Wilder Napalm

Wilder Napalm
Wilder Napalm
	Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Glenn Gordon Caron
Written by	Vince Gilligan
Starring	Debra Winger; Dennis Quaid; Arliss Howard;
Music by	Michael Kamen
Distributed by	TriStar Pictures
Release date	August 20, 1993;
Running time	109 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Box office	$84,859

Wilder Napalm is a 1993 American dark fantasy romantic comedy film directed by Glenn Gordon Caron, written by Vince Gilligan, and starring Dennis Quaid, Arliss Howard, and Debra Winger. The screenplay concerns a pair of pyrokinetic brothers and their rivalry for the same woman.^[1]

Production[]

Vince Gilligan won a screenwriting competition shortly after graduating college, and producer Mark Johnson helped him find an agent and sell scripts to Hollywood. Wilder Napalm was one of the two screenplays along with Home Fries that turned into films during this time in his career.^[2]

Plot summary[]

Wallace (Dennis Quaid) and Wilder Foudroyant (Arliss Howard) are brothers and pyrokinetics. Ever since a childhood tragedy where they accidentally killed a homeless person sleeping in a friend's "secret clubhouse," they have kept their firestarting abilities a secret. Now that they are grown up and estranged, Wallace (performing as Biff the Clown in a traveling carnival) wants to debut his talents on The David Letterman Show. Wilder has a monotonous job in a minuscule Kwik Foto booth at a dying mall and is a volunteer firefighter.

When Wallace brings the carnival to Wilder's Florida hometown, the tension between the brothers over Wilder's oversexed wife, Vida (Debra Winger), explodes. Unable to convince Wilder to forgo his Bingo-calling on her first day of freedom after a year of house arrest for inadvertent arson, Vida goes off with Wally. They share a kiss at a miniature golf course, which bursts into the flames of their passion.

Returning home after he and the other firefighters have extinguished the flames at the golf course, Wilder discovers Vida and Wally about to make love on the roof of the house trailer. Wally and Wilder fight it out, with Wally setting the trailer ablaze. All three are jailed, but Wally and Vida are bailed out by Wally's friend and carnival partner, Rex (Jim Varney). In a deep slump, Wilder goes back to the Kwik Foto (surrounded by the carnival) while Vida stays at the firehouse. Wally goads him into fighting for Vida, and their climactic fight sets half the carnival's rides ablaze.

The denouement shows Vida and Wilder (the latter now wearing Vida's house arrest ankle monitor) watching Wallace on a successful Letterman reappearance as Dr. Napalm.

Cast[]

Dennis Quaid as Wallace Foudroyant
Debra Winger as Vida Foudroyant
Arliss Howard as Wilder Foudroyant
M. Emmet Walsh as Fire Chief
Jim Varney as Rex
as Arnold, Singing Firemen
John Hostetter as Matt, Singing Firemen
as Bod, Singing Firemen
Harvey Shield as Moe, Singing Firemen
Allyce Beasley as Announcer (voice)
as Young Wallace Foudroyant

Box office[]

According to Box Office Mojo the domestic box office was $84,859.

References[]

^ "MOVIE REVIEW : 'Wilder Napalm' Misfires in More Ways Than One". Los Angeles Times. August 20, 1993. Retrieved 2010-12-22.
^ Segal, David (6 July 2011). "The Dark Art of 'Breaking Bad'". The New York Times.

External links[]

[1] "MOVIE REVIEW : 'Wilder Napalm' Misfires in More Ways Than One". Los Angeles Times. August 20, 1993. Retrieved 2010-12-22.

[2] Segal, David (6 July 2011). "The Dark Art of 'Breaking Bad'". The New York Times.

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