“Of course, it is exhausting, having to reason all the time in a universe that wasn’t meant to be reasonable.” Back in 1999, an unimpeachable satirical black comedy classic, Kurt Vonnegut’s 1973 novel, “Breakfast Of Champions”—about a used car salesman/struggling science fiction writer who, after fatefully meeting a wealthy businessman, becomes successful and wins a Nobel Prize and the insanity that ensues afterward— finally was adapted into a movie by the filmmaker Alan Rudolph (“Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle”).
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A who’s who of then-A-list 90s talent all clamored to be a part of the film: Bruce Willis, Albert Finney, Nick Nolte, Barbara Hershey, and more. Though the film premiered at the 49th Berlin International Film Festival and screened at the Toronto International Film Festival, the film fell on deaf ears, was poorly received by critics, bombed at the box office, and then generally vanished out of existence outside of a VHS and DVD run that soon went out of print. Perhaps it was just too zany and madcap and misunderstood for its time.
However, 25 years after its release, with the world perhaps just as topsy-turvy, on fire, and insane as it ever was, “Breakfast Of Champions” is finally getting a proper 4 K restoration re-lease. Just in time to commemorate its 25th Anniversary, Shout! Studios and Films We Like will release the film in 20+ markets beginning on November 1.
The film also co-stars Glenne Headly, Lukas Haas, Omar Epps, Vicki Lewis, Buck Henry, Ken Campbell, and Jake Johannsen.
Here’s the long-form official synopsis:
In conjunction with the comedy’s 25th Anniversary, there’s no better time to rediscover Rudolph’s unique cinematic vision and the timeless relevance of Vonnegut’s work in a pristine restoration ready to provoke thought and captivate audiences all over again.
BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS tells the story of car dealership titan Dwayne Hoover (Bruce Willis), the most respected man in Midland City. His smiling face appears on every local channel and billboard – a shining symbol of the American success syndrome. His message is “You Can Trust Dwayne Hoover.” And so they do.
But Dwayne Hoover is not smiling inside. Nor can he be trusted. Dwayne’s shady prosperity, picture-frame family, and small mind are cracking. His television commercial-addicted wife (Barbara Hershey) may or may not be physically present when he’s with her. His son (Lukas Haas) resides in a bomb shelter aspiring to be a lounge singer. His paranoid sales manager (Nick Nolte) has a significant sex secret. A Dwayne Hoover worshipper (Omar Epps) has taken up residence on his car lot. And his adulating secretary/lover (Glenne Headly) wonders if Dwayne Hoover has changed. The reeling business titan needs to find something or someone immediately to tell him the truth, to guide him out of this punishing yet well-deserved, self-doubt.
“It is most remarkable and rewarding to me that a restored theatrical screening 4K version of ‘Breakfast Of Champions’ is now available through Shout! Studios and Films We Like,” says director Rudolph. “Audiences are finally able to appreciate the truly brilliant comedic performances of Bruce Willis, Nick Nolte, Albert Finney…and others. Perhaps the past quarter century of American behavior has better-prepared viewers for our surreal exploration of Kurt Vonnegut’s characters from his biting portrayal of America’s mad and chaotic search for identity and sanity.”
Generally out of easy-to-find circulation for nearly 25 years, “Breakfast Of Champions” can soon be rediscovered in all its zany glory on November 1. Watch the new trailer, and check out the new poster, which The Playlist presents exclusively, below.
