The problem with saying that Keith David must be a Thing because he’s not breathing is that there is no reason to think a Thing would not breathe. A Thing isn’t a robot, it’s a fully functioning creature with cells that need oxygen. It has all the same internal organs as a human when taking human form - we saw that on screen. Hell, Things in human form might even, at least at times, believe themselves to be human. It would make sense for it to breathe.
The film works much better if you have no idea if he’s a Thing or not.
I’ve seen Blazing Saddles so many times I can understand every word of Gabby Johnson’s speech. That’s acting - saying something that sounds like utter gibberish, but is really a series of oddly accented words. YouTube link
The point of that was Fred was very obviously stoned in every scene he was in before that, and at that point, it seemed like he was not, which is when Guy finally makes mention of it.
But the one thing you miss the first time you see the movie is pretty big: when Gwen and Jason are taking instruction from Brent, he says, “just turn left and straight through the chompers”, they round the corner and Gwen says, “SCREW THIS!”, but then you see it again and it is clear that Sigourney Weaver used a stronger word. I find it a beautiful allegory for how stultifyingly sanitary shows like what it parodying are made to be.
All of the memorable vignettes on Omaha Beach were based on anecdotes told by veterans who were there. Gives you pause to think it wasn’t Hollywood hyper-violence.
The first time I watched Cabaret I was 13 IIRC. I knew there was a lot I was missing; I didn’t care, I liked the music. But yeah, I may have understood about 5 minutes of it.
Let me just whip this out: I have to add this to my list of movies I’d loved but no longer do. I tried just the other night to watch this with my wife who’d never seen it, and I couldn’t get all the way to the end. I’m now afraid to watch any other of my beloved Mel Brooks’ movies for fear of being disappointed.
That’s directly from Collodi. In Spanish we also refer to purposefully-stupid people as “donkeys” so for me the meaning of the scene was obvious, but I’ve explained it to foreign friends whose own language doesn’t have a similar widely-used expression. Note that Benigni (who directed as well as playing Pinocchio) will have known the source material, not just the translations. I’d bet he added that little speech precisely as a sort of expository touch.
For a widely beloved movie, “Fargo” has a central plot point - how Jerry took all the money from the car dealership, and why he needs to steal money from somewhere else - that is largely not understood. There’a logical explanation but it’s not well explained. I’m not sure that qualified as a clever item easily missed, though.
Yeah. One other ‘thing’ . McReady shares a bottle of whiskey with Childs. Whiskey kills cells. If Childs was a ‘Thing’ it should drive it nuts. After Mac sees Childs drink, he seems to become calmer and lay his head down.
I like that approach better than the breath thing. But, when did they establish alcohol would irritate the Thing? I know about the hot poker, but I don’t recall alcohol being an issue. I am not challenging you here, but I don’t remember that from the movie.
In the clip linked above, you can see Childs’ breath at about 1:27 and 1:31. He’s breathing. Otherwise, how would be be able to talk to Mac? Childs is human.
I didn’t truly get Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon until the third time I watched it.
The first time, I was reading the subtitles and following the story.
The second time, I was looking at the character who was talking.
The third time, I was looking at the face of the person who was not talking.
That third time was the one that just slayed me, especially the scenes with Chow Yun-Fat and Michelle Yeoh. They obviously loved each other, but as her husband was killed saving his life, honor prohibited either from acting on their desires. Ang Lee directed every character in a scene equally carefully, and the subtle emotions displayed on the face of each as they listened, denying their own longing…
I actually caught this the first time through. In the 1940 Pride and Prejudice, actress Marsha Hunt plays the gawky daughter Mary Bennett. I noticed that in all the family scenes, there she is, in the back, just hamming up a storm, having the time of her life.
They didn’t really establish that alcohol kills it. But the hot poker killed cells outside the ‘body’ of the Thing. Alcohol would most likely kill blood cells quite handily in a peitry dish. Ingested, in the Thing? Who knows, but it would give me a slight comfort that Childs felt no ill effects. I got an alternate ending.
Never was a fan of Blazing Saddles, but still enjoying a recent look at “Young Frankenstein”. Give it a try with your wife, especially if she’s never seen it.
. McReady shares a bottle of whiskey with Childs. Whiskey kills cells. If Childs was a ‘Thing’ it should drive it nuts. After Mac sees Childs drink, he seems to become calmer and lay his head down.