"In vacant or in pensive mood..." I am: Bekah; 24; Law Student / Favorite Things: Carbs (so there!), Johnny Damon, Smiling at babies, Grilled cheese, Comfortable silence / Favorite Supreme Court Justice: Brennan / Favorite Wilson: Owen by an inch / Today's Special: Song: Elliott Smith, "Bled White"; Quote: "You know, there's like a butt-load of gangs at this school. This one gang kept wanting me to join because I'm pretty good with a bowstaff." Please love me: mmbekah@yahoo.com


February 2003 March 2003 April 2003 May 2003 June 2003 July 2003 August 2003 September 2003 October 2003 November 2003 December 2003 January 2004 February 2004 March 2004 April 2004 May 2004 June 2004 July 2004 August 2004 September 2004 October 2004 November 2004 December 2004 January 2005 September 2005

 
The Classics

Every time I watch Tommy Boy, I have a secret wish. I secretly wish that I'll think it's stupid and boring--that I'll realize that maybe, just maybe, 23 years is too old to find humor in "fat guy in a little coat." I wish that I could watch the m&ms fall into the dashboard and not be moved. I wish I could see Tommy stroke his naughty little pet ("you're naughty"), and not become hysterical. And the "cat-like speed and reflexes," and the "I wish we'd known each other, that was a little awkward," and the "it's called reading, top to bottom, left to right, a group of words together is a sentence," and the old favorite, "Shut up, Richard"...I wait for the day when these shining golden nuggets of comedic brilliance will not amuse me. That day has not yet come. And so, I have reached the unavoidable conclusion that Tommy Boy is timeless. Make no mistake: Tommy Boy is not alone. I would venture to say that there will never be a time when Fletch, Dead Man on Campus, Happy Gilmore, Office Space, Meet the Parents, and So I Married An Ax-Murderer won't be funny to me. This is a short list; it is by no means exhaustive of the movies I could watch over and over and still enjoy. For example, I watched The Breakfast Club a few days ago and was, yet again, impressed by its genius. If you haven't watched it lately, please do so. They just don't make them like that anymore.

Which brings me to my next point. Some people watch a movie once and believe they have gleaned all there is to glean. I think this attitude flies in the face of what makes motion pictures so amazing and wonderful. Just like books, movies can be visited and revisited forever. And just like books, there is a lot that a second, or even third (or, say, 50th if Fletch is concerned) visit can give you that you might have missed the first time. Melissa and I were recently discussing the many virtues of re-reading. Re-reading is almost better than reading an entirely new book, because it allows you to re-experience the joy of an old favorite while at the same time giving you insight into yourself. You can really learn a lot about how you've grown by reading a book again and discovering things you never noticed before. Melissa just re-read Pride and Prejudice and To Kill A Mockingbird. I read The Diary of Anne Frank in 8th grade, and read it again a few weeks ago after visiting her hiding place in Amsterdam. It was an amazing experience, because I was constantly comparing my reactions now to my memories of reading it then. There are so many things I can see in Anne's writing now that I didn't appreciate when I was 14.

There are, however, some downsides to endless re-viewing. I've watched some movies so many times that I start to think the actors are saying their lines wrong. ("Wait, the inflection in Spade's delivery of 'your brain has a thick candy shell' was totally off right there. There should have been much more emphasis on 'thick.' And does Fletch really say 'can I borrow your towel for a sec; my car just hit a water buffalo.'? That's totally not the way he said it before.") With each viewing, I think the acting just gets worse and worse, because the actors seem to be obviously anticipating their lines. Then I realize that I'm the one anticipating the lines and, if I'm not careful, I'm the one saying them too. Ah, whatever. I say them better anyway--after all, I've had a lot more practice than the actors have.

posted by Bekah at 10:57 AM :: |