After finding success in Italy as a director, Albert Band fell on hard times and moved back to the US. Having grown up in Italy around sets, his son Charles became obsessed with movies and wanted to make his own. Charles had to make a commercial film, and horror was the most profitable genre, so he aimed for that. It was the early 1970s, and, at some point, Band became friends with stand-up comedian Frank Ray Perilli. Perilli suggested that Band should make a spoof of a then-popular movie instead of a horror film. In 1972, Bernardo Bertolucci’s Last Tango in Paris hit theaters and was a massive hit despite all the controversies. Perilli convinced Band that they should make a spoof of Bertolucci’s film with actor Michael Pataki doing a Brando impression. So, in 1973, Charles Band’s Last Foxtrot in Burbank made its way onto the big screen.
%
Rating
Synopsis
In the city of Burbank, France, Paul (Michael Pataki) is grieving the loss of his wife by wandering the streets. Elsewhere, a young woman named Jeanne (Sherry Denton) is looking for an apartment to rent and stumbles across Paul. The two start an illicit affair where neither person knows the other one’s name to maintain anonymity. As their relationship grows, Paul is unsure if he wants to keep Jeanne around anymore or continue the romance. It doesn’t help either that Paul feels inadequate in bed as he cannot fully satisfy Jeanne’s desires. It all comes to a head when Paul finds out that Jeanne has been shooting adult films on the side. Distraught over the perceived betrayal, he confronts her, and she responds by shooting him where he stands. It’s a story of love, death, loyalty, and betrayal that permeates throughout the city of Burbank, France.
Review
Before going any further, I want to point out just how miraculous it is that I can review this movie. After a disastrous release, Charles Band erased Last Foxtrot in Burbank from history and had several prints destroyed. It was only recently that someone from UCLA was able to find the original negative in their film archives. Frequently, movies that are considered lost tend to stay that way and end up never found. Quality aside, I can appreciate that this obscure piece of cinema history has been uncovered and restored. Admittedly, Last Foxtrot in Burbank isn’t some lost gem, and I can see why Band wanted this buried. It’s not as much of a trainwreck as Big Gus, What’s the Fuss?, but it’s still pretty stupid. Then again, Charles Band was in his early 20s, so I didn’t expect much.
As a Last Tango in Paris spoof, the movie does hit all the major plot points humorously. Michael Pataki makes a decent Marlon Brando impression, though he goes as over the top as possible with his performance. Even though she doesn’t do much besides getting naked for most of her scenes, Sherry Denton is admirable. The rest of the acting is pretty hit or miss, though everyone acts like they know they’re in a comedy. Admittedly, most of the gags fall flat and are outdated, but the movie made me chuckle every so often. There is a gag where they parody the notorious butter scene, which might seem tasteless, but it made me laugh. At slightly over an hour in length, the movie goes by really fast and will kill time quickly. Overall, Last Foxtrot in Burbank isn’t impressive, but movie completionists will enjoy seeing this previously-lost film.
Watch Last Foxtrot in Burbank on Amazon Prime: https://amzn.to/3vOp8Pc.
Disclosure: The above link is an affiliate link, which means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.
