First time seeing a movie in a theater in months...so I had to make it a good one:
Raiders of the Lost Ark!
10/10. I've seen it a million times, and could probably quote the movie by heart. I took my 8yo son with me, who had never seen it before (excepting a few minutes of it on tv). He was confused at first, because when he read "directed by Steven Spielberg", he mistook it as "Steven Hillenburg", the creator of Spongebob.
Here are his thoughts:
"Scary, but good" Also, "Lots of kissing"
"The opening music sounds like the Ewok music"
He only asked 2 questions:
1) "What army is that?" They haven't covered WW2 or Nazis yet in school, so a fair question.
2) and at the very end, he must have been paying attention to the credits, because he wanted to know what a "Mechanical Effects Supervisor" did. Especially since the movie had no robots. He thought that person would have lots to do on Star Wars, but couldn't figure out what he needed to do on Raiders.
He did well, and only had to cover his eyes a few times I had a blast.
There are few things more satisfying than introducing your child (or niece/nephew, in my case) to a classic film for the first time. While my movie nights w/the nephew have tailed off dramatically over the last year, I've treasured all of them, and since 2017 or so have shown him probably thirty or more formative classics from the 70's, 80's and 90's. He's been going through some emotional troubles lately, so we haven't been able to hang much lately, but I saw him on the 4th of July, and and always extended a fresh invite for some movies, so hopefully that will bear fruit soon.
AndyDursin wrote: ↑Tue Jul 07, 2020 10:57 pm
That's awesome! Wish Theo was a year, or two, older. 6 is just on the young side for RAIDERS.
I was seven when my Dad took me, and a lot of it flew over my head. Truth be told, all I really remember from that initial viewing was Indy's traitorous guide getting turned into a Hovitos pincushion. I was ten for Temple Of Doom, and for that reason have a special affection for that unfairly maligned installment. Had either the MAD or Cracked parody of it, too.
I hadn't watched this film in nearly a decade, and I never really had a proper screening -- i.e. on a large enough screen -- until now.
This another "80s classic" which still holds-up today (and which is preferable to almost any genre picture from the past decade). Although Arnold Schwarzzennegger's acting talent was still raw and undeveloped at this point, this is still the best film he ever appeared in. The Oliver Stone / John Milius script spins an exciting tale of epic proportions, all guided by Milius' considerable (and underrated) talent as a director. Action sequences are first-rate, from the savage assault on Conan's village to the temple robbery, and finally to the thrilling "Battle of the Mounds". The love story works equally well, with Schwarzzennegger and Sandahl Bergman exhibiting a perfect chemistry together; the "love montage" truly is one of the most touching and compelling ever put on screen.
The casting is unique, to say the least, but it works. Milius realized that physicality rather than acting experience was what the main characters required, and it is hard to believe any seasoned actor would have been as convincing as a body-builder like Schwarzennegger, or a dancer like Bergman. Surfer Gerry Lopez is likewise captures the physical demands of Subotai, as does ex-footballer Ben Davidson as Thulsa Doom's chief henchman. Such is Milius' skill as a director, the performances of actors like James Earl Jones and Max Von Sydow fit perfectly among their less-experienced co-stars. Jones in particular is chilling as Thulsa Doom -- whom he plays as a soft-spoken, even avuncular psychopath. Mako, one of the most wonderful (and underrated) character actors ever is especially memorable (and funny) in the role of the wizard.
Further on casting, it's interesting (and nice) to see -- particularly in a film from 1982 -- such a multicultural cast. Lets face it, 90% of fantasy movies all feature white people from the British Commonwealth. But in Conan you have an Austrian star, a villain played by a Black actor (outfitted with green eyes!), Asian actors like Lopez and Mako, Swede Von Sydow as King Osric, French actress Valérie Quennessen as Osric's daughter, etc.
Conan's cinematic influences are clear to any film lover -- Thulsa Doom and his cohorts wear helmets from Alexander Nevsky, and references to Japanese cinema abound (the Wizard's killing of the horseman is a nod to Yohei slaying the bandit in Seven Samurai, the body paint which protects Conan from the evil spirits is a direct reference to Kwaidan, and even the title music from Seven Samurai is heard in the scene where Conan, Valeria and Subotai ride toward Thulsa Doom's fortress). The evocation of early civilization (and the whole style of the film's photography) looks very influenced by Zefferelli's Jesus of Nazareth. Yet this is no mere pastiche of classic films; these influences filter through Milius' creativity to form something very new and original.
Basil Poledouris' score is certainly one of the finest ever written for a fantasy film, charged with aggressive valor and visceral choral writing. Almost operatic in style (and artistry) the score is what brings the picture to life, and is without a doubt the best thing Poledouris ever created.
Not to sound like a broken record, but again, this is another film that would not be made today -- certainly not in this way. Although an "action movie", Conan has moments of reflection (like Conan and Subotai's conversations, and the extended finale where Conan sits pondering on the steps of the fortress before setting it ablaze). Today, this film would be a non-stop barrage of action (with bland power chords instead of the thematic tapestry which is Basil Poledouris' score). In fact that does describe the remake the Conan from several years ago (a film which, tellingly, no one remembers).
Conan The Barbarian is a unique film that works perfectly on every level -- it is an "introspective popcorn flick", a violent action fantasy yet with moments of tenderness, it boasts dazzling stuntwork and design, and is simply one of the finest "sword and sorcery" pictures ever made (and second only to Excalibur as the best fantasy film of the 1980s).
Last edited by Paul MacLean on Tue Jul 14, 2020 12:17 am, edited 1 time in total.
Eric Paddon wrote: ↑Mon Jul 13, 2020 11:50 am
I think if the film had just toned down the violence to avoid an R rating, it would have been even better and developed more mainstream appeal.
At the time of its release I'd have agreed. I was not permitted entry to the theater when I tried to see it as a kid -- even though the old grouch who ran the theater let my friends in (who were all the same age as me -- but I was short and looked a few years younger than I was)!
However, I feel the violence is part of the film's overall identity and style. I also find Conan (as well as Excalibur) interesting examples of that brief era when there were genre movies with a harder edge -- before the success of E.T. ushered in a "kinder, gentler" (and more sanitized) vogue for science fiction and fantasy (which rendered more severe films unfashionable).
Compare Conan The Barbarian to its weaksauce sequel to see how watered down the material was in order to earn a PG rating (albeit an "80's PG"). I wouldn't give up the boobies n' blood for the world, especially considering how tepid movies are gonna be going forward in today's Cancel Culture. Conan is rude, crude, and gleefully amoral, and that's why it endures as a superb time capsule of its day.
Monterey Jack wrote: ↑Tue Jul 14, 2020 12:23 amConan is rude, crude, and gleefully amoral, and that's why it endures as a superb time capsule of its day.
Conan is the very definition of "toxic masculinity" -- which is why the film seems so unique (to say nothing of refreshing) our current "walk on eggshells" climate!
Paul MacLean wrote: ↑Tue Jul 14, 2020 11:34 pm
Conan is the very definition of "toxic masculinity" -- which is why the film seems so unique (to say nothing of refreshing) our current "walk on eggshells" climate!
To be completely honest, I don't think Conan is particularly violent as movies go in general. It certainly isn't as gory as Braveheart or Gladiator, or its summer '82 box office rivals Blade Runner and The Road Warrior (to say nothing of The Thing!). Even Poltergeist's scene where a character's face disintegrates is arguably more gruesome than anything in Conan.
Another thing I like about Conan -- while it is dismissed by effete critics as "numbskull sadomasochism", the film is actually the work of people who are educated and culturally informed. I'm not the biggest fan of Oliver Stone's later films, but he is a smart, educated man, and that comes out in the script. John Milius is an expert historian and highly knowledgeable about different cultures -- and you can tell he tried to stuff as much Asian culture and eastern martial philosophy into the film as possible in its first half hour. Conan's line that what is best is "to crush your enemies, see them driven before you and hear the lamentation of their women" is actually a quote from Genghis Khan.
Conan's debate with Subotai, regarding their respective gods, exhibits an obvious knowledge of mythology. And Conan's line near the end, where he prays to Crom, "What matters is two stood against many" is a moment of martial poetry -- perhaps lost on a film critic writing in his air-conditioned apartment overlooking the Hudson River, but sublime and meaningful to anyone who understands warfare or martial arts.
"...and if you do not listen, then to hell with you!"
I LOVE that scene, and that line. It's one of the few "Arnold moments" in the movie but it shows his natural charisma and that, yes, he actually deliver a solid performance. He wasn't just Reb Brown or Steve Reeves or some other boring muscle-bound guy pretending to act, who was going to be "one and done" on the big-screen -- he actually had some potential, and as time went on, he became a better actor. He's held in check by Milius effectively in the film but that moment hints at the kind of career he went onto have.
By today's standards, the movie is not even close to being excessive. The tone of the film is distinctively Milius with its sex and action and overall ethos -- but it's not over the top. When I was nearly 10, I was so excited that CONAN THE DESTROYER was PG because it meant I could see it in theaters -- but the movie, watching it as an adult, is such a comedown. It's passable for a silly mid 80s fantasy but it lacks all of its predecessor's specialness, for lack of a better term. It is amusing though that there were critics who felt the original was too much and that DESTROYER was more entertaining for that reason -- was it Siskel and Ebert? Can't remember but that's a head-scratching take when you objectively look at the films these days.
I admit I have a different tolerance level for screen violence. I also felt that scene Conan had with the witch and the hot sex there didn't add anything and detracted from the focal point of him and Bergman. Maybe that's "authentic" for Conan purists, which I admit I'm not (it was one Marvel comic I always passed over when I was young since I knew it was detached from the regular Marvel Universe, except for a one shot "What If?" that had him transported in time to the present and he learns to adjust and then meets Captain America)
THE BIG BOSS (1971). I bought the Bruce Lee Criterion set (chock full of supplements, BTW), and this was his breakout film. In it he plays a young man (Cheng) who is shipped off to work in an ice factory with his uncle's relatives in order to help him stay out of trouble (he loves to fight). Unfortunately though, after several family members go missing, Cheng discovers that his employers are really thugs and drug smugglers (heroin) and thar his "brothers" are dead. Unable to hold back any longer, Cheng vows to avenge his "family" and goes to confront the Big Boss.
I like martial arts films, but have really no knowledge of the genre as a whole. So in trying to grade this movie I am starting from zero without any real foundation. The story of this movie has been done hundreds upon hundreds of times in different variations over the decades. In all reality, the charm, energy, and essence of this move are all focused on Bruce Lee...he has incredible charisma and is so dynamic that he stands above everyone else in the film. His unique fighting style (as opposed to good guy counterpart James Tien's traditional style) is so dynamic and entertaining - it works massively well. Lee had immense flair and embraced the drama and intensity of his quick, lightening fast attack style. The choreography of his fights are relentless and tense; I do like that, as the hero in his films, Lee gets cut or hurt in some way as to make him bleed. His death blow moments are great, as if to add an exclamation point at the end of the fight. Wildly entertaining fight scenes. As for the story of the movie and the acting...well, it is all okay, but I imagine he did better moving forward. For now I will give this a 6/10.
Our drive in was showing this (on a double feature with Black Panther(!?)), so we had to go! I'm not going to review the film, as we all know it's a classic- John Williams' best score, memorable characters, and great action sequences like the Hoth Battle and the Asteroid Field, not to mention the great cliffhanger ending.
So I will let you know that the absolute BEST vehicle to see a drive in movie with is the Honda Ridgeline pickup truck. I got one earlier this year, and it was great. It has a power outlet to let us blow up a mattress to lay on in the truck bed, but it also has one great feature:
built in truck bed speakers! While everyone else had to use a boom box, their car radio, or the little theater speakers, we had speakers we could literally be surrounded by. I could hear the imperial march from a couple of cars away!
My son stayed awake until Han was frozen. That's the trouble when the movie can't start till 9:10!
Last edited by BobaMike on Fri Jul 17, 2020 5:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.
BobaMike wrote: ↑Fri Jul 17, 2020 2:41 pm
My son stayed awake until Han was frozen. That's the trouble when the movie can't start tll 9:10!
This is why I hate the concept of drive-in theaters in general. I want to watch movies at the earliest matinee possible so I'm as "fresh" and alert as possible (not to mention my bladder being as empty as it's going to be all day ). I realize there's a surge of interest in them due to Covid shutting down all of theater venues, but I hate the whole idea. Plus, as BobaMike said, you have to listen to drive-in movies on tinny window speakers or your car radio, which is not very ideal.
I had a blast.
I was ten for Temple Of Doom, and for that reason have a special affection for that unfairly maligned installment. Had either the MAD or Cracked parody of it, too.
Conan is rude, crude, and gleefully amoral, and that's why it endures as a superb time capsule of its day.
). I realize there's a surge of interest in them due to Covid shutting down all of theater venues, but I hate the whole idea. Plus, as BobaMike said, you have to listen to drive-in movies on tinny window speakers or your car radio, which is not very ideal.