AFI's "Three Years, Three Laughs: The Top 12 DTMT FIlms of All-Time!" #8: Hidden Camera Guy

While our previous film was retardingly inspirational and uplifting, the next entry on our list takes us on a dark journey that still haunts audiences to this very day. Clocking in at #8 on AFI's list of "The Top 12 DTMT FIlms of All-Time" it's the disturbing vigilante tale "Hidden Camera Guy". 

    The story, much like gritty 1970s films such as Taxi Driver, Mean Streets, and Baby's Day Out, takes square aim at the seedy underbelly of society, casting a grim light on that society and saying "Hey, society, what the hell man? Come on now." The main character is a deranged overweight vigilante named Pat Stango (played by Fantasy Island's Herve Villechaize in a  bravura performance) who seeks to thwart both terrorism and baby-murder with a series of ill-placed hidden cameras. The film was criticized upon release for its gratuitous violence and hardcore nudity, although there is neither of those in the actual film as the character  is horrible at catching criminals and also Pat would never appear naked on camera because of intense body issues. "Hidden Camera Guy" was blamed for inspiring a spread of inept vigilante justice, mostly involving people throwing old VHS camcorders at one another. It is presumed that none of those people actually saw the film.

  The film also contains a rare performance by the enigmatic David Mellissy, who plays both the stereotypical Russian gangster and the narrator. It is believed that Mellissy went mad from yelling out the titular line "HidDen CaMera!", and now delivers pizza at a Papa Gino's. And now at number 8, we present to you the primal scream that is "Hidden Camera Guy"