Humpday Horribleness: ‘Leonard Part 6’

One of the great features over at the Internet Movie Database is the Bottom 100. Based on ratings viewers of the site give to various films, the worst of the worst films get put on this list. Some of them are on and off in a matter of days. Others stick around for the long haul, showing just how much suckage they truly emit.

It’s time to look at these movies and determine where they stand. Do they deserve to be on the Bottom 100 list? Are they not as bad as everyone says? Will they be off the list any time soon?

Here’s the breakdown for this week’s film:

Title: ‘Leonard Part 6’

Release Date: December 18, 1987

Ranking on Bottom 100 (as of 7/22/2009): #95 (based on 4515 votes)

Why it’s Here: Melted butter!

Starting in the 1960s, Bill Cosby was one of the premiere comedians on the scene.  Releasing dozens of albums and selling out arenas day-in and day-out, he was on his way to being one of the biggest in history.  While he still may be, something changed in the late ’80s for Mr. Cosby.  Aside from starring in his own TV show, one that would be remembered as one of the best of that decade, he also began taking less-than-thrilling parts in less-than-thrilling movies.  The defining moment in Bill Cosby’s movie career that seemed to turn the tide for him was ‘Leonard Part 6.’

Cosby plays Leonard Parker, a former spy who is called out of retirement to help stop an evil woman from turning small animals against innocent people.  While it’s not Shakespeare, it certainly opened the doorway for some comedic antics.  However, instantly, ‘Leonard Part 6’ was being called one of, if not THE, worst films of all time.  It didn’t help that Cosby, who served as writer and producer on the film, as well, realized the film was no good halfway through production.  After the film’s release, he publicly denounced the project and actually warned audiences to stay away from it.

Killer trout.  Magic meat.  A giant vat of Alka-Seltzer.  These are just a few of the things one might find in ‘Leonard Part 6’ that goes for comedy.  Honestly, in a ridiculous nature, some of this works.  The killer trout, for instance, pop up and attack like something out of ‘Piranha,’ and there ‘s nothing quite like seeing a guy’s head explode into dust after eating the end off a magic hot dog.  ‘Leonard Part 6’ is not a film for that ages.  Far from it.  However, it’s hard not to laugh at the ridiculousness of some of the sight gags.

The film has garnered a bit of cult status over the past, few years, and that, really is where this film belongs.  It doesn’t belong with some of the truly awful movies in history.  It’s not good, but it’s just fun enough that it shouldn’t be among the worst 100 films in history.   Hell, it’s not even the worst movie starring/featuring Bill Cosby.   Anyone remember ‘Meteor Man’ or ‘Ghost Dad’?

It certainly doesn’t deserve this kind of venom thrown at it:

Lowest of the Low Moments: I’ll be honest.  I wasn’t going to have a “lowest of the low moments” for this film.  I didn’t feel there was anything in this film that was justifiably bad enough to include here.  That was, of course, until I actually sat down to watch the film again.  That was when I “re-discovered” the dance/fight scene.  It’s awful.  It’s a clear trainwreck of ideas.  Luckily, it’s on Youtube.

Enjoy it for yourself:

Will it Ever Get Off the List: At only five movies away, the chances of ‘Leonard Part 6’ gaining freedom from the dreaded Bottom 100 are looking pretty good.   The film continues to gain steam as a cult classic the more years that go by.   More and more people are seeing it, and a lot of them don’t think it’s as bad as everyone who came before them claims it to be.   I say we are only a year or two away from ‘Leonard Part 6’ getting midnight showings across the country.   If and when that happens, the film’s status as cult classic will be solidified, and probably the biggest blot on Bill Cosby’s career will finally not be so dark.