BOP 50 of the '80s: Selections 25-21
25) A Christmas Story
The word "classic" is so easily bandied about these days. Films are deemed "instant classics" by PR departments; Christmas TV specials are touted as "future classics", as if anyone can decide before the fact that something will ever achieve that rarified status. For savvy viewers know a true classic is a film that you can return to again and again, like a comfy sweater or a dear friend; it's a film that you can share with your children and your grandchildren, and each new generation delights anew in the discovery of a timeless story well-told.
When A Christmas Story was released in 1983, certainly no one at MGM thought it would even do respectable box office, much less become a holiday classic. Based on writer Jean Shepherd's childhood memories, A Christmas Story follows the dreams of and schemes of Ralphie, whose object of Christmas desire is an authentic Red Ryder Carbine Action 200-Shot Range Model Air Rifle with a compass in the stock. The gentle tale of growing up in the Midwest in the '40s at one time seemed destined to never see the light of day; according to legend, Darren McGavin, who stars as Ralphie's father, believed in the film so much that he used some of his own funds to help complete financing of the production and get it into theatres. The film did quietly good business during its theatrical release, and it appeared that that would be the end of Ralphie's quest for his Red Ryder BB gun.
But when the film became available on home video, and cable channels began to pick it up for their catalogues, an interesting thing happened: people began to discover the film as a wonderful holiday offering, something to break up the constant showings of It's a Wonderful Life and the 4,625th version of A Christmas Carol. And gradually, as happens with all true classics, word spread, and more and more people began to add A Christmas Story to their "It isn't Christmas without..." lists. Of course, if one has cable, then these days A Christmas Story is nearly as ubiquitous as It's a Wonderful Life once had been, but that doesn't diminish the pleasure and warmth and just all-around good holiday feeling the film still engenders each year. Because damn it, it's just not Christmas without Ralphie and Randy and Schwartz and the Red Ryder Carbine Action 200-Shot Range Model Air Rifle with the compass in the stock. (Stephanie Star Smith/BOP)
"Tonight! Tonight! It's coming Tonight! Tonight! Tonight! Tonight! Hot Damn, Tonight!"
These words almost perfectly describe the glee I feel as I realize that the day is approaching for TNT's 24 Hours of A Christmas Story. As strange as it might seem, I could genuinely leave the television on that channel the entire day with the movie playing in the background. I love the film just that much.
"Notafinga!"
I first saw the film in theaters upon its initial release, and at that time it was the wide-eyed charm of young Ralphie that captured my fancy. What Christmas-celebrating-person-with-a-sibling can't relate to the trials and tribulations experienced by the cherub-faced lad? Though his quest for the Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle was surely the film's centerpiece, it's really the side adventures that make the film a joy. From Scut Farkas to Aunt Clara to Christmas dinner at a Chinese restaurant, it's like unwrapping the best present ever practically every time I see the film again.
"Fra-gi-lay. That must be Italian!"
In the end, though, it's turned out to be Darren McGavin's performance as Ralphie's old man that makes the movie shimmer. Blurting forth an incomprehensible stream of curses as he works through his days, it's the Old Man's lines that remain the most memorable and some of my most frequently tossed out movie quotes.
"You used all the glue on purpose!"
Based on Jean Shepherd's memoirs about growing up in small-town Indiana, A Christmas Story is a real love letter to growing up in the 1940s, but the film still manages to have an easy timelessness. It's much, much more than just one of my favorite films of the '80s. It's easily one of my favorite movies ever. (Kim Hollis/BOP)
24) Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan
For whatever reason, Khan is a fun word to scream. There is a monosyllabic bliss to it, and we have an overrated self-indulgent actor named Shatner to thank for this discovery.
What makes the movie itself special is the way it humanizes Captain James T. Kirk from his prior incarnation as a womanizing science-fiction cliche. Now, he is a newly discovered father. Now, he has something to lose. When faced with a long-forgotten but dangerous foe named Khan, Kirk and his crew find themselves facing real jeopardy.
Unlike the first Trek cinematic outing, the conflict here is not forced. A real effort is made to create a villain worthy of the Enterprise crew. Gone are the hallmarks of discovery that failed to make Star Trek: The Motion Picture memorable. They are replaced by down and dirty action triggered by Kirk's thirst for vengeance.
Once he is stripped away of his title, his crew's faith, or even a functional ship, the man must re-discover the parts of himself that caused the show to be memorable to so many back in the day. It's precise, cerebral writing that allows a naturally heroic character to overcome the hammy nature of the thespian portraying the role. Even a hack like Shatner cannot mess up when feeding off the energy of an enemy who spits out lines like, From Hell's heart, I stab at thee!" The Borg might be the best villainous counterpart in Trek lore, but Khan Noonian Singh is the best villain.
And, if nothing else, this movie is memorable for the way that Ricardo Montalban hisses the words when informed of a career promotion to his adversary. "Admiral? Admiral!" is one of my favorite dialogue deliveries ever. It's only two words, but Mr. Fine Corinthian Leather makes it a line for the ages. (David Mumpower/BOP)
It is the rare sequel that surpasses its inaugural film, both in quality and box office, but Wrath of Khan did both. But what was even more special about this film is that it set the franchise back on the right course, after the abomination to the Trekverse that was Star Trek: The Motion Picture. Where the first film was too enamored of all the gee-whiz effects available for a feature film, Wrath of Khan went back to the heart of the series: the characters, their interactions, and their meaning to the fans. And although Wrath of Khan contained one of the more memorable of Trek film bloopers, that was certainly a small matter compared to the excellence of the film, from the script to the acting to the effects. Wrath of Khan also contains one of the top ten death scenes of all time; even more than two decades later, and with the knowledge that, as with some other universes, death is not final for Trek, the last reel still brings forth copious amounts of tears. Wrath of Khan saved the franchise, and helped to establish the odd-number curse; it was also a grand film in its own right, providing enough action and science-fiction savvy to please even non-Trek fans. In a decade filled with quality films and amazing sequels, Wrath of Khan is still a standout. (Stephanie Star Smith/BOP)
23) Stand By Me
One of the great things about doing a list like this is the perspective that time gives. As Kim Hollis did on Monday, a movie like Top Gun can be evaluated in the context of Tony Scott's (or Tom Cruise's) greater body of work. Blue Velvet takes on greater scope knowing that Mulholland Drive would follow more than a decade later.
Along those lines, Stand By Me is one of the more significant movies of the '80s. It showed that, when it comes to movie fodder, Stephen King's writing presented opportunities much greater than the occult offerings that engendered all of his previous cinematic crossovers (Carrie, The Shining, Creepshow, The Dead Zone, Cujo, Christine, Fire Starter). Misery, The Shawshank Redemption, and The Green Mile were all born out of the realization that King's more mainstream works could resonate with the movie going public at large. (Calvin Trager/BOP)
"In all of our lives, there is a fall from innocence, a time after which we are never the same." --Richard Dreyfuss, Stand By Me)
I saw Stand By Me when I was 16-years-old, while spending some vacation time with my sister in Edmonton Alberta. I would spend eight hours a day at the West Edmonton Mall watching movies I would never get to see at the small single-screen theatre in my hometown. Stand By Me was one of those films, and for me it was a life-changer. This small film became a huge sleeper hit when it was released in 1986, and launched the careers of some great actors. Based on the novella 'The Body' by Stephen King, Stand By Me was Rob Reiner's take on the coming-of-age movie, and he hit a nerve with domestic film audiences.
It's a simple story, really. Four boys hear that there's a dead body along the train tracks, and they are going to venture out to find it, and of course get famous in the process. As the boys follow the tracks, the viewer learns more and more about the characters, amidst one of the greatest movie soundtracks of all time. Rob Reiner used a soft touch with the camera, and lets the writers loose with the foul language in the film. The script was able to communicate perfectly what it was like to be a boy that age, and the screenplay by Raynold Gideon and Bruce Evans earned an Oscar nomination in 1987. There were breakout performances from River Phoenix and Kiefer Sutherland, and pushed Rob Reiner's directing career into full-swing. After Stand By Me, Reiner would go on to direct other '80s films like The Princess Bride and When Harry Met Sally. Kiefer Sutherland did The Lost Boys the following year, and River Phoenix appeared in The Mosquito Coast right after Stand By Me. The art of Stand By Me imitated River Phoenix's life, as like the character he played in the film, he died all too early, only seven years after the release of the film.
Let's not forget how big of a sleeper hit this film was. IMDb lists the production budget at only $8 million, and the film went on to make $52.8 million domestically (in 1986 dollars). The soundtrack was a huge hit, with Ben E King's version of the title song making Billboard's top ten in December 1986.
Stand By Me played well to both an older and younger generation. Older folks could relate to the era the film employed, and the other younger generation related to the emotions felt as a boy begins to grow into a man. The film holds up extremely well today for still being able to communicate to these generations, and always will. (John Hamann/BOP)
22) Field of Dreams
"Hey Dad? Wanna have a catch?" Those words at the end of Field of Dreams can make even the hardest man get a little choked up. Baseball, strained father-son relationships, and '60s nostalgia were the perfect combination to create a classic male weeper. The movie does the seemingly impossible - providing forgiveness for anything Kevin Costner has done since or will do in the future. (Dan Krovich/BOP)
Upon viewing this film for the first time, I had the same reaction as everyone else in my theater. I wanted to go home, call my father and tell him how much he means to me. And since I am someone who is in the habit of doing that with my dad anyway, it speaks volumes about the emotional resonance of Field of Dreams. The film forces immediate resolution of familial conflict.
A tale that is equal parts about baseball and family, the beauty of W.P. Kinsella's concept is that it permeates the same themes across multiple generations and types of people. Ray Kinsella's driving need to reconcile an insane business decision against his otherwise conservative nature is representative of this. He has come to know the same struggles his father once faced and this has finally allowed him to understand the previously enigmatic, long since deceased man.
Such is the consistency of Field of Dreams that even an aging, no longer relevant hippy writer still has difficulty communicating with his father. What unites Terence Mann with stalky stranger Kinsella is a need to find a self-awareness that has recently been lacking in his life. I have been frequently reminded of this character while watching Stephen King track the Red Sox during the 2004 baseball season. Whenever a camera has shown him, I cannot help but wonder what the secret billboard message says to the most lauded writer of our era.
Field of Dreams is in many ways like a waking dream. The way it impacts is difficult to comprehend, because the message is presented in such a gentle fashion. The only real conflict in the movie is a financial concern and even the most obstinate "bad guy" comes to appreciate the value of the baseball field. The accomplishments in the movie are largely internal resolutions, a rarity in modern film. It's the way that the audience is firmly but politely instructed about what is important in life that creates the magical power of Field of Dreams. Watching this movie eases my pain. (David Mumpower/BOP)
21) The Unbelievable Truth
I have to assume that Hal Hartley is an acquired taste. As far as I’m concerned, he’s one of the best writers/directors of original films to have emerged in America during the '80s. Yet, unlike many of his contemporaries his films continue to have a very low profile and Hartley himself is as far from a household name as you can get. While there is something very “art school” about many of his directorial trademarks, his films remain very accessible. They're simple, offbeat, deadpan romantic comedies that radiate upbeat naivety despite most of main characters suffering from a variety of darker character traits or angsty idiosyncrasies.
Hartley uses many of the same actors in his films; however, while some may have become vaguely familiar faces as support or secondary characters in film or TV, none of them, with the exception of Edie Falco, have really gone on to achieve any level of fame. Hartley’s favored leading man, Martin Donovan, doesn’t make an appearance in this, Hartley’s first feature length film. Instead, the lead is played by a brooding Robert Burke, up against the immature but appealing Adrienne Shelley.
The Unbelievable truth is Hartley’s first feature-length film, a confident debut that was followed soon after by the better known Trust. Since then, Hartley has released a string of equally accessible low-key independent films and remains one America’s best "undiscovered” filmmakers. I get the feeling that Hartley likes it this way, and as a fan I’m glad he’s never been lured away to direct a big-budget romantic comedy. If you’re interested in checking the Unbelievable Truth out, it’s recently been re-released on DVD. (Ash Wakeman/BOP)
Audrey, a depressed high school senior who is in constant worry over impending nuclear destruction, falls for a much older ex-con recently returned to town after serving seven years in prison (though no one can seem to remember exactly what he did to get sent to prison in the first place.) Hal Hartley's late '80s debut film features his trademark style that would carry him through as one of the most influential independent filmmakers of the 1990s. There is the sparse score (provided by Hartley under the pseudonym Ned Rifle), and there is the deadpan delivery and dry wit that ironically amplifies the farcical nature of the plot. Audrey dumps her boyfriend, begins a modeling career and makes constant deals and arrangements with her dad, who isn't happy about her new infatuation. The Unbelievable Truth is seriously funny. (Dan Krovich/BOP)
Read selections 50-46
Read selections 45-41
Read selections 40-36
Read selections 35-31
Read selections 30-26
Read selections 20-16
Read selections 15-11
Read selections 10-6
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