The Lightning Bug has a multi-prong scheme to enslave the earth. First, rock and roll, which the JMen counter with Muzac, then marijuana. Finally, the JMen build a bomb to blow up the moon with, but the Bug beats them to it by self destructing the moon by playing his rock and roll too loud.
USAPG
USA
J-Men is one of my top favorite films of all time. It was made by Firesign Theater's Philip Proctor and Peter Bergman who also appear in the film. I can compare it to other films such as Kung Pow, Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid, and Woody Allen's What's Up Tiger Lily? only more enjoyable. J-Men takes various serials of the 1930s and 40s such as Radar Men From The Moon, The Crimson Ghost, Captain America, and Captain Marvel, renames the characters, and dubs over them in one insane plot. The Lighting Bug, who is disguised as the villain of every serial, plots to take over the world with rock 'n' roll and then with marijuana. The soundtrack contains groups such…
While not my favorite "redub and/or edit something to make comedy hi-jinks ensue" project I've seen (that would be Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid, I think), J-Men Forever contains an impressive array of clips from some of the best serials overdubbed with mildly amusing pot and rock jokes from late 70s Firesign Theater personnel. It was definitely something enjoyable to have on in the background this morning and I am seriously impressed with how well they edited (and found) the footage-I especially enjoyed the many montages. There's something about seeing a whole string of car crashes and explosions to really strike home just how much action these things packed in.
For over 60 years my Dad collected (and we kids grew up with) films and memorabilia from the 30s, 40s and 50s, mostly serials, mysteries, and westerns he screened for us in glorious 16mm.
By chance we came across this gem on USA’s Night Flight one evening in the mid 80s and it’s been a sentimental favorite ever since.
A brilliant reassembly and redubbing of classic serials, with some great voice talent including a hilarious chap that goes by the name of Machine Gun Kelly.
To date this is the only film I’m aware of that includes the line, “Ah, blow it out your shorts, needle nose.”
Night Flight's most requested film and for better or worse, the introduction for many to classic Republic cliffhangers. Not as dated as I feared it would be and still pretty damn funny.
Homebound film fest 2021:
More silly, somewhat dated humor from half of the Firesign Theater. This film uses a bunch of dubbed-over footage from Republic serials of the forties to tell the story of the battle between the Lightning Bug, a supervillain on the moon who is trying to enslave the earth through the power of marijuana and rock and roll, and the J-Men, a superviolent government agency who counts among its team the Lone Star (Captain America), Spy Swatter (Spy Smasher), and the Rocket Jock (Rocky Jones). Ultimately, this is pretty fun stuff in the vein of What's Up Tiger Lily or MST3K. The jokes fly pretty fast and furious, and they have a lot of good material to work with. Recommended if you're into this sort of thing, and it was definitely better than Cracking Up.
A comedic gem for a certain, specialized crowd. Like Woody Allen's What's Up Tiger Lily? before it, this takes footage from an old film (in this case footage from a 1940s chapter serial) and redubs new dialogue. The reconfigured story revolves around a nefarious plot to take over the world by introducing rock and roll music. It's up to the J-Men (short for J. Edgar Hoover's men) to stop this nefarious form of music from taking over our culture and destroying all our society's cherished values. The script perhaps lacking sharpness -- the humor tending to veer into broad silliness as opposed to sharp satire. The script being unafraid to venture into the occasional poop joke or innuendo, but they are plenty funny with enough quotable one-liners sprinkled around to keep things consistently entertaining.
B
It’s got a grand total of three jokes that it cycles through relentlessly and runs out of steam about 40 minutes in. Plus, the rock and roll being celebrated is mostly super generic 70s cock rock, that is almost as codified as Muzak.
But still quite the feat of editing and concept, and fun to see a serial that basically admits most of those characters are authoritarian psychos.
J-Men Forever is mostly an editing and writing triumph. The interweaving of the serial material is sometimes crude, yet much more effective than Carl Reiner's Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid, a more sophisticated approach to the same concept using old Film Noir movies. The joke eventually runs thin in both movies, but a buoyancy factor compensates in J-Men Forever. If you're watching this with more than 3 adults who between them can manage a warped sense of humor, it's a perfect party movie.
Presenting a comedy film so batshit insane, You'll be dying for more
J-Men Forever is a basically a film done in the same vein as Woody Allen film "What's Up Tiger Lily?", where it takes Republic Pictures serials like The Adventures of Captain Marvel, Captain America and many others and construct a batshit plot
The film's plot is primarily there's this alien DJ named The Lightning Bug (voiced by the late DJ legend, Machine Gun Kelly) who is taking over the world with Rock 'n' Roll and it's up the J-Men to stop him
Yes, The plot is confusing but the batshit insanity sells the film because there's no film where you can hear Captain Marvel (aka "Shazam!") singing "Off I Go In My Tight Pajamas!" and kicking ass like a mad man
This Night Flight institution is worth hunting down!
J-Men Forever is not really a serial. Instead, The Firesign Theatre comedians have created a pastiche that is a parody of and a tribute to the Republic serials of the 1930s and '40s.
The villain is the mysterious Lightning Bug who wants to introduce rock 'n' roll music and marijuana to citizens, but is opposed by the JMen, who want to keep the status quo of Muzak and a drug-free nation.
Serial fans will enjoy this feature film because it is assembled using clips from various serials, with the original dialogue removed and new and silly dialogue dubbed in.
The movie is a hoot and can be enjoyed by movie fans who may know nothing about serials, but enjoy comedy parodies and satire.
