Class Action Park
How in the Hell did Action Park last nearly 20 years? It was, no doubt, through the deep-pocketed determination of Gene Mulvihill to do whatever he wanted, is the only explanation I can think of; otherwise, the park would have closed after George Larsson Jr. flew off one of the rides and hit his head on nearby rocks in 1980. Mulvihill was as much of a sociopath as anyone who hit their peak in the 1980s; that much is clear in how he handled his business.
A couple of years ago, Johnny Knoxville made a comedy called “Action Point,” which was kind of a “Jackass”-inspired riff on Action Park. It was not very funny, and it’s probably because willingly putting people in danger for the sake of entertainment is not particularly hilarious. That said, I laughed a lot during Seth Porges and Chris Charles Scott III’s documentary about the real thing, but it’s more of a reaction to the insanity we’re hearing about from their interview subjects, a combination of guests to the park and people who worked there, and the wonderfully straight-faced narration by John Hodgman. I think actually seeing archival footage of the park helps, because holy shit would we be unable to believe it otherwise.
My parents would never have taken me to Action Park, if they even had an inkling of wanting to; Cedar Point and Six Flags were enough for them. They were the other side of the parental coin in the 1980s from those who didn’t worry about their kids- mine were the overprotective ones. It’s understandable, given the way I came into this world, and I’m completely fine with that- I still had a blessed and full childhood that I look back on fondly. Honestly, I can’t even fault the parents who would take their children to Action Park, especially if it was the only game in town they could afford. The people who allowed Mulvihill to continue operation after the constant injuries and liabilities, though, just because he was a financial boon to the township of Vernon are another matter entirely. Mulvihill should have died behind bars, and Action Park should have never been allowed to exist after after the first fatality at the park. And yet, it did, and one of the things this film does so fantastically is show us how Mulvihill was able to get away with everything he did. “Class Action Park” frames Mulvihill’s “success” as just another case of 1980s recklessness and corruption, albeit was a large degree of high thrills and entertainment for the public. Sex, drugs and rock n’ roll are the name of the game, and giving patrons an experience they will never forget. Honestly, there are a few rides there that, if I had gone, I would have probably tried myself. I just hope I would have lived to tell the story like many of the people in this film did.
