Curtain Call
When I originally planned to write a blog, I thought it'd be a great idea to do it every day-- good writing exercise for me, entertainment (?) for you. Somehow it hasn't always panned out that way. But I'm still gonna try. I do admit there are times when I can't think of what to write about. I'm starting to gain a little respect for newspaper columnists now!
Have been catching up on movies over the weekend, watching this and that. There are some films that are definitely period pieces. Others are dated, but still come across well. Then there are those films that either last, or have become classics regardless. Sometimes it's fun to watch films and know that while they might not be received well today, people enjoyed it for this reason or that. For example, "Holiday Inn" (which I mentioned in an earlier blog) has a scene about Lincoln's Birthday, where the song lyrics are somewhat racist. A lot of WW II era films have subtle or blatant messages, or pointed rhetoric aimed at wartime audiences. Cold War-era films are the most dated in some cases, while in others, chillingly matching today's reality. For instance, the original "The Manchurian Candidate" is still entirely plausible in today's climate, despite its overall Cold War tones. 60s and 70s films have their own hurdles: watching "Easy Rider" not only put me to sleep, but looked like something Jim Morrison would have made in film school. It's definitely a 60s period piece, and its sole redeeming feature for viewers today is Jack Nicholson's performance. He may have become a leering caricature of himself, but in this film you not only see the Jack you recognize today, but a different Jack as well- and you can see that certain je ne sais quoi that made him a star.
When I'm with friends who are film buffs, sometimes we talk about great movies, or things about great movies. Some of the fun discussions involve tossing out quotes, discussing and analyzing performances, and the like. I've been recently thinking about how movies end; some movies have conclusions that aren't memorable, while others have lines that sum up the movie, or put a dramatic finish on the plot, or are just damn quotable. Some examples:
"Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship." - Casablanca (1942)
"After all, tomorrow is another day!" - Gone With The Wind (1939)
"Here's my hope we will all find our Shangri-La." - Lost Horizon (1937)
"Oh, Auntie Em, there's no place like home." - The Wizard of Oz (1939)
"There is no bad boy." - Boys Town (1938)
"Shane! Shane! Come back! Bye, Shane." - Shane (1953)
"Well, nobody's perfect." - Some Like It Hot (1959) [you'll have to watch this movie to really get this last line-- if you haven't... then what are you waiting for?!? Stop reading now and run right out and rent it! This is a true comedy classic!]
"What do we do now?" - The Candidate (1972) [This is a good example of one of those films that's still eerily relevant today.]
"Don Corleone." - The Godfather (1972) [Well, how *else* did you expect this film to end?? *grin*]
"Forget the Alamo." - Lone Star (1996)
"The, uh, stuff that dreams are made of." - The Maltese Falcon (1941)
These are just a few lines, all from movies I've seen and that I could remember off the top of my head (with some help from Google, of course *grin*). Some of these movies are just filled with quotes, like Gone With The Wind and The Godfather. I'm probably wrong of course, but I would think Casablanca is the most quoted movie of all time. AFI announced last fall that this year's theme for the AFI is movie quotes. I believe they'll have a TV special on this sometime this year. Seeing or reading stuff like this makes me think of familiar movies, and usually I'll want to see a movie again. Some people enjoy watching movies, but only once; I have a number of movies that I'll watch again and again. Some are movies I'll watch again once in a blue moon, while others I've actually bought, so I can save rental fees.
Now I've got a craving for popcorn. Think I'll go watch a movie. In the meantime, if you wanna share your favorite movie ending, or a memorable quote, go ahead. That's what the comment box is here for. *grin*
Have been catching up on movies over the weekend, watching this and that. There are some films that are definitely period pieces. Others are dated, but still come across well. Then there are those films that either last, or have become classics regardless. Sometimes it's fun to watch films and know that while they might not be received well today, people enjoyed it for this reason or that. For example, "Holiday Inn" (which I mentioned in an earlier blog) has a scene about Lincoln's Birthday, where the song lyrics are somewhat racist. A lot of WW II era films have subtle or blatant messages, or pointed rhetoric aimed at wartime audiences. Cold War-era films are the most dated in some cases, while in others, chillingly matching today's reality. For instance, the original "The Manchurian Candidate" is still entirely plausible in today's climate, despite its overall Cold War tones. 60s and 70s films have their own hurdles: watching "Easy Rider" not only put me to sleep, but looked like something Jim Morrison would have made in film school. It's definitely a 60s period piece, and its sole redeeming feature for viewers today is Jack Nicholson's performance. He may have become a leering caricature of himself, but in this film you not only see the Jack you recognize today, but a different Jack as well- and you can see that certain je ne sais quoi that made him a star.
When I'm with friends who are film buffs, sometimes we talk about great movies, or things about great movies. Some of the fun discussions involve tossing out quotes, discussing and analyzing performances, and the like. I've been recently thinking about how movies end; some movies have conclusions that aren't memorable, while others have lines that sum up the movie, or put a dramatic finish on the plot, or are just damn quotable. Some examples:
"Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship." - Casablanca (1942)
"After all, tomorrow is another day!" - Gone With The Wind (1939)
"Here's my hope we will all find our Shangri-La." - Lost Horizon (1937)
"Oh, Auntie Em, there's no place like home." - The Wizard of Oz (1939)
"There is no bad boy." - Boys Town (1938)
"Shane! Shane! Come back! Bye, Shane." - Shane (1953)
"Well, nobody's perfect." - Some Like It Hot (1959) [you'll have to watch this movie to really get this last line-- if you haven't... then what are you waiting for?!? Stop reading now and run right out and rent it! This is a true comedy classic!]
"What do we do now?" - The Candidate (1972) [This is a good example of one of those films that's still eerily relevant today.]
"Don Corleone." - The Godfather (1972) [Well, how *else* did you expect this film to end?? *grin*]
"Forget the Alamo." - Lone Star (1996)
"The, uh, stuff that dreams are made of." - The Maltese Falcon (1941)
These are just a few lines, all from movies I've seen and that I could remember off the top of my head (with some help from Google, of course *grin*). Some of these movies are just filled with quotes, like Gone With The Wind and The Godfather. I'm probably wrong of course, but I would think Casablanca is the most quoted movie of all time. AFI announced last fall that this year's theme for the AFI is movie quotes. I believe they'll have a TV special on this sometime this year. Seeing or reading stuff like this makes me think of familiar movies, and usually I'll want to see a movie again. Some people enjoy watching movies, but only once; I have a number of movies that I'll watch again and again. Some are movies I'll watch again once in a blue moon, while others I've actually bought, so I can save rental fees.
Now I've got a craving for popcorn. Think I'll go watch a movie. In the meantime, if you wanna share your favorite movie ending, or a memorable quote, go ahead. That's what the comment box is here for. *grin*
posted by Mr. Sandman | 6:15 PM
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