So, how on Earth does a movie, made at the height of fame for both Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd, not get released? That’s a complicated one to answer, but for comedy fans, the 1984 movie "Nothing Lasts Forever" is something of a holy grail film, but thanks to the (probably temporary) powers of the interwebs, you can see the film that MGM apparently twice prevented from screening at the Cannes Film Festival.
Written and directed by longtime "Saturday Night Live" veteran Tom Schiller, "Nothing Lasts Forever" is ambitious stuff, telling the story of a young man ("Gremlins" star Zach Galligan) who gets caught in the machinations of a totalitarian retro/future New York City. Aykroyd plays Galligan’s boss, Murray gets an extended cameo, Mort Sahl, Lawrence Tierney, Imogene Coca and Larry “Bud” Melman take on supporting roles, and Howard Shore provided the score. So what happened? It’s hard to say. MGM did one test screening, audiences didn’t respond, and they shelved the movie. But the cult around the film has grown, with calls throughout the years for a release on home video. But that might prove difficult.
In creating the unique black-and-white world of the film, "Nothing Lasts Forever" utilizes lots of vintage clips in telling the story, and as a result, it’s believed that getting copyright clearances could be difficult. That said, both Murray and Aykroyd are big boosters of the film, and it has had one of screenings over the last few years. But if you couldn’t make it to one of them, check out the full movie below. [Dangerous Minds]
