It doesn't quite deserve the disproportionate number of "10" votes it's received on this web site, but "Midnight Madness" is still a lot of fun. The eccentric Leon (Alan Solomon) organizes a cross-city scavenger hunt for five groups of college students ranging from nerds and jocks to babes and good guys. Each team must decipher a series of clues ("Mr. Carson's obese male child" leads to Johnny's Fat Boy Restaurant, and so on) before racing to the next location to do it again, all the while battling some occasional dirty tricks from rivals. The actual laughs few and far between, but you can't deny "Midnight Madness" carries heaps of cheesy '80s appeal. Look for Michael J. Fox (billed without the middle initial) in his film debut.
Midnight Madness
1980
Action / Comedy
Midnight Madness
1980
Action / Comedy
Keywords: scavenger hunt
Plot summary
Leon planned "the great all-nighter" by picking college students to participate in an all-night long scavenger hunt. The 5 teams are given clues to solve, leading them to the next clue, hidden throughout the city. Making his film debut; Michael J. Fox, as Scott, the younger brother.
Uploaded by: FREEMAN
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Top cast
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More Cheesy '80s Appeal
bad comedy from Disney or stupid camp
Grad student Leon recruits five captains to form teams to compete in "The Great All-Nighter" where they solve clues to go on the road. Yellow leader Adam Larson (David Naughton) is a nice guy. Blue leader Harold (Stephen Furst) is a lazy slob. Red leader Donna has her sisters from an unpopular sorority. Wesley (Eddie Deezen) leads the nerdy White team. Lavitas leads the offensive line on the Green team. Every one of them laugh off Leon at first but they are all pushed into the game.
This is Disney doing its silly family fares. It tries to incorporate college but only with the cleanest of smiling family fun and tamest of raunchy sex comedy. It's kind of sad and a bit campy. In addition to a couple of early 80's stars, Michael J. Fox has a minor role. It's bad acting, bad slapstick, and bad writing. It's so bad that it does have some camp value. Unless one sees the camp value, there is nothing funny and it's ultimately boring.
Very amusing and enjoyable early 80's comedy blast
Five teams of college students participate in a scavenger hunt that has them running all over Los Angeles over the course of a single frantic night. Writers/directors Michael Nankin and David Wechter keep the entertaining story zipping along at a brisk pace, maintain an engaging lighthearted tone throughout, and make nice use of various Los Angeles locations. Moreover, Nankin and Wechter not only bring a good-natured sensibility to the premise that's both amiable and refreshing in equal measure, but also present a delightful array of colorful characters who include a few who even have neat little arcs. The enthusiastic cast really sink their teeth into the wacky material, with especially praiseworthy contributions from David Naughton as the likable Adam Larson, Stephen Furst as obnoxious rich fat jerk Harold, Andy Tennant as the blithely sadistic Melio, Michael J. Fox as Adam's sullen neglected younger brother Scott, Debra Clinger as the sweet Laura, Patricia Alice Albrecht as the shrill Lucille, Alan Solomon as scruffy game mastermind Leon, Dirk Blocker as the rowdy Blaytak, Brian Fishman as the idiotic Barf, John Fiedler as friendly neighbor Wally Thorpe, and Eddie Deezen as the hysterically nerdy Wesley. The pulchritudinous presences of Deborah Richter and Kirsten Baker as Leon's comely distaff assistants certainly doesn't hurt matters in the least. Paul Ruebens pops up in a gut-busting small part as a video arcade proprietor. A real hoot.