Super Troopers

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Not to be confused with Super Trouper.
Super Troopers
File:Supertrooper.jpg
Directed by Jay Chandrasekhar
Produced by Richard Johnson III
Written by Jay Chandrasekhar
Kevin Heffernan
Steve Lemme
Paul Soter
Erik Stolhanske
Starring Jay Chandrasekhar
Kevin Heffernan
Steve Lemme
Paul Soter
Erik Stolhanske
Brian Cox
Marisa Coughlan
Music by .38 Special
The Unband
Cinematography Joaquín Baca-Asay
Edited by Jay Chandrasekhar
Kevin Heffernan
Jacob Craycroft
Distributed by Fox Searchlight
Release dates
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  • January 19, 2001 (2001-01-19) (Sundance)
  • February 15, 2002 (2002-02-15)
(North America)
Running time
 103 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $1.2 million
Box office $23.1 million

Super Troopers is a 2001 crime-comedy film directed by Jay Chandrasekhar, written by and starring the Broken Lizard comedy group (Jay Chandrasekhar, Kevin Heffernan, Steve Lemme, Paul Soter and Erik Stolhanske). Marisa Coughlan, Daniel von Bargen and Brian Cox co-star while Lynda Carter has a cameo appearance. In total, Fox Searchlight paid $3.25 million for distribution rights of the film[1] and grossed $23.1 million at the box office.

A sequel, Super Troopers 2, is currently filming and is expected to be released in 2016.

Plot

The film takes place in the fictional town of Spurbury, Vermont, near the Canadian border. The plot centers on five Vermont state troopers who seem to have more of a knack for pranks than actual police work. Most of their time is spent devising new ways of messing with the heads of the people they pull over and hazing "Rabbit," a new recruit. They also find time to torment their easily infuriated radio dispatcher, Rodney Farva, who has been exiled from patrol work because he was involved in a fight with several students during a questionable traffic stop of a school bus, which is later revealed during the credits. Their days of pranking and slacking off are cut short when the troopers suddenly find themselves attempting to solve a murder, bust a drug-smuggling ring, and avoid having their post eliminated by the state's impending budget cut — resulting in their transfer, or quitting and opening up a roller disco.

The troopers have an ongoing rivalry with the Spurbury Police Department, Spurbury's local police. They repeatedly enter conflicts with them ("highway cops versus the local cops"); one such dispute breaks out into an all-out fistfight, further increasing the station's chances of being shut down. The rivalry eventually results in the governor's (Lynda Carter) praise for the efforts of the Spurbury PD, who had managed to keep one step ahead of the state police by making their department appear responsible for the confiscation of the smuggled drugs. Defeated, the defrocked troopers unexpectedly stumble upon the scheme in which the local police are running protection for the aforementioned drug smugglers. The film's epilogue finds the highway post still eliminated due to the budget cuts; however, the troopers become the new officers of the Spurbury PD replacing their incarcerated corrupt predecessors and thus free to continue their shenanigans in and around their jurisdiction.

Cast

State Troopers
  • Jay Chandrasekhar as Trooper Arcot "Thorny" Ramathorn, a veteran of the Vermont State Police who is the second-in-command of his barracks.
  • Paul Soter as Trooper Jeff Foster, arguably the most calm and reserved Trooper of the force.
  • Steve Lemme as Trooper MacIntyre "Mac" Womack, the Trooper who enjoys pranks the most.
  • Erik Stolhanske as Trooper Robert "Rabbit" Roto, a rookie State Trooper.
  • Kevin Heffernan as Trooper Rodney "Rod" Farva, a fat, loud, obnoxious and arrogant radio operator.
  • Brian Cox as Captain John O'Hagen, the commander of his Vermont State Trooper barracks.
Spurbury Police
  • Daniel von Bargen as Police Chief Bruce Grady
  • Marisa Coughlan as Officer Ursula Hanson
  • James Grace as Officer Jim Rando
  • Michael Weaver as Officer Samuel Smy
  • Dan Fey as Officer Jack Burton
Other cast

Filming

The syrup chugging scene was filmed in M's Cozy Corner located in Fishkill, NY which has since closed and been replaced by a pharmacy. The pharmacy closed in 2007 due to flooding.[2]

Critical reception

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 35% "Rotten" rating based on 88 reviews, with an average rating of 5/10, with the critical consensus reading, "A more miss-than-hit affair, Super Troopers will most likely appeal to those looking for something silly".[3] On Metacritic, the film has a score of 48 out of 100, based on 24 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[4] Film critic Roger Ebert awarded the film 2½ stars out of 4, saying "I can't quite recommend it — it's too patched together — but I almost can; it's the kind of movie that makes you want to like it".[5]

Overall, the film grossed $18,492,362 in the United States and $23,182,223 worldwide.[6]

Soundtrack

  1. Trooper With an Attitude - 38 Special
  2. Geez Louise - The Unband
  3. Shoot First, Run Like Hell - Nashville Pussy
  4. Pass the Hatchet - Southern Culture on the Skids
  5. Big Bear - Steak
  6. Cheap Motels - Southern Culture on the Skids
  7. Cannot One Night Stand It (Anymore) - Jack Grace Band
  8. Bad Apples - Royal Fingerbowl
  9. Bidibodi Bidibu - The Bubbles
  10. Wrong Side of a Gun - Nashville Pussy
  11. Corn Rocket, The - Southern Culture on the Skids
  12. King of the Mountain - Southern Culture on the Skids
  13. Worm Farm - Jack Grace Band
  14. Second to the Bottle - Steak
  15. Pink Slip - The Unband
  16. Who's the King (You Know That's Me) - Joseph Henry

[7]

Awards

In 2001 Super Troopers won the Audience Award at the South By South West Film Competition. The movie tied with Lady Porn (2001) and Wave Twisters (2001).[8]

Sequel

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Main article: Super Troopers 2

At the 2006 San Diego Comic-Con, Broken Lizard revealed that a prequel for the film was in the works which would take place in the 1970s and follow the fathers of the main characters in the original film.[9] Jay Chandreskhar told Rotten Tomatoes, "The joke is that we'll make it Super Troopers '76, set during the bicentennial." "We'll have a little shaggier hair and mustaches...We might do it, I don't know. That movie has sort of a special place in a lot of people's hearts, so all we can do is mess it up."[10]

However, in a January 2009 interview with MovieWeb.com, Paul Soter and Jay Chandrasekhar revealed that the movie would be a sequel. Chandrasekhar stated "We pick up the story essentially right where we left off. Maybe about three months later. We are all working undercover for the lumber industry. What has happened is that there are all of these eco-terrorists that are trying to blow up the lumber mills. And we are there working as security."[11] Soter added to that: "The big picture is that we are on the Canadian Border. And in reality, what has happened is that the government has found places where the markers were off, or wrong. And there are these areas of land that were thought to be Canada, but are actually part of the US. We are enlisted to patrol this area that was always thought to be Canadian soil. But no, it is actually the United States. We are enlisted because they have to send someone there to help make it part of the US territory now. We get recruited to be the highway patrolmen there. And we are surrounded by all of these Canadian people that aren't happy about this. We essentially have to impose US law on a bunch of Canadians that aren't at all happy about it."

In November 2009, Broken Lizard revealed that they had finished three drafts of the sequel's screenplay and that independent financiers had agreed to finance the movie. They also revealed that the character of Captain O'Hagan was part of the screenplay and that actor Brian Cox was planning on returning to the role.[12]

On March 24, 2015, Broken Lizard announced that they had received studio permission to film the sequel, but had to locate production funding themselves. Due to this requirement, Broken Lizard initiated an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign, asking for $2 million in contributions.[13]

Just 14 hours after the funding window opened, Broken Lizard Industries had raised over 73% of necessary funds ($1,459,446). The $2,000,000 funding goal was reached just 26 hours after the window opened but contributions continued to be added in force. Large ticket perks were offered as incentives to get this funding including tickets to a real Beerfest in Chicago, A producer title in the credits ($10,000), a "director" position ($12,500), a speaking actor position ($10,000), a trip to the ball park with the 5 main actors ($15,000), and even the patrol car that will be used in the filming of the movie ($35,000) were all sold out within 12 hours of funding. This project is also, as of October 2015, #25 on the list of highest funded crowdfunding projects and is the #5 largest successfully completed Indiegogo project; its campaign completed on April 24.[14]

On October 23, 2015, principal photography commenced just outside Boston.[15]

References

  1. ↑ Razlogova, Elena. Super Troopers, PopMatters, February 15, 2002. Accessed November 13, 2008.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Super Troopers, Rotten Tomatoes.com. Retrieved on 2009-03-23.
  4. ↑ Super Troopers, Metacritic.com. Retrieved on 2009-03-23.
  5. ↑ Ebert, Roger. Super Troopers, Chicago Sun-Times, February 15, 2002. Accessed April 9, 2008.
  6. ↑ Super Troopers. Box Office Mojo. Accessed 23 November 2008. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=supertroopers.htm.
  7. ↑ [1], CD Universe Accessed November 20, 2008
  8. ↑ Internet Movie Database.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/super-troopers-2
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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