MOUSE HUNT (PG) Presented in 35mm Film
Mouse Hunt at The Revival House Perth
When their father dies and leaves them a dilapidated old mansion, scheming brothers Ernie and Lars Smuntz (Nathan Lane and Lee Evans) see it as their ticket out of their respective failures—Ernie's struggling string factory and Lars's collapsed marriage. An appraiser reveals the crumbling estate is actually a lost architectural masterpiece worth millions, but there's one tiny problem: a single clever mouse has taken up residence and refuses to leave. What begins as a simple pest control problem escalates into an all-out war as the brothers employ increasingly absurd and destructive methods to evict their tiny nemesis, from mousetraps to exterminators to dynamite. The mouse, however, proves far more intelligent and resilient than they ever imagined, turning their potential fortune into a slapstick nightmare of catastrophic proportions.
Director Gore Verbinski's 1997 debut feature is a masterclass in physical comedy and visual invention, channeling the spirit of classic Warner Bros. cartoons into live-action chaos. The film's real star is the remarkable rodent performer and the ingenious special effects that give the mouse personality, cunning, and seemingly supernatural survival skills. Lane and Evans commit fully to the escalating madness, their performances recalling silent film comedians as they endure increasingly elaborate punishment. Production designer Linda DeScenna creates a gothic mansion that's both gorgeous and nightmarish, while Alan Silvestri's dynamic score perfectly accompanies every pratfall and explosion. Christopher Walken nearly steals the film with a scene-chewing cameo as a deranged exterminator.
Original format and audio experience of this film faithfully reproduced by The Revival House. Presented in 35mm film unless noted otherwise.
When: Saturday, January 31st at 2:00PM
Where: The Revival House at the Como Theatre
Rating: PG (Slapstick violence and mild coarse language)
It's man versus mouse in this hilariously destructive battle of wits—experience Verbinski's cartoon-inspired chaos on 35mm film.