Another Sequel: The Movies x5

I was visiting recently with Preston and Sarah Cox, owners of The Grand Theatre in Stamford. I confessed my love of classic movies, and we talked over some ideas for showing more classic Hollywood films, in addition to the new, first-run pictures featured at The Grand. In fact, one of the movies I’m about to mention was just shown there, as part of their Valentine special feature.

It comes as no surprise to the regular readers of these musings that I love old movies. When I’m with other fans of classic film, I enjoy the game of naming a movie category, and then engaging in discussion about our five favorites of that type. Best Jimmy Stewart picture. Best courtroom drama. Favorite musical. Who was the better actress – Betty Grable or Rita Hayworth?

Our category for this week is “Chick Flicks,” and I will admit it now: I like a lot of these movies, because they tell an interesting story. I like a good story! On the other hand, I’m not a fan of films that just feature two hours of special effects and blowing stuff up but forget to bring the story. This term “Chick Flick” has been around for a long time but didn’t come into widespread usage until the 1990s. Although the meaning has changed from its origin designation, it now is used to refer to a movie that has one or more strong female leads and is geared primarily towards a female audience. They are often, but not always, romantic comedies – “rom coms.” The term is somewhat pejorative: movies with a strong male lead are just “movies,” but movies with a strong woman are often dismissed as just a “chick flick.” But there have been some really great movies made in this category, and here are five of my favorites, listed in order of their release dates.

Steel Magnolias (1989) – In some ways, this movie was the original Chick Flick, and is still my favorite. The cast is amazing: Sally Field, Olivia Dukakis, Shirley MacLaine, Dolly Parton, Julia Roberts, and Daryl Hannah star as a group of friends who meet, visit, gossip, and share life at a neighborhood beauty salon. “I’m not crazy, M’Lynn – I’ve just been in a very bad mood for 40 years!”

Here’s the cast of the “chick flick,” Steel Magnolias.
The movie gives us a great look at the power of relationships to help us get through the challenges and changes of life.

Pretty Woman (1990) – Another Julia Roberts gem; also starring Richard Gere and directed by Garry Marshall. CAUTION FOR SUBJECT MATTER. This is a retelling of the Pygmalion – My Fair Lady story, showing the power of love to transform someone’s life. Don’t miss Hector Elizondo as the hotel manager.

Titanic (1997) – Stars Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio, with a very strong supporting cast. It was directed by James Cameron, who may have his faults as a director, but he does know how to tell a story visually. A rich heiress meets and falls in love with a kind but poor artist about the doomed ocean liner. Also with a strong musical score, including the main title theme by Celine Dion. STRONG CAUTION.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002) – Nia Vardalos and John Corbett lead a great cast. She portrays a young Greek-American woman who falls in love with a non-Greek man, then has to persuade her family to accept him and learn to love him as she has. This is a terrific movie about what family really means, and accepting people as they are – and maybe learn and grow along the way. Opa!

The Notebook (2004) – (This is the movie that appeared at the Grand last weekend.) James Garner shines in one of my all-time favorite films of his. Gena Rowlands, Ryan Gosling, and Rachel McAdams also star. If you enjoy movies that tell their story through extended flashback sequences, you’ll love this picture – it bounces between a modern-day nursing home and a story about two young people set during World War II. SOME CAUTION.

Some others – Sleepless in Seattle, A League of Their Own, Fried Green Tomatoes, The Princess Diaries, Moonstruck, Something’s Gotta Give, and Thelma and Louise. What would be your pics? Drop me a note at haskellstarnews@gmail.com and let me know what you think. And until then, please save me some popcorn.

Horror Movies x5

Do you like scary movies?

Personally, horror films are not among my favorites. I mean, sure, if that’s your thing, then you certainly have plenty of classics to watch. And there is no shortage of different kinds of horror movies, from intense psychological thrillers to films that shower you with buckets of blood. As for myself, I prefer movies that tell a good story, over those whose only purpose is to try and scare me, but if that’s what you like, knock yourself out.

There are some movies, though, that I think do a good job of combining a well-told story as well as being scary or creepy. There are lots of famous horror movies – Frankenstein, Psycho, The Exorcist, Jaws, Carrie, just to name a few – but there are plenty of other films that are often just as scary, but perhaps not as well-known as other, more familiar horror films. So, in case you’re looking for a different classic movie to watch as we approach Halloween, here are some lesser known, but scary movies that I have enjoyed over the years. SERIOUS CAUTION: many of these movies are definitely NOT for the whole family – watch at your own discretion. But, if you want to expand your experience of movies that go bump in the night, here are a few for your consideration, in order of their release date.

The Most Dangerous Game (1932) – Joel McCrae, Fay Wray. Joel McCrae and Fay Wray are passengers on a luxury yacht who are shipwrecked – deliberately, it turns out – by a wealthy psychotic killer, who enjoys “hunting” people for sport. It’s not a very long movie – only 78 minutes – but it has been recognized as one of the most “heart-pounding” of films. Movie trivia – King Kong was being filmed at the same time, and many of the jungle sets – and co-star Fay Wray – appeared in both movies. I remember reading the excellent, original short story by Richard Connell as a freshman at Orangefield High School, so thank you, Mr. Wernig.

Gaslight (1944) – Charles Boyer, Ingrid Bergman. Ten years after her aunt’s murder, Ingrid Bergman returns to the London home where it happened with her newlywed husband, Charles Boyer. But then she begins to notice strange goings-on as her silky-smooth husband tries to convince her that she’s only imagining it. Or is she?

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) – Kevin McCarthy, Dana Wynter. Dr. Miles Bennell (Kevin McCarthy) returns to his small-town practice to find several of his patients complaining that loved ones are being somehow replaced. Initially, he is very skeptical, but begins to suspect that his patients are not imagining things. This is a really excellent movie that has been remade several times, most notably in 1978 with Donald Sutherland and Veronica Cartwright.

Don’t Look Now (1973) –Julie Christie, Donald Sutherland. STRONG CAUTION. A loving couple is grieving the accidental drowning of their young daughter, who was wearing a red raincoat when she died. They go to Venice, Italy, to throw themselves into their work and try and move past the tragedy. Along the way they meet two very strange sisters who claim to “hear” messages from the dead little girl in the spirit world. And who is this little one they keep seeing in a red raincoat?

Something Wicked This Way Comes (1982), starring Jason Robards and Jonathan Pryce, is one of my favorite “lesser-known” scary movies.

Something Wicked This Way Comes (1982) – Jason Robards, Jonathan Pryce. Jason Robards plays a small-town librarian. Life is good until a mysterious carnival, led by Jonathan Pryce, arrives and people start disappearing. Based on a tale by Ray Bradbury, this story is all about how the devil destroys people by granting their fondest wish.

Bonus: Duel (1973) – Dennis Weaver. Here’s a little bonus: This is an excellent, made-for-TV picture, directed by a then-unknown young fellow named Stephen Spielberg. Dennis Weaver plays a traveling salesman who accidentally crosses paths with an anonymous truck driver, who spends the rest of the movie chasing him down and trying to kill him. An incredibly suspenseful movie.

Do you have a favorite horror movie? Drop me an email to haskellstarnews@gmail.com, and let’s talk about it. And until then, save me some popcorn.