Wuchak
2/24/2024
**_Fun Indiana Jones knock-off with Cyndi Lauper and Jeff Goldblum_** In Manhattan, a man and woman with impressive paranormal abilities (Lauper & Goldblum) are hoodwinked by a questionable man (Peter Falk) into going to the Ecuadorian mountains to find a lost city and great treasure. Julian Sands is also on hand. "Vibes" (1988) is cut from the same cloth as “Raiders of the Last Ark,” “King Solomon’s Mines” and “Firewalker,” mixed with a little "Ghostbusters," but it’s the least of these due to too many stabs at humor falling flat, not to mention it needed a tighter script and better special effects. No wonder it flopped at the box office. Still, it's a fun 80’s flick full of high misadventure with great Andes locations. It was Cyndi’s movie debut. Dan Aykroyd was originally slated for Goldblum’s role, but he opted out after meeting the “unusual” musician. Lauper said in her autobiography that she and Jeff didn’t get along during shooting. Nevertheless, you can tell some of the cast had a good time, like Falk. It just needed better writing. The film runs 1 hour, 39 minutes, and was shot in Riverside, which is a 45-minute drive east of Los Angeles, and Ecuador (Cuenca and Azogues), along with the exteriors of 32 Washington Place, Manhattan, used as the Department of Paranormal Studies. GRADE: C+
