It's time for the first segment of Back to the 80s. If you went to a movie theater on Memorial Day Weekend 1985, what could you have seen?
A View to a Kill
Super-spy James Bond attempts to keep super-villain Max Zorin from creating a massive earthquake that will flood Silicon Valley, thus leaving him with complete control f the world’s microchip market.
How did it play in 1985? Fairly well. It was the 13th highest grossing movie of the year and the 14th (out of 23) in the Bond series. It was the last Bond with Roger Moore in the lead. The critics didn’t think much of it and now it has a reputation as one of the worst Bond films.
Did I see it then? Yes. I don’t recall much about it though.
How does it play today? It’s passable entertainment, more so if you are a fan of the Bond movies. I liked the widescreen cinematography and the John Barry score provides the perfect sonic mood for a Bond film. Unfortunately, most everything else is sub-par. The plot is a retread of previous Bond films and Max Zorin is no Goldfinger. Tanya Roberts is terrible as the leading lady. Only Grace Jones, who plays the requisite villain’s henchmen (henchwoman?) has an impact, although her character is just as underwritten as everyone else‘s. The action scenes are OK, except for a ridiculous chase involving a stolen fire truck and lots of police cars that seems more appropriate to The Blues Brothers.
Rambo: First Blood Part II
The big hit of Memorial Day 1985 was Rambo: First Blood Part II, the action-packed, ultra-violent sequel to the 1982 film First Blood. The plot, such as it is, has Sylvester Stallone’s title character sent into Vietnam on a covert mission to find out if American POWs are still there. He is soon betrayed and must use every weapon in existence to fight his way out and blow as much stuff up as (in)humanly possible.
How did it play in 1985? Huge. It was the number one movie at the box office for 4 weeks in a row and was the second highest grossing movie of he year.
Did I see it then? No. I wanted to, but my parents were pretty strict about letting me see R-rated movies. I didn’t see it until much later.
How does it play today? It’s quite ridiculous and a little offensive. I know this is the kind of movie you’re not supposed to analyze but it’s hard not to roll your eyes at it. The action gets increasingly improbable as the movie goes on as Rambo becomes an unstoppable one-man killing machine.
The script was co-written by Stallone and none other than James Cameron, who had directed The Terminator a year earlier. There are certainly parts of the movie that are quite exciting if you can suspend your disbelief. Perhaps the best thing about Rambo II is the score by Jerry Goldsmith. Using ostinato, odd-metered rhythms, the score pulsates with kinetic energy. The elegiac theme “It’s a Long Road” from the same composer’s score to First Blood, makes several appearances and is masterfully transformed into an action fanfare.
Two other movies opened up in late May 1985. First, was the Richard Pryor/John Candy comedy Brewster’s Millions about a baseball player who must spend $30 million in 30 days without telling anyone why. If he succeeds, he gets $300 million. I remember my sister and I watching this a lot when it was on HBO, but I’m not interested in seeing it again. The Chevy Chase comedy Fletch was a popular movie about an investigative journalist who used multiple disguises to catch the bad guys. It spawned a sequel and there have been several attempts to remake it. I saw it in the theaters and several times thereafter but haven’t seen it recently.
Next week: An infamous bomb and a popular kid's movie.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Monday, May 23, 2011
Back to the 80s: Introduction
Are you a child of the 1980s? Do you love going to the movies but find you don’t enjoy the summer movies as much as you used to? Were movies really better back then, or is it more a matter of maturity that makes today’s movies, especially those released in the summer, look bad in comparison? I’m sure it’s a little bit of both. As an experiment, I plan to recreate a summer movie season from my childhood and see how the movies stack up today. What effect does nostalgia have on my reaction to certain movies? And what about the more mature movies I never saw?
Here’s how it will work. Each weekend, I’ll post a new entry summarizing the movies that came out the same weekend in the past. Due to time constraints, I won’t be able to re-watch every single movie. Plus, there are some I don’t feel all that inclined to revisit. (Do I really need to watch European Vacation again?)
I’m going to begin with the summer of 1985. I was 14 years old, the perfect age for spending way too much time at the movie theater watching special-effects laden movies and enjoying my usual large popcorn, cherry Coke and a bag of Skittles. A wide variety of movies were released that year. There were blockbusters like Rambo 2 and Back to the Future, box-office bombs like The Black Cauldron and Return to Oz (both Disney films) and movies aimed at adults like Prizzi’s Honor and Pale Rider.
Memorial Day Weekend is coming soon. Are you ready to go Back to the 80s?
Here’s how it will work. Each weekend, I’ll post a new entry summarizing the movies that came out the same weekend in the past. Due to time constraints, I won’t be able to re-watch every single movie. Plus, there are some I don’t feel all that inclined to revisit. (Do I really need to watch European Vacation again?)
I’m going to begin with the summer of 1985. I was 14 years old, the perfect age for spending way too much time at the movie theater watching special-effects laden movies and enjoying my usual large popcorn, cherry Coke and a bag of Skittles. A wide variety of movies were released that year. There were blockbusters like Rambo 2 and Back to the Future, box-office bombs like The Black Cauldron and Return to Oz (both Disney films) and movies aimed at adults like Prizzi’s Honor and Pale Rider.
Memorial Day Weekend is coming soon. Are you ready to go Back to the 80s?
Friday, May 13, 2011
Triumph of the Lamb - Book Review
Triumph of the Lamb by Dennis E. Johnson
There was a time when it seemed like the only Christian books I read were on the subject of eschatology. I read books that compared the different views on how to interpret the millennium and read a commentary on Revelation written from an amillennial perspective. I thought that was sufficient until I joined a Bible study earlier this year. The next book on their agenda was a book on Revelation. I initially had the rather cynical thought, “But I’ve already read a commentary on Revelation!” (That book was More Than Conquerors by William Hendriksen.) But of course, no Christian who is serious about learning everything they can about the Bible should be content with reading only one commentary on a particular book. It came as no surprise then, that I truly enjoyed Dennis Johnson’s book Triumph of the Lamb.
Johnson’s book is a concise, exegetical look at the last book of the Bible. After an introduction and an overview of Revelation, he presents it in a more or less verse by verse format, explaining what each verse means. Readers who are aware of the various schools of interpretation regarding Revelation will instantly recognize Johnson’s take as the idealist view. This view sees the many visions as symbolic of events and ideas that recur throughout the time between Christ’s advent and his return. Many of the visions show the same event from different perspectives (or “camera angle” as Johnson likes to put it.) The idea that the visions in Revelation are not presented in chronological fashion may be strange to some, but Johnson points out over and over that this is the only view that truly makes sense.
There are many strengths to the book. Johnson’s exegesis is solid. He offers sound interpretations not only of Revelation, but of the many verses from the Old and New Testaments that directly influence the text of Revelation. The Old Testament in particular is extremely important. I thought I was familiar with OT prophetic literature but I was amazed at just how much of Revelation is taken directly from such books as Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel and Zechariah. Johnson also remains consistent throughout the book. He frequently points similarities in Revelation’s visions and shows how they relate to one another and the overall picture of the book.
In addition his main points, Johnson also provides many interesting tidbits on subjects that might be of only passing interest to the casual reader. For example, he makes note of grammatical issues and how they relate to the proper translation of Revelation. He even points out which translations do a better job. (The NASB doesn’t fare so well.)
I enjoyed Johnson’s conclusion and felt it probably should be read first. (The appendix which explains the various views on Revelation is also useful and should be read at the start) He points out what the book should mean for Christians. It’s more than just a series of puzzles to solve. Revelation is primarily a book of hope. It comforts the people of God whether they are believers in the 1st or 21st centuries. Revelation shows that God hears our prayers and that the time is coming when evil will be completely wiped out. There will be no more tears and no more suffering. God lets us know that even though we must endure hardships now, He has promised to rescue us through the work of His son Jesus. Our ultimate destiny is eternal union with God in the new heaven and new earth.
I already lean strongly toward the idealist view but I’m sure that people who do not agree with it will still benefit from Johnson’s excellent presentation of this view. All four views (historicist, futurist, preterist and idealist) are orthodox and Christians should not be divided over them.
There was a time when it seemed like the only Christian books I read were on the subject of eschatology. I read books that compared the different views on how to interpret the millennium and read a commentary on Revelation written from an amillennial perspective. I thought that was sufficient until I joined a Bible study earlier this year. The next book on their agenda was a book on Revelation. I initially had the rather cynical thought, “But I’ve already read a commentary on Revelation!” (That book was More Than Conquerors by William Hendriksen.) But of course, no Christian who is serious about learning everything they can about the Bible should be content with reading only one commentary on a particular book. It came as no surprise then, that I truly enjoyed Dennis Johnson’s book Triumph of the Lamb.
Johnson’s book is a concise, exegetical look at the last book of the Bible. After an introduction and an overview of Revelation, he presents it in a more or less verse by verse format, explaining what each verse means. Readers who are aware of the various schools of interpretation regarding Revelation will instantly recognize Johnson’s take as the idealist view. This view sees the many visions as symbolic of events and ideas that recur throughout the time between Christ’s advent and his return. Many of the visions show the same event from different perspectives (or “camera angle” as Johnson likes to put it.) The idea that the visions in Revelation are not presented in chronological fashion may be strange to some, but Johnson points out over and over that this is the only view that truly makes sense.
There are many strengths to the book. Johnson’s exegesis is solid. He offers sound interpretations not only of Revelation, but of the many verses from the Old and New Testaments that directly influence the text of Revelation. The Old Testament in particular is extremely important. I thought I was familiar with OT prophetic literature but I was amazed at just how much of Revelation is taken directly from such books as Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel and Zechariah. Johnson also remains consistent throughout the book. He frequently points similarities in Revelation’s visions and shows how they relate to one another and the overall picture of the book.
In addition his main points, Johnson also provides many interesting tidbits on subjects that might be of only passing interest to the casual reader. For example, he makes note of grammatical issues and how they relate to the proper translation of Revelation. He even points out which translations do a better job. (The NASB doesn’t fare so well.)
I enjoyed Johnson’s conclusion and felt it probably should be read first. (The appendix which explains the various views on Revelation is also useful and should be read at the start) He points out what the book should mean for Christians. It’s more than just a series of puzzles to solve. Revelation is primarily a book of hope. It comforts the people of God whether they are believers in the 1st or 21st centuries. Revelation shows that God hears our prayers and that the time is coming when evil will be completely wiped out. There will be no more tears and no more suffering. God lets us know that even though we must endure hardships now, He has promised to rescue us through the work of His son Jesus. Our ultimate destiny is eternal union with God in the new heaven and new earth.
I already lean strongly toward the idealist view but I’m sure that people who do not agree with it will still benefit from Johnson’s excellent presentation of this view. All four views (historicist, futurist, preterist and idealist) are orthodox and Christians should not be divided over them.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Ugetsu
“For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.”
James 3:16
“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils.”
I Timothy 6:10
My previous post was about the 1953 movie Tokyo Story. Next is another Japanese movie from the same year. Ugetsu is set in 16th century Japan during a time of civil war. Two brothers and their families want to avoid the horrors of war but their greed and ambition get in the way and tragedy results.
Genjuro, one of the brothers, makes pottery using a homemade kiln. He’s fairly good at it and is excited when he is able to bring home money from selling his wares. His brother Tobei wants nothing more than to become a great warrior, even a samurai, although he is hardly qualified to be either. Both men’s wives would rather stay home and try to be safe from the approaching war, but the men leave, insisting they will return soon. While selling his pottery, Genjuro is approached by a mysterious woman and her lady-in-waiting. He is enchanted by her and for good reason. We soon learn that she is a ghost. Enticed by her, he forgets all about his wife and even agrees to marry the woman! Back home, his wife and son are forced from their home and can barely find food while avoiding marauding soldiers.
Meanwhile, Tobei’s wife is soon forgotten by him and ends up turning to prostitution to earn money. Despite his incompetence, he does in fact become a samurai. Both brothers seem to have achieved their goals of money and power but at the cost of their own families. The men are eventually reunited with their wives, but in unusual ways, which I won’t spoil here.
Ugetsu may not be a Christian film, but the Bible verses quoted above are aptly demonstrated. The love of money and selfish ambition both cause great harm to the film’s characters.
I don’t usually listen to DVD commentary tracks but I often make an exception for foreign films. The commentary for Ugetsu is full of interesting details that I missed while watching the movie, especially regarding Japanese history and culture.
James 3:16
“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils.”
I Timothy 6:10
My previous post was about the 1953 movie Tokyo Story. Next is another Japanese movie from the same year. Ugetsu is set in 16th century Japan during a time of civil war. Two brothers and their families want to avoid the horrors of war but their greed and ambition get in the way and tragedy results.
Genjuro, one of the brothers, makes pottery using a homemade kiln. He’s fairly good at it and is excited when he is able to bring home money from selling his wares. His brother Tobei wants nothing more than to become a great warrior, even a samurai, although he is hardly qualified to be either. Both men’s wives would rather stay home and try to be safe from the approaching war, but the men leave, insisting they will return soon. While selling his pottery, Genjuro is approached by a mysterious woman and her lady-in-waiting. He is enchanted by her and for good reason. We soon learn that she is a ghost. Enticed by her, he forgets all about his wife and even agrees to marry the woman! Back home, his wife and son are forced from their home and can barely find food while avoiding marauding soldiers.
Meanwhile, Tobei’s wife is soon forgotten by him and ends up turning to prostitution to earn money. Despite his incompetence, he does in fact become a samurai. Both brothers seem to have achieved their goals of money and power but at the cost of their own families. The men are eventually reunited with their wives, but in unusual ways, which I won’t spoil here.
Ugetsu may not be a Christian film, but the Bible verses quoted above are aptly demonstrated. The love of money and selfish ambition both cause great harm to the film’s characters.
I don’t usually listen to DVD commentary tracks but I often make an exception for foreign films. The commentary for Ugetsu is full of interesting details that I missed while watching the movie, especially regarding Japanese history and culture.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Tokyo Story
I don’t expect every movie I see to be great. I’m not hoping to see the next Citizen Kane with every new movie. And most of the time, I don’t see the next Citizen Kane but rather see some decent movies, some not so decent ones and occasionally, some really outstanding ones. But every now and then, I see something, usually an older film, that is truly a great movie. Such was the case when I finally got around to watching the 1953 Japanese film Tokyo Story.
I had been thinking about Japan and Japanese culture recently. I read Laura Hillenbrand’s excellent book Unbroken which portrayed a dark moment in Japanese history, the cruel treatment of POWs during World War II. Then there was the recent earthquake and tsunami. I’ve always enjoyed Japanese movies. Akira Kurosawa is one of my favorite directors for movies like Throne of Blood, Yojimbo and Ran.
Tokyo Story was directed by Yasujiro Ozu, considered one of Japan’s greatest directors. It tells the story of an old couple who decide to visit their grown children, most of whom live far away from them. (Their youngest daughter Kyoko still lives with them.) One son lives in Osaka, midway on the train journey to Tokyo. Their oldest son and oldest daughter live in Tokyo. Another son was killed during the war, but his widow Noriko keeps in contact with the family. She too lives in Tokyo.
The trip goes quite poorly. The children basically ignore the parents and treat them disrespectfully. At one point, they send the parents to a spa. The parents initially treat this as a polite gesture but their experience there is horrible. Soon, the parents themselves begin to speak of their disappointment in their children. Only Noriko treats them kindly and goes out of her way to try and make their trip pleasant. Only when the mother dies, do the children all get together to mourn her. Even then, their behavior still seems hollow and selfish.
The storytelling in Tokyo Story is remarkably understated. The camera doesn’t move and allows the viewer to watch the drama unfold without distraction. Despite the foreign setting, this story could have been set almost anywhere. The emotional impact is devastating. You get angry at the family members but can’t help but see some of yourself. The film forces you to ask how well you treat your own parents and children. Near the end of the film, the youngest daughter Kyoko says goodbye to the Noriko after the funeral. She is angry with her sibling’s selfish attitude toward their parents. How could they act like this? We expect Noriko, the most sympathetic character in the movie, to empathize. Instead, she answers her (and the viewer too, for she looks directly at the camera) with a defense of the other children. People change, she says. You may not like it but that’s what happens. We are taken aback by her response. We don’t want her to be right but unfortunately, we suspect she is.
As a Christian, I was reminded of the Fourth Commandment. “Honor your father and your mother.” It’s easy to think that this commandment only applies to children. But of course, our parents never cease to be our parents and we should always honor them. Tokyo Story is a good reminder why.
I had been thinking about Japan and Japanese culture recently. I read Laura Hillenbrand’s excellent book Unbroken which portrayed a dark moment in Japanese history, the cruel treatment of POWs during World War II. Then there was the recent earthquake and tsunami. I’ve always enjoyed Japanese movies. Akira Kurosawa is one of my favorite directors for movies like Throne of Blood, Yojimbo and Ran.
Tokyo Story was directed by Yasujiro Ozu, considered one of Japan’s greatest directors. It tells the story of an old couple who decide to visit their grown children, most of whom live far away from them. (Their youngest daughter Kyoko still lives with them.) One son lives in Osaka, midway on the train journey to Tokyo. Their oldest son and oldest daughter live in Tokyo. Another son was killed during the war, but his widow Noriko keeps in contact with the family. She too lives in Tokyo.
The trip goes quite poorly. The children basically ignore the parents and treat them disrespectfully. At one point, they send the parents to a spa. The parents initially treat this as a polite gesture but their experience there is horrible. Soon, the parents themselves begin to speak of their disappointment in their children. Only Noriko treats them kindly and goes out of her way to try and make their trip pleasant. Only when the mother dies, do the children all get together to mourn her. Even then, their behavior still seems hollow and selfish.
The storytelling in Tokyo Story is remarkably understated. The camera doesn’t move and allows the viewer to watch the drama unfold without distraction. Despite the foreign setting, this story could have been set almost anywhere. The emotional impact is devastating. You get angry at the family members but can’t help but see some of yourself. The film forces you to ask how well you treat your own parents and children. Near the end of the film, the youngest daughter Kyoko says goodbye to the Noriko after the funeral. She is angry with her sibling’s selfish attitude toward their parents. How could they act like this? We expect Noriko, the most sympathetic character in the movie, to empathize. Instead, she answers her (and the viewer too, for she looks directly at the camera) with a defense of the other children. People change, she says. You may not like it but that’s what happens. We are taken aback by her response. We don’t want her to be right but unfortunately, we suspect she is.
As a Christian, I was reminded of the Fourth Commandment. “Honor your father and your mother.” It’s easy to think that this commandment only applies to children. But of course, our parents never cease to be our parents and we should always honor them. Tokyo Story is a good reminder why.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)