If it wasn't for "Saturday Night Live" and its irreverent, satirical sketch comedy would flicks like Groove Tube, Prime Time or Tunnel Vision even exist? Possibly not. And, you know what? With the exception of the most hilarious Kentucky Fried Movie I wouldn't be very heartbroken about it. These flicks are just an excuse to string together various parodies of commercials, daytime programming, and the television shows of the time with a liberal dose of decidedly politically incorrect humour, racism, and the occasional set of bare breasts. As a time capsule they have their place but are generally laugh free endeavours that will have you more busy looking for various famous faces that show up in skits rather than actually being funny.

Similar to Prime Time (which, coincidentally, would be made by co-director here Brad Swirnoff) the wraparound involves a government inquest into the upstart television network of the title who are delivering uncensored and unconventional programming to the public - and they love it! In between brief scenes of our board discussing the worth (and bad influence) of the channel we're treated to a compilation of their fare which is a mishmash of advertisement spoofs, a bad take-off of "Good Morning America" that just doesn't work, the obvious "Mary Tyler Moore" sitcom riff " Marie", and a gypsy based sitcom that is a total rip on "All in the Family" packed with racist and gay jokes galore. It's a terrible collection of half-baked ideas from a fictional channel that proclaims it's "The No Bullshit Network" when it's all bullshit - there's not even any boobs to distract us.

It's just really sad that all the attempts to get laughs from trotting out racial stereotypes and constant innuendo adds up to pretty much nothing. It also doesn't help that a lot of the spoofs aren't that different from their sources. If I had to (grudgingly) point out the few chuckles the flick did drag out of me it would be during the game show parody where people's criminal pasts come out (and has an early appearance from "SCTV" alumni Joe Flaherty) and a vibrator commercial that is the peak of risqué they manage here.

Now we move on to the only real reason to bother with Tunnel Vision: the celebrity spotting. Howard Hesseman (Johnny Fever on "WKRP in Cincinnati") plays one of the board members, Chevy Chase shows up briefly playing himself, Gerrit Graham (Phantom of the Paradise, C.H.U.D. II) is Marie's hairy-chested boyfriend, and various other familiar faces (Ron Silver, Rick Hurst) show up. What's more astonishing, however, is that there were people behind the camera who would go on to make some significant movies. Co-director Neal Israel was involved with the classic 80s comedies Police Academy and Bachelor Party (as well as one of my personal guilty pleasures, Moving Violations) while producer Joe Roth would go on to such blockbusters as Maleficent and cult favourites like Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fabulous Stains and Major League.

The makers of Tunnel Vision are just plain lazy. It's almost like they had a brainstorming session one afternoon where they tossed out various ideas for spoofing and just decided to use them without actually trying to make them funny. It's just all-around awful and even the mild attempts at political satire the wraparound goes for stumbles. I've seen better sketch comedy at the local improv theatre. (Chris Hartley, 1/12/15)

Directed By: Brad Swirnoff, Neal Israel.
Written By: Michael Mislove, Neal Israel.

Starring: Phil Proctor, Howard Hesseman, Beans Morocco, Stephen Feinberg.