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6.2/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.2/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Goofy Movies Number Eight remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Honestly, only watch Goofy Movies Number Eight if you have a soft spot for the mid-century habit of taking old stuff and making fun of it. It’s for people who find antique film textures oddly comforting.
If you prefer your movies to have, you know, an actual plot or a consistent tone, you will probably hate this. It’s a bit of a relic, like finding a dusty postcard in a drawer.
Pete Smith has this very specific voice—it’s the sound of a guy who thinks he’s the funniest person at the dinner party. He spends the whole runtime talking over silent footage, and sometimes he’s actually pretty quick with it.
There is this one moment where a guy in a suit trips over absolutely nothing, and Pete’s delivery makes it feel like the highlight of the entire project. It’s dumb, but it’s the kind of dumb that makes you grin. 🙃
I couldn't help but compare the frantic energy here to something like The Rejuvenation of Aunt Mary. Both films feel like they’re trying to keep the audience awake with a bit of slapstick, though this one is much more fragmented.
Some of the footage looks like it was dug out of a literal trash heap. It’s scratchy, it’s jumpy, and occasionally the frames just sort of stutter for no reason. It’s honestly the best part.
It’s not a masterpiece, and it doesn’t try to be. It’s just a weird, short burst of nostalgia that feels like a precursor to the weird side of YouTube.
It’s fine if you want to turn your brain off for ten minutes. Just don't go looking for any deep meaning. It’s just old people being clumsy, narrated by a guy who really likes the sound of his own voice. 🎥