Police Academy [1984]

EMM# : 19569
Added: 2014-12-16

Police Academy (1984)
The new police recruits. Call them slobs. Call them jerks. Call them gross. - Just don't call them when you're in trouble.

Rating: 6.6

Movie Details:

Genre: Comedy ()

Length: 1 h 36 min - 96 min

Video: 432x240 (23.976 Fps - 812 Kbps)

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The year is 1984 and the mayoress has removed set personal criteria form the requirements to join the police force. No longer is sex, weight, height and orientation a factor. This now allows for an insurgence of people applying. The Police Academy series follows a select group of misfits in their quest to become police men and women. The first film of the series follows these misfits in their time at the Police Academy. The main focus is on a petty criminal called Mahoney. Mahoney is busted for criminal damage and as punishment is forced to go to Police Academy. Mahoney initially feels that this isn't the right place for him and he makes it his mission to be thrown out as he is not allowed to quit. As the classes go by and the training exercises are played out, Mahoney soon realizes that he is actually enjoying the academy and does want to become a police officer. We are also introduced to the gun maniac Tackelberry, the very tall Hightower, voluptuous Callahan, squeaky Hooks, human ... Written by

Plot Synopsis:
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A newly-elected female mayor (referred to as the "lady mayor" by her opponents) of an unnamed city has announced a policy requiring the police department to accept all willing recruits, effectively abolishing fitness requirements, educational levels, and medical standards, although not everyone in the police force is happy about the new changes.

Carey Mahoney (Steve Guttenburg) is an easy going man who has repeatedly gotten himself in trouble with the law when standing up to arrogance. Mahoney is forced to join the police academy as an alternative to jail; a proposal by Captain Reed who has been lenient on Mahoney due to knowing his late father, who was also a policeman. Mahoney reluctantly agrees to this and decides that he will get himself thrown out as a loophole. However, the chief of police, Commandant Lassard outraged by the mayor's lowered requirements, decides that the new cadets should be forced to quit rather than being thrown out. Lieutenant Thaddeus Harris (G.W. Bailey) the arrogant and thick-headed officer who trains the cadets, agrees with the plan and employs tactics to make their lives as miserable as possible so that they do in fact quit. Mahoney tries many schemes to get thrown out as he cannot quit, as part of the deal made with Captain Reed said if he quit, he was going to be sent to jail. But toward the middle of the film he decides to stay for good having fallen in love with fellow recruit Karen Thompson (Kim Cattrall).

While in the academy, Mahoney becomes friends with a group of misfit fellow cadets; the sound-mimicking wizard Larvell Jones (Michael Winslow); the gun-obsessed Eugene Tackleberry (David Graf), and especially Moses Hightower (Bubba Smith), a giant of a man (who is actually quite shy and keeps away from violence by and large), after helping him prepare for the critical driving test. After passing, Hightower is very thankful to Mahoney. Unfortunately, the quit policy does not apply to Hightower, who gets himself kicked out of the academy because of an incident. After his friend and fellow cadet Laverne Hooks has been racially insulted, an angered Hightower lifts and turns over a police car with the hated bullying cadet Copeland inside.

Shortly after this, Mahoney gets involved in a lunchroom brawl caused by Copeland and Blankes, and takes the blame for throwing the first punch, which finally gives Lt. Harris the green light to expel his most despised cadet. Before Mahoney actually leaves the premises, however, a major riot breaks out downtown. The resulting police emergency forces the cadets into real action for the first time. During the riot, a tough outlaw manages to steal two cadet revolvers (one from Copeland and the other from Cadet Blankes). The outlaw grabs and disarms Lt. Harris by surprise, taking the officer to the roof of a nearby building as a hostage. Mahoney, despite his past troubles with Harris, dodges gunfire and climbs to the roof in a rescue attempt. This attempt fails and Mahoney is taken as a second hostage. Just as both hostages are about to be killed, it is none other than Hightower who suddenly appears on the rooftop in civilian clothes. The former cadet, who went back to his old job at a nearby florist just minutes earlier and left his shop due to the riot, manages to fool the hostage taker that he is a fellow crook. When asking whom the hostage-taker should shoot first, Hightower points at Harris, before knocking the hostage-taker out with a massive punch, thus rescuing Mahoney and Harris just in time.

Mahoney and Hightower both graduate from the academy along with the other passing cadets, and both receive the academy's highest commendation ever bestowed upon a cadet for their rescue of Lt. Harris and capture of his kidnapper. Towards the end Mahoney suddenly stammers as he sees a prostitute concealed inside the podium, and suddenly realizes Commandant Lassard has taken subtle revenge for one of Mahoney's earlier pranks in an attempt to get himself kicked out.

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Miyagis_Sweaty_wifebeater (sirjosephu@aol.com) from Sacramento, CA
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Police Academy (1984) was the first of many films from this series. Since this was the 80's and this film was very successful there was only one alternative, milk the cash cow until it was dry. Like most of these films, the first one is the best and most creative of the bunch. The film follows a bunch of losers and outcasts who join the local police academy for various reasons. The main character is Mahoney (played by Steve Guttenberg) a man with a shady past who enrolls in the academy as an alternative punishment for a previous criminal act. He becomes the motley crew's leader and representative.

This movie made Guttenberg a star and it started a film series that would live on D.T.V. and make the producers a lot of money. It also gave people jobs and made others into minor stars. I found this movie to be very entertaining. If you're into juvenile humor and a bunch of cheap laughs, then I recommend this movie. Others need not apply. Followed by six sequels!!

Recommended for some laughs and low brow humor. Hey, it's one of the essentials.

xxx

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Lee Eisenberg (lee.eisenberg.pdx@gmail.com) from Portland, Oregon, USA
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Okay, so "Police Academy" is probably the ultimate manifestation of the word "witless". But it doesn't pretend to be anything other than what it is: nice, silly fun. The plot basically has a series of goof-off misfits enrolling in the police force and turning it topsy-turvy. Steve Guttenberg, as Cadet Carey Mahoney, may have to remember this as his peak in movies, and he does a pretty good job here.

Anyway, the movie is pretty much an excuse to be silly. And they do just that. With hilarious one-liners and one gag after another, you won't be disappointed. Of course, I advise you not to watch it if you're the type who only wants to see "important" movies.

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kurciasbezdalas from Lithuania
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I don't understand why this movie has such a low rating on IMDb (right now it's 6.1, that isn't so bad but this movie deserves more). It's a classic comedy which is still funny even after 20 years. It always elate me. Jokes are pretty simple and even innocent compared to nowadays movies but that's probably what's good about this film because it's funny to watch to whole family. You'll fall in love with a characters and this movie itself so much that every time you'll hear a theme of Police Academy it will make you smile. If you haven't watched it yet you definitely have to do it because they don't make this kind of movies anymore.

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jhaggardjr from Chicago, Illinois
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During my spring break in 1984, I went up to Michigan to see some of my relatives. One day while I was up there I went to see "Police Academy" with my mom, my grandma, and a cousin. Before we saw this, I remembered Chicago Sun-Times film critic Roger Ebert gave this movie no stars. I also remembered Ebert reviewing this movie on his show "At The Movies" with his late partner Gene Siskel (this was before their show went nationwide and was retitled "Siskel & Ebert"). Ebert summed up "Police Academy" in one short sentence: "IT IS BAD!!!" And Siskel agreed with him. But I went to see this movie anyway and to this day I'm glad that I did. "Police Academy" made me laugh my head off. After the movie was over I said it was the funniest movie since "Airplane!" This movie was so funny I went to see it a second time over Memorial Day weekend 1984 with a friend of mine here in Chicago. "Police Academy" still makes me laugh to this day. It's too bad the sequels didn't live up to this, the original. The second, third, and fourth movies in the series were marginally funny. The fifth and sixth movies were less funny and the series started to wear out its welcome. I've never seen the seventh movie "Mission to Moscow" but I heard it's a stinker. So I'm sticking with the first movie because it's the funniest.

**** (out of four)

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LeRoyMarko from Toronto, Canada
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I don't know what got to me. This evening, I went to the video store and got this one. I first saw it back in the 80's. Now let's not go nuts and call this the best comedy of all times. But it's still a pretty decent one (or indecent if you prefer!). The movie is generally funny, the characters are likable, and it's filmed in Toronto! I was surprised to realize that with the first scene showing the Toronto skyline. Some scenes are very funny, especially the one with George Gaynes (Commandant Lassard). Ah! the podium scene! So funny! Pea-brain humor, but good pea-brain humor!

Out of 100, I gave it 71. That's good for ** out of ****.

Seen in Toronto, on April 5th, 2003.

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John Foster from Australia
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This is a great movie for relaxing after a hard day at work. It's sheer escapism and good-humoured fun that only requires the watcher to put their mind in neutral, rest their feet, and not think too much.

A lot of the gags are not very original; we've seen most of them before in some other form. But the basic premise of a Police Academy full of misfits provides a novel context.

I've only seen this first movie of the series and don't really have plans to see any of the others. Can't believe they've made ssssssssooooo many sequels.

Too much Police Academy could certainly wear a bit thin, but first time around it's sheer good fun.

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Mister-6 from United States
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Yep, this is the one that started it all. The right one to blame. "Police Academy" - never duplicated, countlessly imitated.

But before you go throwing any stones...this one is funny.

Yep, believe it or not, its joke success ratio is amazingly high. Is it because it's R-rated? That's a lot of it, but it also has a good pedigree.

Director/co-writer Wilson also created TV's "WKRP in Cincinnati", Israel and Proft have written "Bachelor Party" and some other funny stuff you may have heard of (they had a hand in the "Naked Gun" films).

And the cast, in this instance, is fresh! Guttenberg has seldom been better, nor has Cattrall (well, maybe except for "Porky's"), Gaynes, Bailey, Smith, Winslow or Easterbrook. There are a handful of good lines, more good scenes here than in any four of the sequels you can name and plenty more opportunity for good old raunchy "Animal House"-style guffaws.

You don't believe me? Think about the scene with the hooker (Spelvin) in the speaker's podium. Then think about the punch line ("Good speech."). You see? Ah, memories.

Take it from a hard-bitten veteran of the series. This is as good as it gets. You want to see a funny movie about cops? Register at your local "Police Academy".

Six stars, plus a star more for Guttenberg's final scene. Classic.

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mjw2305 from England
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A Group of Wannabe's and a Doesn't Wannabe, Carey Mahoney (Steve Guttenberg) Join the Police Academy in the hope of becoming respected members of the Police Force.

There's a problem, they are with out doubt the worst bunch of wannabe's the police academy has ever seen and Carey just can't wait to get kicked out, only being there because it was the only way he could avoid jail.

Some Truly Funny Moments and lots of memorable characters, this film is a bloody good romp, that should be enjoyed by most people.

Too bad the sequels generally sucked big time!

7/10

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Christopher Gray from Belfast, N.Ireland
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It turns out that the mayor of a city is wanting to have a better Police force and so opens up a more spaces in the Police Academy so that more people may apply. It turns out that the new applicants are a bunch of losers, wackos, and other various people that just don't fit in.

The whole film is very funny. The characters are normal but very different making them look like complete misfits against each other. But the show is stolen by G.W. Bailey who plays the mean but brilliant Lieutenant Harris.

The movie is a very funny and promising film that is lots of fun. ****

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gazzo-2 from United States
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I loved this when it first came out...what's not to like-Rizzo from Mash's headlong flight...uh, at the horse there, the little accident prone guy's setting off a chain reaction by tossing an apple, Steve Guttenburg's goofy deadpan all throughout this, plus a scene involving George Grizzard and the Full Monica. You will also enjoy Bubba Smith's driving lessons.

Trust me. This one works, its funny, and its too bad the follow ups weren't as raunchy or original. Yeah you can fault it for being as subtle as the Three Stooges, but who cares? It's a hoot.

*** outta ****, makes me laugh and why not?

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Certifications:
Argentina:13 / Australia:M / Canada:14A / Finland:K-12 (2013) / Finland:K-16 (1984) / France:U / Germany:16 / Iceland:L / Netherlands:6 / New Zealand:M / Norway:16 (original rating) / Norway:7 (re-rating) (2004) / Portugal:M/12 / Singapore:NC-16 / Spain:13 / Sweden:11 / UK:15 / USA:R (#27106) / West Germany:16