Hensley held a series of movie screening parties for friends and recorded the group's caustic chatter while watching the films. He relates what's happening on-screen while his pals (voiced by Kathy Griffin, Tony Tripoli, Erin Quill, Mark Salzberg and Robert Abele) create a Mystery Science Theater 3000–like atmosphere with astute put-downs, wry observations and behind-the-scenes anecdotes to delight film buffs. This crowd can even make a fun evening out of sitting through Armageddon, A Night in Heaven
and 9½ Weeks
(which everyone agrees refers to "how long Kim Basinger is going to have to be on penicillin" after she breaks up with Mickey Rourke). When Julia Roberts enters Pretty Woman
in a blonde pageboy wig and sailor hat, someone notes, "She looks like the Captain and Tennille rolled into one unfortunate person." During Flashdance, Griffin wisecracks, "The metaphors in this movie are about as subtle as Bruce Jenner's face work." Hensley saves the best commentaries for the last CD, when the group takes on Al Pacino's Cruisin
g and Mariah Carey's Glitter. The entire cast is splendid. Hensley deftly handles the majority of the narration, but vies with Eve Arden reincarnate Griffin and hilarious mimic Tripoli as top laugh-getter. Simultaneous release with the Alyson trade paperback (Forecasts, Aug. 26). (Sept.)
