Written as part of the weekly blogathon hosted by Wandering Through the Shelves. Come along for the ride by picking three movies that fit the week's theme and writing a bit about them!
If there's one thing I really miss now that I've been living in New York City for the past two and a half years, it's driving. I miss getting into my car, revving up the engine, putting my foot on the gas, and just GOING. There's such a feeling of power and freedom that comes from being behind the wheel, and I love it and miss it.
But thankfully, I have these movies to watch whenever I miss driving too much.
It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (Stanley Kramer, 1963) One of the greatest, funniest, and largest casts ever assembled drives their way through this madcap comedy on their way to find buried treasure. Yes, it's schticky, but so what? Schtick is what you watch these greats for, and they are GREAT at it. As a bonus, the car chases are GREAT, and super funny to boot.
The Love Bug (Robert Stevenson, 1968) I mean... if you didn't love this as a kid, I'm not sure there's anything I can do for you. Yes, it's all formula and it's all very easy comedy, but... it works, dammit, because everyone on screen really believes in the ridiculousness they're selling, and commits like it was an adaptation of classic literature destined for Oscar glory. It's all just perfectly right, not over- or underdone. (Okay, fine, maybe a little overdone. But it still works!) That's Disney magic for you!
Trafic (Jacques Tati, 1971) After satirizing vacationers in Les vacances de M. Hulot, modern technology in Mon Oncle, and popular culture in Playtime, French clown extraordinaire Jacques Tati turned his infallible eye (and obliviously accident-prone character, M. Hulot) to the modern automobile in Trafic, and the result is a sublime, gag-after-gag treat of a film. It's not as strong overall as his previous films, but it's still damn funny, and it's centerpiece car accident is one for the ages.
OMG!!! Why did I not think of Mad World?! I love that movie and my best friend and I often quote that film..."Sylvester!" I love it that you picked this film. I have a fond memory of watching this with my dad and always remember the tears rolling down his face at the end when they are on that ladder. I haven't seen The Love Bug in a long time, nor the sequels but glad you picked this film. It's so endearing. I have to see something from this French man...it's one of my crimes.
Mad Mad Mad Mad World is so freaking hilarious. Endearing is a perfect word for The Love Bug. Tati is so brilliant - no one has ever done humor quite like him.
LOL I KNOW. Driving in NYC is IMPOSSIBLE. And parking even more so! You haven't ever seen The Love Bug?!? Get on that, pronto! It's a classic family film.
With the exception of It's a Mad, Mad, Mad World (which I haven't seen), I can totally be behind the rest of your picks including Trafic which I think is hilarious.
Haven't seen Trafic but LOVE your other two! I watched The Love Bug, as well as the sequel Herbie Rides Again, SO many times when I was a kid. Just loved Michele Lee!
Mad. Mad....World is one zany joy ride with an endless parade of familiar faces.
There's innumerable choice this week, and I'm not even much of a race fan, so I decided really dig in and go back. I had just the three and then this weekend I saw my bonus and it was so arch and typical of its time period I had to add it in.
Winning (1969)-Frank Capua’s (Paul Newman) dream is to win the Indy 500 and he is spurred on by his messy private life including a troubled marriage to Elora (Joanne Woodward) who is also involved with his main rival Luther Erding (Robert Wagner). The film inspired Newman’s lifelong love of racing and has some exciting scenes of the sport. While it doesn’t deliver on its ambitious tagline “WINNING is for men who live dangerously! WINNING is for women who love recklessly! WINNING is for young people who live for now! WINNING...is for everybody!” it’s a decent film with many of the stars of the racing circuit making appearances.
The Great Race (1965)-At the beginning of the 1900’s The Great Leslie (an all in white clad Tony Curtis) and his arch nemesis Professor Fate (Jack Lemmon equally black covered with a handlebar moustache and top hat to boot) compete in the title race from New York to Paris with henchmen in tow, Hezekiah (Keenan Wynn) for Curtis and Max (a hilarious Peter Falk) for Lemmon. Also competing and covering the race for The Sentinel newspaper is pioneering and rambunctious reporter Maggie DuBois (Natalie Wood at her most beautiful). MANY complications occur along the way including a western town brawl and shootout and an enormous pie fight. Blake Edwards directed tribute to slapstick and old time serials is zany fun with beautiful costume & set design, a game cast and for car lovers fantastic automobiles. The score was provided by Henry Mancini and includes the Oscar nominated “The Sweetheart Tree”.
The Big Wheel (1949)-Watch out Mickey Rooney’s on the skids in more ways than one! Billy Coy (Rooney) has something to prove, his father was a legend in the midget race car game until his death in a crackup, now Billy is trying to show his worth. The story is standard cocky hothead knocked down a few pegs until his learns the necessary life lessons junk but if you're a race fan and don't mind the obvious rear projection shots it has a certain entertainment value. Additionally parts were filmed at the Indy 500 raceway providing a glimpse of it in its infancy. Aside from Rooney there’s a good cast including Spring Byington, Thomas Mitchell and in a small part Hattie McDaniel in her last theatrical feature. This was made just as the Mick’s major star period was ending.
80’s Flashback Bonus-Catch Me If You Can (1989)-When her small Midwest high school faces closure class president Melissa Hanson (Loryn Locklin) is persuaded by school bad boy Dylan Malone (Matt Lattanzi) to gamble on the illegal car races he runs. Everything goes well at first but then the local mob moves in so Melissa and Dylan take drastic measures to save ol’ Cathedral High! Full of 80’s music (the film’s score is composed and performed by Tangerine Dream) 80’s fashion and of course 80’s hair complete with headbands!
LOVE The Great Race. Blake Edwards really knew how to stage comedy. And you're right that Natalie Wood is at her most beautiful here.
Alas, that's the only one of these I've seen. Don't know if I could deal with The Big Wheel, but Winning is on my list because one of these days I will undertake my Newman/Woodward project and watch all the films they made together.
I've only seen The Love Bug. Loved it as a kid, but saw it as an adult a few years back and...yeah...doesn't hold up too well. Can't believe I haven't watched It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. I need to get on it.
OMG!!! Why did I not think of Mad World?! I love that movie and my best friend and I often quote that film..."Sylvester!" I love it that you picked this film. I have a fond memory of watching this with my dad and always remember the tears rolling down his face at the end when they are on that ladder. I haven't seen The Love Bug in a long time, nor the sequels but glad you picked this film. It's so endearing. I have to see something from this French man...it's one of my crimes.
ReplyDeleteMad Mad Mad Mad World is so freaking hilarious. Endearing is a perfect word for The Love Bug. Tati is so brilliant - no one has ever done humor quite like him.
DeleteI haven't seen any of these. Until I visited NYC, I never fully realized how driving in that city sucks so much lol.
ReplyDeleteLOL I KNOW. Driving in NYC is IMPOSSIBLE. And parking even more so! You haven't ever seen The Love Bug?!? Get on that, pronto! It's a classic family film.
DeleteWith the exception of It's a Mad, Mad, Mad World (which I haven't seen), I can totally be behind the rest of your picks including Trafic which I think is hilarious.
ReplyDeleteYAY another Tati fan!!!
DeleteHaven't seen Trafic but LOVE your other two! I watched The Love Bug, as well as the sequel Herbie Rides Again, SO many times when I was a kid. Just loved Michele Lee!
ReplyDeleteMad. Mad....World is one zany joy ride with an endless parade of familiar faces.
There's innumerable choice this week, and I'm not even much of a race fan, so I decided really dig in and go back. I had just the three and then this weekend I saw my bonus and it was so arch and typical of its time period I had to add it in.
Winning (1969)-Frank Capua’s (Paul Newman) dream is to win the Indy 500 and he is spurred on by his messy private life including a troubled marriage to Elora (Joanne Woodward) who is also involved with his main rival Luther Erding (Robert Wagner). The film inspired Newman’s lifelong love of racing and has some exciting scenes of the sport. While it doesn’t deliver on its ambitious tagline “WINNING is for men who live dangerously! WINNING is for women who love recklessly! WINNING is for young people who live for now! WINNING...is for everybody!” it’s a decent film with many of the stars of the racing circuit making appearances.
The Great Race (1965)-At the beginning of the 1900’s The Great Leslie (an all in white clad Tony Curtis) and his arch nemesis Professor Fate (Jack Lemmon equally black covered with a handlebar moustache and top hat to boot) compete in the title race from New York to Paris with henchmen in tow, Hezekiah (Keenan Wynn) for Curtis and Max (a hilarious Peter Falk) for Lemmon. Also competing and covering the race for The Sentinel newspaper is pioneering and rambunctious reporter Maggie DuBois (Natalie Wood at her most beautiful). MANY complications occur along the way including a western town brawl and shootout and an enormous pie fight. Blake Edwards directed tribute to slapstick and old time serials is zany fun with beautiful costume & set design, a game cast and for car lovers fantastic automobiles. The score was provided by Henry Mancini and includes the Oscar nominated “The Sweetheart Tree”.
The Big Wheel (1949)-Watch out Mickey Rooney’s on the skids in more ways than one! Billy Coy (Rooney) has something to prove, his father was a legend in the midget race car game until his death in a crackup, now Billy is trying to show his worth. The story is standard cocky hothead knocked down a few pegs until his learns the necessary life lessons junk but if you're a race fan and don't mind the obvious rear projection shots it has a certain entertainment value. Additionally parts were filmed at the Indy 500 raceway providing a glimpse of it in its infancy. Aside from Rooney there’s a good cast including Spring Byington, Thomas Mitchell and in a small part Hattie McDaniel in her last theatrical feature. This was made just as the Mick’s major star period was ending.
80’s Flashback Bonus-Catch Me If You Can (1989)-When her small Midwest high school faces closure class president Melissa Hanson (Loryn Locklin) is persuaded by school bad boy Dylan Malone (Matt Lattanzi) to gamble on the illegal car races he runs. Everything goes well at first but then the local mob moves in so Melissa and Dylan take drastic measures to save ol’ Cathedral High! Full of 80’s music (the film’s score is composed and performed by Tangerine Dream) 80’s fashion and of course 80’s hair complete with headbands!
LOVE The Great Race. Blake Edwards really knew how to stage comedy. And you're right that Natalie Wood is at her most beautiful here.
DeleteAlas, that's the only one of these I've seen. Don't know if I could deal with The Big Wheel, but Winning is on my list because one of these days I will undertake my Newman/Woodward project and watch all the films they made together.
Haven't actually seen any of your picks, though I like the sound of It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
ReplyDeleteEven though I love all of these movies, Mad Mad... is the pick of the litter.
DeleteThat's why I'd never move to NYC. I love driving way too much, it is so relaxing. Anyway, I haven't seen any of your picks.
ReplyDeleteI mean, it's probably murder trying to drive in ANY big city, but especially so in NYC.
DeleteI've only seen The Love Bug. Loved it as a kid, but saw it as an adult a few years back and...yeah...doesn't hold up too well. Can't believe I haven't watched It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. I need to get on it.
ReplyDeleteYeah, most kids movies don't hold up well as an adult; the humor just doesn't "age" well. Nostalgia helps, but can only go so far.
DeleteYou DEFINITELY need to watch Mad Mad Mad Mad World!
It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World sounds good. Wasn't a fan of Herbie, found him annoying to be honest...
ReplyDeleteI can see that, especially when watching The Love Bug as an adult lol.
Delete