For better or worse, the movies I watch irrevocably shape who I am. Ever since E.T. scared the crap out of me as a kid, I've had a phobia of aliens (with no small irony that the Aliens series is one of my favorites.) Ever since I first saw The X-Files, I've been paranoid about being along in a house at night. When I first laid eyes on Macross for the first time, I fell in love with giant robots. Now one might make the argument that not all the things I just mentioned were feature films, but that's beside the point. The point is that the right film at the right time can change your life and who we are is indellibly altered by the most meaningful films we see.
For example: I recently saw Almost Famous again, and was utterly delighted. I love it for it's story, it's humor, it's drama and the music. But more than anything else, I love it because it defies boundaries. It does not follow the typical "boy meets girl..." formula. At first, this was a big turn-off for me. I remember seeing the film a long time ago (presumably around the time of it's release) and being really pissed off that William didn't wind up with Penny. But when I watched it recently, I realized that he didn't have to; that's not the kind of story it was. And that was ok. Not every story needs to end with the hero and the love interest walking off into the sunset together.
One of the most influential films I have ever seen only walked into my life in the last year: Lost in Translation. I had meant to see it when it first came out, since I've always been a fan of Bill Murray films, but for whatever reason, I didn't get round to it. In hindsight, if ever there was an event that proved the existence of God for me, this was it. Me not seeing this movie when I intended to turned out to be one of the greatest events of my life.
Fast forward to mid 2008. I've got a full Netflix queue and somehow, Lost in Translation slips in under the guise of "movies I meant to see but didn't." It arrives, I watch it, and to quote another one of my favorites, "the cosmic tumblers click into place and the universe opens for just a minute to show you what's possible" (five points if you can tell me what that's from. Hint: it has something to do with a corn field and a major American sport.) I was inspired, more so than I have ever been, and I've had some pretty inspirational moments. I decide in a heartbeat that I want to get back into screenwriting, after a four year hiatus. I sit down and eleven days later, I have a complete draft of a 117-page screenplay in front of me.
For me, Lost in Translation was, in every way, the right film at the right time. It has taken it's place beside Blade Runner as my favorite movie of all-time (and those of you who know me know I'm a HARDCORE Blade Runner fan.) If I had seen it earlier in my life, I honestly don't think I would've "gotten it." It isn't a film that appeals to all, and it takes a certain kind of person to enjoy it. While the hooker falling over Bob is raucously funny ("Please! Don't lip my stockings, Mr. Bob Harris!") it gives way to a much more serious story about two people who are utterly alienated by their home situations and have been throw together in very strange circumstances, but somehow find that they are the missing piece in each other's lives. The best part is that their relationship isn't wholly romantic. If I'd have seen that earlier in my life, I wouldn't have understood.
Bottom line: keep an open mind. You never know when something is going to click into place for you.
No comments:
Post a Comment