Doctor Detroit (1983) User Reviews

Campy as heck

[slaususe2 · 5/10 · 23 June 2000]

This is not the type of movie you watch for the clever plot and well-defined characters. This is a cheap, bawdy comic romp to be enjoyed with the fellas at a weekend get-together or at a bachelor party. Where else can you see a nubile young Fran Drescher wearing next to nothing and James Brown urging a crowd of scantily clad dancers to "get up offa that thang" in the same movie?

Nothing wrong with a little mindless entertainment, especially since Dr. Detroit doesn't pretend to be anything else.

Silly comedy

[ctomvelu-1 · 5/10 · 9 July 2008]

Dan Ackroyd in his prime essays the role of DOCTOR DETROIT, a comic superpimp. In his regular life, Doctor Detroit is a meek college professor right out of a Golden Era slapstick comedy like Cary Grant in "Bringing Up Baby" or Gary Cooper in "Ball of Fire" or even Danny Kaye in the remake, "A Song Is Born." Why and how the professor turns into this larger-than-life, scratchy-voiced pimp is what the movie is all about. And in the end, the Doctor must face down Mom, a notorious gangster. Problem with the movie is Ackroyd was not scheduled to play the role. If memory serves, it was John Belushi, who had died rather suddenly. So Ackroyd steps in to save the day, except he simply isn't funny as the Doctor. He is fine as the professor, however. Ackroyd's soon-to-be, real-life wife Donna Dixon is his love interest.

The 2nd greatest sound track ever!

[rlcsljo · 6/10 · 29 May 2001]

As others may have pointed out, this is mostly Dan A. doing his schtick with a couple of characters that he had not entirely fleshed out. But one thing you should see (hear) this movie for is the sound track!

You have Devo, James Brown, and Lalo Schifrin (in probably his only excursion into "soul music"--and what an excursion it is).

Almost 20 years later, I still listen to this album on a regular basis.

An in depth look at the human psyche

[debtman · 17 April 2000]

In this move, Aykroyd presents a fresh look at what makes a man tick, his desires, feeling, emotions and passions. Aykroyd plays Clifford Skridlow, a somewhat nerdish college professor who is timid and mildly neruotic. This character speaks to a lot of us as we walk our way through life, often unnoticed and unsatisfied with our interactions with others. Longing for nothing but happiness, we weave our way through the obstacles of life much as Clifford rushes through the quad on the way to class, taunted and laughed at by the students surrounding him. But this isn't just another movie designed to identify with unsatisfied loners.

While enjoying dinner at an Indian Restauraunt (symbolizing the social and cultural diversity of humanity), Clifford is picked out by a local pimp to act as a scapegoat to avoid debt to Mom, of the infamous Mom's Limo Company. How many times have you been picked by those more successful than you to take the blame? It's getting a little to real at this point, as the action picks up it's pace. Clifford must invent an inner personality to cope with the feelings of rejection and hatred, and the character Doctor Detroit is born. He embodies all that Clifford wishes he could be, suave, feared, respected, wealthy, and adored by women. The metal hand on his left arm is a not so subtle attempt to portray the desire of the weak to be strong.

The strong reference to Nietzsche's idea of men rising up from the ashes and becoming a strong race of supermen cannot be ignored at this point, and it's clear that this is more than just a silly comedy. With his newfound alter-ego and inner strength, the doctor conquers evil and saves the day. In a triumphant final speed, the Doctor retires his inner personality encouraging the gathered crowd to be strong and find their own inner selves, while returning to a life of a normal, unknown man.

But what will happen to him? Why did he choose to let his inner self die? Was this a sacrifice, or a lack of courage? What would Nietzsche think about this complex analysis? This movie will leave you asking these any many questions. Highly recommended, especially as an introduction to other great works such as Nietzsche's Beyond Good and Evil.

Silly comedy, completely forgettable ........

[merklekranz · 5/10 · 17 February 2013]

Okay, the characters are lively and likable, but the story is cartoon-like, so simplified that it is totally forgettable. One positive is the sharp editing, that keeps things moving along. Negatives would be the lack of enough laughs to recommend second viewings, and cartoon-like goings on that are seriously squirm inducing. "Doctor Detroit" comes across as a not fully developed "Saturday Night Live" skit. While the characters are certainly colorful, there is no real bite to the story. Fran Drescher and Howard Hessman try their stereotyped best, while Dan Aykroyd cavorts about trying to hold things together, but to no avail. Stick with "Trading Places" and avoid the comedic letdown of "Doctor Detroit". - MERK

Practicing without a license....

[Mister-6 · 1/10 · 13 August 1999]

His first movie after longtime friend John Belushi's death, Aykroyd shows much fatigue trying to pull off a character that would have been a snap for Belushi.

Instead, "Doctor Detroit" gives us bookish professor Aykroyd masquerading as a weird, violent pimp to ward off a rival known only as Mom. That's bad enough, but he also has classes to teach, a school dinner to host, four ladies of the evening to protect and a Pimp's Dinner (or something like that) to attend. No wonder Aykroyd seems stupefied most of the time. Why should the viewer be alone?

It was on this film that Aykroyd met future wife Donna Dixon. At least some good came out of this chaotic mess.

One and a half stars. You want good Aykroyd, see "The Blues Brothers". You want bad, see "Doctor Detroit".

not that funny

[SnoopyStyle · 4/10 · 27 December 2015]

Clifford Skridlow (Dan Aykroyd) is a geeky weird professor at a small Chicago college. Smooth Walker (Howard Hesseman) is a pimp who owes money to mob boss Mom. Diavolo Washington is his driver. He has a scheme using his girls (Donna Dixon, Lydia Lei, Fran Drescher, and Lynn Whitfield) to trick a sucker. After a night of hard partying, Clifford is pushed into playing the girls' new crazy pimp Doctor Detroit. Meanwhile, Smooth skips town pretending that a new pimp has muscled him out. Cifford struggles to maintain his straight life while living his wild pimp life.

The problem with Clifford is that I don't find him lovable. He starts with such a weird oddball introduction. For some reason, I find Clifford off-putting. On the other hand, I don't mind the outrageous Doctor Detroit. The movie is generally stupid and silly without being funny. Aykroyd is also on his own comedically in this one and he's not doing so well.

Doctor Detroit

[madmanmarkd · 7/10 · 8 November 2005]

I remember seeing this movie on VHS while I worked at a video rental store in the 80's. I thought it was a funny campy movie but Hey! I like these kind of movies now and then. I always like Dan Akroyd movies so it didn't matter if this was not up to snuff with the likes of Ghostbusters or Blues Brothers. It was hard to believe he made that film then. I recently acquired this movie on laserdisc just about a week ago. I had not seen the movie since the 80's. I since taped over my VHS dub many years ago. It was great to sit down and have a few laughs and once again see the 'Doctor' in action. The picture is clean with only a few spots and scratches. The sound is only analog and not digital but delivers very surprising and powerful for an older movie. It's a fun film never the less. Yeah! it was no box office smash or a great comedy or action film, but there's just something about these lesser movies that brings you back to a better time. Dan does a great job even with the film's downfalls. Hey he got a great wife out of the deal marrying Donna Dixon from the film! It falls in the category with the likes of 'Howard the Duck'. Both were box office failures but there are still those devoted fans out there still searching for these 'gems' everyday. So for me the 'Doctor' is always 'in' my movie collection.

Something's rotten in Detroit

[videorama-759-859391 · 4/10 · 27 October 2016]

Here's one of those Ackroyd films, I decided to snub, but after some curiosity, when seeing the start of it, one night on t.v. where it's opening song and Ackroy's brisk walking routine, is really what did it. Hell, even when he stops, he keeps this exercise strategy in tow. There is little humor here, some which rather has you smirking on the inside. When some heavy hitters, come down on middle aged pimp, Hesseman, he decides to bail, but getting an idiot substitute to fill his role, and guess who. Ackroyd's shy vulnerable character is also a history teacher, hardly has time to sleep. He still lives with his parents, and as causing much envy to a lot of viewers, does have a way with the ladies, his ho's, like the sexy Donna Dixon, and a younger and thinner, Fran Drescher, who's much so less annoying in this. A woman, a memorable butt ugly type (Yeah, I've seen her somewhere before?) n runs the collection racket, where Ackroyd ends up doubling, as the infamous Doctor Detroit, and nice caring parents, not knowing anything about his new job, where cause of this, he has to juggle a couple of professions. In the early part of the film, to be honest, I didn't realize what the story actually was, as I think more detail should of gone into it, to clarify it more. But this is a bad movie, nonetheless, where at times it's a ridiculously stupid movie. Ackroyd though does put in a good performance, where unjustly, he's just lumbered with a stupid movie, and one, he won't be remembered for.

the doctor is in

[lee_eisenberg · 7/10 · 25 April 2006]

In one of many goofy roles, Dan Aykroyd plays uptight Prof. Clifford Skridlow, who finds a new lease on life when he poses as a pimp. "Doctor Detroit" is mostly an excuse for a series of silly situations, but they know how to make it funny. No, this isn't his best movie, but he always has some gags up his sleeve, and the movie isn't pretending to be anything that it isn't. Aykroyd would play a similar role in 1988's "The Couch Trip", but this is the original.

So, even if this movie can only be classified as "cute", then so be it. Dan Aykroyd will always be a comic genius, with or without John Belushi. Also starring Donna Dixon (whom Aykroyd married soon after this movie) and Fran Drescher.

A Comedy with No Laughs

[utgard14 · 4/10 · 3 December 2013]

A pimp (Howard Hesseman) gets into trouble so he cons a nerdy professor (Dan Aykroyd) into posing as his partner, a flamboyant pimp named Doctor Detroit. On paper this looks like it could be funny. Maybe with John Landis handling it, it could have been. But it's not. I have tried this movie three times in the last five years, desperately hoping each time I will finally "get it." But now I am accepting there just isn't anything to "get." It's just a very boring comedy that, despite a solid cast, has no laughs. It's not that I mind the silly paper-thin plot. It's a comedy so I don't expect much from the plot. I don't mind the subject matter. If anything, the movie suffers from not being raunchy enough. It's an 80's comedy about prostitutes and pimps yet it's pretty tame compared to similar films of the time. I don't even know how to pinpoint what is wrong with it except to repeat that it didn't make me laugh. Not once. Sorry. It blows.

An Unknown Gem!

[raypdaley182 · 8/10 · 24 March 2007]

Take a bit of Don Quixote, Trading Places, Risky Business and The Nutty Professor. Throw in Dan Ackroyd, Howard Hesseman and Fran Drescher.

And you have Dr Detroit.

A film that I think was most likely never released outside of the USA. Which is a shame as it has a good plot, good characters and good set pieces that drive the film well.

Combine some excellent 80's music, throw in pimps and James Brown for good measure and you have one of Dan's best films and this does not deserve to be as unknown as is it.

It has all the ingredients for a cult classic and really does deserve DVD release worldwide.

Dan plays a mild mannered college Professor who is chosen by Hesseman as his made-up partner Dr Detroit. Hesseman owes money to Mom, a big-time hood in his local city and has no intention of paying. So he creates Dr Detroit, his business partner who will pay Mom and skips town.

Leaving Dan to create Dr Detroit and look after the hookers and either pay off Mom or run her out of town.

This doesn't look dated for an 80's movie, it's well shot and was pretty funny. I highly recommend you watch it.

Another guilty pleasure!!!

[elo-equipamentos · 6/10 · 5 January 2019]

Dan Aykroyd in early steps of this outstanding career, came out with this weird comedy over an adjusted guy from upper class, he was involved by a rogue crook as cruel new partner called Doctor Detroit in a scort services, it's seems foolish at first sight but absolutely isn't, then to help those marvelous girls he becomes on a dual task from different purposes, he has to coexist in both sides of the his life, having to assist his father to get a cash donation to saves this father's centenary school, but all things mix up itself, also add over a clever screemplay supported by a funniest gags on a bit and quite often peppery circunstances, silly but fully entertainment comedy from the 80'!!

Resume:

First watch: 1985 / How many: 3 / Source: TV-DVD-R / Rating: 6.5

The not ready for prime time movie.

[mark.waltz · 4/10 · 23 March 2022]

Not everything the original cast of "Saturday Night Live" did for the big screen was a big hit, and for Dan Ayckroyd, this comedy is frequently crude and definitely unbelievable. He's a mild mannered literature professor who has a daily exercise regime (which dominates the opening sequence for disappeared shortly after) that gets the attention of pimp Howard Hessman who needs someone to take over his girls to get a very butch female pimp Kate Murtagh off of his case. It's interesting that the girls are a collective of nationalities with an Asian girl, blonde bombshell, a tough black chick and Fran Drescher playing, well, Fran Drescher, stereotypical New Yawk Jewish girl. The future Mrs. Ayckroyd (Donna Dixon) is the blonde bombshell, Lynn Whitfield as the beautiful black girl and Lydia Lei (the only unknown one) the stereotypical Asian fragile flower. As they get ussd to Ayckroyd managing them, they become his protectors, even dating him in correcting exams!

If you thought gym teacher Beulah Ballbricker and truck driver Large Marge represented butch women of the 80's, the masculine dressed Murtagh is quite competition, and equally as funny, particularly when she is picked up by a giant crane and dumped into an automobile graveyard. She is also the recipient of one of the crudest remarks I've ever heard in a film, mentioned in the quote listings. That's the always scene stealing Nan Martin as Ayckroyd's hysterically funny mother, several years before she eneed up in sitcom immortality as the nasty Freida Claxton on "Golden Girls" and ran a department store on "The Drew Carey Show".

While there are some moments are very funny, most of the film is rather eye-rolling and it's one of Ayckroyd's few early films that is a disappointment, coming the same year as the classic "Trading Places". He seems to be trying too hard for laughs, mostly which don't come. I just didn't think that the plot was all that string so he's there mainly doing his shtick. The four young ladies are very talented, but I didn't find them all that realistic as high class hookers. T. K. Carter as Hessman's chauffeur gets more laughs than Ayckroyd does. After a while, Ayckroyd seems to be planning the creepy judge role he played in "Nothing But Trouble", one of the worst comedies of the 80's. The ending has Ayckroyd trying to be in two places at one time, a gag that has been done better elsewhere. This script gave this doctor a summons for malpractice, and it definitely needed a surgery with a strong scalpel.

The Doctor is "IN"!

[george.schmidt · 6 March 2003]

DOCTOR DETROIT (1983) **1/2 Dan Aykroyd, Howard Hesseman, Donna Dixon, Fran Drescher, TK Carter, George Furth, James Brown. Aykroyd has a field day as milquetoast college professor who unwittingly is enlisted by a pimp to assume the identity of a ganglord mack daddy as the eponymous not-to-be-trifled man about town. Frequently funny especially his tete a tete with his archenemy, Mom, in a junk yard: `Mom, I'm gonna rip off your head and s**t down your neck!' Brown's appearance livens things up with a neat, goofy dance spotlight for the antic Aykroyd

Some things should not be allowed to taint celluloid!

[spectral · 2/10 · 24 May 1999]

This is without a doubt the worst movie I have ever seen. It is not funny. It is not interesting and should not have been made.

Dr Detroit = Police Academy 7

[espen-4 · 1/10 · 21 July 2001]

This movie is so bad, it can only be compared to the all-time worst "comedy": Police Academy 7. No laughs throughout the movie. Do something worthwhile, anything really. Just don't waste your time on this garbage.

Pull the plug

[Tito-8 · 3/10 · 19 April 1999]

This dumb comedy really does a good job of wasting comedic talent. In particular, Dan Aykroyd and Howard Hesseman are misused badly here. I might have chuckled once or twice during this film, but in general, it's a boring movie, with a little bit of stupidity thrown in for good measure. The premise, although routine, still wasn't bad, but once the plot was set, the film went nowhere. Don't waste your time with this misfire.

Funniest comedy of the eighties (one of them)

[manipool · 7/10 · 19 January 2004]

I loved this movie, so did my husband. It is so cute and so fun. It also never hurts to have a James Brown song and some dancing to make it more memorable. We are just partial to Dan Ackroyd, Howard Hesseman I guess. I also thought the Devo theme was hilarious. Let's not forget T.K. Carter and a certain nasal sounding female escort. A fun film even if it's not a genius work by Dan. Some of the lines and acting are still memorable to me to this day! I'm watching it now as a matter of fact. It's just so hilariously stupid! Good memories if you saw it in your twenties and loved it. Much better then "Nothing But Trouble", which was a piece of crap but had it's moments! Sorry, Danny.

Only watch it if you're already in the mood to laugh

[MBunge · 5/10 · 29 July 2011]

This is one of those comedies that largely forsakes jokes and tries to get by on attitude. It establishes a potentially humorous situation, but then the script seems to run out of gas and the cast is left to try and mug their way to a few laughs. They have some success at that and at only 89 minutes, Doctor Detroit never wears out its welcome. If this thing didn't star Dan Akroyd, however, there's no way it would still be around decades later.

Clifford Skridlow (Dan Akroyd) is a fully geeked out professor at a small Chicago college. One morning, while out for a power walk, Skridlow comes to the attention of a pimp named Smooth Walker (Howard Hessman) and his towncar full of "ladies". He makes such an impression that when Smooth finds himself being squeezed by a crime boss named Mom (Kate Murtagh), he invents a partner named Doctor Detroit and ropes Skridlow into playing the role. While Smooth slips out of town, it's Skridlow/Doctor Detroit who has to deal with Mom and her thugs. As if that's not enough, Skridlow also has to make sure nothing goes wrong when a rich alumnus comes to town to present a check that'll save the college from financial disaster. It all culminates at a downtown hotel where Skridlow has to MC an alumni dinner in one wing while also appearing as Doctor Detroit at a "Playa's Ball" in the other.

You've really got to be in a good mood to enjoy this film. If you're even a bit cranky, you're going to notice that it's not all that funny. Aside from Skridlow's transformation, complete with metal gauntlet and a wig that makes him look like Paul Williams after sticking his finger in a light socket, there's little here that will provoke spontaneous laughter. I'm not sure if there's even half a dozen honest punch lines in the whole movie.

What Doctor Detroit does have is a good natured energy and a tone of mild amusement woven through a simple, yet mechanically effective, plot. The whole cast, even the bad guys, exudes a basic likability and the story even offers up a woefully underdeveloped theme about pimps being the agents of chivalry in the modern world. Dan Akroyd was still a big enough deal back in 1983 to take those loose threads and tie them all together to make a little comedy shawl. It's not enough to keep anyone warm or keep the rain off but if the weather is just right, it's a nice accessory.

If you're already in a good mood and only want to be diverted, Doctor Detroit wouldn't be a bad choice. If you need to be cheered up, this film doesn't have the horsepower to do it.

I haven't even met the doctor yet......

[FlashCallahan · 6/10 · 30 November 2013]

Clifford Skridlow teaches at a small Chicago college run by his father.

Conned into managing four prostitutes by their pimp, who skips town to escape the mob boss known as Mom, Clifford draws on his course in medieval literature in his quest to save the women from Mom....

Made on the success of The Blues Brothers, and in some respects, a kind of tribute to Mr Belushi, DD is an odd little film, and to think that the makers thought this would have been a box office smash.

The problem lies within the writing. It's too immature for adult audiences, but too adult orientated for children. If it was about a toy maker coming up with ideas that a rival maker steals, this would have been a bonafide classic, but as soon as pimps are involved, it just goes to pot, and the sincerity of it all just goes away.

Not to say that it isn't fun though. Aykroyd is wonderful as the smutty Bruce Wayne, and you can hear Coneheads whenever he turns into the titular character, and its as predictable as you could imagine.

Hilarious confrontations between street people and the upper classes, and the. Out random appearance from James Brown.

Its nothing special, but I'm an aficionado of the eighties, and until last week I'd never heard of this.

If you like this era, it's well worth watching, its fun, has a great soundtrack, but maybe just a little too leftfield for its time...

Not Terrible, But Not Great

[gavin6942 · 5/10 · 31 December 2012]

A timid college professor (Dan Aykroyd), conned into posing as a flamboyant pimp, finds himself enjoying his new occupation on the streets.

I am not surprised that this film has been forgotten. As far as 1980s films go, it is just alright. It is also not one of Dan Aykroyd's best films, and probably not even one of the best pimping films of the time ("Risky Business" is definitely better, and I would even say "Night Shift" beats this).

There were things I liked. In fact, I really liked the character of Doctor Detroit -- his look, his style, his dance. The voice was alright, though he could have passed as a Conehead.

A prototypical '80s comedy

[Cacus7 · 10/10 · 16 April 2002]

This may be my very favorite comedy of the 1980s. Dan Aykroyd plays a hilarious dual role as the mild-mannered Clifford Skridlow and the off-the-wall Dr. Detroit. Howard Hesseman is perfect as a pimp who can't take the heat and puts the blame on Aykroyd to take care of things. It may not be the best written of the '80s comedies, but the unforgettable characters and situations make this a movie that you'll want to watch over and over again. Please release this on DVD! I can't stand my laserdisc copy anymore!

Aykroyd is hilarious, as the professor who becomes a pimp and mob boss

[estherwalker-34710 · 7/10 · 5 June 2022]

Pay no attention to the measly 5.2 mean rating at this site. At Amazon, 80% give it 5 of 5 stars. It's one of the 1982-3 triumvirate of films dealing with a nerdy or naïve guy who becomes involved with a group of prostitutes The others are "Risky Business" and "Night Shift". The present film and "Risky Business" are wild comedies. "Night Shift" is considerably tamer. Nonetheless, you will want to eventually see all three.

Aykroyd is nerdy English literature professor Clifford Skridlow(or is it Skidrow?) at Monroe College, Chicago, while his father is an important administrator there, He gets hooked into becoming the new pimp for a group of 4 hookers, by their retiring pimp : 'Smooth' Walker(Howard Hesseman) who has decided to relocate to some South Pacific islands to escape the wrath of mob boss Mom, to whom he owes a huge sum of money, but can't begin to pay it.

Cliff's 'girls' offer a variety of hair colors and ethnicities, to suit most potential customers. There's blonde Donna Dixon, as Monica, young brunette Fran Drescher as Karen. Fran would achieve fame in her TV series "The Nanny", 10-15 years later. There's lovely East Asian Lydia Lee, as Jasmine, and mixed race African American Lynn Whitfield, as Thelma. Sorry, there was no more room in the group limo for a redhead or a brown head. The 'girls' were between 26-30 years of age. Stand up comic African American Tiki Carter served as chauffer for the limo, among other things. He was quite amusing.

Aykroyd actually plays 2 related characters. Besides Cliff: the professor and pimp, by putting on a special costume, he sometimes becomes the enigmatic Doctor Detroit : apparently a crime boss from Detroit, who Mom is afraid off, and wants to kill. They do battle several times, Between his roles as professor, pimp, Doctor Detroit, and chairman of a committee to organize the annual alumni banquet, and to welcome a college endowment CEO, Cliff is often running around like a madman.

I'm not going to further describe Aykroyd's adventures, except to say that his impersonation of a third character in court, to argue for the release of Thelma : charged with soliciting for prostitution, is also notable. ..........The fun starts off slow, but gets better as it goes along.

In the post-script, it states that Cliff marries Karen(Fran Drescher). Interestingly, soon after filming was completed, Fran actually acted as matchmaker in promoting the marriage of Aykroyd and Donna Dixon((Monica).

Campy as heck

[slaususe2 · 5/10 · 23 June 2000]

This is not the type of movie you watch for the clever plot and well-defined characters. This is a cheap, bawdy comic romp to be enjoyed with the fellas at a weekend get-together or at a bachelor party. Where else can you see a nubile young Fran Drescher wearing next to nothing and James Brown urging a crowd of scantily clad dancers to "get up offa that thang" in the same movie?

Nothing wrong with a little mindless entertainment, especially since Dr. Detroit doesn't pretend to be anything else.