Howard the Duck (film)/YMMV

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.


  • Adaptation Displacement: Would Howard the Duck be as famous if it wasn't for this bomb of a movie? It's quite possible that the comics made after the movie wouldn't still be around if people didn't read them to... see them mock the movie regularly.
  • Crowning Moment of Funny: "She took my eggs."
  • Cult Classic
  • A Day in the Limelight: As terrible as this film was, the short scene at the unemployment office is a genuinely amusing simple scene that reflects the real satiric wit of Steve Gerber's comic stories.
  • Ham and Cheese: Once Dr. Jennings has his body taken over by the "dark overlord," Jeffrey Jones starts playing the villain way over the top. Amusingly enough, Howard and Belme don't take him seriously, even having a Face Palm at some point.
  • Just Here for Godzilla: Clive Barker has mentioned that he sat through this movie to see the Dark Overlord's true self.
  • Narm:
    • "Dat's a duck! Dat's a duck, man!"
    • On a similar topic, some kids think Howard is cute at first and want to pet him. But when he waves his fingers, he becomes terrifying.
  • Snark Bait: The film seems to stay out of total obscurity simply because of George Lucas' involvement.
  • So Bad It's Good
  • Special Effect Failure:
    • Howard is a duck? No way, he is a small person in a suit! Ironically, in the movie (and a few times in the comics), he is actually mistaken several times for a small person in a suit!
    • Subverted with the Dark Overlord; considered to be the best effect in the film by a few critics who bashed the film.
  • Uncanny Valley: Howard. Just...Howard.
    • And he isn't even human...