You really find that a shocking statement*? How odd. I think Robocop is one of the best Hollywood films of the '80s. Ah well.
*apart from the obvious and admitted point that they are very different sorts of film and therefore difficult to compare
Hey, don’t get my Scanners gif wrong. Robocop was a fun li’l flick. I can watch Kurtwood Smith and Miguel Ferrer chew scenery any day (“Bitches leave.”). Hell, I dug the sequel (it helped the two dudes behind me were pulling an MST3K bit when I first saw it - which would usually be excrutiating, but they were on a roll). But, you know, the senseless (but not gratuitous) violence, the satirical jabs at corporations, law enforcement, TV, the awesome fake ads - great stuff, and except for the Nuke 'Em game ad (which is/was still funny), mostly immune to dating itself as an 80’s flick.
But, Robocop sure never clomped around in my head for days - weeks, maybe - taking little jabs at my psyche, insinuating itself into all those forelorn ridiculous crushes and infatuations I’ve inflicted upon myself over the years. I think people go in thinking they’re going to get a sharp, scathing, wry comedy like Election, and then they’re put off because Rushmore, for its admittedly meager share of laughers, wasn’t, y’know, funny. “Man, I already saw the ‘OR’ joke in the trailer, what else you got?” But, Rushmore wasn’t really funny. I mean, yeah, it was Anderson funny in several parts (“I don’t give a shit about the piranhas! I’m building it anyway!”) but man, it was sad, it was bittersweet, it was uncomfortable and more than a little embarassing. It made me think about things I’d gladly put to rest years hence.
The dialogue isn’t quite as quotable as Bottle Rocket for sure and any other Anderson film most likely, but it wasn’t meant to be (and I think Anderson is extremely attentive to dialogue). The quirkiness of the characters was more a device to make them actual people, instead of Hollywood cutouts or Anderson’s usual Voltrons of eccentricities that he often adores. It’s not easy, making people. It’s not easy to make them individuals and not stray too far from generic utilitarian protagonist/antagonists into the hack nonsense we see a lot in these post-Tarentino times.
And, I just really, really enjoyed the last few acts of the film. The odd friendship and collaboration between Max and Herman. And this:
Herman Blume: Why did you ask me to come here?
Max Fischer: Oh, I was going to drop that tree on you.
Herman Blume: That big one?
Max Fischer: Yeah.
Herman Blume: It would’ve flattened me like a pancake.
That’s just awesome. It’s not ED-209 awesome, I admit, but it’s got some flava.
Fair enough. Sometimes I have to see movies more than once for them to click with me. My friend has the DVD of Rushmore, so I’ll give it another look one of these days.
The Verhoeven comparison is hardly apt anyway, given the enormous disparity in genre, and the fact that V. is not a writer-director auteur a la Anderson. I was merely casting about in my brain for directors whose camera style appeals to me, and he happened to be one.
Dr. Peter Flynn: I understand you’re a neurosurgeon.
Bert Fischer: No, I’m a barber, but a lot of people make that mistake.
Now there’s a father that accepts his son for all that he is.
Also fair enough.
I have to add another thing about Rushmore: I think Olivia Williams is drop-dead gorgeous.
Do you want to finger her?
“That’s a kinda cheap way to put it.”
No, I’d just like to thank her for RUINING MY LIFE.
Did your girlfriend catch you jacking off to her topless sunbathing scene in Dead Babies or something? That wasn’t on your top ten list.
Oops, I meant WRECKING.
Did your girlfriend catch you jacking off to her topless sunbathing scene in Dead Babies or something? That wasn’t on your top ten list.
YOU READ THAT YOU SICK FUCK? Kidding. Wow, what, a film with her boobies? I LOVE YOU KYLE.
bump
So last week I showed Rushmore to my screenwriting class and today I followed it up with a discussion of story structure and directing techniques. I went to introduce the swimming pool scene from The Graduate that inspired Herman Blume’s cannonball and underwater escape from Ronny & Donny’s birthday party.
At that point, a student raised his hand to ask if this scene was a spoiler and, if so, could he leave the room.
I didn’t handle it well.
Haha haha! Oh, man. That is awesome.
A spoiler for Rushmore? Well, I suppose there’s a good chance this kid was born after the movie came out, and so while it’s sad he hadn’t caught it yet, it’s nice he wants to preserve his virginal state (both for watching the movie and (if my status during my college screenwriting class is any guide) his love life).
A spoiler for The Graduate? That’s a grandpa movie! I’m surprised it’s even in color! Simon and Garfunkel have aged out of what they play on the oldies stations! There’s no way he would have seen it. But I applaud his wanting to view the scene in the context of the entire work. It’s like wanting to read the Bayeux Tapestry only from end to end.
A spoiler for The Graduate. I don’t mind him wanting to view the scene in the context of the entire work. I do very much mind him raising his hand in the middle of class to suggest that he be excused because he hasn’t seen it yet. Film school is not an entertainment venue, it’s a place to study the craft of film-making. I was offended as a former film student and as a professor.
Even outside the classroom, the word ‘spoiler’ is a pet peeve of mine. It’s like a license to be self-centered and to shut down a conversation. It goes against my nature.
But I handled it poorly and let my irritation show. I need to apologize and explain my position when I see them again tomorrow evening. I also need to add a note on spoilers to my syllabus so I can discuss our expectations on week 1 and prevent this issue in the future. Because apparently that’s a thing I need to do now. An ounce of prevention, as they say…
I was also bothered by the way more than half of them started laughing at “Hello darkness my old friend…” I mean, I think the meme is funny too but now it’s like a Pavlov’s dog reaction.
Worst of all, this can all be filed under “kids today” and it just makes me feel old.
For a job I very much love, this was most definitely NOT a good day at work.
Make the kid do extra work. An essay based on the Fleeber Treatise!
Ha! I’ve been meaning to revisit The Freshman… it’s been forever since I saw it.