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(2003)

Adam Goldberg plays Semitic hero Mordechai Jefferson Carver a.k.a The Hebrew Hammer. As the film begins, we see the insensitivity and lack of understanding that Mordechai dealt with as a child, when he was the only Jewish kid in his class. Born from this oppression is a superhero's determination and will power, and as an adult Mordechai makes his living as a New York private detective. But Carver is a lone wolf, and he isn't so sure he's interested in taking an assignment from Chief Bloomenbergansteinthal (Coyote) of the Jewish Justice League - or at least not until he meets the Chief's gorgeous daughter, Esther (Greer).

It seems a mysterious stranger named Damien (Dick) has made it his business to persuade Jewish children to abandon their faith in favor of celebrating Christmas, and it's Carver's job to find out who is behind Damien's campaign while urging kids to be proud of their Semitic heritage. In time, Carver learns that Damien is actually doing the dirty work of his sinister stepfather, Santa Claus ( Riehle)

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Cast

  • Adam Goldberg..................Mordechai
  • Andy Dick........................Damin Claus
  • Judy Greer..................................Esther
  • Mario Van Peebles...........Mohammed
  • Peter............ Bloomenbergansteinthal
  • Sean Whalen...........................Tiny Tim
  • Tony Cox.....................................Jamal
  • Nora Dunn.........................Mrs. Carver

Credits

  • Directed by.............Jonathan Kesselman

  • Screenplay by..........Jonathan Kesselman

  • Cinematography by............Burt Brabbee

  • Original Music by............Michael Cohen

  • Premiered in NY and LA on December 19, 2003

  • Running time: 85 minutes

  • Available on DVD

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Production:

Article on The Hebrew Hammer from the New York Observer (5/27/02)


Film Festivals Screenings:

  • Sundance Film Festival - January 23, 2003  (USA)

  • Toronto Jewish Film Festival - May 8, 2003  (Canada)

  • Cannes Film Festival - May 15, 2003   (France)

  • Seattle International Film Festival - June 6, 2003  (USA)

  • Fantastisk Filmfestival Lund - September 27, 2003  (Sweden)

  • Hong Kong Jewish Film Fetival - November 22, 2003  (Hong Kong)

  • Vancouver Jewish Film Festival - May 8, 2004  (Canada)

  • Buenos Aires Int'l Festival of Independent Cinema - April 13, 2005  (Argentina)

  • Warsaw Int'l Jewish Film Festival - May 23, 2005 (Poland)

Reviews:

Variety:
 "A good natured Judaic spin on the 70's Blaxploitation genre, the Hammer owes much to Mel Brooks and to the Naked Gun, Airplane!, Austin Powers tradition of broad comedy?infectiously silly..."

The Boston Globe:
"This whimsical, wacked-out ethnic comedy is hysterical -- if you're comfortable with rabid political incorrectness, that is. It's a relentless satire of Jewish stereotypes, made with great affection and Mel Brooksian irreverence by first-time writer-director Jonathan Kesselman. Built around the adventures of a superhero who wears a yarmulke and describes himself as "the meanest Hebe this side of Tel Aviv," the movie gets a four-Oy rating."

Miami Herald:
"...wickedly funny..."

The Capital Times:
"...an instant classic...reminds me of Mel Brooks' Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein...infinitely quotable..."

Salt Lake Tribune:
"An actual funny comedy...everyone in the theater was laughing.".

Orlando Sentinel:
"...profane, shockingly un-PC and often laugh-out-loud hilarious, this is the sort of parody that the folks who made the Airplane and Naked Gun movies used to make -- funny."

Rachel Markus, Filmfestivals.com:
"...an original and laugh-out-loud comedy that has created a new type of action-hero and certainly qualifies as the first 'Jewploitation' film...one need not be Jewish to find this outrageous film uniquely funny...[Kesselman] has scripted and reified a comedic action film which has several layers of humor to be discovered at every turn...Andy Dick (Reality Bites, The Cable Guy) is deliciously devilish as the evil Damian Claus; the versatile Mario Van Peebles (New Jack City, Ali) makes a stylish ally to Hammer as leader of the KLF; and Peter Coyote (E.T, Erin Brockovich) projects subtle comedic genius as the leader of the JJL, irresistibly funny as he sports a Star of David patch over one eye (ala Moshe Dyan) and screams commands while never being too far from a bagel and cream cheese."

Chris Barsanti, Filmcritic.com:
"In its individual set pieces, the film can be quite effective, even discovering a hitherto-unknown gleam of Mel Brooksian-slapstick talent in Peter Coyote, who plays Esther’s father, the eyepatch-wearing, eternally noshing head of the J.J.L."
 

"Peter Coyote’s manager kept calling to have Peter come in to audition. I thought he was a great actor but I never saw him play funny. He flew in on his dime and said to me 'My real name is actually Peter Cohen.'"

Images

Did you know?

  • It's available on DVD and video.

  • The film was shot on 33 New York City locations in 22 days in the spring of 2002.

  • It was shown on Comedy Central before it was released in theatres.

  • Kesselman's idol, Mel Brooks, was originally the choice for Chief Bloomenbergansteinthal but Brooks no longer takes acting roles.

 

[ The Official Peter Coyote Web Site ]