The Shot by Mychele

One of the few comedies of the festival, The Shot was a direct hit. This $30,000 budget slapfest is about two down-and-out actors who are fed up with director David Egoman and actor Bob Man stealing all the film work in L.A. The actors, Dern Reel (Dan Bell) and Patrick St. Patrick (Michael Rivkin) devise a plan to steal Egoman's new film, Burnt Sienna Sunset. Only thing is, there are two other people with the same idea; a disgruntled femi-nazi studio producer played brilliantly by Mo Gafferty, and the original writer of the script, Smith (Vincent Ward). Hilarity ensues as the confusion and suspense heighten.

Bell's Wayne's World and Darkman connections explained how he was able to nab Ted Raimi (brother of Sam ), Michael Deluise (Seaquest ) and even get Dana Carvey in for a cameo. However, some of the funniest moments come from bit actors, such as Christina Rhea as the ditsy casting director. Bell as director provided many wonderful background scenarios where seemingly trivial action is being played out hilariously behind the main part of the scene. The muttering homeless person is a scream.

Raimi as the sidekick detective did a great job playing dumb without being stupid. Michael Rivkin was great as Patrick St. Patrick next to Bell's Dern Reel, and Gaffney as the studio bitch-on-wheels was right on. Shot producer Jude Horowitz gets in on the action as Dern's girlfriend who can't keep a waitressing job to save her life. But it's Deluise that hits dead on as Bob Man, the actor of lowest common denominator.

I asked Bell if Egoman or Bob Man were based on anyone specific. I was surprized to hear that Egoman was originally based on David Mammet in Bell's original play. Since making the jump to the big screen, Egoman has become a mix of Mammet and Oliver Stone. As for Bob Man? "It's Michael Deluise!"

Last I heard, The Shot would be out on video January 1996.

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