Author: temporalparadox

Splash

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Splash. Touchstone Pictures 1984.

Before watching the movie:

It’s easy to forget that Tom Hanks is in this movie because he’s overshadowed by two big stories: “Disney creates the Touchstone label to distance its core brand from edgier stuff like Splash“, and “Daryl Hannah is gorgeous”.

I think that before The Little Mermaid, it was a common assumption that mermaids were blonde, but I understand that there was a point when this movie owned the image of what a mermaid looked like to the extent that mermaids were blondes because Madison was a blonde, instead of the other way around.

I expect that 28 years later, this movie will look like a soft PG that you might see on Nickelodeon in the afternoon.

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Coming to America

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Coming to America. Paramount Pictures 1988.

Before watching the movie:

On the one hand, Eddie Murphy is a fish out of water in the part of his career before he decided playing multiple roles was a good substitute for being funny. On the other, I’m a little worried that this might not have much more to say than Trading Places did, only more one-sided and with uncomfortable stereotypes about native Africans the whole way through.

Also, the last time I saw Eddie Murphy, he wasn’t being very funny. But that was more of a personal project for him, and he was unfunny in a meaningful way.
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Transylvania 6-5000

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Transylvania 6-5000. Jadran Film 1985.

Before watching the movie:

I’ve heard mixed reviews about this movie. Everything from “it was awful” to “it’s not so good”. When Leonard Maltin famously reviews a film with “it stunk. I’m Leonard Maltin”, it gives me pause, but I’m hoping some of the other reviews that lean toward “it’s okay if you’re expecting a dumb comedy” are more accurate. Mismanaged expectations are one of the biggest killers of film reputations.

Also, I tend to rate more favorably than many, or at least I think I do. I’ve recently had opportunity to compare how I rate films on a five-point scale to others, and found that on such a scale, the really good movies tend to get fours unless I was especially wowed by them, which is a higher bar for me than for others. Maybe doing this blog for three years has made me harder to please.

More on-topic, I can’t imagine Jeff Goldblum turning in a bad performance. I guess I don’t really know much about Begley other than this seems to be out of the general type I put him in.

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My Fair Lady

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My Fair Lady. Warner Bros. Pictures 1964.

Before watching the movie:

Funny story: when I was planning September’s musicals theme, I counted the number of Fridays in the month three times and got five twice. So I queued five movies. Unfortunately, while I was looking forward to this one, circumstances prevented it from being included then. But I still have it, and I’m doing it now.

Nothing is original. This is a film adaptation of a stage musical that was based on a play that was inspired by a Latin poet’s story. To take it a step further, it’s been directly parodied relentlessly. I’m familiar with many parodies, the basic story, and I’ve read the original Latin. I know many of the songs, I know the upset in casting that made Julie Andrews available to play the legendary Mary Poppins, but how it all comes together is something I’m excited to watch. Continue reading →

Harlem Nights

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Harlem Nights. Paramount Pictures 1989.

Before watching the movie:

This movie came to my attention from a book of Drew Struzan movie poster art (his design was not used). I was interested by the art deco style of Struzan’s poster and headliners Eddie Murphy and Richard Pryor, but I was scared off by the way it seemed to be promoted as a serious film about organized crime. I was relieved to read today when I chose it that it is in fact an action comedy. About organized crime.

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Greedy

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Greedy. Imagine Entertainment 1994.

Before watching the movie:

Way back in my first year of doing this blog, I found a four-movie set of Michael J. Fox comedies. For practical reasons, the only one I ended up reviewing, or even seeing, was For Love or Money (though I prefer the other title, The Concierge), which happened to be the one I was least interested in. It was still a very enjoyable movie.

I recently remembered that and got around to tracking down the other movies from it that I hadn’t seen (I already own one from the set, which I’ve been wanting to watch again), and now that the musicals theme has reached its end, I can watch this one.

I know I’ve seen other stories of families backstabbing each other to get in good graces with the rich dying relative, but I can’t name any. The closest specific thing that comes to mind is YouTube: a sketch by The Frantics.

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Fiddler on the Roof

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September is Stage Musicals Lunar Cycle

Fiddler on the Roof. Cartier Productions 1971.

Before watching the movie:

Pretty much everything I know about this show is from the songs. I can guess that there’s poverty, generational shift, and probably a changing world. Meanwhile, an older man stands on his roof and plays his violin. Why? Maybe because, what else can he do?
This is the last entry in this series which was made available to me through my great aunt’s estate.

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The Phantom of the Opera

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September is Stage Musicals Lunar Cycle

The Phantom of the Opera. Really Useful Films/Scion Films 2004.

Before watching the movie:

I’m vaguely familiar with the basic story. Probably less than I should be, since I saw the Wishbone episode several times and I read The Canary Trainer, which is basically “Sherlock Holmes solves the case of the Phantom of the Opera”.

I’ve even heard some of the music (that organ fugue theme is inescapable, especially around Halloween), but I still don’t consider myself knowing this movie very well. I’m not even sure I’ll be able to comment on its faithfulness. Continue reading →