| | | | Weekend at Bernie's
(1989) |
y 1989, 80's movies were winding a downward spiral towards the tepid future that would be 90's cinema. Fortunately, for us, one last ray of neon light, a movie flickering on the horizon taking us back to the fun in the sun atmosphere of the most care free era of movies: Weekend at Bernie's.
"What kind of guy invites you to his house and dies on you?" -That would be Bernie.
Richard and Larry (Silverman and McCarthy respectively) are two computer data processors working for a large insurance company in New York City just trying to make it by.
Richard is the workaholic on the straight and narrow, while Larry is the lazy good-for-nothing goof, obviously making them a dubious pair. When they uncover a 2 million dollar glitch in the computer system they take it straight to their boss, Bernie Lomax, confident he will praise them with accolades and promotions. Little do they know, Bernie is the man behind the glitch.
After being invited to Bernie's beach house for the weekend, Richard and Larry feel they've got it made in the shade. Unfortunately for them, Bernie is making plans with a mob boss to have Richard and Larry rubbed out before they can expose his little endeavor. Still, in other news, this happens to be the same mob boss who's mole Bernie has been having an affair with. This persuades the mob boss to take matters into his own hands and make Bernie the one to be rubbed out.
When Richard and Larry arrive at Bernie's they think they've died and gone to heaven. But, reality hits when they find out Bernie is the one who has died. Richard's first instinct is to involve the police, but Larry has other plans. Enter into play a nightly traveling beach house party plus Richard's dream woman and things couldn't seem to get any more out of hand. Much to our bumbling pairs surprise, no one notices Bernie's really a corpse all night long leaving the possibility of a weekend of relaxation without anyone the wiser.
The idea of paradise including women, sand, and monopoly comes screeching to a halt when the actual assassin returns to make sure Bernie's dead. With the fear of joining Bernie in his current state, Richard and Larry must keep Bernie active and close as it seems the assassin is now after them. Creativity and ingenuity from the two morbid minds are put on hilarious display to keep Bernie among the living and keep alive any hopes of leaving the island and escaping rigormortis themself.
Despite the subject matter being quite macabre. Weekend at Bernie's delivers great 80's comedy and plays it off very well scene by scene. Jonathan Silverman and Andrew McCarthy have excellent chemistry together and Terry Kisser should have won an oscar for his portal of the dead Bernie Lomax.
Suspend your reality for an hour and a half and enjoy a film that will keep you laughing the whole way through...
 Don't forget that Weekend at Bernie's is now available to order on Widescreen DVD using our special 80s Retro Assistant...
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Posing the life-long moral dilemma "Should dead people be dragged around by their shirt collar just for the sheer fun of it?" Weekend at Bernie's does more than just entertain beyond all reasonable measure. It also boasts insight into controversial issues forcing you to ask yourself "Could I do that?" "Would I do that?" "Should I do that?"
But after watching Weekend at Bernie's and wading past the cynical palm trees and shrubs that may root up along the way, your only left with one conclusion: Dead people are funny and Bernie is one you can watch over and over.
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Creator Robert Klane followed up on the success of the film with a sequel, released in 1993, titled "Weekend at Bernie's II."  -Thanks to Jonathan Lim
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Weekend at Bernie's grossed 30 Million at the box-office.
The director, Kotchoff, gives a brief cameo as Silverman's father. The scene was directed by McCarthy.
Nominated for a critic's award at the Deaville Film Festival.
Nominated for the AFI's "100 years, 100 laughs" special by film critic and professor of English at the University of Daytona, Tony Macklin.
The "Female Celebrity Smoking List" praises the scene involving Catherine Parks after she has sex with Bernie saying "Great smoking there!"
Catherine Mary Stewart broke into films when she auditioned for, and won the lead role in, the futuristic musical, "The Apple" (1980). The film, unfortunately, turned out quite poorly, but an undaunted Stewart moved to Los Angeles and got the role of Kayla Brady on the daytime soap, "Days of Our Lives", in 1981. Soon thereafter, she played a small role in the Sylvester Stallone vehicle "Nighthawks" (1981) and made her first TV-movie, "A Killer in the Family" (1983). -Thanks to Tenia
This movie was mentioned in an episode of "Friends" as being Rachel's (Jennifer Aniston) favourite movie. -Thanks to Geoffrey Robe
Don Calfa, the actor who plays "Paulie", the hitman that repeatedly kills Bernie, has attempted murder in another role as well. He played the "Man with the Scar" (as Goldie Hawn's character refers to him) in the 1970's comedy, "Foul Play". He was also the "Ernie" the undertaker in the campy horror flick, "Return of the Living Dead". -Thanks to intothesea13
Skeet Ulrich played a small uncredited cameo at the party in Bernie's house. Whenever Richard is talking to Gwen out on the deck you can see him in the background wearing a black shirt talking in a group of people. -Thanks to James Ridinger
Terry "Bernie" Kiser is also known for playing sleazy tabloid reporter Al Craven in the early seasons of "Night Court". Craven seemed to live for getting on Judge Stone's nerves in pursuit of a headline, but one or two more encounters with Bull and he'd have needed Richard & Larry a bit earlier to make him 'look alive'..! -Thanks to C.T. Warren
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Rediscover your favorites! If you like
Weekend at Bernie's or 80's Comedy classics, then be sure to
check out this list: ..... Tootsie ..... Raising Arizona ..... Good Morning, Vietnam ..... Blues Brothers ..... Heathers ..... Fast Times At Ridgemont High ..... This Is Spinal Tap ..... Naked Gun ..... Adventures In Babysitting ..... Airplane ..... License To Drive ..... Money Pit ..... Porky's ..... Risky Business ..... Twins ..... Soul Man .....[More]
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The crew had to deal with hatching baby turtles as the beach is a breading ground for the little guys.
Andrew McCarthy first read the script for the part of Richard, but as he read it, he loved Larry's character and so chose to play him instead. -Thanks to Belch
Terry Kiser who played Bernie got a few broken ribs during shooting, due to the stunts needed as he played a dead man! -Thanks to Belch
In the shot where Larry walks out to the kitchen to make coffee after settling Bernie on the couch, look off to the right as the camera pans, you'll see Bernie's head fall onto Richard's shoulder as he is sitting next to him. When the camera cuts back to a wide shot of both of them on the couch, suddenly Bernie's head is back into upright position and falls onto Richard's shoulder again. -Thanks to Don Hoffman
After Richard and Larry go in the house after being in the water, they are dry for the next scene. -Thanks to Mike Reilly
While it's obvious that Richard and Larry are batchelors, Richard (Silverman) wears a wedding band throughout the entire movie. -Thanks to Matthew
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|  |  |  | | Weekend at Bernie's
Locations |
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Shot on location in New York, Wilmington, NC and Bald Head Island (off North Carolina). [Thanks to Belch]
The 2-story beach house used in the film was actually built on a state park and had to be removed after filming.
The lighthouse was called Old Baldy, I've been to the island before, it's beautiful. The main dock that you see is surrounded by many restaurants and such. You can see a clear shot of Old Baldy from one of the pier scenes. There are no cars allowed on the island except maintainence vehicles and police. That's why you see everyone driving around in golf carts. [Thanks to Suzie]
The pier they used to get into the boat was the pier for 'The Bridge Tender Restaurant' (was run by man whose daughter and I played with Drew Barrymore while she lived there). This pier is located at Wrightsville Beach beside the Harbor Island drawbridge. [Thanks to SB]
Can you help? Do you know any of the North Carolina filming locations used for Weekend at Bernie's? [Please send them in]
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The music for the film was composed and performed by Andy Summers, former guitarist for the quintessential '80s pop group, The Police.
The soundtrack was guitar-based. Mostly instrumental, the music was indicative of Summers' solo work at the time. [Thanks to Raj Manoharan]
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