My review was written in July 1987 after watching the film on Trans World Entertainment video cassette.
"Screwball Academy", its title having nothing to do with the film, is a weak example of the string of similarly monikered Canadian comedies vainly attempting to duplicate the success of the Bill Murray hit "Meatballs". Picture entered production in summer 1983 as "Loose Ends", with director John Blanchard credited at that time, though final credits attribute direction to "Reuben Rose", presumably a play on words on the production company Rose & Ruby).
Colleen Camp perks matters up a bit portraying a director fed up with advertising (which she finds exploitative) who ventures to Wagatno Beach to do a feminist low-budget feature film. Her efforts interfere with the plans of pop culture evangelist Bishop Wally (played by pic's co-producer Damian Lee with an intentionally phony-looking mustache) to flee to the island just ahead of federal investigators.
Requisite nerd for this attempted beach party film is Pete Spence as a 17-year-old brought up in Wally's Divine Light church.
Pic's satirical elements are weak and much of the material has become dated, as in references to 3-D filming (still cooking back in '83). Some extraneous nude footage (not involving any of the principal thesps) seems tacked on.
"Screwball Academy", its title having nothing to do with the film, is a weak example of the string of similarly monikered Canadian comedies vainly attempting to duplicate the success of the Bill Murray hit "Meatballs". Picture entered production in summer 1983 as "Loose Ends", with director John Blanchard credited at that time, though final credits attribute direction to "Reuben Rose", presumably a play on words on the production company Rose & Ruby).
Colleen Camp perks matters up a bit portraying a director fed up with advertising (which she finds exploitative) who ventures to Wagatno Beach to do a feminist low-budget feature film. Her efforts interfere with the plans of pop culture evangelist Bishop Wally (played by pic's co-producer Damian Lee with an intentionally phony-looking mustache) to flee to the island just ahead of federal investigators.
Requisite nerd for this attempted beach party film is Pete Spence as a 17-year-old brought up in Wally's Divine Light church.
Pic's satirical elements are weak and much of the material has become dated, as in references to 3-D filming (still cooking back in '83). Some extraneous nude footage (not involving any of the principal thesps) seems tacked on.