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Expert: - 3/8/2004


Question
Can you tell me what movie has a scene where a man is boiling lobsters in a large pot and listening to them scream using a stethoscope.  I'm pretty sure it was an 80's comedy.  I thought perhaps it was Ferris Bueller's Day Off, but I'm not sure.  Thanks!

Answer
The film you are looking for is "One Crazy Summer," made in 1986, starring John Cusack and Demi Moore, with a cast of oddballs.  John plays a nerdy-type guy who goes to Nantucket on vacation, and tries to save Demi's house from a guy who wants to turn it into a lobster restaurant.  This guy is the one who puts a lobster into a pot of boiling water and listens to it with a stethoscope so he can hear it scream.

The film was directed by Steve Holland, with much the same cast as "Better Off Dead."  It is available on VHS and DVD, according to Amazon.com

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Barbara L. Baker

Expertise

I am a professor of communication at a midwest university, who has expertise on subjects related to film. I can answer general questions on U.S. film comedy (especially satires of the 1960s and 1970s) and comic theory. I also could answer questions related to specific comic genres, such as comedian comedies, screwball comedies, "stupid" comedies, and so forth. The more specific you can make your question, the better (e.g. main plot details, main characters, possible character names, possible actors, how you viewed the show, etc.). I also need to have a release date (or range of dates, or at least the year you viewed the film). Please do not just provide a set of links to someplace else (e.g. imdb discussion threads). I am less able to answer questions about comedies from other countries, made-for-TV movies, and recent comic films and actors (although I would do my best to find out). I cannot answer questions about specific TV shows or series, "Our Gang" episodes, anime/magna or about film collectables. I generally cannot provide movie recommendations, since what I find funny others may not. Nor will I answer obvious homework (although I will point you to resources to help answer the question, if asked). I also can't help you find movie stars, or where to buy movie memorabilia, or tell you how to break into the business.

Experience

Course work in comedy films along with teaching about comedy films for several years; I've also conducted research into comedy films.

Education/Credentials
Ph.D. in Communication, emphasis in film and rhetoric

Awards and Honors
A dissertation award from a national organization plus various paper awards

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My students

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