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Filmmakers sure don't feel guilty about stealing from TV (who ever would have thought Jan Brady would make it to the big screen?). But now the tube's getting revenge -- and in commercials, of all places. More and more, TV ads are ripping off (or, as the advertisers might argue, paying homage to) famous scenes from filmdom. A peek:
Product: Clairol Herbal Essences Shampoo and Conditioner. The scene: A hair-washing session drives a woman to such paroxysms of pleasure that a frumpy onlooker whines, ''I want to get the shampoo she's using.'' Rips off: Meg Ryan's high-decibel fake orgasm in When Harry Met Sally.... Tidbit: Clairol loves innuendo -- remember its 1950s slogan ''Does she or doesn't she?'' Our verdict: It's, uh, anticlimactic.
Product: Wool. The scene: Upon boarding a yacht, a sultry snorkeler slips out of her rubber suit to reveal a red, wrinkle-free wool dress. Rips off: Arnold Schwarzenegger's wet- suit-to-tuxedo scene in True Lies, which ripped off James Bond's quick-change scene in Thunderball. Tidbit: In a new ad, a wool-clad vixen escapes the bad guys by diving down a laundry chute a la La Femme Nikita. Our verdict: Smooth as silk.
Product: The Yoshi's Island videogame from Nintendo. The scene: A Dom DeLuise-size restaurant customer stuffs his face until he explodes. Rips off: The detonation of Mr. Creosote after he eats a ''wafer thin'' mint in Monty Python's The Meaning of Life. Tidbit: It's part of a hot new trend -- videogame ads that feature gastrointestinal disorders (see Sega's recent human sphincter). Our verdict: Stomach turning, but delicious.
Product: I Can't Believe It's Not Butter! (ads shown only in Britain). The scene: A cadre of cows in dark ties and sunglasses -- angry that their dairy products are being elbowed off shelves -- go on a shooting spree. Rips off: A cadre of humans in dark ties and sunglasses from Reservoir Dogs. Tidbit: The ad also contains a bovine version of Marlon Brando in The Godfather. Our verdict: We can't believe we're stuck with Fabio.
