Howard the Duck (1986)

Director:

Willard Huyck

Writers:

Steve Gerber (Marvel comics character: Howard the Duck)
Willard Huyck (written by) ...
(more)

Release Date:

1 August 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Comedy | Romance | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

You will believe that a duck can talk.

Plot:

A sarcastic humanoid duck is pulled from his homeworld to Earth where he must stop an alien invader.

Plot Keywords:

Laser | Duck | Alien | Singer | Planet

Awards:

4 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Lea Thompson	...	Beverly Switzler
Jeffrey Jones	...	Dr. Walter Jenning
Tim Robbins	...	Phil Blumburtt
Ed Gale	...	Howard T. Duck
Chip Zien	...	Howard T. Duck (voice)
Tim Rose	...	Howard T. Duck
Steve Sleap	...	Howard T. Duck
Peter Baird	...	Howard T. Duck
Mary Wells	...	Howard T. Duck
Lisa Sturz	...	Howard T. Duck
Jordan Prentice	...	Howard T. Duck
Paul Guilfoyle	...	Lieutenant Welker
Liz Sagal	...	Ronette, Cherry Bomb
Dominique Davalos	...	Cal, Cherry Bomb
Holly Robinson Peete	...	K.C., Cherry Bomb (as Holly Robinson)
Tommy Swerdlow	...	Ginger Moss
Richard Edson	...	Ritchie
Miles Chapin	...	Carter
Richard McGonagle	...	First Cop
Virginia Capers	...	Cora Mae, Secretary
Debbie Lee Carrington	...	Additional Ducks
Miguel Sandoval	...	Bar Entertainment Supervisor
Sheldon Feldner	...	Hot Tub Spa Owner
Lee Anthony	...	Grossbach
Paul Comi	...	Dr. Chapin
Maureen Coyne	...	Teacher
James Lashly	...	State Trooper
Tom Parker	...	Steve Kanelli, TV Reporter
Ed Holmes	...	TV Duck Hunter
David Paymer	...	Larry, Scientist
William Hall	...	Officer Hanson
Denny Delk	...	Sergeant
Martin Ganapoler	...	1st Trucker
Tom Rayhall	...	2nd Trucker
Gary Littlejohn	...	3rd Trucker
Thomas Dolby	...	Bartender in Rock Club
Kristopher Logan	...	Punk
Reed Kirk Rahlmann	...	Bender
John Fleck	...	Pimples
William McCoy	...	Skin Head
Steven Kravitz	...	Lover Boy
Anne Tofflemire	...	Lover Girl
Marcia Banks	...	Mama Biker
Nancy Fish	...	Homeless Bag Lady
Monty Hoffman	...	Club Bouncer
Ted Kurtz	...	Kirby
Wood Moy	...	Chef
Wanda McCaddon	...	Hostess
James Brady	...	1st Tour Guide
Carol McElheney	...	Screaming Woman
Jeanne Lauren	...	Bear
Richard Kiley	...	The Cosmos (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mel Blanc	...	Daffy Duck (voice)
Lol Levy	...	Detective (uncredited)
Jorli McLain	...	Waitress (uncredited)
C. Andrew Nelson	...	Rocker (uncredited)
James Olea	...	Policeman (uncredited)

Directed by
Willard Huyck

Writing credits
Steve Gerber		(Marvel comics character: Howard the Duck)
Willard Huyck		(written by) &
Gloria Katz		(written by)

Produced by
Robert Latham Brown	....	co-producer
Ian Bryce	....	associate producer
Gloria Katz	....	producer
George Lucas	....	executive producer

Original Music by
John Barry

Cinematography by
Richard H. Kline

Film Editing by
Michael Chandler
Sidney Wolinsky

Casting by
Dianne Crittenden

Production Design by
Peter Jamison

Art Direction by
Mark Billerman
Blake Russell

Set Decoration by
Phil Abramson

Costume Design by
Joe I. Tompkins		(as Joe Tompkins)

Makeup Department
Gracie Atherton	....	makeup artist
Karen Bradley	....	makeup artist: second unit
Thomas R. Burman	....	makeup designer: Dr. Jenning
Bari Dreiband-Burman	....	makeup designer: Dr. Jenning
Joy Zapata	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Robert Latham Brown	....	production manager
Richard Hashimoto	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Patrick Cosgrove	....	second assistant director (as Pat Cosgrove)
Rodney Allen Hooks	....	second assistant director: second unit
L. Dean Jones Jr.	....	second assistant director (as Dean Jones)
Dan Kolsrud	....	first assistant director
John Liberti	....	first assistant director: second unit
Thomas J. Wright	....	second unit director

Art Department
Dave Archer	....	celestial paintings
Bob Bauer	....	property maker
Danny Colangelo	....	property master
Paul Dal Porto	....	property master: second unit
Stephen J. Gardner	....	assistant property master: second unit (as Steve Gardner)
Dale Haugo	....	lead scenic artist
Harley Jessup	....	assistant to production designer
Jack Kostelnik	....	property maker
John Lister	....	carpenter
Pamela Marcotte	....	set designer
George F. Mauricio	....	property assistant
Jim Pohl	....	set designer
Michelle Souza	....	property assistant
J. Michael Speakman	....	property assistant
John Warnke	....	assistant art director
Steven Westlund	....	property master
J. Michael Davis	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Michael Jupp	....	storyboard artist (uncredited)
Doug E. Williams	....	carpenter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Agamemnon Andrianos	....	sound recording mixer
Sandina Bailo-Lape	....	sound re-synchronization editor
Stephen Balliet	....	boom operator: second unit
John Benson	....	sound effects editor
Karen Brocco	....	assistant sound editor
Ben Burtt	....	sound effects editor
Ben Burtt	....	sound re-recording mixer
T.M. Christopher	....	assistant sound editor
Gloria D'Alessandro	....	assistant sound editor
Carlyn Montes De Oca	....	sound re-synchronization editor assistant
Melissa Dietz	....	assistant sound editor
Ken Fischer	....	sound effects editor
Suzy Friedman	....	assistant sound editor
Vivien Hillgrove Gilliam	....	dialogue editor
Dan Gleich	....	cable operator: second unit
Jean-Pierre Halbwachs	....	sound trainee
Richard Hymns	....	sound effects editor
Tom Johnson	....	foley recordist
Mary Helen Leasman	....	sound effects editor
Marilyn McCoppen	....	dialogue editor
John Nutt	....	dialogue editor
Jenny Oznowicz	....	sound editor apprentice (as Jenny Oz)
Diana Pellegrini	....	foley artist
Steve Powell	....	boom operator
E. Jeane Putnam	....	assistant sound editor (as Jeane Putnam)
George Reinhardt	....	cable person
Sara Roberts	....	assistant sound editor
Paige Sartorius	....	sound editor apprentice
Greg Smith	....	location sound
Karen Spangenberg	....	dialogue editor
Jenny Stein	....	assistant sound editor
Gary Summers	....	sound re-recording mixer
Randy Thom	....	sound designer
Randy Thom	....	sound re-recording mixer
Dennie Thorpe	....	foley artist
Andy Wiskes	....	sound mixer: second unit
Rob Fruchtman	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Cindy Lowney	....	sound (uncredited)
Bob Sarles	....	assistant sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Marty Brenneis	....	special effects
Gregory M. Childers	....	special effects (as Greg Childers)
Scott Forbes	....	special effects foreman
Scott Forbes	....	special effects technician
Reuben Goldberg	....	special effects
Jeff Jarvis	....	second unit coordinator
Jeff Jarvis	....	special effects foreman
Bob MacDonald Jr.	....	special effects supervisor
Robert MacDonald	....	special effects foreman
Jeff Marz	....	special effects
John McLeod	....	special effects foreman
Dan Nelson	....	special effects
Noni Norwood	....	special effects production assistant
Richard Ratliff	....	special effects foreman
Raymond Robinson	....	special effects
Diana Allen Williams	....	puppeteer
Larry Odien	....	special effects assistant (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Barbara Affonso	....	model maker: ILM visual effects unit
Peter Albrecht	....	rotoscope: ILM visual effects unit
Jon Alexander	....	animation camera effects: ILM visual effects unit
Kirk Amidano	....	model maker: ILM visual effects unit
John Allan Armstrong	....	visual effects animator: ILM visual effects unit
Charles Bailey	....	manager: ILM creature shop
Donna K. Baker	....	rotoscope: ILM visual effects unit
Gordon Baker	....	visual effects animator: ILM visual effects unit
Greg Beaumonte	....	engineer: ILM visual effects unit
Tom Bertino	....	rotoscope: ILM visual effects unit
Barbara Brennan	....	rotoscope: ILM visual effects unit
Bill Brewer	....	wig maker: ILM creature shop
Rob Burton	....	animation camera effects: ILM visual effects unit
Sean M. Casey	....	mold design supervisor: ILM creature shop
Nicole Cavallero	....	featherer: ILM creature shop
Lanny Cermak	....	engineer: ILM visual effects unit
Wade Childress	....	visual effects matte photography: ILM
Terry Chostner	....	stop motion photography: ILM visual effects unit
Donald Clark	....	optical camera operator: ILM visual effects unit
Milo Coates	....	featherer: ILM creature shop
Robert Cooper	....	artisan: ILM creature shop
Kim Costalupes	....	assistant editor: ILM visual effects unit
Peter Daulton	....	visual effects camera operator: ILM visual effects unit
Jay Davis	....	artisan: ILM creature shop
Jeff Doran	....	lab technician: ILM visual effects unit
Dick Dova	....	stage technician: ILM visual effects unit (as Richard Dova Spah)
Karen Dube	....	production assistant: ILM visual effects unit
Sheila Duignan	....	stop motion construction: ILM visual effects unit
Cheryl Durham	....	production accountant: ILM visual effects unit
Randy Dutra	....	stop motion construction: ILM visual effects unit
John Ellis	....	optical consultant: ILM visual effects unit
Chrissie England	....	visual effects coordinator: ILM
Nicholas J. Esposto	....	animatronic designer: ILM creature shop
Chuck Eyler	....	visual effects animator: ILM visual effects unit
Ellen Ferguson	....	rotoscope: ILM visual effects unit
Bob Fernley	....	production buyer: ILM creature shop
Robert Finley Jr.	....	miniature pyrotechnics: ILM visual effects unit
Warren Franklin	....	general manager: ILM
Joe Fulmer	....	stage technician: ILM visual effects unit
Tim Geideman	....	lab technician: ILM visual effects unit
Bill George	....	visual effects chief model maker: ILM
Tim Gillett	....	location animatronics: ILM creature shop
Chris Goehe	....	moldmaker: ILM creature shop
Ralph Gordon	....	optical line-up: ILM visual effects unit
Ned Gorman	....	production assistant: ILM visual effects unit
Caroleen Green	....	matte artist: ILM visual effects unit
Thomas M. Grimm	....	animatronic designer: ILM creature shop
Lynn Gustafson	....	featherer: ILM creature shop
Joanne Hafner	....	rotoscope: ILM visual effects unit
James Hagedorn	....	optical camera operator: ILM visual effects unit
Cris Hammond	....	model maker: ILM visual effects unit
Ian Hiebert	....	production assistant
Edward Hirsh	....	production manager: ILM visual effects unit
Sandy Houston	....	rotoscope: ILM visual effects unit
Tony Hudson	....	moldmaker: ILM creature shop
Peg Hunter	....	optical line-up: ILM visual effects unit
Jay Ignaszewski	....	visual effects
Brad Jerrell	....	stage technician: ILM visual effects unit
Dave 'Chuck' Johnson	....	location animatronics: ILM creature shop
Ed Jones	....	optical line-up: ILM visual effects unit
Sean Joyce	....	matte artist: ILM visual effects unit
Sandra Ford Karpman	....	production assistant: ILM visual effects unit (as Sandra R. Ford)
Paula Karsh	....	production buyer: ILM creature shop
Pam Kaye	....	production accountant: ILM visual effects unit
Pete Kozachik	....	visual effects camera operator: ILM visual effects unit
Tad Krzanowski	....	animatronic designer: ILM creature shop
Lisa Lamerdin	....	featherer: ILM creature shop
Tim Lawrence	....	duck world ducks creation: ILM creature shop
Victoria Lewis	....	featherer: ILM creature shop
Laurel Lichten	....	painter: ILM creature shop
Ellen E. Lichtwardt	....	visual effects animation supervisor: ILM
James Lim	....	optical camera operator: ILM visual effects unit
Mike MacKenzie	....	engineer: ILM visual effects unit
Tamia Marg	....	stop motion construction: ILM visual effects unit
Michael J. McAlister	....	visual effects supervisor
Patrick McArdle	....	stop motion photography: ILM visual effects unit
Sean McCormick	....	foam latex technician: ILM creature shop
David McCue	....	visual effects optical supervisor: ILM
Roberto McGrath	....	stills: ILM visual effects unit
Scott McNamara	....	location animatronics: ILM creature shop
Mark S. Miller	....	coordinator: ILM creature shop
Richard Miller	....	sculptor: ILM creature shop
Jack Mongovan	....	rotoscope: ILM visual effects unit
Rodney Morgan	....	animatronic designer: ILM creature shop
Jodi Muggenthaler	....	production accountant: ILM visual effects unit
Charlie Mullen	....	production manager: ILM visual effects unit
Lori J. Nelson	....	production assistant: ILM visual effects unit
Bruce Nicholson	....	optical consultant: ILM visual effects unit
Kerry Nordquist	....	stills: ILM visual effects unit
Phillip Norwood	....	visual effects art direction
Michael Olague	....	visual effects crew
Jeff Olson	....	model maker: ILM visual effects unit (as Jeffrey Olsen)
Frank Ordaz	....	visual effects matte painting supervisor: ILM
Randy Ottenberg	....	model maker: ILM visual effects unit
Michael Owens	....	visual effects camera operator: ILM visual effects unit
Ease Owyeung	....	animatronic designer: ILM creature shop
Ease Owyeung	....	model shop supervisor: ILM visual effects unit
Caris Palm	....	visual effects camera operator: ILM visual effects unit
Udo Pampel	....	visual effects machine shop: ILM
Terrence Peck	....	assistant editor: ILM visual effects unit
Mary-Curtis Ratcliff	....	featherer: ILM creature shop
Stacy Raven	....	featherer: ILM creature shop
John Reed	....	moldmaker: ILM creature shop
Cindy Reid	....	rotoscope: ILM visual effects unit
Jay Riddle	....	animation cameraman
Louis Rivera	....	lab technician: ILM visual effects unit
Susan Ross	....	model maker: ILM visual effects unit
Thomas Rosseter	....	optical line-up: ILM visual effects unit
Wesley Seeds	....	model maker: ILM visual effects unit
Mark Setrakian	....	animatronic designer: ILM creature shop
Kenneth Smith	....	optical consultant: ILM visual effects unit
David Sosalla	....	consulting designer: ILM creature shop (as Dave Sosalla)
Tom St. Amand	....	visual effects stop motion animation: ILM
Howard Stein	....	visual effects editor: ILM
Nick Stern	....	visual effects animator: ILM visual effects unit
Kitt Stevens	....	production buyer: ILM creature shop
Shelly Stevens	....	featherer: ILM creature shop
Peter Stolz	....	miniature pyrotechnics: ILM visual effects unit
Eben Stromquist	....	animatronic design supervisor: ILM creature shop
Pat Sweeney	....	visual effects camera operator: ILM visual effects unit
Marc Thorpe	....	animatronic designer: ILM creature shop
Vince Tilker	....	visual effects machine shop: ILM
Phil Tippett	....	stop motion supervisor: ILM visual effects unit
Pat Turner	....	visual effects camera operator: ILM visual effects unit
Sean Turner	....	visual effects animator: ILM visual effects unit
Richard Vander Wende	....	matte artist: ILM visual effects unit
Bruce Vecchitto	....	optical line-up: ILM visual effects unit
Lauren Vogt	....	location makeup and feathers: ILM creature shop
Harry Walton	....	visual effects stop motion supervisor: ILM
Chuck Wiley	....	model maker: ILM visual effects unit
Jeffrey Wilkins	....	animatronic designer: ILM creature shop
Hal Miles	....	visual effects artist (uncredited)
Phil Robinson	....	visual effects animator: ILM (uncredited)

Stunts
Everett Creach	....	stunt coordinator
Margarita Fernández	....	stunt duck
Paul M. Lane	....	stunt driver
Don Ruffin	....	stunts
Mickey Alzola	....	stunts (uncredited)
Debbie Lee Carrington	....	stunt duck (uncredited)
Everett Creach	....	stunts (uncredited)
Norma J. Creach	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dick Durock	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bob Herron	....	stunts (uncredited)
Shawn Lane	....	stunt double: Tim Robbins (uncredited)
Gary Littlejohn	....	stunts (uncredited)
Eddie Mulder	....	stunts (uncredited)
Felix Silla	....	stunt duck (uncredited)
Neil Summers	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Michael Bertram	....	video assist operator: second unit
Albert Bettcher	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Rick Borchardt	....	key grip: second unit
Bobby Byrne	....	director of photography: second unit
Dave Childers	....	best boy grip
Joe Crowley	....	gaffer: second unit
Bob Finley III	....	best boy
Jon Guterres	....	dolly grip
Jim Hawks	....	video assist operator
M. Todd Henry	....	assistant camera: "a" camera (as Todd Henry)
Robert Hillman	....	camera operator: second unit
Doug Hunt	....	second assistant camera
Monty Hunter	....	second assistant camera: second unit
Barbara Lakin	....	still photographer: second unit
Leo Loverro	....	second grip second unit
Kim Marks	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Richard Craig Meinardus	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Daniel P. Moore	....	video assist operator
Deborah Morgan	....	second assistant camera: second unit
David B. Nowell	....	camera operator: second unit
Bobby Powell	....	best boy: second unit
Patrick Riley	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Peter Sorel	....	still photographer
Gregg Valley	....	video assist operator: second unit

Casting Department
Jill Alman	....	casting: second unit
Patricia DeOliveira	....	additional casting
Nancy Nayor	....	additional casting
Diane Saltzberg	....	additional casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Michael Becker	....	costume coordinator
Bill Brewer	....	assistant costume designer
Andrea Cooper	....	costumer
Claudia Everett	....	specialty costume cutter
Barbara Hartman-Jenichen	....	specialty costume cutter
Jerry Holcomb	....	wardrobe assistant second unit
Odessa McDuffie	....	costumer
Sue Miller	....	assistant costume designer
Sue Miller	....	wardrobe supervisor: second unit
Kathy Phillips	....	costumer
Anne Polland	....	key costumer
Nancy Servin	....	costume cutter: specialty costumes

Editorial Department
Charles Bornstein	....	additional editor
Phil Downey	....	color timer
Rick Finney	....	assistant editor
Jay Ignaszewski	....	first assistant editor
Kate MacDonald	....	apprentice editor
Debra McDermott	....	associate editor
Jim Schurmann	....	color timer
Edward Warschilka	....	additional editor
John Watson	....	assistant editor

Music Department
John Barry	....	conductor
Tom Boyd	....	musician: oboe soloist
Christopher S. Brooks	....	supervising music editor
Thomas Dolby	....	music producer: original songs
Dennis Dreith	....	composer: additional music
Jeff Kliment	....	music editor
Sylvester Levay	....	composer: additional music
Richard McIlvery	....	music mixer: Musician
Louise Rubacky	....	assistant music editor
Rick Sanchez	....	music recording engineer
James Thatcher	....	musician: French horn
Dan Wallin	....	music recordist

Transportation Department
Jack Carpenter	....	driver: camera car
Wes Phillips	....	transportation captain: second unit
Anthony Muto Jr.	....	picture vehicles (uncredited)

Other crew
Peter Baird	....	puppeteer
Rick Blide	....	craft service: second unit
Lyle Byrum	....	pilot: ultralight plane
Deborah Capen	....	dyer
Bundy Chanock	....	set medic
Miles Chapin	....	duck coach
Dan Curry	....	title designer
Carol DePasquale	....	script supervisor: second unit
Jo Donaldson	....	researcher
Sarah Elgart	....	choreographer
Rory Enke	....	location manager
Deborah Fine	....	researcher
Jim Gary	....	dinosaurs
K.C. Hodenfield	....	production assistant: second unit
Louise Jaffe	....	script supervisor
Joe Johnston	....	ultralight sequence design
Karen Kalton	....	production coordinator
Emily Kaufman	....	assistant: Gloria Katz
Patrick Moriarty	....	duck communications
Nikki Rodis-Jamero	....	duck design
Chuck Roseberry	....	production assistant
Jim Schelter	....	assistant: Randy Thom
Steve Sleap	....	puppeteer
Lisa Sturz	....	puppeteer
Peter Taylor	....	production assistant
Phil Tippett	....	alien monster design
Jeromy Zajonc	....	aerial safety assistant
Robert 'Bobby Z' Zajonc	....	aerial coordinator
Robert 'Bobby Z' Zajonc	....	helicopter pilot: second unit
Lynnanne Zager	....	adr voice (uncredited)

Thanks
Justin Silverman	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Universal Pictures (presents)
• Lucasfilm

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1986) (USA) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1986) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1986) (UK) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1986) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1986) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1987) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1994) (USA) (VHS)
• Koch Media (2007) (Germany) (DVD)
• Metrodome Distribution (2008) (UK) (DVD)
• Universal Studios Home Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD) (special edition)
• Video Film Express (2010) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• CIC Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Esselte CIC Video (198?) (Netherlands) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Industrial Light & Magic (ILM)
• Tippett Studio

Other Companies

• Dolby Laboratories  sound post-production
• Pacific Studios Inc.  chromatrans background

Also Known As:

"Howard: A New Breed of Hero" - UK
"Howard - ein tierischer Held" - Austria, West Germany
"Howard - uuden ajan sankari" - Finland
"Howard a kacsa" - Hungary (imdb display title)
"Howard e o Destino do Mundo" - Portugal
"Howard, el superhéroe" - Peru (imdb display title)
"Howard, o Super-Herói" - Brazil
"Howard, o ahtypitos" - Greece (transliterated ISO-LATIN-1 title)
"Howard, une nouvelle race de héros" - Canada (French title)
"Howard... e il destino del mondo" - Italy
"Howard... un nuevo héroe" - Spain
"Ingen plockar Howard" - Sweden
"Kaczor Howard" - Poland
"Who Prosecuted Howard the Duck?" - Japan (English title)

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Iceland:12 | USA:PG (certificate #28226) | West Germany:12 (cut) | Germany:16 (2007 re-rating) | UK:PG (cut) | UK:12 (DVD rating) | Australia:PG | South Korea:12 | Netherlands:6 | Portugal:M/12 | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Black Point, California, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

John Cusack and Martin Short auditioned for the voice of Howard.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Phill is driving Beverly, Howard and Carter in a van to the lab, the shifter for the van is in the Park position.

Quotes:

Howard T. Duck:Every duck has his limit, and you scum have pushed me over the line!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Long-Term Relationship (2006)

Soundtrack:

Howard the Duck

A painfully funny 80s time capsule that should be embraced!

Considered one of the most notorious box-office flops in history (next to the 'Road to Morocco'-ripoff 'Ishtar' with Dustin Hoffman and Warren Beatty the following year), 'Howard the Duck' became the laughing stock of critics and movie-goers alike when it was released in theaters in 1986. If its executive producer, George Lucas, had his way, he would have canned that movie for good. But thanks to the home video boom in the 1980s, 'Howard' would follow suit and find his way into video stores across America.

Nearly twenty years later, 'Howard' is slowly being pulled from video store shelves. But it is now that a film of such poor quality can be truly appreciated.

Here's how it all goes down: You are dropped onto a planet from a far-away universe, where ducks are human-like and are running the world, only to be pulled out again moments later. An everyday working-duck by the name of Howard gets sucked out of his living room on his recliner after returning to his apartment after a long, hard day.

After the opening title is shown in the thundering tradition of cinematic heavyweights like '2001: A Space Odyssey', we see Howard's decent toward the planet Earth. Once he has reluctantly gotten his feet on the ground, he clashes with the dregs of society and saves the lead singer of an all-female punk band named Beverly, (played by 'Back to the Future's Lea Thompson). She tries to give him a hand, and help him get an explanation as to how he got sucked out of his living room and landed in Cleveland, Ohio.

That explanation never actually makes any sense, but that doesn't matter, because better plot developments hinge upon it. With the help of a goofy lab janitor Phil (played by the immortal Tim Robbins in an early comedic role) and a big time nuclear scientist Dr. Jennings (none other than Jeffery Jones), Howard finds out that a giant laser Jennings was using went haywire, and pulled Howard down instead. But going back isn't going to be so easy, because one of Dark Overlords of Evil hitched a ride on that laser, and has plans of planet domination and destruction. And who better than to save the day than the 3'1" (3'2", that is) wise-"quacking" title character, Howard T. Duck!

Although George Lucas got ripped apart for having his hands in this one, I have yet to see a movie that is so awful, so terribly bad that I have been brought to tears crying at simply recalling scenes from this flick. The opening sequences on the duck planet contain countless parodies of American pop culture, and Howard's implausible hurtle through space is enough to make even the most serious chuckle.

Audiences back in 1986 didn't seem to, however. But something about watching this flop nearly two decades later makes all of these scenes so much funnier. The way I see it, our teen generation now has a funny fascination with the decade in which they were born, the 80s, and anything from it has a distinctive look and sound. American pop culture was throwing away Three's Company for MTV, LPs for tapes, and the Bee Gees for the Brat Pack. The youth took yet another step in distancing themselves from their parents, and although they furthered that schism, they too felt a strong connection the past few decades. What was happening when I was in utero? Taking my first steps? Saying my first words?

Today's generation has 'Howard the Duck' as one of the most endangered time capsules of the 80s. You've got a one-of-a-kind performance by now Acadmey Award Winner Tim Robbins, whose his explanation of duck's evolutionary scale is priceless. George Lucas's own Industrial Light and Magic (ILM) special effects studio must be embarassed to have itself credited with the horrendous effects (the Dark Overlord, for one). You've got a helplessly catchy theme song, revelling in all of its cheesy 80s pop-synth glory.

The jokes are terrible, the dialogue sub-par, the plot laughable. But you know what, you'll laugh you a$$ off.

Join me in saving Howard from being pulled from video store shelves. Today's generation will love the waddling fowl more than the angry movie-goers who saw this dud in the theaters. Keep him alive!