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).

For the music group, see Captain Chaos (band).

Captain Chaos
Dom DeLuise as Captain Chaos
Created by
Portrayed byDom DeLuise
Voiced byDom DeLuise
In-universe information
GenderMale
Occupation
  • Mechanic
  • Adventurer
  • Hero

Victor is soft-spoken and unpretentious, but when situations arise that he himself is too timid to handle, Victor is compelled to don his satin cape and cowl and becomes the heroic Captain Chaos.

Psychiatrists have diagnosed Victor as having multiple personality disorder, but Victor himself is convinced that he channels the spirit of an actual living superhero who always manages to arrive 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 moments of stress into tubby superhero Captain Chaos!"[5]

Characteristics

Captain Chaos' costume (which Victor puts on over whatever he happens to be wearing at the time) is a long flowing orange satin cape and matching cowl with an attached black domino mask, and the word "CHAOS" written in white across the cowl's forehead (in the sequel film the cape and cowl are red). The costume was reportedly created poorly in order to look like something Victor would have created himself.

When Victor transforms into Captain Chaos, he speaks in a slightly lower vocal register with basso profondo inflections similar to that of a typical cartoon superhero. His appearance is invariably prefaced by his vocal fanfare, "Dunn dun DU-UH-UHNNNN!!", to approximate Chaos' theme music.

"...Him."

Most people who meet Victor are somewhat bewildered at the eventual emergence of his alter ego of Captain Chaos, whose heroism and courage are in stark contrast to Victor's milquetoast personality. Though Chaos is revered by many, he is viewed as an annoyance to Victor's boss and close friend, J.J. McClure (Burt Reynolds). Because of this, Victor is expressly forbidden to utter the name of Captain Chaos in J.J.'s presence, hence the reason Victor always cautiously refers to the hero simply as "...Him." (usually followed by a twinge of magical music).

Near the beginning of the first film, Victor makes mention of "...Him", but audiences are briefly left wondering to whom Victor refers. Later, after J.J. crashes their test race car at a police road block, one of the officers asks, "Who do you think you are?!" Victor dynamically emerges from the passenger side door, replete in cape and cowl, and introduces himself as "Captain Chaos," while J.J. (whom he refers to as his "faithful companion, Kato") sits humiliated in the driver's seat.

Near the film's end, J.J.'s disdain for Captain Chaos boils over after losing the race due to Chaos' inability to ignore those in distress. J.J. angrily rips the cape and cowl from Victor's head, verbally lambasting him. Victor then immediately dons a new alter ego, "Captain USA," featuring a blue star-spangled cape and cowl with "USA" embroidered upon the forehead. (An outtake shown in the closing credits shows the original take would have him emerge as Captain America—a name presumably vetoed by Marvel Comics, owners of the trademark.)

In the sequel film, J.J. has become much more tolerant of Chaos, seeing his value - especially when he shows up during a fight with the Mafia.

Abilities

Captain Chaos' "powers" include:

  • Increased strength and endurance - fueled by rushes of adrenaline when Victor feels threatened
  • Fearlessness - Chaos will instantly dive into a melee of any size, effortlessly subduing any and all opponents, and then stand with arms akimbo, laughing in hearty triumph amidst his defeated enemies.
  • Expert driving skills - known at least to veteran racer and fellow Cannonball opponent, Jamie Blake (Dean Martin), who derisively refers to Victor as "The Blimp", but then warns his partner, Morris Fenderbaum (Sammy Davis Jr.), "...when he puts on that mask -- he'll blow your goddamn doors off!"

Origin

In the first film, when Pamela (Farrah Fawcett) asks Victor how he came to know Captain Chaos, Victor explains:

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

In the initial screenplay draft, the alter-ego of Captain Chaos was termed "Rahul." [7]

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". He did, and the nickname stuck.

See also

References
  1. Brian Thomas (2003). VideoHound's dragon: Asian action & cult flicks. Visible Ink Press. ISBN 1-57859-141-4.
  2. Scott Von Doviak (2005). Hick flicks: the rise and fall of redneck cinema. McFarland. p. 113. ISBN 0-7864-1997-0.
  3. Brock Yates (2003). Cannonball!. MotorBooks International. p. 262. ISBN 0-7603-1633-3.
  4. Jason Wood (2007). One hundred road movies. BFI. pp. 31. ISBN 1-84457-160-2.
  5. David Quinlan (1998). The TV Times Film and Video Guide. Batsford. p. 116. ISBN 0-7134-8443-8.
  6. "Robot Chicken Season 1 Episode 3 - "Gold Dust Gasoline"". "Death Race". 16 September 2011.
  7. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KI5tFG32uI
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