When you ask me if I've seen a certain movie, chances are, no, I have not.
Growing up, I went to see the requisite Disney films, and other childrens' movies, and life was simple. After church each Sunday evening, our family would rent a new National Geographic movie and learn about nature and stuff. When we got a little older, we'd watch movies that my parents watched growing up - so, I've seen things like The Sting, The Picture of Dorian Grey (freaked the CRAP outta me!), A Patch of Blue, Wait Until Dark (huh, we loved movies with blind people...) and lots of black and white movies. We also got to see The Exorcist, The Omen, and Rosemary's Baby once my parents knew we could handle the content, both maturity-wise and spiritually.
It wasn't until my teens that I realized that movies are kinda a big deal. I mean, I was aware of other movies being released while growing up - I vaguely recalled scenes of Wayne's World on TV before I actually watched it years later, I wondered who that mesmerizing guy was (Val Kilmer as Jim Morrison), knew that I should NEVER watch that Crow movie (now one of my top films), and was curious as to why Liv Tyler was holding back a bunch of sloppy-dressed teenagers. I went to the movies with friends every so often (Strike!, although now it's The Hairy Bird, Titanic, Varsity Blues, What Women Want...yeah, I know. It actually wasn't that bad!), but I never really strayed too deep into the "classics."
Fast-forward to my young adult life:
"Jenn, you've seen _____________, right?"
"No."
"WHAT?!"
"...but, I've been meaning to!"
Of course, OF COURSE, my fiance has seen every movie under the sun, and can quote all of them, too. Figures. So, you can imagine the conversations we sometimes have. Well, actually, lemme give you an example from this past weekend:
(we're driving back to his place, and Joy Division is on my iPod)
Jim: You know, this song would blend nicely into Transmission.
Jenn: The Tea Party song? How?
Jim: No, silly, the Joy Division one.
Jenn: ...oh, I've never heard it.
Jim: I'm pretty sure you have. It's in Control, that Joy Division movie we watched.
Jenn: I never watched that with you. You put it on, and I ended up falling asleep before Ian Curtis was out of school in the movie.
Jim: WHAT! Oh, we are SO watching it when we get home!
(fast-forward to us stopping at the grocery store - we're now talking about the novel On the Road by Jack Kerouac. I've been reading it for over a year because I hate it. I can't get myself involved in it, but I refuse to walk away from it - I can't complain about it if I haven't finished it. Plus, I'm hoping that everybody dies at the end, or at least gets their comeuppance)
Jenn: It's a stupid book! I barely recall anything from it, and I hate the Dean guy!
Jim: Yes, I agree, he's quite polarizing. But, you know Morrison was greatly inspired by that book.
Jenn: Yeah, that's why he made HWY.
Jim: And when he wanted to annoy people, he used the Dean laugh (Jim demonstrates this really high-pitched half-giggle, half-laugh)
Jenn: Ugh, stop it! Please!
Jim: And you know it inspired the film Easy Rider.
Jenn: The one with Jack Nicholson? Isn't that movie supposed to be, like, awesome?
Jim: It is awesome.
Jenn: Huh. Never watched it.
Jim: GASP! What! Ok, Control and Easy Rider, you're watching both tonight!
This is usually how I end up seeing movies.
Additionally, Jim had purchased X, so I watched a good portion of the life of Malcolm X. We had a good conversation due to that movie, but that's a sidenote.
It's not that I don't WANT to see these movies - I just don't have enough down time usually to make it any kind of priority.
SubPost:
My Review of Control - great movie! Apparently Sam Riley did a great job of portraying Ian Curtis. Flippin' sad story, though. I won't ruin it for you if you're not aware of Joy Division/Ian Curtis. Just watch it. (Not to brag, but Jim is a total smarty when it comes to music and music history. He told me that The Doors by Oliver Stone is a good movie, - and, he's right - but it's mostly based on the myth of Morrison, with a few factual parts here and there. He really enjoys Control, and since it's from the diaries Ian Curtis kept, it's pretty dang accurate.)
My Review of Easy Rider - Easy Rider is not an Easy Watch! Worth at least a viewing, but do it sober (I was, and I suggest you do the same). Won't lie, Peter Fonda is pretty foxy, so that's a bonus to the film. Nothing worse that watching a movie from a different decade, and there isn't one person that's at least mildly attractive! I'll ruin the film if I keep talking about it, so go see it if you haven't yet. Also, the music in it is pretty sweet, so another bonus for it. (Also, I had the same reaction watching Red Dawn. I thought it was a "typical" 80's movie-what the heck!?)
I really should make a list of films to see and keep it updated. For example, I'm totally going to see the film On the Road (yes, based on the novel!) because I wanna understand what the crap I'm reading, and possibly throw things at the screen when Dean shows up. I'm not seeing it for Kristen Stewart, I can tell you that!
...I wonder, did they ever make a film of 1984? I love that book...
Oh, they did.
Oh, they might again!
