Author: thehorsesheadblog

#28) Rushmore (1998)

OR “Go Wes, Young Man”

Directed by Wes Anderson

Written by Anderson & Owen Wilson

Class of 2016

Original Trailer (PS: The film’s website doesn’t work anymore)

UPDATE: This is my original write-up of “Rushmore”. Read my updated and revised version here.

The Plot: Max Fischer (Jason Schwartzman, in his film debut!) is an underachieving student/overachieving everything else at Houston’s prestigious Rushmore Academy. In the fall of his sophomore year new teacher Rosemary Cross (Olivia Williams) joins the faculty and Max immediately takes notice. He starts to woo her, and she emphatically, but good-naturedly, rebuffs him. Around this time Max befriends local industrialist Herman Blume (Bill Murray) who also takes a liking to Rosemary. What follows is a bizarre love-triangle, followed by the culture shock when Max is expelled from Rushmore and has to go to public school for the first time.

Why It Matters: The NFR calls the film “a cultural milestone of Gen X and millennials” and praises the film’s “heightened reality”.

But Does It Really?: He’s only done eight films, but Wes Anderson has already made his mark on American film. It’s fun to watch this, only his second film, before you could start checking off boxes on your “Wes Anderson Bingo” card (I feel that kicks in around “Life Aquatic”). What Wes Anderson gives us here is a touching, funny, stylized but somehow still real look at the men who are children, and the children who are men.

Shout Outs: Anderson and Wilson have cited such NFR entries as “The Graduate” and “Harold and Maude” as influences on “Rushmore”. Be on the lookout for quick references to Schwartzman’s uncle’s films “The Godfather” and “Apocalypse Now”.

Everybody Gets One: Wes Anderson staples Jason Schwartzman, Brian Cox and Luke Wilson, as well as Olivia Williams. Plus that’s Alexis “Rory” Bledel as one of the students at Grover Cleveland High.

Wow, That’s Dated: Hard to find, what with Wes Anderson’s slightly dated style, but eagle-eyed viewers will notice such ‘90s things as tape recorders, desktop computers that take up a whole table, and people using taxi cabs as transportation.

Take a Shot: At long last, I found a film whose title makes a good drinking game. References to Rushmore come fast and loose in the beginning, but after that things level off and you get one every 10 minutes or so. Not too often, not too sparse, just right. Enjoy responsibly.

Seriously, Oscars?: Despite being a critical darling and winning a good number of precursor awards (including two Independent Spirit Awards), “Rushmore” was completely shut out at the 1998 Oscars. Bill Murray would have to wait five years and work with another Coppola to finally get his due. Anderson and Wilson would get their first nomination with their next project, “The Royal Tenenbaums”.

Other notes

• A few notes on the people who helped make “a Wes Anderson film”; cinematographer Robert Yeoman has worked on all seven of Wes’ live-action films. He earned his first Oscar nomination for “The Grand Budapest Hotel”. Production designer David Wasco worked on the first three films, then moved on to many noteworthy projects, recently winning his first Oscar for “La La Land”. Costume designer Karen Patch worked on the first three films and still costumes regularly, most recently for “Pee-wee’s Big Holiday”. Composer Mark Mothersbaugh worked on the first four films and is probably best known as the lead singer of Devo and for composing this earworm.
• Do kids still do Model UN anymore?
• I’m always amazed at Bill Murray’s ability to give us his usual “Murrayisms” but still be totally within the style of a Wes Anderson film. What this performance must have looked like for people who were used to seeing Bill Murray in crap like this.
• The best line in the film; “In summation, I have only one question: Is Latin dead?”
• That’s legendary “Simpsons” writer Wally Wolodarsky as the referee when Max watches/participates in the wrestling team. Anyone know how he ended up in the film? The credits mention thanks to James L. Brooks. Connection or coincidence?
• One of my favorite things about “Rushmore” is Wes Anderson’s sense of setting. Most of this film’s dialogue could be taking place with two people sitting across a table and talking, but Wes and Owen Wilson open everything up. For example; the scene where Max pitches Herman the aquarium takes place while Herman is going through his routine inspection of his factory. And when in doubt, set your scene outdoors. Herman giving Rosemary Max’s letter takes place in an outdoor painting class, which gives us the great image of Bill Murray hiding behind a tree. A+ choices all around.
• Sneakers are an interesting choice of shoes for Max. I guess I had him pegged as a loafers guy.
• “I Am Waiting” must be the cheapest Rolling Stones track to get the rights to.
• Speaking of the soundtrack, “Oh Yoko”? Okay then…
• I do enjoy Seymour Cassel in this film as Max’s father Bert. For some reason I always thought he was French (maybe the last name) and that he just does a solid American accent. Turns out he’s from Michigan. We’ll see more of him on the Registry when I start watching John Cassavetes.
• Ah, that point in the ‘90s when we could really start to make fun of Vietnam. Good times.

Legacy

• Well, Wes Anderson. Isn’t that enough?
• Bill Murray: Act II
• Owen Wilson would give up his screenwriting career to voice a talking car.

• At one point Max is reading “Diving for Sunken Treasure” by Jacques Costeau. Now don’t you get any ideas, Wes.

Further Viewing: The best Wes Anderson spoof made so far, SNL briefly dug itself out its post-Wiig, pre-2016 election slump to bring us the expertly made “The Midnight Coterie of Sinister Intruders”.

#27) Edison Kinetoscopic Record of a Sneeze (1894)

OR “The Right Snuff”

Directed by William K.L. Dickson

Class of 2015

The whole film, courtesy of the Library of Congress

The Plot: The harrowing true story of a journalist and a photographer trapped in Cambodia during the Khmer Rouge regime…no, wait, that’s “The Killing Fields”. This film is just some dude sneezing.

Why It Matters: The NFR cites the film’s representation as “the invention of the movies” and goes into the film’s history and preservation.

But Does It Really?: Purely as film, yes. And I don’t mean film as in a movie, I mean the actual physical film itself. It is the first baby step in what we now know as cinema. I’m genuinely surprised that it took the NFR 26 years to add “The Sneeze” to the Registry.

Everybody Gets One: A brief note on Fred Ott; a respected surgeon and gynecologist in his native Cambodia…no, wait, that’s Dr. Haing S. Ngor from “The Killing Fields”. Fred Ott was just some dude who worked for Edison.

Other notes

• For God’s sake Fred, cover your mouth!

Legacy

• This is technically the first snuff film. Thank you!
• Since it’s in the public domain, this is a handy clip to have in your “Great Moments in the Movies” montage.
• Fred Ott followed this film up with “Fred Ott Holding a Bird”. Unfortunately, early cinema audiences recognized an inferior sequel when they saw it, and avoided that film in droves.

• Director William K.L. Dickson went on to invent the mutoscope and direct the short “What the Butler Saw”, possibly the first film whose goal was pure titillation.

• This film has been remade several times, most notably as “That Scene in ‘Annie Hall’ Where Alvy Sneezes on the Cocaine”.

• Thomas Edison would go on to steal some of the world’s greatest inventions.

Listen to This: The National Recording Registry has several Edison recordings, but one of its most unique is a cylinder recording for a talking doll the Edison Company made in 1888. You can listen to the doll’s rendition of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” here, and then have fun trying to go to sleep tonight. Also be sure to check out the Library of Congress’ catalogue of Edison Picture and Sound Recordings.

#26) Rosemary’s Baby (1968)

OR “Mama Mia”

Directed & Written by Roman Polanski. Based on the novel by Ira Levin.

Class of 2014

This is my original “Rosemary’s Baby” post. You can read the revised and expanded version here.

The film’s very ’60s trailer

The Plot: Rosemary (Mia Farrow) and her husband Guy (John Cassavetes) move into an apartment building in New York City. While still settling in, a tenant commits suicide, and while gathered around the body Rosemary & Guy meet their neighbors, the elderly couple Roman & Minnie Castevet (Sidney Blackmer & Ruth Gordon). Shortly afterwards, Rosemary learns she is pregnant, and the Castevets start getting very nosy about the baby. As the months go on, Rosemary starts to figure out what’s happening in the apartment building, and the paranoia sets in. To say anything more would be, well let’s just say, a sin.

Why It Matters: The NFR hails it as “a masterpiece of the horror-film genre” and praises Polanski and the cast.

But Does It Really?: So I don’t usually do horror movies, but I was literally on the edge of my seat with this one. It takes its time to get started, but when it does, “Rosemary’s Baby” is quite the ride. Mia Farrow is pretty much flawless, and she and Polanski keep you in suspense the whole time. As with any great horror film, it’s not about what they show, but rather what they don’t show that creates terrific suspense.

Everybody Gets One: Amazingly, despite a nearly 50-year career in film, this is Mia Farrow’s only appearance on the Registry. And although he will appear many times as a writer and director, this film marks John Cassavetes’ single acting appearance on the list. Also noteworthy is an early film appearance by Charles Grodin (Though I expect “Beethoven” will show up sooner or later).

Wow, That’s Dated: Well that party Rosemary throws with her friends is pure 1966. Also very dated is the idea that a struggling actor and a housewife could afford a spacious Manhattan apartment.

Seriously, Oscars?: The film only received one Oscar: Best Supporting Actress for Ruth Gordon (Presented to her by Donald Baumgart himself!). As much a lifetime achievement award as it was for her performance, Ms. Gordon gave the ceremony one of its best acceptance speeches. Roman Polanski was snubbed for directing but did get an Adapted Screenplay nomination, losing to “The Lion in Winter”. Perhaps because she was Hollywood’s latest pretty young thing, Mia Farrow’s performance was overlooked. She has yet to be nominated. I’d also like to give special mention to Sidney Blackmer, whose performance should have made it to Best Supporting Actor.

Other notes

• Rosemary mentions that Guy appeared on Broadway in “Luther” and “Nobody Loves an Albatross”, two actual plays from the early ‘60s that played around the same time. Also in the cast of the latter was Phil Leeds, who plays Dr. Shand in this film. It’s a conspiracy!
• Why is everyone in the first 10 minutes dubbed? I understand for the on-location shots, but in the apartment too? If they’re going for unsettling, they did it.
• This film partially takes place during Pope Paul VI’s visit to New York. It’s fun to think that this film is happening at the same time as “The House of Blue Leaves”.
• Mia Farrow is excellent in this, and I can’t help but think that if her career had gone a slightly different way, she would have made a great Honey in “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”
• That dream sequence is amazing. It perfectly conveys that stream of consciousness feeling as you drift in and out of sleep. A+ to everyone involved.

• It’s also fun to think that at one point in 1968, you could see Maurice Evans in this film as Hutch, and at the same time go see him play a giant talking orangutan.
• Speaking of the cast, it’s nice to see Ralph Bellamy in a role where he’s not losing his girlfriend or fiancée to Cary Grant.
• I hope that this film did for Scrabble what “E.T.” did for Reese’s Pieces.
• I appreciate that most of this film, especially the end, is shot from Rosemary’s point of view. Most horror films today do more shots towards the victim, giving everything a voyeuristic lens. Having it all be from Rosemary’s perspective is much more satisfying.
• There’s only one Japanese character in the whole film and all he does is take pictures? Oy.
• After doing some research on the film’s production, all I can say is “Fuck you, Sinatra”.

Legacy

• Two unrelated sequels; a sequel to the book that negates everything from the original, and a TV movie sequel to the film that no one asked for.

• “Rosemary’s Baby” is responsible for the rise in The Devil’s acting career; from “The Exorcist” to “The Omen” to that comedy album he did with Flip Wilson.

• The first season of “American Horror Story” definitely took a thing or two from this film.

• Don’t worry; they remade this for TV with Zoe Saldana.

• The completely unconnected but identically titled episode of “30 Rock”. (That’s twice I’ve referenced that specific episode on this blog. It’s that good!)

• Writer Ira Levin wrote several other novels and plays that circled around Gothic Horror, but none that were as successful as this one (though some would make a case for “The Stepford Wives”). I personally have a soft spot for his play “Deathtrap”.
• And after the release of this film, everything worked out A-OK for Roman Polanski.

Thank you, Robert Osborne, for your love of the movies and for sharing that love with future generations. We’ll pick up the torch from here.

Read the Hollywood Reporter’s obituary here. And click below to watch his introduction to one of my favorite films.

#25) Pulp Fiction (1994)

OR “Oooo Eeee Oooo Steve Looks Just Like Buddy Holly”

Directed & Written by Quentin Tarantino. Story by Tarantino and Roger Avary.

Class of 2013

The Original Trailer, which tries its best to clean up the language.

The Plot: A classic pulp magazine on film, “Pulp Fiction” is the interwoven stories of seedy lowlife in 1990s L.A. Among them are two hit men, Vincent & Jules (John Travolta & Samuel L. Jackson). Vincent has an unexpectedly eventful night when he has to take the boss’ wife (Uma Thurman) to dinner, and Jules experiences an epiphany while witnessing a robbery at a diner. Meanwhile (or before, or later) a prizefighter named Butch (Bruce Willis) makes a deal with crime lord Marsellus Wallace (Ving Rhames) and loses his family’s valuable watch. All this, plus at least two Arquettes.

Why It Matters: The NFR calls it, “one of the few films on the National Film Registry as notable for its lasting impact on the film industry as its considerable artistic merits.” The essay by film critic Jami Bernard echoes these sentiments, and also uses the phrase “pissing contests” in a complimentary way.

But Does It Really?: I’m gonna get this over with; I enjoy this movie a lot. It deserves to be here. It’s a movie I have to watch every year or two and just have a good time. But does that mean I think Tarantino’s a genius? No. I think he’s a great writer and a great lover of film whose work has been embraced (maybe a little too fanatically) around the world. But good acting helps good writing, and everyone in this movie relishes the opportunity to speak good dialogue. The film is uniquely stylized and is an instant classic, but to quote The Wolf, “let’s not start sucking each other’s dicks quite yet.”

Shout Outs: As a good student of film, Tarantino includes many film references, but doesn’t hit you over the head with them. Among the fellow NFR entries alluded to are “Rebel Without a Cause”, “Deliverance”, “Shaft”, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show”, and most notably, “Kiss Me Deadly”.

Everybody Gets One: Among the big names in this film making their only NFR appearance are Uma Thurman, Amanda Plummer, Tim Roth, and Bruce Willis (Though I suspect Willis has at least two movies that will show up eventually**). Noteworthy in the featured cast are Phil “Hermes” LaMarr, Julia “It’s Pat” Sweeney, and Kathy “Kathy Griffin” Griffin. Also starring Stephen Hibbert as “The Gimp”.

Wow, That’s Dated: Cellular phones the size of your head, and the ability to smoke indoors in California. Plus that woman who Marsellus accidentally shoots could not be dressed more like 1994.

Seriously, Oscars?: The little indie film that could, “Pulp Fiction” ended up with seven Oscar nominations, including Best Picture. But in a year dominated by big studio-backed “Forrest Gump”, the film only took home one prize; Best Original Screenplay for Tarantino and Avary. Samuel L. Jackson’s loss in the Best Supporting Actor category gave us one of the great nominee reactions ever.

Other notes

• Never, ever, under any circumstances, watch this movie on basic cable.
• Geez, less than four minutes in and Tarantino has used more ethnic slurs than your average ‘40s film.
• I would love to have seen the woman who Jules is dating.
• What’s in the briefcase? Who cares?
• Samuel L. Jackson is clearly enjoying every minute of this film, and we all benefit from it.
• Don’t be a…rectangle?
• What exactly about it makes it a “Douglas Sirk steak”? Is it melodramatic? Does Todd Haynes eat it?
• Of all the casting “what-ifs” posed on the internet, the one that intrigues me the most is Alfre Woodard as Mia Wallace. I would love to have seen that.
• “Girl, You’ll Be a Woman Soon” is performed of course by…Urge Overkill? What, did Neil Diamond want too much for his version? This is why we can’t have nice things!
• I’m not his biggest fan, but I must admit John Travolta is damn good in this film.
• The little detail I noticed this go-round with the film is Trudi, as played by Bronagh Gallagher, just sitting on the couch with her bong while Mia’s life is at stake. Hilarious.
• Christopher Walken as Captain Koons is the reason the Oscars should have a “Best Cameo” category. In a limited amount of screen time he fully captures the spirit of this film. This is also just before Walken became a caricature of himself.
• Butch has my favorite never-quoted line in the film; “We’re American, honey, our names don’t mean shit.”
• For what it’s worth, “The Watch” is my least favorite of the film’s segments. It’s the most removed from the other segments (this is Roger Avary’s primary contribution to the screenplay), and it moves at a slower pace. There’s the conversation with Butch and the cab driver, then him and Fabienne, then another conversation between them the next morning, and THEN we finally get to the missing watch. We’re too far into the film to slow things down like that.
• Zed kinda looks like Daniel Day-Lewis. Oh, but what if it IS Daniel Day-Lewis? Such range.
• I respect Quentin Tarantino as a writer and director, not so much as an actor.
• If only Jules and Vincent had waited a year, then they could have seen “Babe”, the most charming pig of them all!

Legacy

• Every indie movie since 1994. Seriously, every damn one. Just Google it, I’m tired.
• John Travolta: Act II.
• Samuel L. Jackson’s entire film persona.

• Confused Travolta!

• Not only did Uma Thurman’s Oscar nomination thrust her into movie-stardom, but she got to meet Oprah too!

• That point in the ‘90s when the ‘70s came back.
• This Banksy mural;

• Countless parodies, but we’ll focus on this one from the 1995 MTV Movie Awards that gave the other Sweathogs a chance to shine.

• What happened next? Well in Hollywood they say, that Tarantino’s small ego grew three sizes that day.

Listen to This: Another fantastic film soundtrack, one song from “Pulp Fiction” has made it onto the National Recording Registry: Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together”. You could listen to it while staring at Ving Rhames’ neck band-aid, or while getting next to that special someone. The point is, “Let’s Stay Together” is awesome.

** 2017 Update: And one those movies just showed up: “Die Hard“.