Have you ever been pulled into a discussion about movies only to turn away because you are too afraid to mention that you've never seen some of the "must-see" movie classics of all-time? Do you feel the same level of anxiety having a tooth pulled at the dentist?
You're not alone. I empathize with you. I've been on the receiving end of a few gasps or exaggerated outbursts like "you're kidding me, you've never seen _______!" I'll admit that I'm guilty of such outbursts too. I mean, really, who has never seen 'Star Wars' or 'Gone with the Wind???'
There are several movie classics I'm willing to admit I haven't seen yet - Casablanca, Alien, Terms of Endearment, etc. I think it has more to do with a lack of interest in certain genres or subject matters than it does with lacking an appreciation for the arts. I watched 'An Affair to Remember' last year after watching 'Sleepless in Seattle' for the hundredth time and listening to Rosie O'Donnell and Meg Ryan cry about it. It really was a good movie.
I've recently become a subscriber of Netflix online movie rental service. While I was looking through the hundreds of movies they have to offer, I caught a glimpse of a movie rental suggestion in the comedy movies section for 'Harold and Maude (1971).' The reviews for this movie were exceptional. I had also heard the movie mentioned before in dialogue between Cameron Diaz and Matt Dillon in 'There's Something About Mary.'
I watched 'Harold and Maude' a couple of days ago. The movie is a dark comedy with the most original storyline I've seen in years. The story is about an unlikely romance between an elderly woman and a young man, barely out of his teens, who meet at their regular social outlet - funerals. Both are obsessed with death and find comfort in each other's quirky company. During its initial release in 1971, it wasn't a strong box-office hit. Soon after, it was re-released in theaters and became a cult hit, as it still is today. Sadly, Bud Cort's father passed away two weeks before the movie premiered in 1971.
Ruth Gordon (Maude) was superb in her role as a 79-year old woman on the cusp of her 80th birthday. She lived life to the fullest and didn't care about established rules and practice. Gordon had some very moving scenes in the movie that touched my heart while putting a smile on my face and earning a chuckle at the same time.
Bud Cort (Harold) was equally brilliant; a handsome young man who seemed not to fit into mainstream society... or mainstream family life. His parents are wealthy and his uncle is a very gung-ho, warmongering one-armed Army officer who plays a key role in another hilarious, off-beat scene in the movie.
I laughed so much throughout the movie. I don't know how Cort kept such a straight face during some of the morbid, humorous scenes. The scene that really hit me with laughter was that between Cort's character, Harold, and a priest.
I'd also like to mention Vivian Pickles who played the role of Harold's mother. She was brilliant. The look on her face and her snobbish demeanor while dealing with Harold's morbid antics are enough to make you fall out of your chair laughing.
I wish the movie studios would get a little more creative with storylines like they used to instead of inundating moviegoers with the airhead, bubble-gum, raunchy, cookie-cutter genre of movies they do now. It's really getting old. Last year's box office receipts are proof of that.
You may want to venture into the world of online movie rentals this season. There are more quality films out there from yesteryear than you can even imagine. A movie doesn't have to be full of mindless special-effects in order to have entertainment value. Take the time to watch a movie classic. You won't be sorry!
This is an incredible DVD you won't want to miss.
Harold and Maude (1971) DVD
