When Hanky Pranky (alias Schucks), star of a candid camera TV show, loses his job to affirmative action, he applies for a job at a stress academy. It´s not long before Schucks discovers his new boss, Jack Paddaman, is as crooked as they come, but it´s too late: the employment contract is signed and sealed.A year passes, and Schucks is no better off. However, his candid camera videos, which poke fun at all sectors of post-1994 South Africa, prove a big hit with stressed-out government ministers. When the president asks Paddaman to make a movie to benefit street children, Schucks and his pals do all the hard work while Paddaman plans how he can get hold of the profits from the video sales. Add a scatterbrained secretary, a lovelorn traffic cop and a cunning street child and you have a roll-in-the aisles comedy with a distinctly South African flavour.
Practical Effects
Hidden camera pranks that actually endangered Leon Schuster's life probably.
Writing
Gleefully messy satire of 1996 South African politics and racial dynamics.
Director
David Lister
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Leon Schuster was South Africa's box office king for decades, with prank films that frequently topped Titanic in local earnings. This was peak Schuster-satire era.
The 'rocket' keyword refers to an actual rocket launcher prank that almost definitely violated several safety regulations. Schuster performed his own stunts and injuries were common.