Main Cast: Steve Van Wormer, Paul Walker, A.J. Langer, John Ashton, Dennis Hopper
Release Year: 1998
Country: US
Run Time: 92 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
Plot
Hawaiian surfer dudes Stew (Steve Van Wormer) and Phil Deedle (Paul Walker), fraternal twins, are about to be expelled from school, so their wealthy and concerned father (Eric Braeden) offers summer camp in Wyoming as a solution. Arriving in Jackson Hole with their wet suits, the Deedle twins are like fish out of water, and a series of accidents put them in a hospital. Mistaken for new recruits by Yellowstone Park ranger Capt. Pine (Douglas Ashton), the duo go along with the error after meeting their training officer, the attractive Lt. Jesse Ryan (A.J. Langer), but they are unprepared to adapt to life in the wild, as they cope with mountainside rappelling, sleeping in tents, eating worms, and dealing with hordes of prairie dogs unleashed by ex-ranger Frank Slater (Dennis Hopper), who seeks vengeance for his past problems in the park. There are several pop-culture references, including a cameo by Bart the Bear (of The Edge). ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
Linden Snyder - Art Director, Rick Johnson - Associate Producer, Christopher Cronyn - Associate Producer, Amy Lippens - Casting, Alexandra Welker - Costume Designer, Karyn Wagner - Costume Designer, Rick Johnson - First Assistant Director, Steve Boyum - Director, Alan Cody - Editor, Andy Heyward - Executive Producer, Artie Ripp - Executive Producer, Steve Bartek - Composer (Music Score), Stephen Storer - Production Designer, David Hennings - Cinematographer, Dale Pollock - Producer, Aaron Meyerson - Producer, Robin Peyton - Set Designer, David Kelson - Sound Mixer, Kim B. Christensen - Sound/Sound Designer, Tim Landry - Special Effects Supervisor, Dale Pollock - Screenwriter, Jim Herzfeld - Screenwriter
Meet the Deedles follows the story of two dimwitted surfer brothers from a wealthy family, who are expelled from their high school after several reckless shenanigans. Hoping to straighten them out, their father sends them to Wyoming to attend a specialty boot camp for languishing rich kids. Once in Wyoming, the two are mistaken for park rangers and are thus hired by Yellowstone National Park to rid the park of a prairie dog infestation which happens to be part of a dastardly plan orchestrated by a deranged former ranger.[2]
Reviews for the film were almost unanimously negative, claiming the film was nothing more than a poor attempt to revive the goofball duo genre of films such as Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure and Dumb & Dumber. Areas of the film that drew the most criticism were its two-dimensional characters, overuse of surfer slang, ludicrous plot, and questionable morals.[3] Despite the film's failure, it became a cult classic in the following years with a request to be released on Region 1 DVD.[citation needed]
Although the film has occasionally aired on The Disney Channel, it has only seen a limited release on VHS. The film was released on DVD only in Europe, in the PAL/Region 2 format.
The film also features cameos from former Oingo Boingo members Steve Bartek, Johnny "Vatos" Hernandez, Carl Graves, and Sam "Sluggo" Phipps as the band at the luau.
Soundtrack
'Meet the Deedles' soundtrack
The original music for the film was composed by former Oingo Boingo member Steve Bartek. Most of the songs featured on the soundtrack were from third-wave ska bands, as the genre was at the peak of its popularity at the time of the film's release.
