Big Man On Campus
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''Big Man on Campus'' (also known as ''The Hunchback of UCLA'' and ''The Hunchback Hairball of L.A.'' in the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
) is a 1989
comedy Comedy is a genre of dramatic works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. Origins Comedy originated in ancient Greec ...
film directed by
Jeremy Kagan Jeremy Paul Kagan (born December 14, 1945) is an American Film director, film and television director, screenwriter, and television producer. Early life Born as the son of a rabbi into a Jewish family in Mount Vernon, New York. Kagan received hi ...
, and written by and starring
Allan Katz Allan Katz (born in Chicago, Illinois) is an American writer, producer, actor, and director. He began his writing career as an advertising copywriter. In 1970 he created the original award-winning campaign for the popcorn snack Screaming Yel ...
. It is loosely based on the 1831 novel ''
The Hunchback of Notre-Dame ''The Hunchback of Notre-Dame'' (, originally titled ''Notre-Dame de Paris. 1482'') is a French Gothic novel by Victor Hugo, published in 1831. The title refers to the Notre-Dame Cathedral, which features prominently throughout the novel. I ...
'' by
Victor Hugo Victor-Marie Hugo, vicomte Hugo (; 26 February 1802 – 22 May 1885) was a French Romanticism, Romantic author, poet, essayist, playwright, journalist, human rights activist and politician. His most famous works are the novels ''The Hunchbac ...
. The film co-stars Corey Parker.


Plot

A news broadcast reports on the apparent sighting of a "mysterious creature" on the
UCLA The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Its academic roots were established in 1881 as a normal school then known as the southern branch of the C ...
campus. Among those interviewed are underachieving student Alex Kominski and his girlfriend Cathy Adams. Although neither claim to believe in the creature's existence, a hunchbacked figure is shown looking down from the bell tower, spying on Cathy through a telescope. While attending a renaissance-themed carnival on campus, Alex gets involved in a scuffle after insulting another student's girlfriend. When Cathy tries to intervene, the creature suddenly comes to her defense but is chased away and eventually captured by campus security. In court, psychiatrist Dr. Victoria Fisk labels the creature a menace to society. Cathy rejects the doctor's opinion, stating that the creature was only trying to protect her. Another witness, Dr. Richard Webster, the head of the university's Psychology department, suggests it might be possible to rehabilitate the creature. Finally, the hunchback himself is called to the stand, where Dr. Fisk asks him who he believes is better qualified to determine his fate, Dr. Webster or herself. Demonstrating that the creature can only repeat the last thing he hears spoken, he predictably answers, "Dr. Fisk". She then humiliates him by prompting him to describe himself as a "complete and total fool". Given the evidence, Judge Ferguson orders that the hunchback be confined in a mental facility. When Cathy protests, the creature stands and acknowledges both her and the judge by name, leading the judge to overturn his ruling and award temporary custody to the university under the supervision of Dr. Webster, with the condition that should the creature exhibit any violent behavior, he will be institutionalized. Upon being escorted back to the university, the creature shows Alex, Cathy, and Dr. Webster his home in the bell tower, cluttered with various objects scavenged from around campus. Reluctant to leave him alone in the tower, Cathy encourages Alex to stay and watch over him, with Dr. Webster offering to get him special consideration for the task from his instructors at the university. Alex reluctantly agrees. Over the next several days, the hunchback undergoes a series of observational tests, including speech therapy with Dr. Diane Girard. Despite his unusual behavior, he learns quickly, and with time he and Alex eventually become friends. During a session with Dr. Webster, the creature is asked to choose his own name. After settling on "Bob Maloogaloogaloogaloogalooga", he explains that after his father deserted them and his mother died from illness, a group of people came and locked him away. He then managed to escape and take up residency in the bell tower. Despite all his progress, Bob remains infatuated with Cathy. While Alex struggles to catch up on his studies in order to pass his finals, Bob strives to better himself to win Cathy's affections. But when he suddenly presents her with an engagement ring, Cathy turns him down. Heartbroken, Bob returns to the bell tower where he receives a phone call from Dr. Fisk. Desperate to prove that Bob is a danger to others, she falsely tells him that Cathy was injured in an accident. Bob immediately sprints across campus to the girls' dormitories, but is confused to find Cathy unharmed. With campus security closing in on him, Bob flees into the streets of Los Angeles. Alex and Cathy and the rest of Bob's supporters then appear on a controversial talk show hosted by Stanley Hoyle, who attempts to demonize Bob in every way possible. When Hoyle states that Alex and the others are "in big trouble" for supporting the hunchback, Bob, who has been watching the program on television, races to his friends' aid. After taking a taxi to the studio, he makes his way in through the roof and swings down from the catwalk to snatch up Dr. Fisk. Forced to confess her lie in front of everyone, the live audience quickly turns to Bob's side, chanting his name. Stanley then apologizes to Bob for his slanderous remarks, and Dr. Webster suggests looking into a scholarship for Bob at the university. When asked by Hoyle if he would have done anything different up to this point, Bob takes Dr. Girard into his arms and kisses her at "two speeds", a reference to an intimate experience Bob once had with a Hoover vacuum cleaner. Bob then smiles sheepishly into the camera.


Cast

*
Allan Katz Allan Katz (born in Chicago, Illinois) is an American writer, producer, actor, and director. He began his writing career as an advertising copywriter. In 1970 he created the original award-winning campaign for the popcorn snack Screaming Yel ...
as Bob Maloogaloogaloogaloogalooga * Corey Parker as Alex *
Cindy Williams Cynthia Jane Williams (August 22, 1947 – January 25, 2023) was an American actress. She is best known for her role as Shirley Feeney on the television sitcoms ''Happy Days'' (1975–1979), and ''Laverne & Shirley'' (1976–1982). She a ...
as Dr. Diane Girard *
Melora Hardin Melora Diane Hardin Jackson (born June 29, 1967) is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her roles as Jan Levinson on NBC's ''The Office'' (2005–2013), Trudy Monk on USA Network's ''Monk'' (2004–2009), and Tammy Cashman o ...
as Cathy *
Gerrit Graham Gerrit Graham (born November 27, 1949) is an American stage, television, and film actor as well as a scriptwriter and songwriter. He is best known for his appearances in multiple films by Brian De Palma as well as appearances in two ''Star Trek'' ...
as Stanley Hoyle *
Tom Skerritt Thomas Roy Skerritt (born August 25, 1933) is an American actor and director, who has appeared in over 170 film and television productions since 1962. The beginning of his film career coincided with the New Hollywood movement, with a breakthroug ...
as Dr. Richard Webster *
Jessica Harper Jessica Randolph Harper (born October 3, 1949) is an American actress and singer. Harper began her feature film career with a starring role in Brian De Palma's '' Phantom of the Paradise'' (1974), and subsequently featured in films including '' ...
as Dr. Victoria Fisk * John Finnegan as Judge Ferguson


Production

Television comedy writer
Allan Katz Allan Katz (born in Chicago, Illinois) is an American writer, producer, actor, and director. He began his writing career as an advertising copywriter. In 1970 he created the original award-winning campaign for the popcorn snack Screaming Yel ...
first came up the premise of the film, originally titled ''The Hunchback of UCLA'' back in 1981. Katz spent eight years trying to get the film set up at various studios but often experienced stalls until producer
Arnon Milchan Arnon Milchan (; December 6, 1944) is an Israeli billionaire businessman, film producer and former spy. He has been involved in over 130 full-length motion pictures and is the founder of production company Regency Enterprises. Regency's film cre ...
helped get the film set up at Vestron Pictures. While Katz loved the original title, he was ultimately forced to change it after
University of California, Los Angeles The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Its academic roots were established in 1881 as a normal school the ...
threatened legal action against the film.


Release

Special screenings for ''Big Man on Campus'' were held by
American Cinematheque The American Cinematheque is an independent, non-profit cultural organization in Los Angeles, California, United States that represents the public presentation of the moving image in all its forms. It presents festivals and retrospectives that ...
and
Cannes Film Market Cannes (, ; , ; ) is a city located on the French Riviera. It is a commune located in the Alpes-Maritimes department, and host city of the annual Cannes Film Festival, Midem, and Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. The city is ...
in March and May of 1989 respectively ''Big Man on Campus'' was ultimately released
direct-to-video Direct-to-video or straight-to-video refers to the release of a film, television series, short or special to the public immediately on home video formats rather than an initial theatrical release or television premiere. This distribution strat ...
on July 31, 1991.


References


External links

* * {{Jeremy Kagan 1989 films 1980s fantasy comedy films American fantasy comedy films 1980s English-language films Films based on The Hunchback of Notre-Dame Films directed by Jeremy Kagan Films set in Los Angeles Films set in universities and colleges 1989 comedy films Films produced by Arnon Milchan 1980s American films English-language fantasy comedy films Regency Enterprises films Vestron Pictures films