Mac and Me
Encyclopedia
Mac and Me is a 1988 sci-fi
fantasy film
co-written (with Steve Feke) and directed by Stewart Raffill
about a "Mysterious Alien Creature" (MAC) escapes from nefarious NASA
agents and is befriended by a young boy who uses a wheelchair
. Together, they try to find MAC's family
, from whom he has been separated. The film stars Jade Calegory (in his only film appearance), Christine Ebersole
, Jonathan Ward
, Katrina Caspary and
Lauren Stanley. It is also Jennifer Aniston
's debut film (playing an uncredited role as an extra).
s, including Coca-Cola
, McDonald's
, Skittles and Sears. The main character's name, Mac, is proclaimed by the main character to mean "Mysterious Alien Creature." The only foods the alien requires are Coke and Skittles. A five minute-long impromptu dance number, featuring Ronald McDonald
, takes place in a McDonald's franchise, which led Leonard Maltin
to call the film "more like a TV commercial than a movie". However, according to Seth Stevenson, "there was no quid pro quo
between the filmmakers and these companies." It has long been maintained, possibly mistakenly, that the film's intent was to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House children's charity.
, grossed $6,424,112 in the United States.
The film was heavily criticized for being, among other things, similar to other films of the day, most notably E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
. It has also been noted that the aliens in the film resemble extraterrestrial characters in the comedy film Ice Pirates.
The film ends with a freeze frame and the words "We'll be back!" superimposed, but after abysmal reviews and dismal box office returns, the planned sequel
was shelved.
, where it holds a 0% rating, mainly due to people calling it a product placement inducement, and a rip off of the movie E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial. Mac and Me was also referenced in the 2011 film Paul
, which was also about aliens.
. As part of a running gag during Rudd's appearances on Late Night with Conan O'Brien
, he would show a clip of the wheelchair-using Eric (replaced by a dummy) falling off a cliff, instead of showing clips from the actual film Rudd was there to promote. Most recently, Rudd continued the gag on O'Brien's latest TV show, Conan.
1988 Young Artist Award
Science fiction film
Science fiction film is a film genre that uses science fiction: speculative, science-based depictions of phenomena that are not necessarily accepted by mainstream science, such as extraterrestrial life forms, alien worlds, extrasensory perception, and time travel, often along with futuristic...
fantasy film
Fantasy film
Fantasy films are films with fantastic themes, usually involving magic, supernatural events, make-believe creatures, or exotic fantasy worlds. The genre is considered to be distinct from science fiction film and horror film, although the genres do overlap...
co-written (with Steve Feke) and directed by Stewart Raffill
Stewart Raffill
Stewart Raffill is an American director and writer of many films.Raffill's The Philadelphia Experiment, won the "Best Film" award of the 1985 Fantafestival. While You Were Waiting, won the Silver Award in the Short Dramatic category of the 2002 Atlantic City Film Festival. In 2009, he directed...
about a "Mysterious Alien Creature" (MAC) escapes from nefarious NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
agents and is befriended by a young boy who uses a wheelchair
Wheelchair
A wheelchair is a chair with wheels, designed to be a replacement for walking. The device comes in variations where it is propelled by motors or by the seated occupant turning the rear wheels by hand. Often there are handles behind the seat for someone else to do the pushing...
. Together, they try to find MAC's family
Family
In human context, a family is a group of people affiliated by consanguinity, affinity, or co-residence. In most societies it is the principal institution for the socialization of children...
, from whom he has been separated. The film stars Jade Calegory (in his only film appearance), Christine Ebersole
Christine Ebersole
Christine Ebersole is an American actress and singer.-Early life:Ebersole was born in Winnetka, Illinois, where she attended New Trier High School...
, Jonathan Ward
Jonathan Ward
Jonathan Ward is an American actor born on February 24, 1970 in Elkridge, Maryland, USA. He has starred mostly in television programs and telefilms, but has also appeared in a small number of movies. His acting debut was on Broadway as Michael in Peter Pan.-Television credits:He was twelve years...
, Katrina Caspary and
Lauren Stanley. It is also Jennifer Aniston
Jennifer Aniston
Jennifer Joanna Aniston is an American actress, film director, and producer, best known for her role as Rachel Green on the television sitcom Friends, a role which earned her an Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award.Aniston has also enjoyed a successful film career,...
's debut film (playing an uncredited role as an extra).
Cast
- Jade Calegory as Eric Cruise
- Christine EbersoleChristine EbersoleChristine Ebersole is an American actress and singer.-Early life:Ebersole was born in Winnetka, Illinois, where she attended New Trier High School...
as Janet Cruise - Jonathan WardJonathan WardJonathan Ward is an American actor born on February 24, 1970 in Elkridge, Maryland, USA. He has starred mostly in television programs and telefilms, but has also appeared in a small number of movies. His acting debut was on Broadway as Michael in Peter Pan.-Television credits:He was twelve years...
as Michael Cruise - Katrina Caspary as Courtney
- Lauren Stanley as Debbie
- Vinnie Torrente as Mitford
- Martin West as Wickett
- Ivan J. Rado as Zimmerman
- Danny CookseyDanny CookseyDanny Cooksey is an American singer, actor and voice actor. He has been in show business since he was very young and is best remembered for playing the roles of Sam McKinney on the last years of the TV show Diff'rent Strokes and Robert "Bobby" Budnick on the Nickelodeon program, Salute Your...
as Jack Jr. - Laura Waterbury as Linda
Product placement
The film is known for its numerous and blatant product placementProduct placement
Product placement, or embedded marketing, is a form of advertisement, where branded goods or services are placed in a context usually devoid of ads, such as movies, music videos, the story line of television shows, or news programs. The product placement is often not disclosed at the time that the...
s, including Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
, McDonald's
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
, Skittles and Sears. The main character's name, Mac, is proclaimed by the main character to mean "Mysterious Alien Creature." The only foods the alien requires are Coke and Skittles. A five minute-long impromptu dance number, featuring Ronald McDonald
Ronald McDonald
Ronald McDonald is a clown character used as the primary mascot of the McDonald's fast-food restaurant chain. In television commercials, the clown inhabits a fantasy world called McDonaldland, and has adventures with his friends Mayor McCheese, the Hamburglar, Grimace, Birdie the Early Bird, and...
, takes place in a McDonald's franchise, which led Leonard Maltin
Leonard Maltin
Leonard Maltin is an American film and animated film critic and historian, author of several mainstream books on cinema, focusing on nostalgic, celebratory narratives.-Personal life:...
to call the film "more like a TV commercial than a movie". However, according to Seth Stevenson, "there was no quid pro quo
Quid pro quo
Quid pro quo most often means a more-or-less equal exchange or substitution of goods or services. English speakers often use the term to mean "a favour for a favour" and the phrases with almost identical meaning include: "give and take", "tit for tat", "this for that", and "you scratch my back,...
between the filmmakers and these companies." It has long been maintained, possibly mistakenly, that the film's intent was to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House children's charity.
Box office and shelved sequel
Mac and Me, produced by Vision International and New Star Entertainment and distributed by Orion PicturesOrion Pictures
Orion Pictures Corporation was an American independent production company that produced movies from 1978 until 1998. It was formed in 1978 as a joint venture between Warner Bros. and three former top-level executives of United Artists. Although it was never a large motion picture producer, Orion...
, grossed $6,424,112 in the United States.
The film was heavily criticized for being, among other things, similar to other films of the day, most notably E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is a 1982 American science fiction film co-produced and directed by Steven Spielberg, written by Melissa Mathison and starring Henry Thomas, Dee Wallace, Robert MacNaughton, Drew Barrymore, and Peter Coyote...
. It has also been noted that the aliens in the film resemble extraterrestrial characters in the comedy film Ice Pirates.
The film ends with a freeze frame and the words "We'll be back!" superimposed, but after abysmal reviews and dismal box office returns, the planned sequel
Sequel
A sequel is a narrative, documental, or other work of literature, film, theatre, or music that continues the story of or expands upon issues presented in some previous work...
was shelved.
Reception
It has been labeled one of the worst films ever made by Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
, where it holds a 0% rating, mainly due to people calling it a product placement inducement, and a rip off of the movie E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial. Mac and Me was also referenced in the 2011 film Paul
Paul (film)
Paul is a 2011 science fiction comedy film directed by Greg Mottola, written by Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. It stars Pegg, Frost, and the voice of Seth Rogen as the title character...
, which was also about aliens.
Running gag on Conan O'Brien
The film has gained a measure of notoriety thanks to actor Paul RuddPaul Rudd
Paul Stephen Rudd is an American actor and screenwriter. He has primarily appeared in comedies, and is known for his roles in the films Clueless, Wet Hot American Summer, Anchorman, Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Dinner for Schmucks, The Object of My...
. As part of a running gag during Rudd's appearances on Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien is an American late-night talk show hosted by Conan O'Brien that aired 2,725 episodes on NBC between 1993 and 2009. The show featured varied comedic material, celebrity interviews, and musical and comedy performances. Late Night aired weeknights at 12:37 am...
, he would show a clip of the wheelchair-using Eric (replaced by a dummy) falling off a cliff, instead of showing clips from the actual film Rudd was there to promote. Most recently, Rudd continued the gag on O'Brien's latest TV show, Conan.
Awards and nominations
1988 Golden Raspberry Awards- Worst New Star (Ronald McDonaldRonald McDonaldRonald McDonald is a clown character used as the primary mascot of the McDonald's fast-food restaurant chain. In television commercials, the clown inhabits a fantasy world called McDonaldland, and has adventures with his friends Mayor McCheese, the Hamburglar, Grimace, Birdie the Early Bird, and...
) - Worst Director (Stewart RaffillStewart RaffillStewart Raffill is an American director and writer of many films.Raffill's The Philadelphia Experiment, won the "Best Film" award of the 1985 Fantafestival. While You Were Waiting, won the Silver Award in the Short Dramatic category of the 2002 Atlantic City Film Festival. In 2009, he directed...
) - Worst Picture (R.J. Louis) (nominated)
- Worst Screenplay (Stewart RaffillStewart RaffillStewart Raffill is an American director and writer of many films.Raffill's The Philadelphia Experiment, won the "Best Film" award of the 1985 Fantafestival. While You Were Waiting, won the Silver Award in the Short Dramatic category of the 2002 Atlantic City Film Festival. In 2009, he directed...
and Steve Feke) (nominated)
1988 Young Artist Award
- Best Family Animation or Fantasy Motion Picture (nominated)
- Best Young Actor in a Motion Picture Comedy or Fantasy (Jade Calegory) (nominated)
- Best Young Actress in a Motion Picture Comedy or Fantasy (Tina CasparyTina CasparyTina Caspary is an American actress, dancer and choreographer. She gained moderate attention in the late 1980s with Can't Buy Me Love.-Early life:...
) (nominated) - Best Young Actress in a Motion Picture Comedy or Fantasy (Lauren Stanley) (nominated)