
Joe Versus the Volcano. 1990. USA. Written and directed by John Patrick Shanley. With Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Lloyd Bridges, Abe Vigoda. 102 min.
Every day Joe trudges to work at the oppressive American Panascope Corporation factory, where he is hounded by his abusive boss and seeks solace in fantasies about the pretty secretary who sits nearby. A committed hypochondriac, Joe is convinced the florescent lights above his desk are killing him. So when Joe’s doctor tells him he has a “brain cloud” and less than six months to live, he quits. Out of nowhere comes the eccentric Mr. Graynamore, who has designs on a tropical island rich in minerals beyond imagination. The only problem is that the island is inhabited by natives who demand a human sacrifice to their sacred volcano before mining can commence. What the heck, Joe is going to die anyway, so he signs on for one final adventure.