Towering Inferno, Posideon Adventure and Airport--Now Those Were Some Movies

While working at our local Community Theater last weekend on this show (movie), we got to laughing about a certain genre of movies in the mid-to-late 70's that had you scared to be on a boat, ride on an airplane or be in a large office tower. These were some really scary movies (for that time) and I don't know that today's generation would really understand our infatuation with these kind of movies in that time.

I bet you remember each of them?  I do and they scared the pants off of me (so much so that last year when I went on a cruise I began to sing "There's got to be a morning after (the theme song from the Posideon Adventure) and I was certain to spot the Shelly Winters on board who would lead us to the bow of the boat when it tipped over (from the wave and not from her)

Airport had me terrified that every person who ran to the bathroom was the kooky old man who had taken out the insurance at the airport and forgot to tell his wife what he was doing and Helen Hayes was just one of the stow aways on the plane!

Towering Inferno had me creeped out to go above the second floor in any building and had me constantly looking for the fire escape.

What movies pop into your mind from the mid-to-late 70's?  This is grand material for a lot of discussion.

Thanksgiving--Time For A Thoughtful Movie

We intended to go to THE BLIND SIDE this weekend, however, we got to the theater too late to see the show (actually it was already sold out) so we settled on going back to the hotel to rest and maybe catch a movie there.

When we were flipping channels we landed on LARS and THE REAL GIRL. It seemed to be a quirky mystery at first (and our suspicions were up that he was some sort of serial killer living in the garage). However, the hook was in and we were all watching with anticipation the next scene of this movie.

If you haven't seen this movie, you must. It came out in 2007, so it's definitely going to be in the older section of the movie store.

This movie so marvelously portrays the meaning of community as Lar's family and church family come together to see him through this delusion. Granted, not all mental illnesses can be treated in such a way, but the greater picture is a loving community coming together out of love for Lars (and for Christ) to see him through to health. That was our family conversation just after the film was over.

One Hollywood writer wrote "it makes you want to live in a community like this?" Isn't that something? Hollywood is wondering where they can find community like this--and we know the answer. Why don't we live it out and show them where to find it.

Kung Fu Panda--Hollywood's Best Writing?

So I finally did it--I went to see KUNG FU PANDA yesterday.  My son had been telling me how awesome it was, but I was skeptical. 

Turns out that I was right.

Somehow I felt like I was watching a POKEMON movie the whole time.  I can see how a 10 year can classify this as one of the greatest movies.  Really I can--my son is into the whole POKEMON thing.  They have such odd looking creatures in these types of movies.

I guess my skeptic meter went way off the chart when this piece of wisdom was spouted from the old wise tortoise.

"Yesterday is history.  Tomorrow is a mystery.  Today is a gift that is why we call it the present."

What?  Was that the best that Hollywood could come up with for writing and creativity.  I think I got this in an email about 10 years ago; one of those emails that you must forward to 10 people in the next 10 minutes or something bad will happen to you.   I thought--ok, now I'm done--this movie has jumped the shark.

Can you imagine the creative writer meeting where this line was proposed?  It must have been late in the night with no other better ideas on the table, they decided to go with it.  I heard 3 people behind me moan when they said this.  That meant "this is dumb"

So, if you haven't seen it--don't.  Wait for the DVD, and when it comes home for your kids to watch--find something else to do.

Art Focus Friday--INDIANA JONES

Tomorrow, my son and I will venture to see this EPIC film. He was recently introduced to this series and is ready to see the sequel like his old man.

I found this tonight on You Tube...sing along!

Prince Caspian--Story Is Essential

This afternoon I took two of my kids to see Prince Caspian.  I didn't know what to expect in this movie, as The Lion, Witch and Wardrobe had so much advanced hype through the church in 2005.  I was not surprised at the line of people going to see it--our little theater was almost full this afternoon.

What I found was an engaging story that kept me on the edge of my seat until the end.  What a fantastic movie and story line to follow.  It reminded me of what a narrative really means to a good story.  It's essential to any lasting work of literature to have a cohesive story line that one can follow and be immersed in.  So many of the works today have very little if any story or narrative quality or nature to them.  From the opening scenes to the end, this Movie was consistent in it's narrative and true to the form of the narrative.

This what makes movies, theater and poetry have longevity--narrative, story.  Sadly, it's something that we're losing today as less and less creativity is encouraged in our schools and in our art.  We seem to think that special effects will carry the line.  It won't.  The only thing that the special effects did in this movie was to amplify the story  and carry it to another level.  I could think that even if someone was simply on screen reading this story to us, it would still have the impact that it did this afternoon. C.S. Lewis was a master of the narrative.

Now-on to Indiana Jones this Friday.  My 10 year old has discovered these films over the weeken and is waiting to see the next installment.  I believe that this series is just as dependent on narrative as Narnia.   Long live great film making and great narratives.   Narratives impact the culture.

Marfa--Hollywood's Best Kept Secret

For those of you Oscar buffs, this may already be old news--but Hollywood has discovered (like it didn't already know about it) that Marfa (small West Texas town) is the perfect back drop for Box Office hits.  Both "NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN" and "THERE WILL BE BLOOD" were filmed in this sleepy,dry and dusty West Texas Town.  It was also the setting for the 1957 epic film "GIANT" with Elizabeth Taylor and James Dean. 

You can read the articles about Marfa here.  The article goes on to say that Marfa is quickly becoming an "Artist" community like Santa Fe, NM.   

It may be worth a drive for me to spend some time in Marfa.  I'd better get there before Hollywood comes calling again.