--THE CABLE GUY--
'The Cable Guy' was released in 1996 .- Directed by Ben Stiller (Reality Bites) and starring Jim Carrey, Jack Black and Matthew Broderick. - Genre: Comedy/Thriller. - BBFC Rating: 12 (cut) - Running Time: 96 Minutes.
When a young guy Steve Kovack (Matthew ... Read review
The manic madness of Jim Carrey (Bruce Almighty) strikes again in this totally wired, out ... more
of control comedy! Slip the cable guy fifty bucks and you'll get the movie channels for free - it's a time honoured urban ritual. But when Steven Kovacs (Matthew ...
Comedy - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring: Tessa Peake-Jones, Buster Merryfield, David Jason, Nicholas Lyndhurst
Comedy - Director: Tony Dow - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring: John Challis, David Jason, Nicholas Lyndhurst, Tessa Peake-Jones, Gwyneth Strong
Comedy - Director: Richard Boden, Mandie Fletcher, Martin Shardlow - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Hugh Laurie, Miranda Richardson, Stephen Fry, Brian Blessed, Tim McInnerny, Tony Robinson, Rowan Atkinson
Advantages: A strangely brilliant film. Disadvantages: None.
...he can't wait to get the cable TV installed. - Enter 'The Cable Guy' Chip! AKA Ernie Douglas (Jim Carrey) as the extremely strange cable TV installer; with great delight Chip gives Steve a package of cable TV consisting of over 100 channels, for free. Steve tries to slip him $50 dollars for his trouble, as is customary in the States, but all 'this' cable guy wants is a friend.
Now Chip is no ordinary guy, having been dumped ... ...been given any motherly attention, the emotionally neglected Chip is a bit of a twisted and manic character who is desperately in need of human contact and a true lifelong friend. Steve is a bit of a weak character and doesn't want to upset the man who has just given him free cable, so he goes along with it and pretends to be his friend, thinking it will only be for the short haul and he intends to dump this very strange character as soon as. Little ... more
--THE CABLE GUY--
'The Cable Guy' was released in 1996 .- Directed by Ben Stiller (Reality Bites) and starring Jim Carrey, Jack Black and Matthew Broderick. - Genre: Comedy/Thriller. - BBFC Rating: 12 (cut) - Running Time: 96 Minutes.
When a young guy Steve Kovack (Matthew Broderick) moves into his new apartment after splitting up with his girlfriend, he can't wait to get the cable TV installed. - Enter 'The Cable Guy' Chip! AKA Ernie Douglas (Jim Carrey) as the extremely strange cable TV installer; with great delight Chip gives Steve a package of cable TV consisting of over 100 channels, for free. Steve tries to slip him $50 dollars for his trouble, as is customary in the States, but all 'this' cable guy wants is a friend.
Now Chip is no ordinary guy, having been dumped in front of the cable TV as a child, and not been given any motherly attention, the emotionally neglected Chip is a bit of a twisted and manic character who is desperately in need of human contact and a true lifelong friend. Steve is a bit of a weak character and doesn't want to upset the man who has just given him free cable, so he goes along with it and pretends to be his friend, thinking it will only be for the short haul and he intends to dump this very strange character as soon as. Little does Steve know that in doing so he will turn the cable guy into a demented stalker. What ensues is a deliciously dark and hilarious satire which embarks upon displaying the effects that the obsessive television age can have upon the consumer. -
Another Jim Carey film I absolutely love! This is a strange and fantastically original theme once again, with a message that is obvious to see. Chip has been raised by television. He is in effect the product of the television age in so much that the cable TV has substituted his mother and become in effect, his parent. So all the messages that the TV programmes have given out to the young and impressionable Chip through his formative years, have instilled in him what life is supposedly all about. Giving him a distorted and unreal image of the world he lives in. Being unable to separate fact from fiction Chip lives in a neo virtual reality and his creepy personality defects impact upon everyone that this weird cable guy comes into contact with.
I love the way Jim Carrey portrays the character of Chip. He gives him a really menacing edge that is actually quite scary. I totally forgot I was watching Jim Carrey at some points of the film and that aspect paired with the black humour works really well. Jim Carrey does a brilliant characterisation of Chip always retaining that scary factor of a man whose mind is seriously deranged. There are some wonderful comedy scenes in Cable Guy notably the 'Karaoke Party Scene' when Carrey sings "Somebody to love" by Jefferson Airplane. This is a fabulous display of black comedy at its best. His use of facial expressions is totally brilliant. There is another scene which is actually my favourite in the film when Chip charges at Steve's door. There is something really surreal about it and I love the way the camerawork approaches this scene.
The film has a sinister feel to it most of the way through, and though it is broken up by the comedic moments this is basically quite a creepy tale. The unstable and extreme characteristics of Chip are really quite scary as he is so unpredictable and Carrey plays out the part of the crazed stalker extremely well. I think this is when Carrey's real characterisations were really coming into play and showing his own unique talent for comedy. Jack Black is excellent as Steve's friend bringing some nice humour to the proceedings as are some of the other minor roles which were well played particularly in the party scene. I think Ben Stiller's directorial debut was quite marked on this film, and apart from being a comedy actor I hold in high regard I also found him extremely impressive with the directing of his first film. I think Cable Guy is pretty underrated on the whole because it is a strange mix of very dark humour and slapstick comedy.
This is an unusual part for Jim Carrey to have played and I think a lot of people didn't know what to make of it. Personally I liked the way the film portrayed the loneliness of people. Chip for his lack of skill in social interaction and Steve for his shy and introverted qualities; both being insular characters really and yet the film showed the importance of television on both their respective lives. The cinematography is brilliant and aided really well to the surreal and strange nature of the film. The film is totally unpredictable and uneven and you are not quite sure as to where it will take you next. Basically the message that the film is trying to put across is that of the effect of television, videogames and the internet on the psyche. Feeling that they can alienate people and makes them anti-social and in the worst case scenario, can promote and antagonise possible deep rooted imperfections in personalities and bring out traits of psychopath, stalker or serial killer.
The Cable Guy is regarded as being darker than most of Carrey's previous work, because he plays a weirdo stalker. Audiences weren't quite sure if they liked Carrey in this kind of role or not and the critics gave the film mixed reviews. It is a pretty odd film but its one I really like because of its difference. It makes you ponder. It isn't just pure comedy entertainment, or chill a minute, it goes a lot deeper than that and even when there are comedy moments you are still in reflective mode from the messages that are woven through the films storyline within the dark humour.
I think Cable Guy is quite a unique film and it manages to mix very dark humour with lighter moments of comedy. Basically Cable Guy it is a satirical tale of warning against the modern age and its machines. Darkly alarming and oddly hilarious, scenes of happy slapping, ear clapping and head butting were edited from the film for obvious reasons. Cable Guy is a strange film which takes a tongue in cheek swipe at the media of television, and videogames in the main, saying that they brainwash you and take over your mind.- -Starring- Jim Carrey Matthew Broderick Leslie Mann Jack Black George Segal Diane Baker
Directed by Ben Stiller
Written by Lou Holtz Jr. Music by John Ottman Cinematography Robert Brinkmann
Advantages: Well.... Jim Carrey stars in it! Disadvantages: it possibly could have done with just a touch more humor.
--------------------------------------- THE CABLE GUY on DVD --------------------------------------- This film was first released in 1996 and it was officially a box office FLOP . I was actually quite surprised to learn that on watching the DVD. Jim Carrey was already quite a well recognized face in the movie industry by the time that 'The Cable Guy' was released . His previous roles had included the lead part in the 2 ACE VENTURER movies( I love ... ...Jim Carrey's character goes by the name Ernie 'Chip' Douglas .(goes by Chip) Early on in the movie it is very apparent that Chip is rather strange (perhaps an UNDERSTATEMENT! ) If you have ever had the feeling that someone is trying a little too hard at being your friend, just a little to soon after you have met them and that they are bordering on becoming your stalker.. . well !! ..That is just the kind of friend that Chip proves to be in this movie. ...
bobbetta 11.09.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Cable Guy (DVD)
Advantages: Jim Carrey, Great story line Disadvantages: Jim Carrey(if u dont like him)
Firstly the thing with Jim Carrey is you either love him or hate him, in my case i think he is one of the funniest actors who as ever walked this earth and this film complements him as his usual wacky weird self but theres a twist he is an obsessive stalker but Carrey plays the role well making you laugh and emphasis with Jim Carreys character.For me this is the best quote from the film "I can be your best friend, or your worst enemy..." This sums ... ...Steven Kovacs (Matthew Broderick from the producers) moves in too his new apartment after splitting up with his girlfriend, When Steven asks a Cable Guy (Carrey) for all cable channels for free for $50 his life completely change, all the cable guy wants is a freind, a friend for life and if you go along with him your life will improve but tell him you don't want to see him any more then as steven finds at firts the cable guy gives him a new entertainment ...
jamiemazza 16.05.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of The Cable Guy (DVD)
Advantages: Original and had a moral at the end. Disadvantages: None.
...When he decides to slip the cable guy 50 dollars for free cable little does he know that all the man wants is a friend...
A mix of slapstick/black and tongue in cheek humour that will leave you laughing for hours.
The story is original, fast moving and has a moral at the end that leaves you thinking about our dependence on T.V as a society.
You also feel pity towards the disturbed cable guy whose mind was twisted from being left on his own as ... ...to do a lisp through the whole movie!
If you like Jim Carrey movies you will not be dissapointed as he is indeed the star of the movie and you'll also be delighted by the several guest cameos (Director of the movie Ben Stiller, Jack Black and Owen Wilson who falls victim to the demented cable guy in a particulary hilarious scene) I personally loved this movie as it is different than any other comedy.
Run Time: 92 minutes
Suitable for ages 12 plus ...
Mistybrook 25.08.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of The Cable Guy (DVD)
Advantages: Very funny, great laugh! Disadvantages: None
...Jim Carrey. Imagine living with the constant threat of bumping into the hyperactive face-puller whenever you walk out your door! It's a chilling thought - particularly for Steven Kovacs (Matthew Broderick) who, in "The Cable Guy" is living just such a nightmare. This is a darker-than-dark comedy, it is vastly different from Carrey's previous lightweight roles in the likes of "The Mask", "Dumb and Dumber" and "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective". Of course, ...
Lewchuck128 26.04.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of The Cable Guy (DVD)
Advantages: Something to Add to your Jim Carey collection Disadvantages: Not one of his best
Jim Carey stars as the stalking Cable Guy who installs cable for Matthew Broderick. Carey befriends Broderick's girlfriend, and parents and in doing so drives him crazy. This movie is full of traditional Jim Carey humor and you want to jump through your tv and choke him to death because he is so annoying. But overall this movie was hilarious. Not as good as Ace Ventura or the Mask but I would definitely watch this again and again. Carey plays perverted ...
dnjwillis 19.11.2002
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful Review of The Cable Guy (DVD)
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Advantages: Jim Carrey, Good Story Disadvantages: Tree's Can't Grow?
I'm a huge Jim Carrey fan and have always enjoyed his films (apart from The CableGuy) I first saw The Truman Show on TV but have recently purchased the DVD because I loved it so much.
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Advantages: effective high energy workout, easy to follow Disadvantages: not for total beginners
the mobile ring tone for each of the songs featured.
~DVD Extra's~
As mentioned previously, there are five ministry of sound music videos featured on this DVD (all full length). They are:
Eric Prydz: Call on me
Danzel: Pump it up
Angel City featuring Lara McAllen: Do you know (I go crazy)
Intenso Project featuring Lisa Scott-Lee: Get it on
Benny Benassi presents the biz: Satisfaction
If you got to the heading marked 'Extra stuff' on the DVD menu, you will find:
*Behind the scenes feature: This is basically showing how the DVD was made. A lot of this is quite boring - guys carrying cables and setting up camera equipment! It also shows the girls choosing their outfits and doing their make-up before shooting the DVD and then some guys editing clips together. All of that is set to the 'Call on me' song, but in essence it's pretty ...
pink_champagne 26.10.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Pump It Up (DVD)
Steve Kovack tries to slip the Cable Guy fifty dollars, in the time-honoured way, in order to get all the movie channels for free. Except this fellow only wants a friend, doesn't want any money and won't take no for an answer...
"...Amusing....Stiller works with craftsmanly precision..." (Entertainment Weekly, p.46, 21/06/1996)
Berserkly brilliant: Jim Carrey in full flood. (The Sunday Times, )
"...Genuinely funny..." (Variety, 10/06/1996)
DVD Description
When a young urbanite calls to order cable TV for his apartment he gets much more than he bargained for, as the demented title character arrives and proceeds to insinuate his way into the beleaguered customer's life. Raised by television as a child and starved for human contact, the "cable guy" is a darkly hilarious carnation of the modern age. Carey's manic karaoke rendition of Jefferson Airplane's "Somebody to Love" is a twisted highlight.
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