MovieChat Forums > Coneheads (1993) Discussion > Garthok Scene

Garthok Scene

posted 18 years ago by mtordai
4 replies | jump to latest

Are there any hardcore Coneheads fans that can help me out here?

Bare with me as the last time I saw this movie it was 1993 and I was 10 years old.

I have been confused about the Garthok scene for some time now. I guess I either don't understand or don't get it. From what I recall when going back to Remulak we see a white Comehead going before the Highmaster and he has to nafarle the Gathok. A few guards take him away screaming and then Akroyd goes in front of the Highmaster and is suppose to nafarle the Gathok as well but I forget why.

What I am totally confused by is what was the point of this battle? To me it seems like the Coneheads don't stand a chance against the Garthok. I mean considering that they don't even give the poor guys a decent weapon. It kind of looks likes a club but they don't even get near the thing in order to use it. To me it's more like a death sentence, like capital punishment then anything else. I suppose to me it just doesn't make scene. After that I remember a black Conehead goes up (later found out that it was Tim Meadows), screams and get eaten. Then after him a white Comeheads go up and also get seaten. I do recall that after the second guy gets eaten Akroyd argues with the guy sitting next to him about who is suppose to be next and of course it is not Akroyd but the other guy who goes up, screams and gets eaten. I forget what the contestants say though before they go. I also remember seeing some body parts flying onto a set of stairs. An arm and a leg and forget what the third one was.

Is there a video of that entire scene that I can see online? It might help me understand this scene a bit more.

I guess my main questions are: Where does the Gathok come from? What is the point of fighting it? Do you think any Conehead has actually defeated it, or was Akroyd the first? Once the fight is over, where the Garthok go? Why don't they give the contestants a real weapon? I do remember three moons aligning or something and then the Gathok appears. What was that about?

Thanks, any responses will help.

[–] lartrak 18 years ago

It's obviously meant to be a near-death sentence, as they're amazed when Ackroyd wins. Other than that, I think you're thinking about the scene too hard. It's not meant to be taken that seriously.

[–] Bill_Williams84 18 years ago

There was in fact a scene where the Garthak has his head cut off after he chokes to death, but it was deemed too gruesome for a comedy and it was left on the cutting room floor. However, the sequence that follows there is blue blood on Beldar's body. It's the Garthak's blood. You can also see his head next to Beldar's legs when he announces he will return to earth to destroy it.

Photographic memory. What can I say?

[–] savagesteve13 12 years ago

That was the whole idea, you couldn't do it with just a tiny hooked stick. It was a blood sport for the Conehead masses to enjoy and it was a form of capital punishment.

Beldar's victory was unexpected and it angered the Highmaster because people stopped cheering for him and went for Beldar. It was especially funny because Highmaster is rather passive-aggressive and Eli began reassuring him just how he did with Seedling, thus guaranteeing his new job as professional yes-man for which he's well suited.

[–] strntz 11 years ago

To me it's more like a death sentence, like capital punishment then anything else. I suppose to me it just doesn't make scene.

I'm guessing you mean it doesn't make "sense". In addition to being very visual and entertaining, the purpose of the scene was to 1) show that Beldar's acquired Earth skill of golf payed off, and 2) the impulsiveness of the Highmaster gave Beldar a damned good reason to leave Remulak for good and go back to Earth to live forever.

It is bad to drink Jobu's rum. Very bad.