Ernest Scared Stupid (1991) d. John Cherry (USA) (91 min)
Confession: prior to now, I had never seen an Ernest P. Worrell movie or television skit. I was aware of the character created by Jim Varney and advertising executive-turned-director John Cherry from the various direct-address commercials he appeared in, frequently spouting his signature “KnowwhatImean,Vern?”catchphrase, but I had never had the inclination to actually sit down and experience the phenomenon firsthand. When I stumbled across a three-pack of Ernest films at the local library with the October Challenge in full swing – a time when good judgment often gives way to “why the hell not?” – it seemed like the perfect opportunity. Having ventured to the other side, however, I wish I could say I understood the appeal or, more to the point, that everyone’s standards could have been just that much higher.
