Today's generation will say, "Hey, you mean The Titanic, with Leo and Kate, don't you?" No, I don't!
Sometimes the old goodies are so darn good we end up watching them over and over and appreciating them even more! The other night, I was channel flipping to cure a bit of insomnia, but lo and behold, when I hit the old classic, I stayed up for two more hours to watch.
No one can forget the star-studded cast: Gene Hackman, Ernest Borgnine, Red Buttons, Carol Lynley, Roddy McDowell, Stella Stevens, Shelley Winters.... My kids will ask, Who????? Sorry young folks, gotta go back to the Middle Ages, the 70's, the see a real quality flick.
What hit me this time around? Mostly that the film was a morality play. Who should take a risk? When? How? If we lose a loved one, do we persevere? What role does the Lord play in tragedies? Ah, such wonderful, old-fashioned themes.
From the moment we hear the haunting song, "There has to be a morning after....", to the last moments of rescue for the brave and lucky few, the film grabs and holds on.
So forget the Cameron epic, if you will, and venture back to the original. You will be stunned by the acting, cast, lines, visuals, and ethical shading.
Wow.
Today's coincidence: when I was talking with daughter in Manhattan about her earthquake experience today (!!!) I referenced Earthquake, the movie, which led me to a whole quickie tutorial on disaster movies (mostly by Arthur Hill, I believe) - let's not leave out Towering Inferno. I loved them all, formulaic and all. I will always love Shelley Winter's heroic sacrifice scene. She had battled weight all her life and I remember her saying in an interview she was even willing to GAIN weight for this role, played poignantly against Jack Albertson.
ReplyDeleteHad not interest in seeing the re-do in 2005.
Disaster movies can be fantastic...or stupid! Yes, Steve McQueen was great in Towering Inferno. Was not too impressed with Earthquake...although my dear spouse can stare at Pierce Brosnan all day! Loved Twister, with Helen Hunt and our man from Big Love! Weather is always fascinating as a film genre. Consider sci-fi like The Fog. Or the snow whiteouts in Kate Beckinsale's thriller in Antarctica. Fun stuff!
ReplyDeleteAnd...yes, Shelley Winters was really something. She has so much pathos in her face when she finally met her Waterloo...(pun not intended)
ReplyDeleteOh, groaner pun there. Pierce Brosnan in Earthquake??? He was in the Mt. St. Helens-esque movie, Dante's Peak.
ReplyDeleteWhat happened to your blogger photo?
ReplyDeleteThanks for the film correction. Could be a touch of senility...my kids think so. Blogger photo? Was it ever there? Need some techie help!
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