Police Academy (film series)
POLICE ACADEMY (15)
D: Hugh Wilson
Warner Bros./Ladd (Paul Maslansky)
US 1984
96 mins
Comedy
W: Neal Israel, Pat Proft & Hugh Wilson
DP: Michael Margulies
Ed: Robert Brown & Zach Staenberg
Mus: Robert Folk
Steve Guttenberg (Carey Mahoney), Kim Cattrall (Karen
Thompson), Andrew Rubin (George Martin), G.W. Bailey (Lt. Thaddeus Harris), Bubba Smith (Moses Hightower), David Graf (Eugene Tackleberry), George Gaines (Cmdt. Eric Lassard), Leslie
Easterbrook (Callahan), Michael Winslow (Larvell Jones)
By far the best of the Police Academy films, the series is
practically the American equivalent of British "Carry On" films, with puerile jokes and silly characters from start to finish.
The low brow plot concerns all restrictions being lifted
on entry into the police force, meaning a group of criminals, idiots and sexual deviants enlist.
If you can take the humour, it's very enjoyable in a
brainless way. Though, with each sequel, the series got progressively worse. I would say that this one has actually dated incredibly badly, but in the context of when it was released, it
certainly isn't terrible.
6/10
POLICE ACADEMY 2: THEIR FIRST
ASSIGNMENT (15)
D: Jerry Paris
Warner Bros./Ladd (Paul Maslansky)
US 1985
87 mins
Comedy
W: Barry Blaustein & David Sheffield
DP: James Crabe
Ed: Bob Wyman
Mus: Robert Folk
Steve Guttenberg (Mahoney), Bubba Smith (Hightower), David
Graf (Tackleberry), Michael Winslow (Jones), Art Metrano (Lt. Mauser), Marion Ramsey (Hooks), George Gaynes (Cmdt. Eric Lassard)
The title says it all. The recruits from the first film
get their first professional assignment, though a corrupt police lieutenant tries his utmost to discredit them.
A step down from the first film, with even more smut and
obvious jokes, most of which aren't very funny.
4/10
POLICE ACADEMY 3: BACK IN TRAINING (15)
D: Jerry Paris
Warner Bros. (Paul Maslansky)
US 1986
82 mins
Comedy
W: Gene Quintano
DP: Robert Saad
Ed: Bud Malin
Mus: Robert Folk
Steve Guttenberg (Mahoney), Bubba Smith (Hightower), David Graf (Tackleberry), Michael Winslow (Jones), Marion Ramsey (Hooks), Leslie Easterbrook (Callahan), George Gaynes (Cmdt. Eric Lassard), Bobcat Goldthwait (Zed)
Pretty much a retread of the first film, introducing new (irritating) characters as a group of criminals are reabilitated by joining the police academy. Unfortunately, the jokes are recycled and nowhere near as much fun the second time around.
4/10
POLICE ACADEMY 4: CITIZENS ON
PATROL (15)
D: Jim Drake
Warner Bros. (Paul Maslansky)
US 1987
87 mins
Comedy
W: Gene Quintano
DP: Robert Saad
Ed: David Rawlins
Mus: Robert Folk
Steve Guttenberg (Mahoney), Bubba Smith (Hightower), David
Graf (Tackleberry), Michael Winslow (Jones), Sharon Stone (Claire Mattson), Leslie Easterbrook (Callahan), Bobcat Goldthwait (Zed), George Gaynes (Lassard)
The commandant of the Police Academy decides to involve
ordinary citizens in law enforcement and once again, a corrupt rival attempts to discredit him.
It's the same stuff again, with more annoying moments than
funny ones.
At least Steve Guttenberg had the good sense to abandon
the series after this film.
4/10
POLICE ACADEMY 5: ASSIGNMENT MIAMI
BEACH (PG)
D: Alan Myerson
Warner Bros. (Paul Maslansky)
US 1988
90 mins
Comedy
W: Stephen J. Curwick
DP: Jim Pergola
Ed: Hubert de la Bouillerie
Mus: Robert Folk
Matt McCoy (Sgt. Nick Lassard), Janet Jones (Kate), George
Gaines (Cmdt. Eric Lassard), G.W. Bailey (Capt. Harris), Rene Auberjonois (Tony), Bubba Smith (Hightower), David Graf (Tackleberry), Michael Winslow (Jones), Leslie Easterbrook
(Callahan)
The police academy gang go on holiday to Miami and foil a
gang of jewel thieves.
The series was really running out of steam by this point,
with the action not actually taking place on the campus but relocated to a sunny beachside resort.
The jokes are weak and the story is just plain stupid.
Steve Guttenberg had the sense to jump ship at this point, but the majority of the remaining cast seemed to really need the work.
3/10
POLICE ACADEMY 6: CITY UNDER
SIEGE (PG)
D: Peter Bonerz
Warner Bros. (Paul Maslansky)
US 1989
84 mins
Comedy
W: Stephen J. Curwick
DP: Charles Rosher, Jr.
Ed: Hubert de la Bouillerie
Mus: Robert Folk
Bubba Smith (Hightower), David Graf (Tackleberry), Michael
Winslow (Jones), Leslie Easterbrook (Callahan), Marion Ramsey (Hooks), Lance Kinsey (Proctor), Matt McCoy (Nick Lassard), Bruce Mahler (Fackler), G.W. Bailey (Harris)
The academy graduates attempt to track down a criminal
mastermind who's responsible for an increasing crimewave in the city.
Totally bereft of laughs, this really is where the series
should have ended. Alas, the producers returned a few years later for another bite of the cherry and to squeeze every last ounce of profitability out of a dying series.
2/10
POLICE ACADEMY 7: MISSION TO
MOSCOW (PG)
D: Alan Metter
Warner Bros. (Paul Maslansky)
US 1994
83 mins
Comedy
W: Randolph Davis & Michele S. Chodos
DP: Ian Jones
Ed: Denise Hill & Suzanne Hinds
Mus: Robert Folk
George Gaynes (Lassard), Michael Winslow (Jones), David
Graf (Tackleberry), Leslie Easterbrook (Callahan), G.W. Bailey (Harris), Christopher Lee (Aleksandr Nikolaevich Rakov), Ron Perlman (Konstantin Konali), Claire Forlani (Katrina)
Scraping the comedy barrel of storylines, the police
academy members travel to Moscow to prevent the Russian mafia from world domination.
The series ran out steam long before this seventh film, so
it's little surprise that it was utterly dreadful.
The film was a box office flop and failed to amass any
video rental success, proving once and for all that enough was enough.
1/10
