Dr. Otto and the Riddle of the Gloom Beam (VHS)

Jim Varney had become very well known for his TV commercials as the hayseed rubberface Ernest P. Worrell, who spoke hilariously to an offscreen character named "Vern". Varney was actually in comedy and TV for over 20 years before he attained instant notoriety for the Ernest TV spots.

Dr. Otto and the Riddle of the Gloom Beam is a silly, uproarious spoof on several mad scientist themes, with blonde and heavily-eyeshadowed assistants dressed in tin foil and cellophane and other household products, using metal collanders for hats and cardboard tubes for weapons. The silly "machine" that creates the gloom beam is a mish-mosh of junk that emits smoke and sparks and odd noises...and like most of Varney's "Ernest" flicks, the film utilized friends and family and unknowns as the cast members. Dead-pan antics and outrageous silliness are a trademark of the late Jim Varney and his crew, and this one was no exception to that rule.

The "plot" centers around a mad scientist who wants to get even with the world by destroying the world's economy. (Sounds reasonable.) Varney plays no less than six parts, all with hilarious results. If you want an evening of funny-bone tickling fun, do yourself a favor and watch this one.

It's very rare to find this movie, since it has been OOP for many years. You can pick one up now and then from eBay or Half.com, but don't expect to pay under $15.00 for even a beat-up copy.

I recommend it if you are a serious collector of Jim Varney's works. It is a must-have if you want to call your collection complete.