Chief Zabu

Chief Zabu
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Howard Zuker
Neil Cohen
Produced by Norman Leigh
Neil Cohen
Nancy Zuker
Howard Zuker
Written by Neil Cohen
Nancy Zuker
Howard Zuker
Starring Allen Garfield
Zack Norman
Allan Arbus
Ed Lauter
Manu Tupou
Music by Andrew Asch
Release date
 2016
Running time
 75 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $187,966[1]

Chief Zabu is a long-unreleased film that was written, produced and directed by Neil Cohen and Zack Norman (under the pseudonym Howard Zuker).[2][3][4] It stars Norman, Allen Garfield and Allan Arbus as New York businessmen trying to take over a newly-independent Polynesian nation.[5] Production began in 1986 but, due to various issues, Cohen and Norman were unable to complete the film until 2016. It premiered at Laemmle Theatres' Monica Film Center on October 28, 2016[6][7] and screened on November 7 at the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival ("FLIFF").[8] Trailers and clips are available through both Vimeo[9] and YouTube.[10]

A long running advertisement for the film in Variety was the source of a recurring joke on Mystery Science Theater 3000.[11]

Synopsis

The film follows an ambitious New York realtor who dreams of political power and decides to accomplish this by taking over a Polynesian nation.

Cast

Merchandise

At his TeePublic website, American entrepreneur Josh Abramson offers a T-shirt bearing an image of the Variety advertisement that ran consistently between 1985 and 1988.[12]

Reception

Sheri Linden of The Hollywood Reporter gave the film a positive review, calling it "A comic time capsule with a timeless punch."[13]

In anticipation of the film's screening at FLIFF, a Fort Lauderdale restaurant introduced a specialty cocktail named the "Chief Zabu".[14]

Following a series of festival and awards-qualifying screening runs, blogger Chad Sternberger of the popular website The Studio Exec implored Hollywood distributors: "For heaven's sake could someone please release Chief Zabu."[15] The film was one of 336 titles to qualify for the 89th Academy Awards.[16]

Actress Marianna Hill, one of the stars of the film, spoke at length about her experience working on Chief Zabu on the movie/TV blog "Hill Place".[17]

References

  1. ↑ "Missing for 30 years, a Trumpian satire finds its pop-culture moment". SouthFlorida.com. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
  2. ↑ Van Gelder, Lawrence (11 July 1986). "At The Movies: Only The Names Are Different". NY Times. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  3. ↑ Chase, Donald (20 July 1986). "$200,000 Zabu Joins High-Priced Laugh Derby". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  4. ↑ Craig, David; Fadiman, Anne (April 1987). "Cut-Rate Moguls". Life Magazine. 10 (4): 44–48.
  5. ↑ Langman, Larry (1998-01-01). Return to Paradise: A Guide to South Sea Island Films. Scarecrow Press. pp. 289, 301. ISBN 9780810832688.
  6. ↑ "All Movie". www.allmovie.com. allmovie.com. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  7. ↑ "Chief Zabu". Laemmle.com. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
  8. ↑ "The 31st Annual Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival Hosts Two Presidential Events In Honor of the Election". PRNewswire.com. PR Newswire. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
  9. ↑ "Chief Zabu". Vimeo.com. Vimeo. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
  10. ↑ "Chief Zabu". YouTube.com. YouTube. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
  11. ↑ Beaulieu, Trace (1996-04-01). The Mystery science theater 3000 amazing colossal episode guide. Bantam Books. p. 162. ISBN 9780553377835.
  12. ↑ "Chief Zabu T-Shirt". TeePublic.com. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  13. ↑ Sheri Linden, "'Chief Zabu': Film Review", The Hollywood Reporter, October 27, 2016.
  14. ↑ Alona Abbady Martinez, "Mai-Kai Creates Cocktail in Honor of Film Chief Zabu, an Ode to Donald Trump", New Times Broward-Palm Beach, October 26, 2016.
  15. ↑ Sternberger, Chad. ""SOMEONE RELEASE CHIEF ZABU"". The Studio Exec. TheStudioExec.com. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
  16. ↑ "Reminder List of Productions Eligible for the 89th Academy Awards" (PDF). Oscars.org. Academy Awards. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
  17. ↑ Chang, Shaun. "Hill Place: Random musings on all things related to movies and television..." Blogger. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
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