'Hit Me With Your Best Shot' Returns on July 3rd
Wednesday, June 19, 2013 at 8:03AM Our weekly group-look at essential visual moments in movies from all genres / decades resumes in two weeks so Queue these movies! Season Four has had wonderful turnout from great blogs so let's complete the season this summer with a robust party (bring all your friends!) every Wednesday evening through summer's end!
July 3rd American Graffitti (George Lucas, 1973)
[Amazon | Netflix | iTunes]
"Where were you in 1962?" went the tagline for this hit which went a long way towards popularizing 'instant nostalgia' movies. I wanted something nostalgic for the holiday week but mostly I chose it because I've never seen it and its a gap in my Oscar knowledge (5 nominations including Best Picture). Legendary DP Haskell Wexler is credited as "visual consultant". If you know anyone who was a teenager in the 1960s, use them as "nostalgia consultant" ;) and if you're feeling really ambitious, I keep reading it makes a strong double feature with Richard Linklater's Dazed and Confused (1993).
July 10th Dead Ringers (David Cronenberg, 1988)
[Amazon | Netflix | iTunes]
David Cronenberg's artful chiller about twin brother gynecologists (Jeremy Irons at his career best) and the vaginally, uh, complicated woman they both love. This week's choice is in honor of Nick Davis of Nicks Flick Picks. This film plays a key role in his first book The Desiring-Image: Gilles Deleuze and Contemporary Queer Cinema
July 17th Mary Poppins (Robert Stevenson, 1964)
[Amazon | Netflix | iTunes]
This year's December release Saving Mr Banks concerns the making of this movie. It's garnering much pre-release curiousity so let's revisit this supercalifragilistic musical fantasy starring the practically perfect in every way Julie Andrews. Trivia Note: July 17th is also the 58th anniversary of the opening of Disneyland!
more titles tba... the season ends in late August
Reader Comments (13)
Missed "American Grafitti"? I find it hard to believe that I have seen a Best Picture nominee that you have not. Next you'll be telling me there's no Grinch !
Carl -- unfortunately i am not the master completist that i'd like to be.
I'm sure you deserved a vacation, but I'm so glad you're back.
I just watched American Graffiti for the first time a few weeks ago! I'm psyched to hear your thoughts. It's a pretty shaggy movie, and kind of amazing that it received a best picture nomination.
It would indeed make a good double bill with Dazed and Confused.
I've been so remiss with HMWYBS this season. I'll try to do better this second half.
I've never seen MARY POPPINS because I have always feared it. Maybe this will be the time to finally bite the bullet.
AMERICAN GRAFFIT! One of my all time favourites, although not a film necessarily thought about in "wow, great shot!" terms.
YAY! I'll try and see American Graffiti before then. I have yet to see it, but Mary Poppins is one of my all time favorites, and it is SOOO PRETTY!!! I'll have to rewatch Dead Ringers too. Great movie.
glenn -- uh oh. should i be worried about no choices?
Yeah, Nat, it's a total surprise, but I somehow think that so many more people are going to be able to come up with great shots from the OTHER side of the great double bill, Dazed and Confused. Am Graf should be the optional choice with D&C as the main event.
Curses! I want to continue my perfect score this season, but I don't know if I'll be able to participate! I'm supposed to be writing about Comic Con and Sherlock Holmes, but how can I pass up Jeremy Irons??
Anne Marie -- a simple solution: watch it early, write it up early and save it for publication until then ;)
Volvagia -- but i've already seen that twice and we've done a lot of 90s pictures this season. gotta mix it up.
American Graffiti is probably my all time favorite movie, and I've said for years that I could write a book about all the symbolism and meaningfulness therein. I'm always a little surprised when people talk about not having seen it (nothing personal) or about other, similarly themed "better" movies (that really, really aren't). I think the way you feel about it (like most movies, really) depends a lot on when you were first exposed to it--I first saw it while I was in high school, and it didn't just speak to me--it screamed at me. (I was Kurt.) I know I've seen it more than maybe any other movie, period. Point is, I think it's a fantastic movie, and I think I know what the perfect "best shot" is, but I can't wait to see everyone's choices.
If you want to mix it up, Performance is ALWAYS a good idea.