Review of Dr. Otto and the Riddle of the Gloom Beam (1985) by Berringer C — 21 Jan 2019

This is super cheese that could only have been produced during the Eighties. Really nothing more than a showcase for Jim Varney's many personalities, "Dr. Otto and the Riddle of the Gloom Beam" doesn't have a lot working in its favor. Right from the start, the cheap production values are apparent and, as we progress through the maelstrom of macabre, we quickly discover that Varney is the only capable actor. Myke R. Mueller certainly doesn't provide a worthy counterpoint in the form of the film's hero Lance Sterling, that's for sure. No, it's Varney's characters (particularly those of Rudd Hardtact, Auntie Nelda, the titular character of Dr. Otto von Schnick-ick-ick-ick, and the all-too-brief cameos of Ernest P. Worrell at the beginning and end) who deservedly steal the spotlight from everyone else.

Basically the plot, what little of it there is, can be described as mad scientist (with a hand growing out of the top of his head) wants to destabilize world economies with his gloom beam which can wipe out financial records and remove the magnetic strips from credit cards all in one fell swoop. Our hero (Sterling) has only a complex riddle to solve and a sidekick who is fast losing her patience in order to help him save the world.

There are two kinds of stupid humor in cinema. One kind is stupid humor that is meant to be laughed with and succeeds in its task. The second kind is stupid humor which wants to be funny but is more often than not laughed at instead of with, failing in its task to entertain its audience. "Dr. Otto and the Riddle of the Gloom Beam" falls squarely into that second kind of stupid humor. If you really want to see Jim Varney at his finest, stick with the first four true Ernest P. Worrell films ("Ernest Goes to Camp," "Ernest Saves Christmas," "Ernest Goes to Jail," and "Ernest Scared Stupid"). They are perfect examples of how honest stupid humor is supposed to work.