CITY SLICKERS

(June 1991, U.S.)

When I recall the Summer of 1991, the first thing that comes to mind regarding movies is TERMINATOR 2:JUDGEMENT DAY. The second thing that comes to mind is that it was a summer filled with comedy, and I think I saw them all; SOAPDISH, NAKED GUN 2 1/2, HOT SHOTS, WHAT ABOUT BOB?, LIFE STINKS (oh man, that one sucked!!!), etc. Although I'd have to give top comic dollar to WHAT ABOUT BOB? that summer, CITY SLICKERS didn't disappoint, nonetheless.

Having reached an age myself (43) that is now over the ages of the film's characters, it's interesting to watch this film now and see what grown men are capable of when trying to do battle with the traditional mid-life crisis. In this case, the cure is a two week Southwestern cattle drive for Billy Crystal's character and his two best friends (played by Daniel Stern and the late Bruno Kirby). The men slowly "learn the ropes" of moving a herd and even have a tense encounter with the two professional cowboys who work the drive while being drunk. The encounter is stopped with the arrival of Curly (played by Jack Palance), the wise, tough-as-nails trail boss. The real attraction of this film IS Jack Palance, who clearly should have been a real cowboy instead of an actor. Curly's philosophy of life certainly seems simple enough; limit yourself to just one that you care about most in life and commit yourself to it. Okay, so I suppose saving the life of a baby calf is just as viable a choice as anything else in life...NOT!!!

There's a moment at the end of the film when we learn that the entire herd of cows has been delivered to Colorado for the sole purpose of slaughter at the meat company. There's this brief moment of pause that I suppose would make all the world's vegetarians happy in that we're supposed to consider the cruel injustice of the slaughter of cows. Well, speaking as a lover of thick steaks and juicy hamburgers...sorry, but I'm not sold on it. I love meat!

CITY SLICKERS will be twenty years-old this summer. Geez, where has time (and my youth) gone to???

Favorite line or dialogue:

Mitch Robbins (addressing his son's grade school class): "Value this time in your life kids, because this is the time in your life when you still have your choices, and it goes by so quickly. When you're a teenager you think you can do anything, and you do. Your twenties are a blur. Your thirties, you raise your family, you make a little money and you think to yourself, "What happened to my twenties?" Your forties, you grow a little pot belly you grow another chin. The music starts to get too loud and one of your old girlfriends from high school becomes a grandmother. Your fifties you have a minor surgery. You'll call it a procedure, but it's a surgery. Your sixties you have a major surgery, the music is still loud but it doesn't matter because you can't hear it anyway. Seventies, you and the wife retire to Fort Lauderdale, you start eating dinner at two, lunch around ten, breakfast the night before. And you spend most of your time wandering around malls looking for the ultimate in soft yogurt and muttering "how come the kids don't call?" By your eighties, you've had a major stroke, and you end up babbling to some Jamaican nurse who your wife can't stand but who you call mama. Any questions?"

It's so nice to know I have all those things to look forward to. Thanks, Billy!

CITY LIGHTS

(January 1931, U.S.)

When you take into consideration that what makes me laugh most in the movies is DIALOGUE, then the concept of any silent film making me laugh seems impossible. Charlie Chaplin's legacy in film cannot be ignored, but I'd be lying if I told you that the guy cracked me up. Despite his extensive career, I only own three of his films. For me, CITY LIGHTS is not so much finding slapstick moments to laugh at, but rather an appreciation for the film making and drama behind its story.

Although "talking" pictures were on the rise since 1928, CITY LIGHTS was immediately popular with audiences. Today it's thought of as one of the highest accomplishments of Chaplin's prolific career. Although classified as a comedy, the film has an ending widely regarded as one of the most moving in cinema history, but I'll get into that later. Chaplin plays "the Tramp" who wanders the city and has his life changed not only by a beautiful, poor blind girl who sells flowers on the street but also an eccentric, suicidal millionare who befriends him after he (the Tramp) saves his life. Trouble is, this millionare can only remember and acknowledge the friendship whenever he's drunk. When he's sober, he has no memory of who the Tramp is and repeatedly throws him out of his house. Getting back to the girl, the Tramp not only falls in love with her but is determined to help her financially in order for her to have an operation that could restore her sight. The blind girl is under the impression that the Tramp is a millionare due to misunderstanding circumstances.

There is a boxing sequence I should mention. Not because it's particularly funny, but because Chaplin films it with a unique choreography that depicts the fight more like a group dance rather than a sporting match. Watch the fight carefully and you can see how the precise timing and detail of it all pays off as an admirable piece of film making. But I suppose back in that day of the Great Depression, it would have been considered very funny by audiences looking to escape their hard troubles.

Let me now discuss the final scene that I briefly mentioned before...the Tramp has been released from jail after ultimately stealing the money needed for the blind girl's operation. Having returned to the city streets, destitude, he wanders them again, only this time to discover the girl can only see but also has the financial means to own her own flower shop. She meets him, taking him for just another street tramp, having absolutely no clue who he really is (to her). She offers him one of her flowers and a coin. The Tramp begins to leave, then reaches for the flower. The girl takes hold of his hand to place the coin in it and, feeling him, she realizes who he really is. Look carefully how he places his hand at his face and concentrate on his eyes...



If ever there was a picture that said a thousand words, it's the sincere hope in his face that the girl will realize who he is is that's absolutely breathtaking. When she does understand and finally "sees", she smiles at the Tramp, the Tramp smiles back at her and you can't help but smile also. That kind of drama (even without the use of much dialogue), more than silly laughter, is what makes CITY LIGHTS a worthwhile film, in my opinion.

Favorite line or dialogue:

Girl (having just realized who her savior really is): "You?"
The Tramp: "You can see now?"
Girl: "Yes, I can see now."

CITIZEN KANE

(May 1941, U.S.)

Sometimes there's so much you want to say about a particular film that you have no idea where to begin and you just sit there staring at the computer monitor. That's me right now because to discuss CITIZEN KANE is to discuss a film that is both legendary and highly influential. It is considered the greatest motion picture of all time by the American Film Institute (AFI) and particularly praised for its innovative cinematography, music and narrative structure.

For the benefit of those who have been living under a cinematic rock their whole lives, the film examines the life and legacy of Charles Foster Kane (played by the great Orson Welles) after his highly publicized death, a character based upon the American newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst and Welles' own personal life. Upon its release, Hearst himself prohibited mention of the film in any of his newspapers. Kane's career in the publishing world is born of idealistic social service, but gradually evolves into a ruthless pursuit of power. Narrated principally through flashbacks, the story is revealed through the research of a newsreel reporter seeking to solve the mystery of Kane's dying word, "Rosebud", one of the greatest secrets in cinema history.

With all due respect to men like Capra, Hitchcock and Scorsese, Orson Welles was perhaps one of the greatest, most influential film makers in cinema history. Film scholars and historians view CITIZEN KANE as Welles' attempt to create a new style of filmmaking by studying various forms of movie making and combining them all into one element. The most innovative technical aspect of the film is the extended use of a technique called "deep focus". In nearly every scene of the film, the foreground, background and everything in between are all in sharp focus to give the viewer a clear perspective of several acts going on at once. The most notable example, in my opinion, is the scene where Kane is just a boy in Colorado and his very life is being bargained away to a bank by his own parents. In the foreground is Mrs. Kane signing the papers that will forever change Charles' life. In the middleground is Mr. Kane only mildly protesting not being able to raise his own son. In the distant background, outside the house, is the boy Charles innocently playing out in the snow, completely unaware of what is happening to him at that moment. This technique is not only visually striking, but it also places a demand on the viewer to pay closer attention to detail. The reward for this extra attention is highly worthwhile.

Somehow it seems that I've known about CITIZEN KANE all my life. It was on television constantly when I was a kid. I'd heard it reference on TV shows and even in Charles Schultz' "Peanuts" comic strips. It wasn't until senior year English class in high school that I would see the film for the first time and learn the legendary secret of "Rosebud". I can only thank my English teacher so many years later, whoever she was.

Favorite line or dialogue:

Charles Foster kane: "You know, Mr. Bernstein, if I hadn't been very rich, I might have been a really great man."
Mr. Thatcher: "Don't you think you are?"
Kane: "I think I did pretty well under the circumstances."
Mr. Thatcher: " What would you like to have been?"
Kane: "Everything you hate."

CINEMA PARADISO

(February 1990, U.S.)

I am writing this post on the original 1990 U.S. theatrical release of the film...

I've been posting my film blogs for nearly a year now and this is only the second subtitled film I've gotten to. What can I say? The alphabet is what it is. Nothing I can do about it.

This wonderful Italian film is told largely in flashback of a successful film director Salvatore to his childhood years. It tells the story of the return to his native Sicilian village for the funeral of his old friend Alfredo, who was the projectionist at the local "Cinema Paradiso". Ultimately, Alfredo serves as a wise father figure to his young friend who only wishes the best to see him succeed, even if it means breaking his heart in the process. Seen as an example of "nostalgic postmodernism", the film intertwines sentimentality with comedy, and nostalgia with pragmaticism. It explores issues of youth, the coming of age, and reflections (in adulthood) about the past we cannot let go of. The stunning imagery in each scene can be argued to reflect Salvatore's idealised memories about his childhood. The film is also a celebration of great, classic films. As a projectionist, young Salvatore (or Toto, as he's referred to throughout the film) develops the deep passion for films that shapes his life's path in adulthood.

One element of CINEMA PARADISO I can never let go of is that wonderful, poignant ending when Toto returns to Rome after Alfredo's funeral and views the film reel he (Alfredo) had left for him. It's a moment of great joy and sentiment to watch Toto's face as he views the montage of all the spliced extractions taken from older films that depicted kissing or any other scenes that were considered unsuitable for viewing by the village priest at the time. It's not only a redemption of censorship, in my opinion, but a final gift of giving something back to one memeber of a community who had long been denied the pleasure of witnessing love and romance on the movie screen.

CINEMA PARADISO can best be described as a film of celebration. A celebration of love, life, laughter, pain, sorrow, regret and the pure joy that comes with the love of the movies. It's also a film that can be credited for reviving Italy's film industry which later produced MEDITERRANEO (1992), IL POSTINO (1996) and LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL (1998).

Favorite line or dialogue:

Alfredo: "Don't come back. Don't think about us. Don't look back. Don't write. Don't give in to nostalgia. Forget us all. If you do and you come back, don't come see me. I won't let you in my house. Understand?"
Salvatore: "Thank you. For everything you've done for me."
Alfredo: "Whatever you end up doing, love it. The way you loved the projection booth when you were a little squirt."

CINDERELLA MAN

(June 2005, U.S.)

The more I watch boxing films the more I become convinced that as a genre, they feature the most consistent cliche elements; the down-and-out everyday man, the golden opportunity that comes along, the big fight and the climactic victory that will have moviegoers on their feet cheering, and all ususally based on someone's true story. After a while, I yearn for something different that will make a boxing film stand out from the rest.

Ron Howard's CINDERELLA MAN fits the bill on all of the above-mentioned elements. What brings this story to life is the hard times of the Great Depression that hard-nosed, Irish-American boxer James J. Braddock (played by Russell Crowe) and his family must endure together. It's heartbreaking to watch a good man slowly spiral downward during hard economic times and struggle desperately to keep his family afloat, or even warm and fed (you know, during the entire time I was out of work a couple of years ago, I couldn't even bring myself to watch this film). The heartbreak is even worse when Jim is forced to give up boxing after breaking his hand in the ring. This is a relief and an upset to his wife, Mae (played by Renee Zellweger), who can't bring herself to watch the violence of his chosen profession, and yet she knows that without his boxing profession, they'll have no steady income. Manual labor could only take a man so far during the Great Depression. But opportunity eventually (almost inevitably) knocks and the boxer rises again to not only overcome the odds against him, but to also defend himself against the heavyweight champion of the world, Max Baer, a man who has previously killed two men in the boxing ring. On June 13, 1935, in one of the biggest achievements in boxing history, Jim Braddock defeated the seemingly invincible Max Baer to become the heavyweight champion of the world, until eventually losing the title to Joe Louis.

As mentioned above, CINDERELLA MAN, like most other boxing film, is filled with the standard cliches of the genre. It's still a fucking great movie, though!

Favorite line or dialogue:

Jim Braddock: "I have to believe that when things are bad I can change them."

CHRISTMAS STORY, A

(November 1983, U.S.)

It's amazing how time can be kind to just about any film. When A CHRISTMAS STORY was released more than twenty-five years ago, it came and went virtually unnoticed, with mixed critical reviews. Today there are many joyous things that can be said about it. It's arguably one of the funniest (THE funniest, in my opinion!) Christmas films ever made, it continues to hold a proud tradition of being broadcasted on TBS for twenty-four hours every year, and how many films do you know that can effectively repeat the line, "You'll shoot your eye out." My son is only five years old, but he already loves the scene where Ralphie's little can't put his arms down because of his overly-heavy winter coat.

What seems most outrageous about this film to me is that it's actually semi-autobiographical, based on the short stories and anecdotes of author Jean Shepherd (who also narrates the voice of Ralphie as an adult). Everyone has their stories of childhood and the crazy adventures of growing up, so perhaps its not such a stretch to see a kid go to amazingly great lengths to secure himself the one and only Christmas present he wants more than anything in the whole world; an official Red Ryder BB Gun with a compass in the stock, and "this thing that tells time". But alas, this quest is harder than one would imagine, especially when everyone around you has conspired to prevent you from having one, claiming that you'll shoot your eye out with it. His parents won't listen. His teacher won't listen. Even the holyest of Holys, Santa Claus, won't listen.

There are several subplots incorporated into the body of the film, based on other separate short stories by Shepherd. The most notable involves the "Old Man's" (Ralphie's father's) winning a "major award". A large crate arrives, and inside is a lamp shaped like a woman's leg wearing a fishnet stocking, much to Ralphie's mother displeasure and the "Old Man's" delight. The "battle of the lamp" escalates until she breaks the lamp, infuriating the "Old Man". The poor guy can't even glue it back together because she's accused of "using up all the glue on purpose!".

As a man who was once a boy who once wanted specific toys more than anything, I can only say that I completely sympathize with little Ralphie. In the 1970s, I wanted, more than anything, an Evel Knevel wind-up motorcycle that sped away on its own after you manually reved it up (those who grew up back in that day will know the toy I'm talking about). I didn't grow up with Christmas, but I lobbyed for this toy for a long time and I'm happy to say that one day my father came home with it. Score!!!

Well, that's it for Christmas titles, for now. I have three more in my film collection and hopefully, maybe, timing will permit me to post them during Christmas 2011. Keep your fingers crossed!

Favorite line or dialogue:

Department store Santa Claus: "What do you want for Christmas, little boy?"
Ralphie as an adult (narrating): "My mind had gone blank! Frantically I tried to remember what it was I wanted! I was blowing it, blowing it!"
Department store elf: "Come on, kid."
Santa: "How about a nice, uh, football?"
Ralphie (narrating): "Football? Football? What's a football? With unconscious will my voice squeaked out 'football'."
Santa: "Okay, get him out of here."
Ralphie (narrating): "A football? Oh no, what was I doing? Wake up, Stupid! Wake up!"
Ralphie (to Santa): "No! No! I want an Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle!"
Santa: "You'll shoot your eye out, kid."

CHRISTMAS IN CONNECTICUT

(August 1945, U.S.)

A Christmas movie released in August??? I guess that makes about as much sense as my discussing a Christmas film in February. Although CHRISTMAS IN CONNECTICUT is officially labeled as a Christmas movie, it hardly brings about any warm feelings of joy and spirit that Charles Dickens or Frank Capra might. What it DOES do is prove that Christmas time can serve as good a setting for a screwball comedy as any other set of circumstances. The difference here is that you get the pleasure of actors like Barbara Stanwyk, Sydney Greenstreet and S.Z. Sakall (the last two were in CASABLANCA!) as opposed to watching people like Ben Affleck (SURVIVING CHRISTMAS) or Reece Witherspoon (FOUR CHRISTMASES) do Christmas movies.

(I think I've said the word "Christmas" more times in just one paragraph than I have for the past year!).

So, in this film, Barbara Stanwyk plays a post-World War II Martha Stewart-type character who helps to sell magazines by writing about her life on a farm in Connecticut with her husband and baby. She is a model of domesticity, a gourmet cook and the idol of many American housewifes. Trouble is, she's also a big fake. She lives in New York City, she's not married, she has no children, she can't cook to save her life, and her own employer has no idea about any of it. Like I said, it's all to increase magazine circulation and get her a much needed raise for that mink coat she desperately desires. That's all fine and dandy until she's sucked into a magazine public relations ploy to entertain a soldier for the Christmas holiday who survived many days at sea without food after a U-Boat attack on his ship. The poor many hasn't had a decent meal in weeks and longs for an old fashioned Christmas...in Connecticut. Uh-oh, trouble! Faster than you can say classic-episode-of-I-LOVE-LUCY-or-THREE'S-COMPANY, everybody involved has to put on the right scenario in order to satisfy the desires and interests of the soldier, the potential-husband-to-be, the judge, the cook, the housekeeper and the big boss who's been clueless the entire time. But in the end, of course, everything will turn out fine and the two people we love the most in the film will fall in love and get married.

Confused yet? Don't worry. It's all in good fun with the snowy background of Christmas and the beauty of Connecticut to keep you warm and cozy.

Favorite line or dialogue:

Felix Bassenak (speaking with an accent and referring to flapjacks): "Watch now. I show you how to flip-flop the flop-flips."