Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		3.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		5.0
Overall		3.5

Cabin Boy Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf September 24, 2018

While Chris Elliott developed a cult following during his years as the resident weirdo on “Late Night with David Letterman,” there was no guarantee his audience was going to follow him once he left the beloved talk show. There was the problematic run of the Fox comedy, “Get a Life,” but 1994’s “Cabin Boy” was the real test of Elliott’s lasting appeal, challenging fans to actually make a trip to the multiplex and spend money on his alt-comedy antics, with co-producer Tim Burton adding some creative legitimacy to the Disney production. “Cabin Boy” was a spectacular bomb 24 years ago, becoming an industry punchline, and it’s easy to see why the movie failed to entice anyone beyond the completely devoted into theaters. It’s not that the picture is lazy, it certainly isn’t, but it’s entirely dependent on Elliott’s ability to be the center of attention, which isn’t the best use of his particular sense of humor.

Fresh out of boarding school and ready for the pleasures of luxury sailing with his father on a cruise ship, spoiled snob Nathaniel (Chris Elliott) accidentally finds his way to the wrong boat, boarding The Filthy Whore, expecting the fishing vessel to travel to Hawaii. Nathanial eventually realizes his mistake, now stuck on a ship with moron Kenny (Andy Richter) and salty fisherman Greybar (Ritch Brinkley), Skunk (Brian Doyle- Murray), Big Teddy (Brion James), and Pappy (James Gammon). Outnumbered and unwelcome, Nathaniel is put to work by the crew, and his desperation to make it to paradise leads them into Hell’s Bucket, a dangerous part of the sea, with hopes to find an island and make ship repairs. Accidentally picking up long-distance swimmer Trina (Melora Walters) and making friends with shark/human hybrid Chocki (Russ Tamblyn), Nathaniel becomes part of the unit, on a desperate mission to save what’s left of his dignity while experiencing all the dangers of the world.

From his first appearance onscreen, Elliott commits to everything “Cabin Boy” demands of him, which largely consists of playing an exaggeratedly foppish nitwit who’s been spoiled rotten. Nathaniel is a cartoon creation for a very silly movie, but it’s difficult to enjoy Elliott in the lead role, with his shtick wearing out its welcome in the first act, forced to submit to the general fantasy machine of director Adam Resnick’s screenplay, which marries weird comedy with high seas adventuring, sprinkled with a little Ray Harryhausen-inspired monster magic. A little Elliott goes a long way, and there’s a supporting cast to help the actor out of his dead zones, finding the fisherman played with credible crustiness to sell the set-bound atmosphere of oceanic isolation. There are some decent lines shared along the way, but “Cabin Boy” (which runs 77 minutes before the end credits) often makes the viewer feel trapped on The Filthy Whore with the lead character, forced to endure lengthy passages of buffoonery that don’t work, while the plot has very little interest in incident, remaining random with events to test Nathaniel’s idiocy.

“Cabin Boy” has the appearance of a good time, and the stranger it gets, the better it becomes. While Resnick doesn’t massage oddities into the final cut, there are pleasures to be found as Nathaniel, in a delirious state after being left out in the sun for weeks, is confronted by a tobacco juice-spiting talking cupcake. There’s a battle between the sea dogs and an ice monster, and Nathaniel gets some help with his sexuality from a six-armed, blue-skinned temptress (Ann Magnuson) who’s married to a jealous, giant furniture salesman (Mike Starr). And there’s joy to be found with Chocki, who’s quick to save Nathaniel with his shark speed in the water. Unfortunately, there’s not enough of the absurd or fantastical, finding “Cabin Boy” shutting down completely between scenes involving special effects.

Cabin Boy Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation is sourced from an older master, finding some fatigue with the viewing experience. There's softness throughout, diluting facial reactions and grimy costuming, and while the picture is loaded with textured creatures and sets, only the most gnarled or blistered surfaces retain adequate definition. Colors are present but unremarkable, with the feature's vibrant look difficult to wash away, but a slight dulling of hues is present. Skintones are a bit bloodless at times, periodically too reddish. Delineation isn't a problem. Source shows some wear and tear with a few speckle storms and mild scratches. One brief scene around the 30:00 mark displays blurriness, though this could be a cinematographic issue.

Cabin Boy Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix isn't a sophisticated track, leading with dialogue exchanges that are clear, managing some rather outrageous and mumbled performance choices. Panic situations never slip into fuzzy highs. Scoring is acceptable, with basic instrumentation that summons moods and carries action without smothering it. Sound effects are defined, and aquatic atmospherics are present, delivering a feel for oceanic travel and underwater activity.

Cabin Boy Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Booklet (ten pages) features an essay by Nick Pinkerton.

• Commentary features writer/director Adam Resnick and star Chris Elliott.

• Interview (45:50, HD) remains with Resnick and Elliott, who provide more of a structured overview of the "Cabin Boy" production experience. The pair recall their time on "Late Night with David Letterman," where Resnick was an intern while Elliott was a writer making a name for himself as a performer. Sharing a similar sense of humor, the duo became fast friends, eventually using their chemistry to launch the television show "Get a Life." While tinkering with ideas for a movie, intending to spoof 1937's "Captains Courageous," Resnick and Elliott were marked for big screen glory by Tim Burton, who originally intended to direct "Cabin Boy," giving Resnick free reign to create a fantasy world for the helmer. With Burton's exit, Resnick was promoted to the captain's chair, and while Disney supported the production, it didn't take long for the shoot to find trouble with an inexperienced leader. The men describe hardships with studio work, but they heap praise on co-stars and celebrate Letterman's cameo. While the twosome can't quite recall the specifics of the picture, they can't shake memories of its disastrous test screening and initial theatrical release, with Disney wanting the feature in and out of multiplexes as fast as possible. Resnick and Elliott aren't all that excited about "Cabin Boy," but they close with a summary of the effort's cult appeal, which has carried down to a new generation.

• Archival Interviews (8:30, SD) pull promotional conversations from a 1994 EPK, discussing "Cabin Boy" with Chris Elliott, Ritch Brinkley, James Gammon, Brian Doyle-Murray, Brion James, Melora Walters, and Russ Tamblyn.

• Audition Tapes (5:41, SD) showcase early casting ambition from Melora Walters and Andy Richter.

• B-Roll (5:58, SD) showcases life during the "Cabin Boy" shoot, with ship sequences captured inside an enormous warehouse, while brief glimpses of a beach location and choreography time with a giant puppet are included as well.

• Edited Outtakes (6:29, SD) collect multiple angles from a mountain climbing scene where Nathaniel meets a worm and deals with a rockslide.

• T.V. Spots (3:04, SD) supply five different marketing approaches for the film.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (1:45, SD) is included.

Cabin Boy Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Cabin Boy" has its admirers, and understandably so. It's a strange creation that's made for cult appreciation, offering weirdness that's ideal for inside jokes between film fans. It's not particularly well made, with disastrous editing that cleaves giant portions of the story away, while timing is of no concern to Resnick. However, its wackiness is noted, keeping Elliott out in front reacting to strange sights, and when that doesn't work, "Cabin Boy" often relies on him to pull the funny out of his own rear end, straining and stammering to make DOA scenes passably amusing with his own special style.