The groove tube spoofs television and commercials in an outrageous series of skits. Lampooning everything from cooking shows to public service announcements this fast paced comedy deftly assaults the medium. Studio: Henst... more »ooth Video Release Date: 05/30/2000 Starring: Chevy Chase Richard Belzer Run time: 74 minutes Rating: R Director: Ken Shapiro« less
Mark D. from N DARTMOUTH, MA Reviewed on 4/2/2019...
the content of this movie is quite funny (if you're not offended by filthy and obnoxious comedy). I just love irreverent comedy and though this is satirical and funny it borders on x-rated material most of the time but when it's funny...it's funny.....really funny. From dope dealers to cooking shows and talking penises (yes you heard right!)this movie covers all the taboo subjects of society and puts a comedy twist into the proceedings.
Now for the bad news.
I've never seen a video before from Henstooth Video Company but I have to warn you that the quality of this presentation is fair to, at times, poor at best. There is smudgy color in many segments, some color striping in the picture and occasional video glitches as well as sound that sounds tinny and hollow throughout most of the movie. The quality here smacks of VHS to Video transfer and not done very well either.
Hopefully, some other company may get their hands on a beautiful master someday and we'll get an upgrade to DVD or BD that is closer to the actual theatrical presentation.
Until that happens, this is what we have.
BTW I love the faux cooking segment in this movie. It's probably the funniest bit in the entire movie!
Movie Reviews
Histarically twisted
gapskank76 | 11/08/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This movie is wrong in every aspected of the word. This Shapiro masterpiece summarizes the 70's in a nut shell. From Beggining to end it is parody genius at its best. "Move on up" by Curtis Mayfield is a perfect song for this movie. From the first scetch about the hitchhiker, the Koko show, the Dealers, Kramp TV kitchen, "Safty Sam" vanareal disease awareness (the men might want to leave the room during this scene), and the evening news. Not to mention the commercial parodies and plain 70's commentary. This movie is one to be enjoy in every household and enjoyed many times over and over again. Ever time i have seen this movie it keeps getting better and better revealing its underling humor. This guy Ken Shapiro is probably in a cave or jail or his own private island, maybe a combination of each. This is comedy at its best."
The Groove Tube is not Saturday Night Live but...
07/18/2003
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Gross, outdated, crude, disgusting, a little drawn out in spots, and one of the funniest films ever! Mostly carried by Ken Shapiro & Richard Belzer, the film blasts away typical TV programming in rapid funny fashion. From the hilarious 2001 opening spoof to the Koko the clown sketch, the dealers (which hangs on too long after the great movie theatre scene), the News, the olympics, and safety sam, it's pure fun. One other recurring performer is Chevy Chase in the Geritan commercial, one of the highpoints of the film, as well as the fingers, and a quirky rendition of Four Leaf Clover. It's no Academy Award winner, and it isn't as clever or classy as SNL, but it's good for gross-out humor lovers. It's a classic that has been followed by, or in some cases imitated by Tunnelvision, Kentucky Fried Movie and Amazon Women On The Moon. Check it out!"
When The Groove Tube hits, it is a riot.
gapskank76 | 11/29/1999
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I first saw this movie about five years ago with a friend who had just had surgery. She nearly busted her stitches out. You will not laugh harder than when this movie hits its target. There are some sketches that miss their target, but overall, it is really funny, and best of all there are several different levels of humor, if you like slapstick, there is plenty here. If you are more intellectual, and like irony, this movie has that, too. I just bought it and it is even better now that I am a little older and get some of the references. Check out "Brown 25," "The Dealers," and "Koko the Clown." These three, especially should have you near tears."
One of the most funny bunch of skits ever put on film!!!!
Ryan Jackson | Los Angeles,CA | 04/12/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Oh...........where do I begin. Just one of the most nasty,raunchy funny as hell movies. Between the Talking,"package" warning you about VD and other diseases you could contract...as if he had some experence with the subject! And lets not forget Koko the clown,...that caught me of guard...jees...a clown reading the most raunchy part of a romance novel, and the sex olempics,... MY GOD! Great movie if you love SNL type skits,NUDE WOMEN,twisted humor and as a bonus you get to see some of your favorite stars (Richard Belzer, Chevy Chase) before they were household names. Highly recomended!*****"
"What the hell is that puppet thing?...Oh, sweet Jesus!"
rain_dog79 | Monroe, LA | 03/21/2001
(4 out of 5 stars)
"THE GROOVE TUBE has been on my wish list of movies to own since I first saw it as a child. I guess I was around 12 at the time of my first viewing and the grainy quality of the video transfer gave the flick a kid of "forbiden fruit" quality. Upon finding it again all these years later I was surprised how well the thing holds up. Some of the stuff is pretty dated-that "Dealers" routine goes on for waaaaaay too long (although I must admit the punchline is just weird enough to make it worthwhile). Shapiro ends up with a highly influencial and successful film at the end of the day. Many of the skits are laugh out loud funny and give the audience enough credit to catch a D.H. Lawrence joke. There is a good bit of talent and creativity that went into this. Plus it was the first and one of the best of those "short attention span comedies" made so popular by the Zucker Bros... And this sucker is going to have a longer shelf life than that stinker. Mark my words your kids ain't gonna find that referential piece o' poop too funny in the coming years! But this one might just stick around. Don't expect it to turn up on Turner Classic Movies anytime soon. There are too many bush shots."