Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films *** (2014) – Movie Review

Mark Hartley’s documentary of the men behind Cannon Films – wheeler-dealer Israeli producer-director team Menahem Golan [who died on August 8 2014, aged 85] and Yoram Globus – is hugely entertaining and informative.

The cousins made, produced and distributed some terrible movies in their heyday of the Eighties, and bought up cinema chains, so their lack of good taste and business acumen eventually produced a big, fat nail in  the coffin of the British film industry.

Nevertheless, they come over as likeable rogues, mavericks in an era of bland pygmies. The film celebrates their lives and careers rather than providing a savage attack on them, which would be equally valid, maybe more so. That they loved the movies is not in doubt. What is in doubt is what their contribution to cinema was. The sad, almost tragic story behind their Superman IV: The Quest for Peace is especially instructive.

The clips and interviews are essential viewing for all film buffs and the interviews with the likes of Molly Ringwald, Alex Winter, Dolph Lundgren, Bo Derek, Michael Dudikoff, Elliott Gould and Richard Chamberlain are as enjoyable as they are valuable.

Hartley directed the excellent Not Quite Hollywood: The Wild, Untold Story of Ozploitation back in 2008.

© Derek Winnert 2015 Movie Review

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