Chief Zabu

Chief Zabu is a long-unreleased film that was written, produced and directed by Neil Cohen and Zack Norman (under his birth name, Howard Zuker).[2][3][4] It is a socio-political comedy about a New York real estate developer who tries to take over a Polynesian nation. The film stars Norman, Allen Garfield and Allan Arbus as New York businessmen trying to take over a newly independent Polynesian nation.[5] Production began in 1986 but, due to various issues, Cohen and Norman were unable to complete the film until 2016. It premiered at Laemmle Theatres' Monica Film Center on October 28, 2016[6][7] and screened a week later, on November 7, at the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival ("FLIFF").[8] Trailers and clips are available through both Vimeo[9] and YouTube.[10] On August 16, 2017, Zabu's co-writer/directors were pictured on the front page of the New York Times Arts Section with a history of the film's unique and unusual journey.[11]

Chief Zabu
Theatrical release poster
Directed byHoward Zuker
Neil Cohen
Written byNeil Cohen
Nancy Zuker
Howard Zuker
Produced byNorman Leigh
Neil Cohen
Nancy Zuker
Howard Zuker
StarringAllen Garfield
Zack Norman
Allan Arbus
Ed Lauter
Manu Tupou
Music byAndrew Asch
Release date
2016
Running time
75 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$187,966[1]

A long running advertisement for the film in Variety was the source of a recurring joke on Mystery Science Theater 3000.[11][12]

Synopsis

The film follows an ambitious New York realtor who dreams of political power and decides to accomplish this by taking over a Polynesian nation.

Cast

Merchandise

At his TeePublic website, American entrepreneur Josh Abramson offers a T-shirt bearing an image of the Variety advertisement that ran consistently between 1985 and 1988.[13]

Reception

Film writer Larry Langman saw the "poorly received"[11] 1980s preview version and dismissed the film as "ineptly produced comedy."[14]

Reviewing the 2016 release, Sheri Linden of The Hollywood Reporter gave the film a mixed review, calling its comedy "uneven", while still retaining "a satirical bite."[15] Michael Rechtshaffen of the Los Angeles Times called it a "tiresomely talky would-be satire" that "plays like bargain basement Barry Levinson".[16]

In anticipation of the film's screening at FLIFF, a Fort Lauderdale restaurant introduced a specialty cocktail named the "Chief Zabu".[17]

Following a series of festival and awards-qualifying screening runs, blogger Chad Sternberger of the popular website The Studio Exec implored Hollywood distributors: "For heaven's sake could someone please release Chief Zabu."[18] The film was one of 336 titles to qualify for the 89th Academy Awards.[19]

Actress Marianna Hill, one of the stars of the film, spoke at length about her experience working on Chief Zabu on the movie/TV blog "Hill Place".[20]

References
  1. "Missing for 30 years, a Trumpian satire finds its pop-culture moment". SouthFlorida.com. Retrieved August 10, 2017.
  2. Van Gelder, Lawrence (July 11, 1986). "At The Movies: Only The Names Are Different". NY Times. Retrieved July 4, 2016.
  3. Chase, Donald (July 20, 1986). "$200,000 Zabu Joins High-Priced Laugh Derby". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 4, 2016.
  4. Craig, David; Fadiman, Anne (April 1987). "Cut-Rate Moguls". Life Magazine. 10 (4): 44–48.
  5. Langman, Larry (January 1, 1998). Return to Paradise: A Guide to South Sea Island Films. Scarecrow Press. pp. 289, 301. ISBN 9780810832688.
  6. "All Movie". www.allmovie.com. allmovie.com. Retrieved July 4, 2016.
  7. "Chief Zabu". Laemmle.com. Retrieved August 10, 2017.
  8. "The 31st Annual Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival Hosts Two Presidential Events In Honor of the Election". PRNewswire.com. PR Newswire. Retrieved August 10, 2017.
  9. "Chief Zabu". Vimeo.com. Vimeo. Retrieved August 10, 2017.
  10. "Chief Zabu". YouTube.com. YouTube. Retrieved August 10, 2017.
  11. Kenny, Glenn (August 17, 2017). "Cult Film and In-Joke Hits the Comedy Clubs". New York Times. Retrieved December 6, 2018.
  12. Beaulieu, Trace (April 1, 1996). The Mystery science theater 3000 amazing colossal episode guide. Bantam Books. p. 162. ISBN 9780553377835.
  13. "Chief Zabu T-Shirt". TeePublic.com. Retrieved August 8, 2017.
  14. Langman, Larry (1998). Return to Paradise: A Guide to South Sea Island Films. Scarecrow Press. p. 301. ISBN 9780810832688. Real estate salesmen Allen Garfield and Zack Norman, who make a deal with Polynesian island chief Manu Tupou, face multiple problems in this ineptly produced comedy.
  15. Sheri Linden, "'Chief Zabu': Film Review", The Hollywood Reporter, October 27, 2016.
  16. Michael Rechtshaffen, "The dusted-off comedy 'Chief Zabu' falls flat, even with a politically ambitious N.Y. developer", Los Angeles Times, October 27, 2016.
  17. Alona Abbady Martinez, "Mai-Kai Creates Cocktail in Honor of Film Chief Zabu, an Ode to Donald Trump", New Times Broward-Palm Beach, October 26, 2016.
  18. Sternberger, Chad. "SOMEONE RELEASE CHIEF ZABU". The Studio Exec. TheStudioExec.com. Retrieved December 7, 2016.
  19. "Reminder List of Productions Eligible for the 89th Academy Awards" (PDF). Oscars.org. Academy Awards. Retrieved August 10, 2017.
  20. Chang, Shaun. "Hill Place: Random musings on all things related to movies and television..." Blogger. Retrieved December 21, 2016.
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