Though the attempts are numerous, the success rate of a “”Saturday Night Live”” skit jumping to the big screen is low. “”The Blues Brothers,”” “”Superstar”” and “”Coneheads,”” off the top of my head, turned humorous four-minute sketches into 90 minute hits. How rare, then, that Mike Myers’ “”Wayne’s World”” was able to strike it rich not once but twice with his creative cable-access hero Wayne Campbell in the movie “”Wayne’s World”” and the sequel, “”Wayne’s World 2.””
When the first “”Wayne’s World”” came out in 1992, the skit was at the height of its popularity. Myers and co-star Dana Carvey, who played blonde ball of nerves Garth Algar, had made words like schwing and sphincter socially acceptable, and audiences were encouraged to “”party on.”” The loveable losers were huge on “”Saturday Night Live,”” andthe film version of the skit seemed inevitable.But unlike its predecessors, “”Wayne’s World”” manages to take the concept established on “”SNL”” and expand it. Wayne and Garth, still broadcasting from Wayne’s basement in Aurora, Ill., are approached by a sleezy TV executive (deliciously played by a then-outcastRob Lowe) to syndicate their show, all so he can reap enormous profits. All the guys want to do, though, is score with hot babes. Garth has his eye on a foxy coffee shop vixen (Donna Dixon), while Wayne is smitten with Cassandra (Tia Carrere), the lead singer of a local rock band who positively “”wails.”” Just ask, Wayne.The film milks laughs out of a number of unusual sequences that seemed odd at the time, but now seem routine given how much of Myers’ bizarre psyche we’ve been exposed to. Myers and Carvey lampoon “”Laverne & Shirley,”” single-handedly revive rock legendsQueen through a rousing Karaoke performance of the band’s “”Bohemian Rhapsody”” and present three endings to the same movie. Take that, “”Clue.””Given the success of the first film, “”Wayne’s World 2″” was blessed with a bigger budget and a modicum of credibility, which led to the casting of bigger names in smaller roles. Myers, Carvey and Carrere all return, but the villainous role is beautifully filled by Christopher Walken, here playing a sleezy record contractor who’s eager to signCassandra’s band. He drives a wedge between Wayne and Cassandra, prompting Wayne to win his girl back by putting on an enormous rock concert and luring the coolest bands to Aurora. No way. Way!Garth seems to have moved up in the world. He falls for, and lands, a babe named Honey Hornee (Kim Basinger). Uber-chick Heather Locklear, forever worshipped by the boys, also appears as herself at an Aerosmith show, and yes, the band does show up to play a few songs. More importantly, none of the first film’s twisted humor is lost in the sequel. Wayne spends the majority of the film interacting with a “”weird naked Indian”” in his dreams, the duo recruit a legendary roadie who once beat a candy store owner to death for some M&Ms, and Chris Farley shows up as the world’s most eager concert bouncer. While notas sharp as the first film, “”World 2″” still showcases some hilarious bits, all courtesy of Myers’ creativity and drawing power from the celebrity community.GRADES:Wayne’s World: BWayne’s World 2: C+THE EXTRAS: Released by Paramount on DVD, “”Wayne’s World”” 1 & 2 both offer feature-length commentaries by their respective directors (Penelope Spheeris for the original, Stephen Surjik for the sequel), and exclusive cast & crew interviews. They offer a bit more insight into the films, though a commentary track by stars Myers and Carvey could have beenfunny. Paramount’s specialty appears to be the commentary track, and they don’t disappoint here. Though aside from interactive menus and trailers, there’s not much else. GRADE: C-OVERALL EXPERIENCE:In the long line of “”SNL”” films, “”Wayne’s World”” and its sequel rise toward the head of the pack, making them worth owning. Paramount has already released several of the “”SNL”” films, including “”The Ladies Man”” (which was one of the studio’s worst) and “”Coneheads”” (one of the best). As long as the studio sticks to this type of fare, and staysclear of the likes of “”Stuart Saves His Family”” or “”It’s Pat,”” I’m content to give them my support. These movies are funny, and will make good additions to your collection.FINAL GRADE: B-