User:Nicolassequeira/Bio-Dome
“We stand on the precipice of feasibility... one push is all it will take for us to hurtle over the abyss.”
– -Bud "Squirrel" Macintosh, PhD Emeritus
Bio-Dome is a 1996 feel-good coming-of-age romantic buddy comedy film starring Pauly Shore and Alec Baldwin’s terrifying clone Stephen Baldwin. Written to re-create the heartwarming moments of such films as Rain Man or Scarecrow, the film marks the last film appearance of Pauly Shore, who shortly after the wrap party fell into a vortex of irrelevancy the likes of which no other '90s comedian has ever seen.
Plot[edit | edit source]
Bud “Squirrel” Macintosh and Doyle “Stubs” Johnson are two charismatic yet eccentric college graduates who have recently completed several successive internships at Apple and Greenpeace. On the verge of a scientific breakthrough that could reduce the carbon output of a Toyota Corolla by up to 69%, Doyle uses unorthodox measures to speed up the process, such as hitting Bud in the face with an encyclopedia and having Bud collect toenail samples. Macintosh and Johnson are soon visited by their girlfriends, Jen and Monique, who praise them for their honesty, integrity, and dedication.
Shortly after, Macintosh and Johnson are contacted by an elite research team working out of a self-contained environment known as the Bio-Dome. The “Biodome Five” express their desires to become the “Biodome Seven,” and both Bud and Doyle are too happy to oblige, given their extensive backgrounds in the field and their team-oriented mindset. They gather their supplies and arrive at the Biodome in the midst of a press conference. Among the Hubbub they encounter an irate security guard who denies them access. Ever resourceful, the duo fakes a bomb scare in order to gain safe passage into the Bio-Dome through the throngs of unruly paparazzi. The ploy is successful, and soon enough Bud and Doyle are welcomed by their colleagues. Two of the three female residents of the Bio-Dome, Dr. Petra Von Kant and Dr. Mimi Simkins, instantly develop an inexplicable infatuation with Macintosh and Johnson, while the third woman, Dr. Olivia Biggs, maintains a healthy working relationship with the duet despite their excessive pheromones.
Macintosh and Johnson’s innovative measures and groundbreaking methods are commended by the team’s leader, Dr. Noah Faulkner, who feels as if they’re the sons he never had. Bud and Doyle’s work ethic is also praised by the original Bio-Dome Five, who feel that Macintosh and Johnson’s tireless efforts to improve the living conditions and environmental sustainability of the Bio-Dome could render them obsolete.
Despite their dedicated exteriors, Macintosh and Johnson are actually going through a complex and irreversible mental process. The hours of prolonged isolation and disconnect from the outside world lead to both Bud and Doyle having emotional breakdowns, which results in them breaking into the snack cabinet at 3 A.M. through the air ducts and crying hysterically. At this point they’re frail and devoid of substance, and the fact that they haven’t seen their girlfriends in months isn’t helping anything, either. Soon enough fatigue and stress overload Bud and Doyle, and their decaying condition results in them accidentally destroying Dr. Romulus’s prized butterfly collection. He apologizes, knowing full well the struggle they’re going through in the name of science.
To cheer Macintosh and Johnson up and to reward them, Faulkner arranges a lavish party during which Jen and Monique show up and spend some quality time discussing the merits of nuclear power with Stubs and Squirrel. The party is headlined by 90s alt-rock band Wax, who bring their all in a climactic spectacle of musical prowess. Macintosh and Johnson are declared the emperors of the Bio-Dome and are floated down the artificial river in the rainforest area wearing opulent crowns of sustainably harvested fruit.
After this, Dr. Faulkner awards Bud and Doyle with the Nobel prize, and both unparalleled talents are released from the Bio-Dome along with Jen and Monique, who tell Macintosh and Johnson that they’re the only men they’ll ever love. A brief montage is displayed over the end credits, revealing that Squirrel has earned a Doctorate in Biology and Stubs has earned a PhD in Bioinformatics and Genetics.
Production[edit | edit source]
The film began production when Director Jason Bloom embarked on a mystical Buddhist retreat in the famous Ventura Temple For The Redemption of Broken People. During his stay he emptied the wine bar and walked out into the forest at 4 A.M. By the time he returned to the compound, his eyes had been pecked out by wild pheasants and he had covered his body with mud.
Following this epiphany, Bloom contacted MGM, who told him that his vision could be lucrative if handled properly. Due to Bloom's spontaneous loss of vision, actor Pauly Shore, who plays raunchy genius Bud "Squirrel" Macintosh in the film, had to type the script out on Reynolds Wrap. Stephen Baldwin was initially hesitant to accept the role of eccentric virtuoso Doyle "Stubs" Johnson, as at the time he was still permanently fused to the hip of his older twin brother/genetic benefactor, Alec Baldwin. However, through the use of movie magic and extensive editing, Alec was successfully removed from every scene except one, where his leg can be seen getting crushed under the tires of Bud and Doyle's iconic vehicle, the '89 Burper.
Jason Bloom had an ongoing feud with director Jason Blum at the time. This resulted in several subliminal messages interspersed at key moments throughout the film, such as "Hey, if you think The Purge has anything to say about society, wait until you finish watching Bio-Dome!" and "Get Out shouldn't have won Best Picture, if you want to see a really good movie, check out Overnight Delivery."
Reception[edit | edit source]
Bio-Dome was given an initial seven-night screening at the 1996 South by Southwest film festival, winning both Best Director for Jason Bloom and best actor for both leads. The release was packed with people who described viewing Bio Dome as “electric, fascinating, transcendent.” Columnist Roy Hinkley stated that "...from the scene where quirky wunderkind Doyle "Stubs" Johnson farts a lot to the scene where the silly prodigy Bud "Squirrel" Macintosh misplaces his genitals, this film has everything it takes to become iconic, an integral part of the American zeitgeist."
Critics had a similar reaction, comparing the environmental themes of Bio-Dome to Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, and touting the educational potential of the film, with some critics stating that Bio-Dome should be screened in schools nationwide to teach students about the importance of picking up trash and using sustainable energy. Leonard Maltin said that the film was “Unlike any movie before or since... when one watches Bio-Dome, they are transported to another realm where the critical importance of environmental accountability is made as clear as a contact lens.”
Since its release, Bio-Dome has been a staple at Earth Day viewing parties and has been issued on VHS, LaserDisc, Betamax, DVD, Blu-ray, 8-Track and every other conceivable format under the sun.