🦆 Interspecies Romance, Space Lasers & WTF Vibes
Release Date: 6/10/25
💥 Episode Overview
Today’s cinematic chaos? A humanoid duck from outer space. That’s right—Howard the Duck. This 1986 box office disaster somehow features Lea Thompson, Tim Robbins, a demonic overlord, duck boobs, and zero logic. And yes, we watched it so you don’t have to.
Join the Shermer High Alumni Association (that’s us—Kristin, Jeannine, and Carole) as we rewind this feathered fever dream to figure out what exactly went wrong—and why we still kinda loved parts of it.
🎬 Movie Synopsis
Beamed from Duckworld to Earth, Howard crash-lands in Cleveland, rescues punk rocker Beverly (Lea Thompson), and gets entangled in a plot involving a lab assistant (Tim Robbins), a possessed scientist (Jeffrey Jones), and a growing interspecies connection that is…a lot.
🧠 What We Covered
- The very complicated Marvel comic book origins of Howard (yes, he ran for President in 1976).
- How Disney forced Marvel to redesign Howard with pants so he didn’t look too much like Donald.
- Why Lea Thompson is an absolute queen, even when acting opposite a weird animatronic duck.
- The big-name cast:
- Chip Zien (voice of Howard) — Broadway royalty (Into the Woods).
- Lea Thompson — America’s sweetheart (Back to the Future, Caroline in the City).
- Tim Robbins — Hello, Andy Dufresne.
- Jeffrey Jones — Still can’t unsee Edward Rooney from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.
🎥 Behind the Feathers
- Budget: $30–37 million
- Box Office: $38 million (domestic: $16.3 million)
- Awards: 7 Razzie nominations, 4 wins (ouch)
- Filming Locations: San Francisco, ILM studios in San Rafael, and Rancho Seco Nuclear Plant
- Critical Reception:
- “Stupid film…the duck is not likable” – Gene Siskel
- Widely panned for Howard’s dead-eyed animatronic face
- Now a cult classic with a niche but devoted fan base
📺 Our Favorite WTF Moments
From Beverly’s surprisingly tender ballad to Howard… to laser battles, feather-fried villains, and a dark overlord from space, Howard the Duck is truly a film that asks, “Why not?” And then never answers the question.
🦆 Final Verdict
Does it age well? Not really.
Do we kind of love it anyway? Also yes.
Would we rewatch it? …We already did. And we survived.
