a tale of two movies
Today, I watched two movies.
The first was Follow That Bird, the movie that TRAUMATIZED A GENERATION OF CHILDREN. Watching it through the lens of adulthood, it's startling how deeply unsettling the movie still is, but also how incredible a community Sesame Street showcased for children. For those who've never seen the film, a group of concerned birds thinks that Big Bird should be 'with his own kind,' rather than alone on Sesame Street. They offer him the chance to move in with a REAL family, a bird family, and Big Bird gets talked into it. He leaves his home and heads to Oceanview, Illinois (heh) and moves in with the Dodo family.
And you guys- it just gets MORE HEARTBREAKING. If you've seen the movie, YOU KNOW.
When I watched as a kid, I remember being very upset that Big Bird was separated from his friends and couldn't get back to them- there are a number of near missed before FINALLY, everything turns out ok. I remember that gutting feeling EVERY TIME his friends were so close and yet couldn't get to him in time. WE SHALL NOT SPEAK OF THE BLUE PART.
When I watched today, I was horrified at the story itself- a hitherto unknown agency with the authority to judge Big Bird's family and find it inadequate because it was DIFFERENT. Mrs Finch takes advantage of Big Bird's naivete and convinces him that he'll be happier if he's with other birds like himself; the Dodos flat out REFUSE to acknowledge that Big Bird can have a best friend who's not a bird, but a Snuffleupagus.
I KNOW. IT SOUNDS RIDICULOUS. But, seriously. It's heartwrenching to watch and it's not hard to take away the Muppet veneer and see other stories here.
But at the same time, I haven't watched Sesame Street in many, many years, and I was AMAZED at what I saw. I didn't really see how wonderful a role kids play in the movie, and the importance that is given without a fuss to play and to imagination. When TERRIBLE THINGS HAPPEN, it's kids who recognize it and who get in touch with the right people. As a kid, I didn't register how diverse the community was- men and women, people of color, differently abled folks. NOT TO MENTION the whole part where there are also animals and monsters and grouches and all the other wonderful Muppet creations that are part of the same community. I was so genuinely touched by the love they show for each other- I felt a genuine pang of, WHY THE HELL CAN'T I JUST GO LIVE ON SESAME STREET while watching. I want to be in a place that Good with people that loving and just. OH SESAME STREET YOU INVITE ALL OF THESE FEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELINGS.
So then my roommate and I watched Dead Again. And look, don't get me wrong, I kind of totally love this movie, however much I laugh at its flaws. Its flaws are the flaws of Ken Branagh, the MASTER of Not Stopping While You're Ahead. Now, I don't actually want to spoil the final sequence for anybody, but for those who have seen it,
WE LAUGHED SO HARD.
SO.
HARD.
The whole final fight is a giant MESS of a scissor-fueled brawl between Ken, Emma Thompson, and Derek Jacobi. It is SO AMAZINGLY OVERWROUGHT that it's intercut with scenes from the ~*past lives*~ of Ken and Emma's characters, JUST TO MAKE IT BETTER.
AND IT IS.
We see Ken in his hilariously German alter-ego SOBBING AT HIS PIANO while his wife is murdered upstairs.
THE PASSION!!!
Emma HAS THE SCISSORS!!!!!!!!!!
Ken is IN TROUBLE OH NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
OH LOOK EMMA IS PRETTY!!!!
Ken is... LESS PRETTY!!!!!
Ken has fallen OH WHATEVER SHALL HE DOOOOOOO!!!!
Because, WATCH OUT, DEREK JACOBI IS ON THE PROWL!!!!!!!!!!!
HE LEAPS SO FAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OH GOD OH KEN WHAT ARE YOU DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOING WITH THAT HANDY AND VERY POINTY SCISSOR OBJETS D'ART??!?!?!?!?!?!
OH GOD DEREK STILL FLIES BUT HE SEES HIS DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM
SPLAT.
Well. THAT seems to have worked out rather nicely!
We were in TEARS of laughter by the end. Bless you, Ken Branagh. Bless you.
The first was Follow That Bird, the movie that TRAUMATIZED A GENERATION OF CHILDREN. Watching it through the lens of adulthood, it's startling how deeply unsettling the movie still is, but also how incredible a community Sesame Street showcased for children. For those who've never seen the film, a group of concerned birds thinks that Big Bird should be 'with his own kind,' rather than alone on Sesame Street. They offer him the chance to move in with a REAL family, a bird family, and Big Bird gets talked into it. He leaves his home and heads to Oceanview, Illinois (heh) and moves in with the Dodo family.
And you guys- it just gets MORE HEARTBREAKING. If you've seen the movie, YOU KNOW.
When I watched as a kid, I remember being very upset that Big Bird was separated from his friends and couldn't get back to them- there are a number of near missed before FINALLY, everything turns out ok. I remember that gutting feeling EVERY TIME his friends were so close and yet couldn't get to him in time. WE SHALL NOT SPEAK OF THE BLUE PART.
When I watched today, I was horrified at the story itself- a hitherto unknown agency with the authority to judge Big Bird's family and find it inadequate because it was DIFFERENT. Mrs Finch takes advantage of Big Bird's naivete and convinces him that he'll be happier if he's with other birds like himself; the Dodos flat out REFUSE to acknowledge that Big Bird can have a best friend who's not a bird, but a Snuffleupagus.
I KNOW. IT SOUNDS RIDICULOUS. But, seriously. It's heartwrenching to watch and it's not hard to take away the Muppet veneer and see other stories here.
But at the same time, I haven't watched Sesame Street in many, many years, and I was AMAZED at what I saw. I didn't really see how wonderful a role kids play in the movie, and the importance that is given without a fuss to play and to imagination. When TERRIBLE THINGS HAPPEN, it's kids who recognize it and who get in touch with the right people. As a kid, I didn't register how diverse the community was- men and women, people of color, differently abled folks. NOT TO MENTION the whole part where there are also animals and monsters and grouches and all the other wonderful Muppet creations that are part of the same community. I was so genuinely touched by the love they show for each other- I felt a genuine pang of, WHY THE HELL CAN'T I JUST GO LIVE ON SESAME STREET while watching. I want to be in a place that Good with people that loving and just. OH SESAME STREET YOU INVITE ALL OF THESE FEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELINGS.
So then my roommate and I watched Dead Again. And look, don't get me wrong, I kind of totally love this movie, however much I laugh at its flaws. Its flaws are the flaws of Ken Branagh, the MASTER of Not Stopping While You're Ahead. Now, I don't actually want to spoil the final sequence for anybody, but for those who have seen it,
WE LAUGHED SO HARD.
SO.
HARD.
The whole final fight is a giant MESS of a scissor-fueled brawl between Ken, Emma Thompson, and Derek Jacobi. It is SO AMAZINGLY OVERWROUGHT that it's intercut with scenes from the ~*past lives*~ of Ken and Emma's characters, JUST TO MAKE IT BETTER.
AND IT IS.
We see Ken in his hilariously German alter-ego SOBBING AT HIS PIANO while his wife is murdered upstairs.
THE PASSION!!!
Emma HAS THE SCISSORS!!!!!!!!!!
Ken is IN TROUBLE OH NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
OH LOOK EMMA IS PRETTY!!!!
Ken is... LESS PRETTY!!!!!
Ken has fallen OH WHATEVER SHALL HE DOOOOOOO!!!!
Because, WATCH OUT, DEREK JACOBI IS ON THE PROWL!!!!!!!!!!!
HE LEAPS SO FAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OH GOD OH KEN WHAT ARE YOU DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOING WITH THAT HANDY AND VERY POINTY SCISSOR OBJETS D'ART??!?!?!?!?!?!
OH GOD DEREK STILL FLIES BUT HE SEES HIS DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM
SPLAT.
Well. THAT seems to have worked out rather nicely!
We were in TEARS of laughter by the end. Bless you, Ken Branagh. Bless you.