Captain Chaos
Captain Chaos is a fictional character in the Cannonball Run movie series. He is the alter-ego of mild-mannered mechanic Victor Prinzim (Dom DeLuise). Whenever Victor or any of his friends are being threatened, Victor is instantly compelled to don his satin cape and mask to become Captain Chaos. Doctors have diagnosed Victor with multiple personality disorder, even though Victor is convinced that he actually channels the true spirit of a living superhero who always arrives just in time to save the day.[1][2][3][4]
Author David Quinlan wrote of Cannonball Run in The TV Times Film and Video Guide, stating [sic] "The best thing in the film is Dom DeLuise who, as the schizophrenic Victor, turns in moments of stress into tubby superhero Captain Chaos!"[5]
Characteristics and abilities
Captain Chaos appears to have enhanced strength, perhaps fueled by Victor's rushes of adrenaline in times of danger or need. His appearances are always prefaced by the vocal fanfare "Dun dun DUNNNN!!", to approximate Chaos' theme music.
When Victor transforms into Captain Chaos, he speaks very dynamically and deep like a stereotypical superhero. He laughs heartily when villains and foes fall beneath his heavy hand of justice, and he stands triumphantly akimbo when the danger has passed. Captain Chaos also appears to be fearless and to possess superhuman skills at driving an automobile.
In the event that his Captain Chaos uniform is destroyed, as was the case when J.J. rips off the costume at the end of the first film after losing the race, he also has a second alter ego, "Captain U.S.A."
"...Him."
While Victor is a friendly, childlike character, when situations arise that he is too afraid to handle himself, he becomes Captain Chaos. But the heroic Captain is seen more as an annoyance to Victor's best friend, J.J. McClure (Burt Reynolds). Because of this, Victor is explicitly forbidden from speaking the name of Captain Chaos in front of J.J., hence the reason Victor always cautiously refers to the hero simply as "...Him." (usually followed by a twinge of magical music).
Origin
In the first Cannonball Run film, Pamela (Farrah Fawcett) asks Victor how he came to know Captain Chaos. Victor explains as follows:
| “ | When I was real young, I didn't have any friends like I do now, like J.J., and...well, like J.J. One day, I was in the schoolyard, nine guys were beatin' me up pretty good, and there he was. Dun dun DUNNN!...out of the blue! Pow! Slam! Bam! Baff! I sure was grateful! Nobody bothered me at school after that. | ” |
Filmography
The character of Captain Chaos as portrayed by Dom DeLuise has appeared in The Cannonball Run (1981), Cannonball Run II (1984), and his alter ego, Victor Prinzim, appeared (in doll form) in the Robot Chicken episode "Gold Dust Gasoline" (2005), voiced by DeLuise.[6]
Notes
While in his Captain Chaos persona, he refers to J.J. as "Kato," sidekick to The Green Hornet.
Washington Redskins' tight end Chris Cooley(2004-2012), was given the nickname "Captain Chaos" by his teammates. This nickname was created when teammates bet him he would not go out to the opening coin toss and introduce himself to the opposing team captains as "Captain Chaos," along with his goofy 70's style Afro Cooley sported early in his career. He did, so the nickname stuck.
References
- ↑ Brian Thomas (2003). VideoHound's dragon: Asian action & cult flicks. Visible Ink Press. ISBN 1-57859-141-4.
- ↑ Scott Von Doviak (2005). Hick flicks: the rise and fall of redneck cinema. McFarland,. p. 113. ISBN 0-7864-1997-0.
- ↑ Brock Yates (2003). Cannonball!. MotorBooks International. p. 262. ISBN 0-7603-1633-3.
- ↑ Jason Wood (2007). One hundred road movies. BFI. p. 31. ISBN 1-84457-160-2.
- ↑ David Quinlan (1998). The TV Times Film and Video Guide. Batsford. p. 116. ISBN 0-7134-8443-8.
- ↑ "Robot Chicken Season 1 Episode 3 - "Gold Dust Gasoline"". "Death Race". 16 September 2011.