School Movies ( #atozchallenge )

Cover of Blackboard Jungle

The films that I'll be listing in my April postings may not necessarily be films that I'd call my favorite films, but they will be favorites in the genres I'll be naming.   The A to Z genres are very specific micro genres as opposed to the broader genres like action, romance, or comedy.

        This sub-genre is a biggie and I'll be leaving a ton off this list.  But you can add them in the comments and I'm sure you'll have a few favorites of your own.  These are mine:      

Blackboard Jungle (1955)--One of the first films with a rock and roll soundtrack, this feature addresses the problems of school violence in inner city schools.  A classic 1950's film.

Carrie (1976)--The girl in the title role gets bullied at school until she discovers her inner power to fight back.  The film that helped propel Stephen King into the public eye.

Grease (1978)--A popular Broadway musical becomes a classic film starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John.  Lots of good music, dancing, and fun depicts school days of  the 1950's.

Fame (1980)--This is a terrific film that follows a group of teens who are selected to attend a high school of the performance arts.  There are some excellent songs in this film, performed and danced by some very talented artists.

A Christmas Story (1983)--This time it's elementary school kids in the 1950's.  There aren't many who have not yet seen this holiday classic.  If you have you're sure to remember those hilarious scenes at school.

Pretty in Pink (1986)--This is a sweet high school days film where kids from the poor side of town prove their worth.

Election (1999)-- A film about high school politics.  It's kind of like the TV show Glee without singing.  In fact, I'd say Glee was very influenced by this film.

School of Rock (2003)--I'm a fan of Jack Black and this film is among his best. This is a feel good, have fun sort of film that most of the family can enjoy.

Napoleon Dynamite (2004) -- Nerdy Napoleon sets out to help his equally weird friend Pedro win the election for class president.  This film is nutty, outlandish, and downright silly.  I guess that why I like this film.

         Any favorites that you share with me?  What are some other films you would add to the list?   What have been some of the most accurate film depictions of school that you can remember?

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Rain Movies ( #atozchallenge )

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (soundtrack) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The films that I'll be listing in my April postings may not necessarily be films that I'd call my favorite films, but they will be favorites in the genres I'll be naming.   The A to Z genres are very specific micro genres as opposed to the broader genres like action, romance, or comedy.

        I love rain.  I enjoy long stretches of rainy days.  Flooding is kind of cool though the damage it causes is not.  My fascination with rain and flooding peaked back about 1974 or so when I started developing the concept for a novel that focused on rain and flooding in the Great Smoky Mountains.  The novel remains unfinished--barely started actually--but I intend to go back to it eventually.

        In the meantime I'll share some of my favorite films where rain is prominent:

A Walk in the Spring Rain (1970)--Actually there's not that much rain in this movie, but it does take place in the Great Smoky Mountains.  Also I have a brief part in the film along with a couple of girls I went to high school with.  Look for me in the Spring Festival sequence.  I'm the guy with the clunky black glasses who passes briefly by.  Don't blink or you'll miss me.  The film is a love story starring Anthony Quinn and Ingrid Bergman.

Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)--It was a dark and stormy night...  Thus begins the film that nearly everyone has seen.   And if you see it at a midnight showing at a theater be sure to bring your umbrella.

Sorcerer (1977)-- Criminals hired to transport a load of unstable dynamite through Nicaragua are faced with many dangerous situations including heavy rain.  A tense film with a great score by Tangerine Dream.

Blade Runner (1982)-- If this dystopian look at Los Angeles is to be believed, it's going to rain a lot there in the future.  Great sci-fi based on a story by Philip K. Dick.

The Unforgiven (1992)--This Academy Award winning film stars and was directed by Clint Eastwood. It's a very realistic western and it rains a lot in this film.

Twister (1996)-- This is a film about tornado chasers and where there are tornadoes there is rain.

Hard Rain (1998)--I'm a big fan of this somewhat underrated heist film.  A group of robbers steal the cargo of an armored truck, then must deal with massive rains and a flood.  Soundtrack includes the song "Flood" by Jars of Clay.

The Perfect Storm (2000)--A perfect storm should include a lot of rain and this film delivers.  Not a perfect movie, but I enjoyed it.

       I'll bet you can name many more rain movies:  What are your favorites?   Have you seen all or most of the ones I've listed?  What do you enjoy most about the rain?

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Quiet Films ( #atozchallenge )

English: Still image from ANOTHER EARTH (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The films that I'll be listing in my April postings will not necessarily be films that I'd call my favorite films, but they will be favorites in the genres I'll be naming.   The A to Z genres are very specific micro genres as opposed to the broader genres like action, romance, or comedy.

       When I refer to "Quiet Films", I'm not talking about silent films, but films with sound that don't have much dialog and have a tendency to be more introspective and deal with ideas.  Often these films focus on just one person or people who communicate very little.  Some of these might be films that could put you to sleep.  The films that I have picked kept my attention and stuck in my mind (except for one).

        Here are some of my favorite "Quiet Films" with a bonus that is not a favorite:

Repulsion (1965) -- High on my list of favorite films, this psychological horror film by Roman Polanski is the story of a troubled and withdrawn young woman who is left by herself while her sister is away on a vacation.  Alone in her silent world she falls into a delusional state of fear and hallucinations with horrifying consequences.   This is one freaky, creepy movie.

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) --Almost ponderous with scenes of stark beauty, this film primarily deals with a man on a long mission to Jupiter.  A lot of breathing sounds and people and computers talking verrrry slooooow.  The beauty that cannot be expressed in words is replaced by ethereal music.

Silent Running (1972) --It's been a very long time since I've seen this film, but I seem to remember it fitting into the category of quiet films.  After all, it takes place in space and it can get pretty quiet up there.  And the film is called Silent Running.   That does it for me.

Slingblade (1996)-- Billy Bob Thornton does an amazing job in the lead role of this movie.  His character is a quiet and reserved mentally impaired man who has been in a mental hospital after committing a murder when he was 12.  Some of the people around him are loud, but the over all tone of the film is fairly quiet.

The Tree of Life (2011)--This is one of those meaning of existence movies that deals with philosophy and spiritual issues.   It's the kind of film upon which you need to focus and contemplate.  You might fall asleep, or you might just sit quietly and take it all in.

Another Earth (2011) -- In this quiet film, a planet identical to Earth appears in the skies, capturing the imagination of the world.  The story follows a teenage girl and a composer whose lives become intertwined.  It's more of a philosophical film than a science fiction since there's no way this story could realistically happen.  But it's an interesting film if you can stay awake through it.

Solaris (2002) --Okay so I intensely disliked this film.  But it was quiet.  And slow.  I went to a theater to see this and my wife and I both slept through most of it.  This seemed very odd.  Maybe we only thought we were asleep.  Whatever happened, the movie seemed extremely boring and quiet.  This is not the quiet movie experience that I like to have.

         What movies have you fallen asleep to?   Do you enjoy idea movies that are more philosophical than action oriented?   Can you recommend any films that might fit in the quiet category?

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