The first time you saw Monty Python and the Holy Grail, how long did you sit and wait for something to happen when the screen went black? Did you laugh when you realized that you were sitting there waiting when the film was really over?
Now, for some other questions. How often to you use the word "Ni" on a person to stop them from bothering you? During meetings, when you discover that your project is going well, do you proclaim, "And there was much rejoicing," to recognize this? Does anyone respond with a less than enthusiastic, "Yay," or do they stare at you blankly? Has something been lost in our culture when we start quoting movies to one another instead of philosophy, poetry or literature? Who cares. This movie is funny. It's a parody so it's intended to be. So what's wrong with sharing the experience with friends? If quoting a movie helps bring people together, I'm not going to complain.
Now for my favorite scene - Lancelot attacking the castle to save the "princess." I love how the shot of him running toward the castle is cut with the one of the guards looking at him. They wait patiently as he runs at them. He keeps running and running and then is suddenly hacking them apart. Great use of editing and shot composition there. Oh, and sound. The drum roll as he runs toward the castle; silence as the guards watch. I also laugh when he crashes through the wedding party, killing anyone near him. Lancelot the Brave murdering people at a wedding, how is that funny you ask. Well, there is all of the fake blood and the irony of "brave" Sir Lancelot slaughtering wedding guests.
Now good people, write in your comments on your favorite scene. Please include which one it is and why you like it.
You've all been waiting for it...my blog on Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. I know everyone is anxious to know what I thought. Hey, wipe that smirk off your face! I am only kidding.
I'll begin by stating that I thought the book was long and boring. The movie wasn't much better. It must have been a difficult task to try to adapt this book for the big screen. The poor screenwriter must have known that it was impossible. The book is so long that it could never have fit into a two hour - or 2.5 hour or 3.5 hour - time frame. But I wonder why they left out some things, such as the Quidditch World Cup, and then included others, such as that silly scene where the dragon climbs all over the roof of Hogwarts. Why did they leave out the details of how Harry learned all the spells for the Tri-Wizard Tournament? And how did Barty Crouch escape Azkaban? I guess it really isn't all that secure of a prison if he can just walk right out. Too many plot details were left out that helped to make the story more complete and make sense.
The movie wasn't a complete failure. I enjoyed watching Harry squirm when he asked out Cho or when Moaning Myrtle paid him a visit in the bath. Both scenes captured well the anxiety that most boys must experience when they start to get interested in girls (and when the girls are anywhere in the same room with them). The Yule Ball with the rock band was a hoot, although Hagrid grabbing Madame Maxime's bum was really uncalled for. Brendan Gleeson as Mad-Eye Moode was wonderful during the screen time they gave him.
And finally, Voldemort was not scary. I read some review that said what a wonderful job Ralph Fiennes did in the film. Um, okay, maybe we didn't watch the same movie since all I kept thinking was, "How did they scrunch his nose down like that?" He wasn't nearly as scary as the Voldemort from the first film.
This blog is all about how going to see a movie with a good friend is almost as important as a good movie. Skip it if you want to avoid the emotional stuff.
I miss my movie buddy. She left for Arizona about a year and a half ago. Going to the movies since then just hasn't been the same. Sure, I can take my son, but he's not really an adequate substitute. You can't really comment on how attractive the actors - male and female - are to a twelve year old or discuss the finer points of movie editing and sound design.
What brought on this bout of melancholly? I was talking to a co-worker today about a movie that he saw over the weekend. It was just the kind of movie that my movie buddy and I would go see. Action, eye-candy, special effects, more eye-candy, maybe a plot...it seemed to have it all. Did I see it over the weekend? No. Instead, I stayed home and watched Sahara for the 20th time. It's actually quite depressing. Sigh! What is a girl to do that has lost her movie buddy? Anyone says "date" and they'll walk with a limp for a long time.
For all of you out there in blogland reading this entry, share your stories about your movie buddies. Who is or was the worst person to see a movie with? Who is or was the best? No names please. Just really detailed descriptions so we all know who it is. ;-)
My worst person to see a movie with was my ex-husband. He had this terrible habit of saying inappropriate things loudly during a movie. For example, we went to see Othello at the Landmark theater many, many years ago. A character came on screen who was male but was dressed rather effeminately. He said, very loudly as the character came on screen, "Is he a f** or what?" Even though it was dark, I still wanted to crawl under my seat. That was one of the many incidents.
The best person to see movies with is of course my movie buddy. She's a musician/singer/music teacher so she can tell you things about a movie soundtrack that you never thought of. And we both like things that explode and look pretty. And sometimes pretty things that explode!
Rule #1 - Don’t have money
Rule #2 - Don’t have a gold-digging ex-wife who siphons off money from you to support her gigolo.
Rule #3 - Don’t have an accountant with a criminal record.
Rule #4 - Don’t have a girlfriend who used to be a gangster’s moll.
Rule #5 - Don’t’ have a lawyer.
Which of these rules is the most important? Watch The Thin Man and find out. Even if you don't need advice on how to avoid being a murder victim, watch The Thin Man. It may have been released in 1934, but it still packs in the laughs. It is rather odd that it is so funny, when it is a murder mystery. But this is what makes it such a classic. Pay attention to the playful banter between Nick and Nora Charles. It is hilarious. Amazing how it still stands up after 73 years. Some things don't age so well about the movie. Some of the actors overact - Mimi Jorgensen for example. The "action" sequences are another. We all know that the hero of the story is bulletproof, but in this case he's bulletproof at point blank range.
One quick question, anyone read the novel by Dashiell Hammett? I wonder if Nick and Nora Clark are as funny. I guess I'll have to add it to my Christmas list.
If you didn't know this, there is a series of Thin Man movies, including After the Thin Man, Another Thin Man, Shadow of the Thin Man, The Thin Man Goes Home, Song of the Thin Man. All of these have William Powell and Myra Loy as the lead actors. I also think Asta makes an appearance in them, in case you were wondering. Do you think they kill off a thin man with white hair in each one?