Airplane!

One of my favorite comedies is Airplane!  It’s a predictable, cliche story of a young Air Force veteran who has to step up from his angst to take command of a doomed flight after all the pilots become violently ill from eating the in-flight fish.  Really, no one cares about the story, like I said, it’s cliche, a silly cookie cutter plot complete with troubled love,a little girl on her way for a heart transplant and a “drinking problem”.  What makes Airplane! great is how simply absurd and wacky the film is throughout.

The comedy style in Airplane! falls somewhere between Saturday Night Live skits, Mad Magizine and knock-knock jokes.  The actors rarely act like they are being funny, but keep a serious face no matter if they’re wearing an extra pair of sunglasses, holding a smoking smoking ticket or making the same pose as the painting of themselves in the background.  Even when things are completely ridiculous to the audience, a good amount of self control is taken to keep the characters believing in their dire situation.  The situation is corny, so we don’t care, but it’s the comedy that keeps us watching.

And it’s rarely vulgar, which is so refreshing from many of today’s comedies.  There is no constant cursing, any sexual jokes are light enough that most parents would be comfortable with their children around.  Though, there is one instance of nudity…which catches you completely off guard, but it is hilariously unexpected!  Besides that one boob shot, and shit literally hitting a fan, just the unique way Otto is inflated could be considered vulgar.

Best of all, Airplane! has some of my favorite movie spoof moments.  The film opens with music from Jaws and a plane’s fin protruding through the clouds.  The disco scene reminiscent of Saturday Night Fever is delightfully ridiculous, complete with cartoon sound effects and fist-fighting Girl Scouts.  The romantic scene in the surf channels a more realistic view of the iconic scene in From Here to Eternity, with seaweed covering the couple.  And the whole film is a wonderful spoof of the overly-dramatic disaster films of the 1970s, especially Airport.

My favorite character is Stephen Stucker’s Johnny, who seems to embody the true spirit of the film.  He is the only character that is outright silly, and knows it.  His antics are always high points in the film for me.  My favorite moment in Airplane! is when the runway lights go out just as the plane coming in to land and Johnny is mischievously holding the plug and grinning, “Just kidding!”

Sure, Airplane! isn’t the sort of film that gets any recognition at the Oscars, but so what?  It’s a fun, memorable classic that has stood the test of time better than some of the films it spoofs.  There are few comedies that dare to be this corny, this unrefined and still pull off big laughs.

Every time I watch Airplane! I notice something new that keeps me laughing.  One time it was the ice cream truck in pursuit with the ambulances.  Another it was that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was wearing his Lakers uniform from the waist down in the cockpit.  This time, one morning with my infant son, it was a truck dumping lamps onto the runway…for lights.  I can’t wait for what my next viewing will bring.

“There’s no reason to become alarmed, and we hope you’ll enjoy the rest of your flight.  By the way, is there anyone on board who knows how to fly a plane?”

The Elephant Man

In the seedy carnival of London, a horrible and fascinating creature is discovered.  The story goes that his mother was trampled by wild elephants while pregnant with him.  Most don’t care about the story; they just want the curtain to lift so they can gawk at The Elephant Man.

Dr. Frederick Treves (Anthony Hopkins) stumbles upon the carnival one day, and becomes curious about The Elephant Man (John Hurt), whose booth has just been shut down.  He combs the alleys looking for him and meets Bytes, the man who seems to own the creature.  Bytes allows Treves to study The Elephant Man (after paying to see him).  At first, Treves sees The Elephant Man as just a specimen and exhibits him to his fellow doctors, as a rare find and educational tool.  When Treves learns how harshly Bytes treats the man, Treves arranges for the man to stay at the hospital.  What follows is a fascinating journey where Treves helps the man discover his humanity and dignity.  But there’s always the barrier that makes him no more than a sideshow to gawk at.

This film can be considered a biography.  Yes, John Merrick (aka The Elephant Man) was a real man, who had a rare condition to make him look this way.  A good portion of the story is based off of Dr. Treves’ notes, which is also where the name John came from.  Merrick’s real name was Joseph, but enough fun fact history, this is a film!

And what a film indeed.  I’ll admit, there is a lot of allure here because the viewer simply wants to see The Elephant Man.  How horrible is he?  Is it true he’s got feet like an elephant?  For the first half hour of the film, we only get shadowy glimpses and silhouettes of him, making that first clear look even more worth it.  It’s only after we get over the initial shock that we can see John for more than a freak.

Once Dr. Treves tries to see John as more than a new chapter in a textbook, he’s able to break through barriers and find a real person under all that…elephantness.  John is surprisingly smart, polite and always very gracious.  He’s sweet and very soft spoken so we instantly love him and want him to have a wonderful life overcoming the obstacles and abandoning his sideshow life.  When the seedy bastards from the dark alleys come to gawk and make him a spectacle for their amusement again, we’re heartbroken and horrified.  I’ll admit, I was nearly in tears during his worst moment with a mob.

That is what makes this film so amazing.  Not the daring black and white or the amazing makeup, but the amount of heart and sympathy it can pull from you.  For anyone who was ever mocked as a child or felt like a deformed outcast, this film shows the most extreme case ever known.  Some may identify, but none can ever imagine the hardships John faced.  It’s hard to imagine such a sensitive human soul residing in such a terrifying body.

I want to recommend this film to everyone, but I know that’s not quite right.  Not everyone can stand to see someone that deformed.  It will disturb your kids.  And the brutality John is treated with isn’t for the faint of heart.  But it’s just an amazing film, daring, beautiful and heartfelt no matter how ugly.

“People are frightened by what they don’t understand.”

***Yes, this is my pick for 1980.  It has just as much emotional weight, but it’s more amazing than Ordinary People, sorry Academy.  Also, the achievement in makeup (one that has yet to be matched) was enough to create the award for best makeup.  It is available on hulu.com right now…the whole film…for free…seriously, you’ve obviously got internet, why aren’t you watching it yet?!***

Ordinary People

The film takes place in the aftermath of tragedy.  Older all-star son, Buck, was killed in a boating accident and surviving brother, Conrad, blames himself so harshly that he tried to commit suicide.  After being released from the hospital (we assume for psychological problems, but it’s never explicitly revealed), Conrad and his parents have trouble communicating and moving forward.  Everyone is walking on eggshells and so afraid to hear each other’s thoughts their house feels like a hallow cave.  The warmth of love and laughter has been removed.

Conrad (Timothy Hutton) is such a desperate character.  He’s about seventeen, has swim practice every night, sings in the choir, and has trouble talking to girls on top of all his family issues.  The performance is painfully honest and beautiful as Conrad becomes stronger and starts to accept his lot.  Hutton’s win for supporting actor is well deserved.

The relationship between father, Calvin (Donald Sutherland) and son is healthy.  They can talk, but there isn’t a desperate need to between them.  They’re able to bond and find comfort in small things, like getting a Christmas tree.  In the beginning, Calvin asks his son if he’s given any thought to seeing a shrink.  He never pushes one way or another, there’s simply support of his options and room to breathe.

If that conversation had been between mother, Beth (Mary Tyler Moore) and son, I doubt Conrad would’ve ever seen a doctor.  Since Buck’s death their relationship has been very hostile, and Conrad even believes that his mother hates him.  Beth and her son cannot talk at all, not even about something as breezy and trivial as how their day was.  As Conrad makes progress with Dr. Berger, he tries to include his mother more, but they’re so awkward it’s painful to see Conrad try to break through the wall his mother has put up.  We start to question who needs help most.

Now many people will say that Ordinary People is about teen suicide, family tragedy and all that juicy stuff.  I believe the core of the story is something deeper that people can’t just read in the papers.   There’s a unique courage that builds in Conrad, the kind one needs in order to reach out for help and let life move on.

It’s humbling and scary to confide in a stranger about the horrible things you’re feeling in your life.  The scenes between Conrad and Dr. Berger (Judd Hirsch) get deeper, more revealing and dramatic with every visit.  It’s almost beautiful how Conrad starts to blossom and grow from shy and disturbed to confident and even able to smile.  Sometimes a boy’s best friend is his psychiatrist.

I’ll warn you, Ordinary People isn’t a feel good breeze to just sit back and zone out to.  There’s too much deep conversation, painfully pregnant pauses and family issues for that.  But it’s worth the view if you’re up to the challenge.

“A little advice about feelings kiddo; don’t expect it always to tickle.”

Raging Bull

Shot in stark black and white, Raging Bull was Martin Scorsese masterpiece as he was reborn into the film industry.  The story is that of real life boxer Jake La Matta.  It begins as he starts his professional boxing career and we watch him rise and fall both in and out of the ring.

Raging Bull is a boxing movie, but it’s nothing like Rocky.  It’s a sports movie, but nothing kids should see.  Jake isn’t a hero, you don’t even like him unless he’s punching someone.  He’s completely self absorbed, he expects his wife to sit at home for him while he’s training all day and out drinking all night.  His brother and manager, Joey, isn’t much help, but can see the slope Jake is heading towards.  Like all fighters, he’s never satisfied, but he takes it to self destructive points.  He’s always suspicious of his wife cheating and his brother’s intentions.  In most of the family scenes I was just waiting for Jake to explode and finally punch his wife’s head through the wall.  He’s a dangerous ticking bomb that’s better left in the ring.

And that’s where some of the best parts of Raging Bull are.  The boxing ring itself seems to be in a mystical place, like a bright island in a dark ocean surrounded by people.  There are no walls or ceiling, the hanging microphone seems to just float in the smoky air.  Then the bell dings, the crowd cheers and fists are flashing at top speed.  The editing is so quick and precise with out a single wasted frame, if you blink you might miss something.

It’s so violent too.  Remember how shocking the shower scene from Psycho was?  Scorcasee looked to that for inspiration during one particular boxing scene and the result is one of the most beautifully violent moments in film history.  Flashbulbs and punches act as the knife, the ropes around the ring keep the boxer from escaping, the blood sprays and flows all down his face.  In one dizzying swoop, the camera lets us sway and fall with the boxer.   And like watching blood flow down the drain, we hear the crowd roar and see the rope dripping with blood.

Robert de Niro put his blood, sweat and gained sixty pounds for his Oscar winning role as Jake.  Besides the physical toll in the brutal boxing scenes and working for months on getting fat, the portrayal of a violent man on the edge of complete combustion is astounding.  De Niro makes us afraid of Jake, we’ve seen his power, the violence he’s capable of.  He lets himself get pushed more and more and we’re just waiting for everything to snap.  De Niro builds the tension perfectly so we’re able to enjoy the fall and take a sigh of relief.

If you can’t stand blood, violence or the F-word 114 times (yes, IMDB counted it for me), then Raging Bull is not for you.  All others, I strongly encourage you to see a cinematic masterpiece.  And pause it if you need to get up, otherwise you could be sitting on the can hearing, “Oh, your missing it!  He just beat the shit outta him with a car door!”

Coal Miner’s Daughter

Unfortunately, there are probably too many young people out there who don’t know who Loretta Lynn is.  Not many people listen to classic country music today when there’s Lady Gaga, T-Pain and YouTube.  But my mom’s side is from Kentucky, I grew up with radios tuned to country and I have some fond memories of watching The Grand Ole Opry with my grandma.  So maybe I’m just one of the few in my generation that could really appreciate Coal Miner’s Daughter.

It’s the story of country singer Loretta Lynn (Sissy Spacek) as she rises from her humble beginning in Appalachia Kentucky.  Her daddy slaves away in the coal mine and her mama takes care of eight kids.  Loretta gets married at thirteen and starts having babies at fourteen.  In no time, she’s got a whole slew of kids to take care of.  Her husband notices Loretta’s natural talented voice and gets her a guitar for an anniversary gift.  She takes to the guitar like a duck to water, singing to her kids.  Though Loretta’s reluctant and shy at first, her husband pushes her to make a record and then to drive across Kentucky and Tennessee promoting it at every radio station they find.  Before she even knows it, Loretta’s a star on the charts.

Sissy Spacek gives the performance of a lifetime and wins the Oscar for her role as Loretta.  She’s able to raise Loretta up from a naive, innocent girl, to a shy woman peddling her records all the way to a glitzy star on the big stage while always keeping her strictly Loretta.  Mastering that distinct hillbilly drawl seems challenging enough, but Sissy also sang all the songs in the film.

Just as they have always been, Lynn’s songs are wonderful.  They’re the only suitable soundtrack and bring out the true heart of Lynn’s story.  If you enjoy country music at all, that’s enough to put Coal Miner’s Daughter on a must watch list.

“I done wrote me a song Betty Sue. Your mama dadgome songwriter now.”

Tess

Based on the novel by Thomas Hardy, Roman Polanski brings the story of a young peasant woman onto the screen.  It all starts when Tess’s father, John Durbeyfield, learns that he is descended from an upstanding family; d’Urberville instead of Durbeyfield.  He sends his eldest child, Tess, to investigate and make friendly with a family of d’Urbervilles not too far away.  There she meets Alec d’Urberville, who refers to her kindly as cousin.  After winning just enough trust, he seduces Tess and she shamefully returns home to bear a child.  The child dies before it can even have a proper baptism.  Tess trudges onto a new life, working on a new farm with other young maidens.  There she meets Angel, a charming young man who all the girls have an eye for.  He falls for Tess, and asks to marry her.  But how can she honestly accept such a proposal with her shady past?

Ah, the trials women live with don’t change much, do they?  In the beginning, it seems that Tess has nowhere to go but up and her beauty could help her family achieve a new class.  But when she’s raped – oh sorry, “seduced”- she’s worthless.  She looks as if she knows she’s lower than dirt and never seems hopeful for anything. A roof over her head is more than she can ask for, so when everyone’s dream boy asks her to marry, it’s too good to be true.

This isn’t a fairy tale, and Tess is well aware of it.  For all of you looking for a Cinderella story or the next Pretty Woman, abandon all hope.  I won’t tell you what lies ahead, but I’ll do you the favor before your pretty little heads swell with high hopes.  Besides, Polanski usually doesn’t leave us feeling all bubbly inside.

The best thing about Tess is its Oscar winning cinematography.  Shots are set up wonderfully, without using any fancy tricks.  Just seeing the sprawling countryside and depicting the isolation of each house or village is brilliant.

One thing I’m curious about, is if the Stonehenge scene was shot in France as well.  Or did they just take a field trip without Polanski, so he wouldn’t be in the kind of trouble he is now?

To be frank, I didn’t care for this film.  The story is a classic, I realize that, but it wasn’t that interesting and I could keep a step ahead of it.  The whole chauvinistic fall of women, especially in a 19^th century setting, is always the same.  Tess was nearly three hours too long, and wasn’t even fun to heckle.  Polanski has done much better than this.

“What is this strange temptation misery holds for you?”