8 Heads in a Duffel Bag
Encyclopedia
8 Heads in a Duffel Bag is a 1997 black comedy
film starring Joe Pesci
and David Spade
. It was the directorial debut of screenwriter Tom Schulman
. In 1998 the film won the Brussels International Festival of Fantastic Film's Silver Raven award.
), is a wiseguy
hired by a pair of dimwitted hit men to transport a duffel bag full of decapitated
heads across the country to a crime boss (as proof of the deaths). While on a commercial flight, his bag is accidentally switched with that of Charlie Pritchett (Andy Comeau
), a friendly, talkative, young American tourist who is going to Mexico
to see his girlfriend Laurie (Kristy Swanson
) and her parents. The film revolves around Spinelli harassing Charlie's friends Ernie (David Spade
) and Steve (Todd Louiso
) for information, while Charlie and Laurie attempt to get rid of their rather unfortunate luggage.
praised Pesci's performance as being "the best thing in the movie; he's funny every moment he's on the screen", Ebert also remarked that the rest of the movie underperformed as a comedy. Entertainment Weekly
s Bruce Fretts was even harsher to the entire production, giving the movie a rating of 'F' and further stating that it "aims for dark farce but ends up playing more like Weekend at Bernie's
VIII".
The film holds a rating of 11% (rotten) at Rotten Tomatoes
based on 17 reviews.
Black comedy
A black comedy, or dark comedy, is a comic work that employs black humor or gallows humor. The definition of black humor is problematic; it has been argued that it corresponds to the earlier concept of gallows humor; and that, as humor has been defined since Freud as a comedic act that anesthetizes...
film starring Joe Pesci
Joe Pesci
Joseph Frank "Joe" Pesci is an American actor, comedian, and musician.He is known for playing a variety of different roles, from violent mobsters to comedic leads to quirky sidekicks...
and David Spade
David Spade
David Wayne Spade is an American actor, comedian and television personality who first became famous in the 1990s as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, and from 1997 until 2003 when he starred as Dennis Finch on Just Shoot Me!. He also starred as C.J...
. It was the directorial debut of screenwriter Tom Schulman
Tom Schulman
Thomas H. Schulman is an American screenwriter most famous for his screenplay Dead Poets Society which won the Best Screenplay Academy Award for 1989....
. In 1998 the film won the Brussels International Festival of Fantastic Film's Silver Raven award.
Plot
Tommy Spinelli (Joe PesciJoe Pesci
Joseph Frank "Joe" Pesci is an American actor, comedian, and musician.He is known for playing a variety of different roles, from violent mobsters to comedic leads to quirky sidekicks...
), is a wiseguy
Wiseguy
Wiseguy is an American crime drama series that aired on CBS from September 16, 1987 to December 8, 1990 for a total of four seasons. Starring Ken Wahl, the series was produced by Stephen J...
hired by a pair of dimwitted hit men to transport a duffel bag full of decapitated
Decapitation
Decapitation is the separation of the head from the body. Beheading typically refers to the act of intentional decapitation, e.g., as a means of murder or execution; it may be accomplished, for example, with an axe, sword, knife, wire, or by other more sophisticated means such as a guillotine...
heads across the country to a crime boss (as proof of the deaths). While on a commercial flight, his bag is accidentally switched with that of Charlie Pritchett (Andy Comeau
Andy Comeau
Andy Comeau is an American actor. He is best known for playing Theodore "Teddy" Huffstodt, the mentally unbalanced brother of lead character Dr. Craig Huffstodt on the Showtime series Huff...
), a friendly, talkative, young American tourist who is going to Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
to see his girlfriend Laurie (Kristy Swanson
Kristy Swanson
Kristen Nöel "Kristy" Swanson is an American actress best known for playing Buffy in the 1992 film Buffy the Vampire Slayer, she also played Catherine "Cathy" Dollanganger in the movie version of the V.C...
) and her parents. The film revolves around Spinelli harassing Charlie's friends Ernie (David Spade
David Spade
David Wayne Spade is an American actor, comedian and television personality who first became famous in the 1990s as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, and from 1997 until 2003 when he starred as Dennis Finch on Just Shoot Me!. He also starred as C.J...
) and Steve (Todd Louiso
Todd Louiso
Todd Louiso is an American film actor and film director best known for his role as timid record store clerk Dick in High Fidelity, opposite Jack Black and John Cusack. Other supporting roles include School For Scoundrels. Louiso directed his first film in 2002, the acclaimed Love Liza with Philip...
) for information, while Charlie and Laurie attempt to get rid of their rather unfortunate luggage.
Cast
- Joe PesciJoe PesciJoseph Frank "Joe" Pesci is an American actor, comedian, and musician.He is known for playing a variety of different roles, from violent mobsters to comedic leads to quirky sidekicks...
as Tommy Spinelli - Andy ComeauAndy ComeauAndy Comeau is an American actor. He is best known for playing Theodore "Teddy" Huffstodt, the mentally unbalanced brother of lead character Dr. Craig Huffstodt on the Showtime series Huff...
as Charlie Pritchett - Kristy SwansonKristy SwansonKristen Nöel "Kristy" Swanson is an American actress best known for playing Buffy in the 1992 film Buffy the Vampire Slayer, she also played Catherine "Cathy" Dollanganger in the movie version of the V.C...
as Laurie Bennett - George HamiltonGeorge Hamilton (actor)George Stevens Hamilton is an American film and television actor.-Early life:Hamilton was the youngest son of bandleader George "Spike" Hamilton and his first wife, Ann Stevens . He was born in Memphis, Tennessee, and lived in Blytheville, Arkansas...
as Dick Bennett - Dyan CannonDyan CannonDyan Cannon is an American film and television actress, director, screenwriter, editor, and producer.-Early life:...
as Annette Bennett - David SpadeDavid SpadeDavid Wayne Spade is an American actor, comedian and television personality who first became famous in the 1990s as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, and from 1997 until 2003 when he starred as Dennis Finch on Just Shoot Me!. He also starred as C.J...
as Ernie - Todd LouisoTodd LouisoTodd Louiso is an American film actor and film director best known for his role as timid record store clerk Dick in High Fidelity, opposite Jack Black and John Cusack. Other supporting roles include School For Scoundrels. Louiso directed his first film in 2002, the acclaimed Love Liza with Philip...
as Steve - Anthony Mangano as Rico
- Joe Basile as Benny
- Ernestine Mercer as Fern
Critical reception
The film on the whole was not critically well-received. Although Roger EbertRoger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
praised Pesci's performance as being "the best thing in the movie; he's funny every moment he's on the screen", Ebert also remarked that the rest of the movie underperformed as a comedy. Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
s Bruce Fretts was even harsher to the entire production, giving the movie a rating of 'F' and further stating that it "aims for dark farce but ends up playing more like Weekend at Bernie's
Weekend at Bernie's
Weekend at Bernie's is a 1989 American comedy film directed by Ted Kotcheff. A comedy starring Andrew McCarthy and Jonathan Silverman features the two as a couple of young insurance agency employees who discover their boss is deceased...
VIII".
The film holds a rating of 11% (rotten) at Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
based on 17 reviews.