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The Last Polka

 
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The Last Polka

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The Last Polka
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  • Director: John Blanchard
  • AMG Rating: starstarstar
  • Genre: Comedy
  • Movie Type: Mockumentary, Showbiz Comedy
  • Themes: Musician's Life, Rise and Fall Stories
  • Release Year: 1984
  • Run Time: 54 minutes

Plot

This HBO comedy special is a send-up of Martin Scorsese's The Last Waltz. Scorsese's film, it will be recalled, recorded the final concert of the rock group The Band. Polka deals with the rise and fall of that fabulous Lutonian twosome, the Schmenge Brothers. John Candy is Yosh Schmenge, and Eugene Levy is Stan Schmenge. "And ve are...der Happy Vanderers." This faux documentary traces the early lives of the Schmenge boys, their first successes on local Canadian television, and the ultimate dissolution of their accordian-dominated polka band. We are also permitted a few peeks at the Schmenges' private lives with their families, as they celebrate such venerated Lutonian customs as "The Exchanging of the Socks." An outgrowth of a recurring sketch on the old SCTV television weekly, The Last Polka also features veteran SCTVers Catherine O'Hara and Rick Moranis. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Cast

John Candy; Robin Duke; Catherine O'Hara; Eugene Levy; Rick Moranis

Credit

John Blanchard - Director

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Wikipedia: The Last Polka
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Home > Library > Miscellaneous > Wikipedia
The Last Polka
Directed by John Blanchard
Produced by John Candy (Ex Prod)
Eugene Levy (Ex Prod)
Jamie P Rock (Prod)
Written by John Candy
Eugene Levy
Narrated by Dave Thomas
Starring John Candy
Eugene Levy
Music by Russ Little
Cinematography Martin Corley
John Crampton
Richard G. Mason
Editing by Bill Goddard
Distributed by Vestron Video
Release date(s) April 1985
Running time 54 mins
Country Flag of Canada Canada
Language English

The Last Polka is a 1985 comedy television film, and one of the first Mockumentaries. It was written by and starred John Candy and Eugene Levy, and directed by John Blanchard.

The Last Polka follows the life, careers, and the final concert of Yosh (Candy) and Stan (Levy) Shmenge, two brothers from the fictional country of Leutonia who become the biggest polka duo the world has ever seen. It is presented as a mixture of live concert performance and filmed scenes.

One stand out scene has The Shmenges performing an outdoor stadium Michael Jackson salute concert, complete with glitter outfits, sequin glove, and a polka version of "Beat It".

The Shmenges were originally created as characters for the television series Second City TV and were also known on SCTV as The Happy Wanderers.

Many fellow SCTV performers including Rick Moranis, Catherine O'Hara, and Robin Duke appear in the film. Dave Thomas narrates.

The Last Polka was produced for and first broadcast on the HBO cable network. Both John Candy and Eugene Levy were nominated for their performances in 1985, for a Cable Ace Award in the Best Performance in a Comedy Special category.

As of March 2008, this video is Out of Print and not available on DVD.

External links


This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

 
 
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