I found this week's theme difficult as I may consider some films to be a 'fish out of water' film but it may not be traditionally be seen as so by others.
I'll be away in Helsinki so will be really really late with replys this week, sorry in advance.
Don't forget to check out what
Wandering Through the Shelves picked, the blog that started Thursday Movie Picks.
Planet of the Apes
I've seen this once and never again, mostly because I can't bare to think about themes such as 'the end of the world' and films that have a feeling of no hope in sight. But I'm also not the biggest Charlton Heston fan. He will always be Ben-Hur but thats it. Heston, along with two other astronauts are hurtled throught time and space and land on a planet that is inhabited and ruled by apes. They are the dominant species. Heston's two friends meet awful ends while he tries to escape capture and get back to Earth only to discover the terrible truth that will go down in film history. The fact that one day the apes take over and turned the planet into
this, was too much. The ending that was, indeed, brilliant, but just sums up the no hope theme.
Being There
Like POTA I've only seen this once. My parents randomly quote this film and I can see why. It's a gentle comedy in my eyes about simple minded Chance the Gardner who has lived a very sheltered life. But when his employer dies, he forced out into the unknown world he only knows through television and is who is mistaken for being a genius called Chauncey Gardiner who everyone, including the President of United States. They all interpret his slow speech and short bizarre sentances as insight to the ecomony and public opinion. The one also has a brilliant ending.
Edward Scissorhands
Poor Edward, left alone after the death of his creator and with only terrifying looking scissors for hands. Of course this could only be a Tim Burton film. Edward is found by nosey Avon lady and brought to live with her family. He is given a home, comunity and eventually love but along with all this, hate and prejudice. The character is an odd concept but put the peices, costumes, production design, fear of the unknown and unsual, together and the film is an instant classic.
Wonderful picks, none that occurred to me. I expected to see Planet of the Apes turn up next week so it was a nice surprise to see it looked at from a different perspective. It really became it's own little cottage industry back in the 70's with seemingly endless sequels none up to the level of this one. I know what you mean about Heston, when he and the part fit he was tolerable to good but often stiff. Funny you said he'll always be Ben-Hur to you and he'll always be Moses to me.
ReplyDeleteI'm not as crazy about Being There as most. It's a well made film with excellent performances but I found it dull in many places. It does however fit here exactly.
I like Edward Scissorhands more, though I don't rewatch it often. Depp is very touching and Dianne Weist plays the perky, somewhat clueless Avon Lady just right. And the poor boy is surely a fish out of water.
This theme is a very popular one with filmmakers which provided a wealth of choices which is reflected in that no title has emerged as the title of the week as one does some weeks. I found it easy to come up with three quickly this time.
Blast from the Past (1999)-An absurd premise, a slightly nutty 60’s scientist and his pregnant homemaker wife (Christopher Walken and Sissy Spacek, both ideal) lock themselves into a bomb shelter for 35 years under the false impression that nuclear war has been declared then sending their grown son out into a strange new world for supplies, is played with charming whimsy. Brendan Fraser uses his size and somewhat goofy personality to make son Adam believable as a big overgrown child in a man's body. He and Alicia Silverstone as Eve the woman who takes Adam under her wing have a nice vibe with her worldliness playing well off his innocence. A sweet, breezy film with the underlying message to respect each other and enjoy the world around you.
My Cousin Vinny (1992)-Two young men are falsely accused of murder in the deep South, desperate they contact the only lawyer either knows, Vinnie the New York cousin of one of the boys who has finally passed the bar on his sixth try. Down he and his brassy fiancée come, hilarity ensues! Hard to say who is funnier Joe Pesci, the Oscar winning Marisa Tomei or the deadpan Fred Gwynne in his final performance as the judge whose patience is stretched to the limit.
Time After Time (1979)-In the London of 1893 H.G. Wells (Malcolm McDowell) plans to use his time machine to travel to the Utopian paradise he believes is the future. As he prepares to make the journey Jack the Ripper (David Warner), on the run from the police, hijacks the machine and travels to 70’s San Francisco. When the machine returns to Victorian England Wells uses it to follow him. Perplexed by the modern world H.G. enlists the help of Amy (Mary Steenburgen) a bank teller he meets to catch Jack before he can resume his killing spree. During the pursuit Wells falls for Amy, even as she has a hard time believing his wild story of time travel. A thriller with a fine mixture of humor and suspense, McDowell and Steenburgen fell in love while making this film and were married for a decade.
I remember when I first saw Planet of the Apes and it shocked me. I am also just fed up with all these shows and movies about the Earth going belly up. I love Being There and even though I haven't seen it in a very long time, I still recall some scenes and they are brilliant. I also love Edward Scissorhands. It is a sad fairy tale and so beautifully shown. Great picks!
ReplyDeleteLOVE these picks. Planet of the Apes is classic, even if it isn't great in my eyes. I like it, but its age shows. Being There I ADORE. Peter Sellers was so brilliant in general and this is one of his quieter great performances. What ever happened to the Tim Burton who directed Edward Scissorhands? The kookily inspired director who had a mastery of tone as opposed to a propensity to just pile on quirk and over-design everything? Another one I love pretty much unreservedly.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about Tim Burton - we saw a glimpse in Frankenweenie but then we lost him again. Although his new film Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children looks quite good. But there are a few other books to go with this one so.... not sure if it will go the route of franchise.
ReplyDeleteI like to think of it as a fairy tale too but not all fairy tales can be happy right? I know what you mean about the world going to hell - the ending of POTA is brilliant though - of course now its over used but the first time I saw it was good.
ReplyDeleteFor some reason I really liked Blast From the Past, which is perfect for this theme! Actually all your picks are perfect for this week. I think I need to see Time After Time - sounds too good to be true.
ReplyDeleteI still haven't seen Planet of the Apes, both original and remake, but I plan to. Edward Scissorhand is a great pick and Being There is completely new to me.
ReplyDeleteThere's a certain storybook -ness to Edward Scissorhands. Anyway a lot of fairy tales, the way they were originally told and written, were cautionary tales. They were sad, scary and didn't have happy ever afters.
ReplyDelete