Ode to a sob story

We have all seen them. We sometimes expect that sad ending (Schindlers List [1993], Romeo and Juliet [1996]) and other times we really don't expect that sudden death or heart melting reunion (Vertigo [1958], Little Women). Yes the sob story aka 'Chick Flick aka 'weepie' is firmly imbedded into the psych of all those scarred by memories of Bambi (1942) and Old Yeller (1957), who never trusted the smiling faces of 'family friendly' movies again. But why do we love them? Why is it that the doomed romances and shots fired in a meadow have held us and gripped our hearts for years and years? How is that people still see Romeo and Juliet even though they know every detail? Besides the good looking leads.

i myself have cried at the odd movie, during every version of Little Women i cry without fail, how is it that these characters make you fall so in love with them that you cry as though they were a real person when they leave/die? i'll never get it. Of course, most of us know when we're about to see a sad story, (we all knew what we were getting into when we saw My Sisters Keeper [2009]) so i guess we sort of prepare for it, but a good one will make you cry anyway. It's so strange. I never really watch tragic love stories because they usually depress me, although some leave me in a good mood because at least my love life doesn't suck half as bad as theirs. Thats not the point. i'm trying to do a good post about sob stories and why we like them.

It could be a different reason for all of us. Some of us like them because there's a sort of mystical beauty when you die for love. Others because it could just be a good story. And then there is the sacrifice for love. The ultimate gesture, not to give your own life, but to let the other person be happy without you. Casablanca (1942) brought this great sacrifice to the forefront of cinema, and while there have been movies that have made a good job of it, there is only one Casablanca.

Little Women is a whole different story. for most of the movie we see the girls trying the make do with what they have while trying to get past their own sibling squabbles, like kids/teenagers have done for years and years, very relatable is it not? But then comes the (SPOILER! SPOILER!) death. That rip your heart out moment that makes you realise that this film has made you love it and you didn't even realise it.

I haven't seen that many sob stories, sure like every teenaged girl i'll watch them with friends or see them just so that i know what the hell everyone is talking about. But there are very few that i will actually watch again. i saw 3 versions of Little Women (1933, 1949, 1994) and loved them all, i think i liked the last two most, the 1933 version, while boasting an impressive cast (Katharine Hepburn!!) fell victim to the obvious fact that most of the girls were too old to play their respective parts. Anyway....
I saw Gone With The Wind (1939), i didn't cry at the end but know that i felt tears coming in some parts. to tell you the truth i don't cry in many movies. i held in my tears when i saw Gallipoli (1981), boy was that hard.

I think that no matter what, the greatest sob stories belong to the classic era, sure we have the odd few now and again but there are these things, they're called: 'Class', 'sentiment' and 'memorable'. Anywhere from Chaplin taking the flower but not the money in City Lights (1931) to Sam playing it again (for old times sake) and yep even Cary Grant finding out why Deborah Kerr didn't meet him that day atop the Empire State Building in An Affair To Remember (1957).

The understated sentiment, the tell tale song and warmth of true love conquer all tragic endings. Few will see a movie to see that tragic ending, the people who saw Titanic (1997) surely hoped that that door could support both Jack and Rose, we want the beautiful ending when we're sure it wont happen, but when it does it can be more memorable than any tragic death or forbidden love.

"i love being home, but i don't like being left behind" Beth March (Claire Danes), Little Women (1994)

Mighty Aphrodite (1995)

How to describe this movie? well it's a comedy, a farce, a romance, a drama, a fantasy, it could be anything. Woody Allen has a great knack for saying and doing things in his movies that can sometimes be absurdly funny or dramatically poignant. This movie, along with his other classic Annie Hall (1977), are good examples.

I mentioned this movie in an older post and found that particular post to be fairly popular, anyway here's my review on this movie.

It stars Woody Allen (who wrote and directed as well), Mira Sorvino, Helena Bonham carter and F. Murray Abraham (who played the 'Leader'). All performances were great. Say what you will about Woody Allen, the man is a great filmmaker. Mira Sorvino, who won a 'best supporting actress' Oscar for this movie (even though she was one of the leads), was wonderful, some people didn't like the performance, i thought it was great. She was damned funny and also showed a lot of heart in the role.

Woody Allen plays Lenny Weinrib, Helena Bonham Carter plays his wife Amanda (no she really does), they adopt a son whom they name Max. Max turns out to be a genius, prompting Lenny to seek out Max's birth mother- Who is Linda Ash aka Lesley Wright aka Judy Cum (Sorvino). A hooker/porn star/wannabe actress. And definitely not a genius. Lenny sets out to change Linda's life while also dealing with his own. All turn out very likeable performances, but none more than Sorvino and Allen (who is pretty adept at playing the likeable schmuck).

This movie was great. it was funny, heartwarming, well acted and had a solid script. It has a unique story flow (there is a chorus telling the story of Oedipus interwoven throughout) and it is really just an exceptionally good movie. Can i recommend it to all? Well i could but not all would like it. people who don't 'get' Woody Allen movies will be confused in a few parts and may not get the humour. Just on a side note: I think that it will be hard for Allen to top this movie.

"Who is the boss? You have to ask that? i'm the boss. Mummy is only the decision maker" Lenny Weinrib (Woody Allen), Mighty Aphrodite

Young Frankenstein (1975)

There is no doubt that Mel Brooks is the king of spoof, especially when you think of such greats as Blazing Saddles (1974), High Anxiety (1977), Robin Hood: Men in tights (1993) and, of course, Young Frankenstein. Gene Wilder (Frederick), Marty Feldman (Igor), Peter Boyle (The Monster), Teri Garr (Inga), Cloris Leachman (Frau) and Madeline Kahn (Elizabeth) star in this silly, at time's bewildering and uproarious comedy. Kenneth Mars provides good support as a police officer with a really weird accent.

Dr Frederick Frankenstein (it's pronounced 'Fronkensteen'),  is busy living down the heinous experiments of his grandfather Victor Frankenstein. Who specialized in bringing dead people back to life. One day Frederick discovers he has inherited the castle of his crazy grandfather. At first Fred thinks that Victors experiments were "doody", but after discovering a book written by Victor, he decides it just might work. And it does.

This movie was an extremly funny experience, in my humble opinion it is better than Blazing Saddles, which is considered Mel Brooks' greatest achievement. Gene Wilder and Marty Feldman keep the ball rolling throughout with Garr, Leachman, Boyle, Mars and Kahn following close behind. With such a large amount of memorable characters it would hard to say which was my favourite. But i think i may have to say Igor (Eyegor), played by Marty Feldman. he was irreverently funny throughout.

The films knowing parody of the universal horrors of the 30s (many of which starred Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi) is perfectly pulled off at every point. The 'Puttin on the Ritz' number is perfect, it's entire execution (coupled with the Black and White) further parodies the insane amounts of horrors and musicals that came out in the 30s. It was both smart and hilarious.

The lines. Oh wow the lines. I won't spoil them for you but i can guarantee that you will laugh at almost everything that Marty Feldman says or does. Teri Garr is also quite funny, along with Kahn's first scene at the train station with Wilder, which is perfectly timed by both actors. I can keep going and say how much else there is about this movie that makes it so good but that would be spoiling it for you. Just know that it is a really great movie and one of the funniest movies of all time. In my opinion.

"Oh where are you going?... Oh you men you're all alike! seven or eight quick ones and then you're out with the boys to boast and brag. You better keep your mouth shut!... Oh i think i love him" Elizabeth (Madeline Kahn), Young Frankenstein

It Happened One Night (1934)

You know those rom-coms that come out just about every year? you know, where the guy/girl ends up with the girl/guy that isn't their fiancé? Yeah? Well this movie is the grand daddy of all of them. Sweeping the oscars to become the first movie to nab the 'big five' (best picture, best director, best actor, best actress and best screenplay). Nowadays the plot is fairly predictable:

Man (Clark Gable) meets society princess (Claudette Colbert) on a bus to New York where she plans to meet her husband; Man is a newspaperman who's got a bone to pick with his boss. Colbert is Ellie Andrews and Gable is Peter Warne and they fight like cat and dog- See where this is going? One thing i didn't mention: Ellie fell off the radar and everyone is out looking for her. Peter has got the scoop.

Predictable? yes. tame? yes. funny and romantic? hell yes! It might be noticeably dated but it is hard not to love it more and more. Hell, we love THEM. Gables easy charisma and Colbert's near-pitch perfect line delivery add up to one of the first (and greatest) true rom-coms. There is no doubt that the basic formula has been improved upon (perhaps best seen in 'Roman Holiday [1953]), but this movie is still very likeable and good fun.

I could gush about Gables charm and physical looks and wonder how the Ellie character could have possibly resisted him for most of the movie, but that would be redundant and i'd come up fruitless in the end anyway. Colbert is kind of underrated, she has been in a few good movies, such as The Palm Beach Story (1942) and she almost (she had to drop out due to a back injury) had the iconic role of Margo Channing in All About Eve (1950), which of course went to Bette Davis who made it one of the greatest female roles in history. I guess Colbert as Margo is one of those 'what if?' moments. In any case she was good.

It was directed capably by Frank Capra (who was a master director of these kinds of movies) and written with great wit and intelligence (remember when comedies had that?) by Robert Riskin. This is a great movie that, while being a little long in some parts, is worth the watch just so you can laugh and be amazed by how influential this movie is on modern romantic comedies. I'm not going to waste my writing space (although i gladly would so i could talk more,) telling you exactly how it was influential, you'll have to see it for yourself- i'm not your slave.

"Well i proved once and for all that the limb is mightier than the thumb" Ellie Andrews (Claudette Colbert), It Happened One Night

RWAC analysis

Sometimes a movie will just pop into my head. last night Rebel Without a Cause (1955) was one of these movies. Let me just say that it is one of my favourites.
Instead of doing a plain old review i thought that i would try to analyze the 3 main characters, Plato (Sal Mineo), Judy (Natalie Wood) and Jim (James Dean). Now i don't think i'm very good when it comes to analysis but i'll let you be the judge.

Plato

John "Plato" Crawford is probably the most disturbed of the 3 characters. He has been pretty much abandoned by both parents and since he has no friends he mostly spends his time with his maid or at one point killing puppies. The way i see it Plato killed these puppies not out of angst or hate but a warped view of justice. Puppies are abandoned by their mother, the way he was abandoned by his, he shot them because he saw himself in them. He was sort of suicidal. But as far as we know he never attempted it, but why not? Perhaps subconsciously he thought things would get better and when Jim arrived they did (for a little).

Plato's relationship with Jim is just one of the many interesting relationships in this movie. Jim and Judy became sort of surrogate parents to Plato during their brief time at the secluded mansion. But yet Plato is obviously attracted to Jim, for a fifties movie it's astounding that it was even featured, but nonetheless it was and it adds a whole other layer to the movie. Plato both see's Jim as a father figure and a potential lover. he was certainly a confused young man.

Judy

Continuing the trend of complex father relationships in this movie is Judy's need for attention from her father. It is natural for a girl to still want some attention from her father even though she is growing up, but he doesn't seem to want to show any kind of affection. Even slapping her when she tries to. i once read someone else's theory that he was afraid of his attraction to her, which is a very good idea and i think it is just about right.
It has been debated on the IMDB boards about why she suddenly fell in love with Jim mere hours after Buzz (her boyfriends) death. This i think i can explain. Judy's father was pushing her away, Buzz became the man of her life, she was close to him and was allowed to show the affection she couldn't show to her father. But did she love him? No. The fact that she didn't have a huge mourning over him is because she had to push him out of her mind. To be strong and find another man to be her rock. This man was Jim. She said she loved him because he was security, he was attentive and loving (and he was James Dean), she loved the idea of him.

Jim.

The template for teen angst everywhere is Jim Stark. The 'rebel' who wants to break away from his restraints but at the same time fit in. A paradoxical character, (in fact they all were). He doesn't want to be like his Father (Jim Backus), who is a push over who can't stand up to his own (shrewish) wife. Jim hates being called 'chicken' as it reminds him of his Dad, who he doesn't want to be. Here is the main cause of his 'rebellion', he wants to be seen as his own man, a real man. To be a real man he thought he mustn't be afraid of even the most dangerous  and stupid things (like driving a car towards a cliff). His relationship's with Judy and Plato were perfectly suited to him. Judy was very different from his own mother, she didn't tell him what to do or was demanding. Plato was the son. Plato wanted parents. The entire family dynamic is very well put together.

I may be wrong about quite a few of these things, after all I've never been great at analysis. But the thing i love about this movie is that it can be interpreted in many different ways. i also love it's basic theme- teenagers trying to find their own way. It is still so culturally significant today (and will be in the future). Sure the events are melodramatic (impromptu switch blade fights...)  but again, the theme isn't teen violence or even rebellion, it's finding a purpose.

"You have to do something" Buzz Gunderson (Corey Allen), Rebel Without a Cause.

Message from a movie lover....

i am sort of saddened that there have been very few comments made on the blog as of late, however i understand because i haven't made many good posts. My time as has been preoccupied by school and homework i also went to see Wicked, which was thrilling and i want to see it again. Me being a brunette and my best friend being a blonde we have decided that we are Elphaba and G(a)linda which is strange but true nonetheless.

I am going to be able to see (and rewatch) many movies soon so you may see more posts in the coming weeks. i'm still stuck on those lists i referenced in a previous post though. I hope to review Young Frankenstein, It Happened One Night, Mighty Aphrodite, Not Another Teen Movie, Silk Stockings and some others but those are the ones i am focusing on because i have only recently added them to me collection.

Just to let me know that you're still here could i please have some comments? i sound really needy i know but i hate posting to no-one.

"It's Frunkensteen" Dr Frankenstein (Gene Wilder), Young Frankenstein

I know what you did last summer (1997)

Here is a fairly well known teen slasher/horror of the nineties, along with Scream (1996) it is probably one of the most recognized of it genre for that decade. Although it has it's cliche's and isn't scary it should be noted that unlike some other slashers that came before it (and after), it has a good mystery that holds the audiences attention- much more so than the murders depicted in it.

This is a twist on the old escaped mental patient with a hook for a hand thing. Only the escaped mental patient is replaced by a fisherman that four high school friends accidentally 'kill' during their final summer together (they have just graduated high school). and his weapon of choice is, (surprise, surprise) a hook.

The friends i referred to above are played by: Jennifer Love Hewitt, Freddie Prinze Jr, Sarah Michelle Gellar and Ryan Phillippe. their acting isn't that great, JLH is the same in most movies, Prinze is a mediocre actor of nineties 'young star of the moment' variety, Gellar is tolerable and probably the least annoying character. of course, that doesn't stop her from being a run of the mill one. Phillippe is dangerously psycho as Barry and i really wanted him to get killed ASAP. Howver the actors capably inject humour into their otherwise plain characters, seen best when they aren't having attempts made on their lives.

The movie's plot isn't very good, there have been movie before and since with similar plots, but the way it seems to reference is familiarity sets it apart from other slashers (except Scream of course). if they didn't just reference the familiar mold of the story but instead attempted to break away from the cliche's then it would have been a much bolder and perhaps better movie.

for a night in with friends this is a good movie to watch because it's not gross or scary- so you wont go to bed with nightmares- but it manages to maintain our interests until the final face off (until the sequel).

"We should have a plan, Angela LansBury always had a plan"Helen (Satah Michelle Gellar), I know what you did last summer