Heaven in my Car’ was nominated for Worst Original Song.

It is followed by Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach (1988).

Michael Winslow (Jones), David Graf (Tackleberry) and George Gaynes (Commandant Lassard) are the only actors who appear in all seven Police Academy movies.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 6944

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