Inspector Ike had a week-long run at Brooklyn’s Spectacle Theater recently, with each screening being followed by a Q&A featuring some key cast and crew. The film follows New York City’s greatest detective as he attempts to track down a murderer after the lead actor in a group of avant-garde performers is killed. When I saw the film on the final night of its run, most of the audience’s questions were about the chili.
“How did the recipe… thing come up?” one audience member asked. “How did you land on chili? Were there any other options before chili?” asked another. These questions were referencing a five-minute scene towards the end of the film’s second act in which our hero Inspector Ike, played with ease by deadpan comedian Ikechukwu Ufomadu, halts the plot almost entirely to give the “viewers back home” a unique chili recipe. Director Graham Mason seemed entertained by these prompts. “I think chili came pretty early in the process,” he said. “It felt kind of funny.”
Anyone could have turned on the TV in the ’70s and stumbled upon a program identical to Inspector Ike. There’s a perfect crime being hatched by a maniacal caricature of a villain with an ultimate evil plan. There’s a variety of wacky side characters who constantly doubt the innocence of their cohorts. And then there’s the one detective in all of New York City who can survive the cat-and-mouse, crack the case, and concoct a mighty bowl of chili to boot. Inspector Ike is a genuine romp, as sincere in its silliness as it is in its reverence for the short-lived era of television it spends 80 minutes spoofing.
In a Q&A moderated by fellow Brooklyn independent filmmaker Kentucker Audley, and alongside stars Matt Barats and Grace Rex, Mason discussed how the entire project came together. “I was a big fan of Ike’s comedy and… I just had this idea that he would make a good Leslie Nielsen-esque character. He has this killer deadpan, but then he also can go super absurd and very silly at the same time.”
When asked about the other influences on his TV movie send-up, Mason mentioned the early episodes of Columbo and how those episodes were more about the “howcatchem” than the “whodunnit.” “You see the killer do a perfect crime, and then Columbo shows up about 20 minutes in.” It’s all about the journey of seeing how the killer is going to slip up, and how Inspector Ike is going to catch them.
Inspector Ike is currently in its theatrical run, following some successful screenings at film festivals. When asked if the film will be receiving a physical release soon, Mason seemed uncertain. However, the film is a production of Factory 25, a company dedicated to giving their films some of the nicest physical releases imaginable. So, personally, I’m expecting to get my hands on a copy of this hilarious film sooner rather than later. In the meantime, try to catch this one in the theater. It is a nostalgic ride that leaves audiences laughing and wanting more. This will certainly be a unique addition to comedy film collections. Just don’t forget to bring your recipe card!
Get your copy of the Inspector Ike Blu-ray DVD by clicking here.
For a 70s crime classic, get your copy of Columbo: The Complete Series DVD by clicking here.