day 29 - a movie from your childhood
My first thought was Blazing Saddles. Seriously, my parents were big Mel Brooks fans, so we grew up watching all his films. My younger sister and I were introduced to these at a very young age and aside from the parts that were obviously funny (such as the classic campfire farting scene), we'd just laugh when the adults laughed. It was quite an eye-opener to watch them all as a young adult and finally understand the jokes. (I was even a bit embarrassed by some of them!) It's surprising now, too, given how politically correct everyone has to be, how much Brooks and his crew got away with back then.
Then, this morning, I was flipping through the channels and saw Return to Oz on the channel guide. We loved that film! I haven't seen it in years, but recall liking the story, which is pretty dark and creepy. Dorothy is being sent for shock treatments (!) because she is still obsessed with Oz. She escapes before they zap her and ends up in Oz again, which has taken a turn for the worse. The yellow brick road is a mess, the Emerald City is in ruins, the people there have turned to stone. There are marauding creepy guys with wheels on their hands and feet -- I thought they were so cool. I know that The Wizard of Oz is a better film, but we watched Return to Oz much more often.
I thought about the things that appealed to me about Return to Oz, like it's brightness, color, and surreal styling. These are things I still love in films today, and that film probably helped set the foundation, giving me the affinity I have for particular directors, like Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Guillermo del Toro, Terry Gilliam, Michel Gondry, Tim Burton...
And when I thought of Burton (with Mel Brooks' casting of films still in my subconscious, perhaps), I thought of the childhood film that was probably the true root of all this:
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory
I didn't care for Burton's version, but I absolutely love the original film. I remember when I first saw it, I was so scared during the boat scene that I had to cover my eyes until it was over! I was also terrified by the part where Augustus falls into the chocolate river and gets stuck in the pipe. Aaahh...!
But still, I wished that I could go visit a chocolate factory and have a similar adventure. I knew I'd make all the right decisions (I would not drink the fizzy lifting drink!) and I wouldn't disappoint Willy Wonka. I'd never risk missing out on such a magical opportunity.
The film still appeals to me today, though of course I appreciate different things about it. The dialogue is very clever ("What is this, Wonka? Some kind of funhouse?" "Why? Having fun?") and I obviously notice more now how the children are reflections of their parents.
And even though I know Charlie will find the Golden Ticket, I still find myself hoping so hard for him. When he does find it, it always makes me cry.
The thing that strikes me most whenever I see this film again, however, is how wonderful Gene Wilder is. I have a deep affection for him as an actor, having watched his films so much growing up (though this is probably the only one that was kid-appropriate). When I see photos of him now, I get that same tinge of sadness as when I began to notice my parents getting older and grayer. I want to remember him always young and well with that mischievous smile.
("But Charlie, don't forget what happened to the man who suddenly got everything he he always wanted ... He lived happily ever after.")
Then, this morning, I was flipping through the channels and saw Return to Oz on the channel guide. We loved that film! I haven't seen it in years, but recall liking the story, which is pretty dark and creepy. Dorothy is being sent for shock treatments (!) because she is still obsessed with Oz. She escapes before they zap her and ends up in Oz again, which has taken a turn for the worse. The yellow brick road is a mess, the Emerald City is in ruins, the people there have turned to stone. There are marauding creepy guys with wheels on their hands and feet -- I thought they were so cool. I know that The Wizard of Oz is a better film, but we watched Return to Oz much more often.
I thought about the things that appealed to me about Return to Oz, like it's brightness, color, and surreal styling. These are things I still love in films today, and that film probably helped set the foundation, giving me the affinity I have for particular directors, like Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Guillermo del Toro, Terry Gilliam, Michel Gondry, Tim Burton...
And when I thought of Burton (with Mel Brooks' casting of films still in my subconscious, perhaps), I thought of the childhood film that was probably the true root of all this:
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory
I didn't care for Burton's version, but I absolutely love the original film. I remember when I first saw it, I was so scared during the boat scene that I had to cover my eyes until it was over! I was also terrified by the part where Augustus falls into the chocolate river and gets stuck in the pipe. Aaahh...!
But still, I wished that I could go visit a chocolate factory and have a similar adventure. I knew I'd make all the right decisions (I would not drink the fizzy lifting drink!) and I wouldn't disappoint Willy Wonka. I'd never risk missing out on such a magical opportunity.
The film still appeals to me today, though of course I appreciate different things about it. The dialogue is very clever ("What is this, Wonka? Some kind of funhouse?" "Why? Having fun?") and I obviously notice more now how the children are reflections of their parents.
And even though I know Charlie will find the Golden Ticket, I still find myself hoping so hard for him. When he does find it, it always makes me cry.
The thing that strikes me most whenever I see this film again, however, is how wonderful Gene Wilder is. I have a deep affection for him as an actor, having watched his films so much growing up (though this is probably the only one that was kid-appropriate). When I see photos of him now, I get that same tinge of sadness as when I began to notice my parents getting older and grayer. I want to remember him always young and well with that mischievous smile.
("But Charlie, don't forget what happened to the man who suddenly got everything he he always wanted ... He lived happily ever after.")