I got the DVD for Christmas my sophomore year in high school. It was the first item on my list and I had never even seen it. I read one article about it, watched the trailer, and was immediately sucked in. That Christmas, I spent the entire day watching Eternal Sunshine on repeat while my family tried on all their new clothes and prepared Christmas dinner. I was absolutely struck with emotion and most importantly, thought. I had never seen a movie that I did not know the ending to. I had to really get involved with the characters. Most movies I watched at this time were generic and romantic comedies with the same ending and the same characters just played by another actress.
But not Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Charlie Kaufman's screenplay is unique and confusing with characters that are desperate but beautiful human beings. Michael Gondry's vision is absolutely breathtaking. I could watch Eternal Sunshine with the sound off and still have the same emotions I feel listening to Joel and Clementine.
So, what is your favorite movie? How does it make you feel? Where were you the first time you saw it?
I think my #1 movie is probably still Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. The original with Gene Wilder. I saw it a lot when I was little, so that's probably why I connected with it the way I did. I loved the combination of the fantastic and the creepy and I loved the way Gene Wilder's Willy Wonka could shift from goofy and benevolent to manic and scary.
ReplyDeleteOne of the most memorable scenes is the one where everyone is on the boat on the chocolate river and going through a tunnel. Wonka starts chanting a crazy rhyme and scary lights and images are projected on the walls of the tunnel and the Oompa Loompa rowers are rowing faster and faster... It works better on film than in my description. But I love how freaky and offputting the scene is. And then suddenly it's all over and the boat stops and Wonka's back to his goofy tour leader role. It's so fun.
I remember because I was a little kid how great a twist I thought it was at the end that the whole tour had been a test and Wonka was looking for someone to take over the factory. It now occurs to me that probably a little boy would be a bad factory owner. But I think factory owner was probably the highest occupation a working class Englishman could aspire to in 1971 so I'll let it go.
I saw the movie before I read the Roald Dahl book it was based on and I like this movie better. Dahl's writing has a weird tone that I find alienating. It's kind of gleefully unpleasant which I don't really like. The movie makes the characters more likable and relatable. And the movie added the song "Pure Imagination" which I really love.
The Tim Burton/Johnny Depp remake I didn't care for at all. I hated Depp's characterization of Wonka. It wasn't fun or scary. Just icky. And there was a whole weird subplot about Wonka's father being a dentist or something? I don't really remember. I've kind of blocked it all out.
I love Eternal Sunshine too. Jim Carey and Kate Winslet have really great chemistry and the world of the movie really is dreamlike in a way I've never seen in a movie.
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is such an amazing film. The scene you described is actually one of my favorites too, but for the reason that when I was kid I thought it was so scary and now that I'm older I think it is cool and eerie but kind of inviting like a Disney ride. I don't know, that might be a really bad comparison.
DeleteI love Roald Dahl but a chocolate factory is more delightful visually than written. Tim Burton's was just horrible.
Thank you so much for commenting Ryan! Now I want to watch Willy Wonka.
The Royal Tenenbaums. Alec Baldwin narration, what more could you want from a film?
ReplyDeleteOh, yes. Anything Wes Anderson is amazing. I always wanted to be Margot.
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