CONEHEADS the movie is derived from sketches on the Saturday Night Live TV show in the late 1970's. Dan Aykroyd and Jane Curtin reprise their roles as Beldar and Prymatt. Their daughter Connie is played by Michelle Burke. Laraine Newman, who played Connie on TV, has a brief appearance as Laarta, Prymatt's sister.
Beldar and Prymatt travel from the planet Remulak to prepare for an invasion of Earth, but plunge into the Hudson River. They live in Paramus, New Jersey where Beldar works as an appliance salesman. The Coneheads adapt to middle-class suburban life and masquerade as French humans with bizarre eating habits. When the aliens become relatively assimilated, they invite neighbours over for some "charred mammal flesh". Beldar refers to his lawnmower as, "a standard 3-horsepower carbon-fuel powered chlorophyll tube slicer."
They move to New York, where Beldar become a cab driver and starts his own driving school. The Coneheads use the names Donald R. DeCicco and Mary Margaret DeCicco. Connie grows up and has a boyfriend named Ronnie (Chris Farley). Life is going well until an INS agent (Michael McKean) pursues Beldar for having a phoney Social Security card. Beldar asks, "May I have 55 words with you?"..."Take my car, it's re-inforced alloy superstructure is far superior to that of your broken down, rusted out s**t box."..."When my people come to colonize this planet, you will be on the protected rolls, and no harm will come to you."
Ronnie: "Yeah, my grandfather's from the Old Country."
Connie: "Oh really, which one?"
Ronnie: "I'm not sure. One of the big ones."
(Connie gulps down an entire sub sandwich)
Ronnie: "Wow! My Mom's the only other woman I know who can take a sandwich like that!"
Connie: (pointing at Ronnie's sub) "You going to finish that?"
Ronnie: "H-hi, Mr. Conehead."
Beldar: "I find you unacceptable!"
Ronnie: "Yes, sir."
Beldar: "If I did not fear incarceration from human authority figures, I would terminate your life functions by applying sufficient pressure to your blunt skull so as to force its collapse."
Ronnie: "Th-thank you."
Connie: "I think I'll have some Tang."
Prymatt: "Ah Tang, the drink astronauts took to the moon."
Beldar: "Astronauts to the moon?"
(Beldar and Prymatt laugh)
On Beldar's home planet, the Remulakan High Master (Dave Thomas) is concerned about the botched invasion of Earth. There are great sets and special effects on Remulak. Beldar says, "When the High Master hears of this he will surely cut off my plargh and hand it to me." Then Beldar returns to Remulak, and there is a scene of him "narfling a Garthok".
High Master: "Let it be written... are you writing this? Therefore, you will... Narfle the Garthok."
Strong Cone: "I have learned much from watching the Garthok battle. It has weaknesses. I believe I can take it."
Beldar: "Uh-huh. And when are you expecting Elvis to arrive?"
The cast of CONEHEADS includes: Phil Hartman, Jason Alexander, Lisa Jane Persky, Sinbad, Jan Hooks, Adam Sandler, Kevin Nealon, David Spade, Tim Meadows, Robert Knott, Jonathan Penner, Whip Hubley, Howard Napper, Michael Richards, Eddie Griffin, Grant Martell, Rosa Maria Briz, Art Bonilla, Cooper Layne, Sarah Anne Levy, Drew Carey, Shishir Kurup, Sydney Coberly, Barry Kivel, Terry Turner, McNally Sagal, Richard Comar, Danielle Aykroyd, Nicolette Harnish, Joey Lauren Adams, Parker Posey, Julia Sweeney, Ellen DeGeneres, Walter Robles, Todd Susman, James Keane, Sam Freed, Garrett Morris, Tom Davis, Peter Aykroyd, Nils Allen Stewart, Mitchell Bobrow, Laurnce Bilzerian, Topper Lilien, Tom Arnold, and Jon Lovitz. The script is by Tom Davis, Dan Aykroyd, Bonnie Turner, and Terry Turner. Steve Barron Directed.
Songs on the soundtrack include: "Soul To Squeeze" by Red Hot Chili Peppers, "Kodachrome" by Paul Simon, "No More Tears" by k. d. Lang, and "Tainted Love" by Soft Cell. There are eleven songs and David Newman composed the original music.
CONEHEADS is a great family movie that is suitable for fans of comedy and Science Fiction. It is rated PG for brief profanity and a few gross jokes. As Chris Rock has pointed out, far too many bad movies have been made by SNL graduates. CONEHEADS is one of the best.
