Say Anything and Declarations of Love in Film

Recently my fiancé and were discussing ways in which to incorporate our shared love of film into our upcoming wedding.

The ideas we came up with ranged from the very simple (popcorn appetizers) to the fully committed (renting out a movie theater), and we ultimately had to rule out a few options for logistical reasons, but arguably our best idea was to edit together clips of our favorite - and the most memorable - declarations of love in film to play in the background of our reception.

As we started brainstorming which clips we would use, the first that came to mind was was everyone’s favorite hopeless romantic, Lloyd Dobler.

Even if you haven’t seen the movie, you know the scene.  Lloyd Dobler (played by John Cusack) stands outside Diane Court's (Ione Skye) bedroom window with his boombox held high in the air, blasting Peter Gabriel’s “In Your Eyes.”

The scene is iconic and it represents one of the most memorable declarations of love in film history.  It’s been referenced and parodied on television, in films, by other artists, and it has even been updated to reflect what the same scene would look like using slightly more modern methods for music-blasting.  There was even a Lloyd Dobler flash mob in Times Square for the 20th anniversary of the film in 2009.

This weekend at the Blue Starlite, if I were to assign a tangental theme, it would be declarations of love in film.  In addition to Lloyd with his boombox in Say Anything, there’s also poor Westley, tumbling down the hill with a pained “As you wish,” in the 80s classic, The Princess Bride. You can catch both hopeless romantics tonight and tomorrow beginning at 8:15 p.m.

So, to close out, I selfishly ask - what’s your favorite declaration of love in film?  Is it a sweeping grand gesture, like that of Lloyd Dobler, or is it closer to Han Solo and Princess Leia?  Leave your answers in the comments below.

There's a little Fred Savage in us all

When discussing a film such as The Princess Bride, everyone has their favorite character... Girls born in the early 80s may choose Robin Wright's Buttercup or swoon over Cary Elwes' Westley. Male fans will likely pick Mandy Patinkin's Inigo Montoya or the too-clever-for-his-own-good Vizzini. Now, before I start to sound too much like a BuzzFeed article, let's discuss the character I most related to as a child: Fred Savage as "The Grandson."

(This gif will be the last of my BuzzFeed-esque blog writing techniques)

It is highly unlikely I was taken to the movie theater to see The Princess Bride in its original run, as I was 45 days old at the time. This lead me to discover it years later. My older sister was a huge fan and likely wore out the VHS copy we had in our house. Though I could quote "Inconceivable!" and "My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father," and so on and so forth it is likely that I never viewed The Princess Bride in its entirety until much later.

Before you prepare your torches and pitchforks, hear me out. 

What about this cover says "swashbuckling adventure"? None of it. The words "Princess" and "Bride" with a romantic scene playing out front and center. Ten bucks says I looked at the VHS and said "Is this a kissing movie?" 

This, however, is the reason why adding in Peter Falk and Fred Savage as Grandfather and Grandson to frame the story was such a smart move (smart enough that it was featured in the film's trailer). It gave us late 80s boys, who frankly were more interested in sports and the Nintendo Entertainment System, a reason to press on through the movie. 

Thankfully, I eventually discovered my love for The Princess Bride, and it is a film that I rarely pass up the opportunity to see on the big screen. Be sure to not miss it at Blue Starlite on August 30 and 31 at 8:15 and don't forget to raise a glass to The Grandson, the unsung hero of The Princess Bride.

Have fun storming the castle.

Mirabelle Loves Nerds. And Lloyd Dobler.

Say Anything, Valley Girl, Risky Business, The Princess Bride, Revenge of the Nerds.

You know that feeling when you rewatch a movie from your younger years as an adult, and it’s just, well, disappointing? Because it’s just not the same? Well, rest easy. None of the movies showing this week at the Blue Starlite fall into that nostalgia trap. 

Especially Say Anything. I may be biased because I fall into that particular demographic of women of a particular age. For us, Lloyd Dobler will permanently occupy a piece of real estate in our romantic imaginations. But that’s not the best part of this movie. If you ever listen to the DVD commentary for Say Anything (that’s right, don’t judge me), you’ll hear Cameron Crowe discuss the inspiration for Lloyd’s character. How he uses “optimism as a revolutionary act”.  I always loved that. It’s not denial or blind faith. Lloyd is just unapologetic about his passions and dreams. Which primarily include Diane. And kickboxing. Frankly, a heavy dose of shameless optimism is exactly what feels right this week. And there’s no better place to watch Say Anything than at a drive-in theatre. 

Where Say Anything just gets better with age, Revenge of the Nerds is just a hilarious reminder of how much our culture has reappropriated the very term ‘nerd’ in the last couple of decades. For better or worse geek-culture is now so vast that I can no longer define ‘nerd’ any more than I can define ‘hipster’ anymore. (Though on a side note, you will spot one or two appropriately modern hipster outfits throughout this movie.) The movie is kind of gross, politically incorrect, outdated, and full of pure cartoonish stereotypes of outcasts from the 80’s. Simply put, it's refreshing. It’s a snapshot of specific time and of a specific style of comedy. King-of-the-Nerds Wil Wheaton describes it best. “You couldn’t make Revenge of the Nerds right now,” he says, “because we won.”

So come out to Blue Starlite this week. See a pre-Top Gun Jonathan Edwards and Tom Cruise. And be the unapologetic, optimistic, movie nerd that you are.

Total Marshmallow- Princess Bride

The Princess Bride or The Prince's Bride as I mistakenly thought it was named for most of my life, is a beloved treasure from my childhood. As a kid who didn't to watch PG13 movies until I was 16, I really thought I was getting away with something watching this intense PG movie. If you haven't seen it, there are “Fencing. Fighting. Torture. Revenge. Giants. Monsters. Chases. Escapes. True love. Miracles.”  Every other line is something you can quote and the love story will leave you asking your boyfriend to whisper, "as you wish."  Even though I've seen it a million times, I never get tired of watching it. Seriously, this movie is a pop culture gold mine. In fact, I just heard it referenced on a TV commercial as I am typing this. Because it is so poplar and well known, I thought it might be fun to test your Brute Squad Knowledge. Take this quiz before the movie to get you in the mood or bring it with you as a "scavenger hunt" during the film.  I also included some of the beautiful photos from the Princess Bride's Entrainment Weekly's 25th Anniversary Reunion photo shoot and a link to the Princess Bride site.Movies give us an opportunity to escape our everyday lives and be in someone else's story. Whatever movie you enjoy at the Drive-in this week, loose yourself in the adventure!

Brute Squad Quiz
1.  Why is the grandfather reading a story to his grandson?
2. Before the wedding, a trio of outlaws kidnap Buttercup. What are there names?
3. Prince Humperdinck is the heir to the throne of_____.
4. The Dread Pirate Roberts tricks Vizzini into drinking wine poisoned with what?
6. What does the Dread Pirate Roberts yell at Buttercup when she pushes him down the gorge?
7. What are ROUSes ?
8.What level does the six fingered man turn "the Machine" to when he tortures Wesley?
9. How many of his fastest ships does Prince Humperdinck say he will send to sea with a message for Wesley?
10.What is the name of the "six fingered man?"
11. What does the grandfather say to his grandson as he leaves?

Official Site:Princess Bride

Sources:  http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20433411_20534976,00.html?stitched#21066252

http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/photos/princess-bride-reunion-25-anniversary-14633143/image-17385823

Say Anything...

Back in 1989 there were limits to witnessing the tender side of men when it came to showcasing acts of love for the opposite sex. 

Way before there was quick access to  dudes caught on video being adorable as they  professed  their  love through flash mobs, there was Llyod Dobler, one clunky boombox and Peter Gabriel waling  poetic  visions of the heart.

It was the scene from Cameron Crowe's "Say Anything..." that became an awe moment for female moviegoers...  and just a sigh for Lloyd's Miss Right.  Dang it, Diane, why didn't you run to him right then and there?!

Even though it seemed liked a throwaway when it was first released in theaters in 1989,  "Say Anything..." (playing next week at BlueStarlite Mini Urban Drive-in) is one  precious piece of celluloid. It's ultimately a revelation that the fantasies and realities of love can coexist.

You have a fresh-out-of-high-school and seemingly underachieving  Lloyd, who dares to prove to an  overachieving Diane that he intends to make a career out of loving her.

All Lloyd had to do is be himself, and keep being himself, and Diane would eventually be his.

He was a  guy that deserved  it. A guy who wrote love letters. A guy who probably held a door for his lady.  A guy who most definitely made sure his lady didn't step on broken glass!

Before Lloyd, the  male, lovelorn-underdog protagonist archetype of  '80s teen flicks mostly had to prove his worth to the woman of his dreams  by outsmarting  Mr. Popular, humiliating  Mr. Popular, or just let Mr. Popular win the battle for the lady he ultimately never wanted.  

Today's teenage audience may find the perfect-gentlemen traits of Lloyd too hokey; unless, they were given an origin story explaining  he is that way due to a tragic moment in his childhood because someone that valiant is hiding something. Right?!

"Say Anything..." may be a teen romance movie, but it's also proof that there are just nice guys out there.

Darkmanfilmgeek Out of the Darkness

Hi All,

This week I wanted to write about the tragedies that had happened to the film industry this week.

First off is the tragic passing of beloved comedian and actor Robin Williams. I had always loved his work but thought he was type casted a lot in his career, especially after Patch Adams. I really appreciated when he branched out from this with films like One Hour Photo, Insomnia, Good Will Hunting and Death to Smoochy. If you havnt seen Smoochy, I highly recommend it just due the twisted nature of the film and it is really dark humor but unforgettable none the less.

My first exposure to Williams, probably very similar to everyone else's is Mork and Mindy. This was actually a spinoff from Happy Days, where the character was introduced and had such an overwhelming response that the show was created. I followed the show when I was younger but thought it jumped the shark when they introduced Jonathan Winters to the show as Merth, the baby of the couple and lost interest from there. During that time, Popeye had come out which I really enjoyed and even enjoy it more now than when I was a kid. I think the film did not get an overwhelming response at the time because I think it was ahead of its time. The movie now seems more like a musical and at the time of the early 80's this was not as widely accepted as it is now.  Good Morning Vietnam was the turning point for Williams where he could balance comedy and drama beautifully and I think there is not a better example of that than this film. I also remember sneaking around a cassette copy of Williams Live at the Met when I was younger as well because my parents did not approve of me listening to stand up comedy, probably cause I was young but I still remember that to this day.  I find it very sad that someone so talented and so gifted for bringing joy to people with comedy and laugter was taken from us at a young age in my opinion. Let this be a warning sign to all of us that we really should look at one another as human being and see the signs of depression or the loss of will to live and help them. It doesnt matter if it is just listening to someone or needing to get them help. I think we have a responsibility to help one another.  I applaud Blue Starlight drive in for having a memorial showing and asking our opinon for what we would like to see. I have made my choices as Good Morning Vietnam and Dead Poets Society but will be happy with whatever they decide.  My prayers go out to his surviving family and I hope we can rejoice in what he left behind rather than mourn the loss.

The second loss this week was Marilyn Burns. Ms. Burns was undeniably one of the first scream queens. She is most famous for playing Sally in the drive in classic The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. She was 65 years old and lived in Houston but cause of death is still not being released at this time. Burns was also in Helter Skelter as one of the Manson family followers. She had worked with Tobe Hooper a couple of times after Chainsaw including Eaten Alive and Future Kill. She even appeared in the Chainsaw 3D reboot a while back, which really is not a bad horror film and it was cool to see it linked back to the 1974 classic. Ms. Burns was directing and financing stage plays in the Houston area before her passing. She was supposed to make an appearance at the Housecore Horror and Film festival this October here in Austin with the 40th Anniversary of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and a reunion of the surviving cast. I would have liked to have met her being a fan of her work from the time I was a teenager. I still remember the first time I saw Chainsaw and wondered what the big deal was but over the years have grown to love the film and admire it for the endurance of the film with very little budget, much in the way Halloween made me a fan of slasher films.

Finally a classic leading lady passed this week as well Lauren Bacall. Bacall had a lengthy career from movies to tv back to movies again. She was very captivating with her performances and her raspy voice and stature she was very hard to forget in the films that she stared in. Some of her great work was with Humprey Bogart, which she was married to at one time as well. Key Largo and the Big Sleep was among some of the classic roles she had played over the years. She passed at the age of 89 leaving influences to most of the working actresses in Hollywood today. She received the lifetime achievement award from the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences in 2009.

I think with the people that passed this week we should remember what they have left behind to us. Either the movies that is part of our favorites or what they meant to us or what they remind us in our own lives that is special or important to us. If you havnt seen any of these films and need to discover for the first time, please do so and if you have then watch them again to give us that great feeling to remind us of the good times in our lives and keep these films alive.

Thanks for reading as always and fading back into the darkness again.

Peace, Love and Movies.

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Darkmanfilmgeek out of the darkness

Hi All,

Thanks for stopping by and reading my post. I really appreciate it. Agree with me or disagree with me its cool, I am just glad to be writing about what I love most, movies, just like the rest of you do too that come to the drive in and read the blogs.

So, with that out of the way, I know we are gearing up for the new season starting in a couple of weeks. While others are getting ready to go back to school and buy supplies and what not, we are getting ready for a great fall season of classic movies. Texas and the fall time great for outdoor drive in and the line up I see is great.

I know we have Say Anything and Valley Girl starting as a great double feature in a couple of weeks and you might be celebrating kids going back to school, while reliving your teenage years through these great films.

I wanted to focus this session on soundtracks and the importance they play in films. I know Say Anything is a great example of that. If you have not heard the soundtrack you need to get it. This one was kind of milestone in my life because the film came out the year I was heading to college and some of the bands and songs started to get me into alternative music, which the soundtrack has some great songs with that theme but also good pop sensibility as well.  You have bands like Red Hot Chili Peppers, Depeche Mode, Fishbone and the Replacements along with Joe Satriani, Cheap Trick, Nancy Wilson ( by the way Nancy Wilson was married at one time to director Cameron Crowe) and Peter Gabriel. Gabriel's track In Your Eyes is probably one of the most popular of his songs and I can bet if  you know nothing of Gabriel's work you know this song by heart just from the film.  One of the songs that I wish was on the sound track but featured in the film briefly is Soundgarden's song Flower.  Crowe really used the music to set the tone for the film and help establish a good feel and fit for the down to earth characters that you were introduced to. I know reading the liner notes of the cd Crowe referenced a Seattle radio station that would play music all night with no commercial interuptions that is featured in the film.  I still think these songs are timeless and I can listen to this anytime and reminded of when I was going off to college and starting a brand new life, much like the film itself.

As a freshmen I tried out for the college radio station and was nervous as hell because was told freshmen never make the rouster and never have their own show. Well luckily I proved them wrong had a great audition using Soundgarden's flower as part of my audition and got probably the worst shift ever. I was on from Saturday night into Sunday morning 3 am to 7 am, but you know what I didnt mind cause I acted like no one was listening and I could just play the records I liked and listen to music all night. I still love to do that but dont get the chance like I used to.

Crowe has carried this theme of music and tone in his films, athough not so much for We bought a Zoo but the next film after Say Anything was Singles, which also has a great soundtrack of the Seattle music scene and fits beautifully into that film as well. You need to pick up that soundtrack as well if you dont have it. 

Valley Girl soundtrack does kind of the same thing but with more pop sensibility rather than alternative but early 80's was more the time for new wave rather than alternative. With bands like Men at Work, Psychedelic Furs, Sparks (under rated band in my opinion) and the Plimsouls, who are featured in the film as well. Marthan Coolidge used the music as a good backdrop for the characters and the trendy early 80's setting. Valley Girl was one of the first movies I can remember watching At the Movies with Siskle and Ebert (God Rest both their souls), that got a great review and the music was mentioned as a part of that. The movie has had several resurgences over the years much like Say Anything and in 1995 spawned a second soundtrack with more music from Valley Girl.

Thanks again and thats it for now as I fade back into the darkness. Happy film viewing and music listening.

Peace.

Blue Starlite Austin - Actual : Welcome to the Blue Blog!

Blue Blog Manifesto-  The Mini Urban Drive-in Movie Blog

Attack of the 50ft BLOG:

The Blue has ALWAYS been a place lovers of childhood film favorites can come, drive-in and watch their most beloved flicks on the big screen surrounded by their peers. A place to never feel alone while you watch your favorite movies of all time, to share the experience either in or out of your car! The Blue Blog is a NEW extension of this! 

We bring in some of the most GEEK CHIC FILM FANS to talk about and report on their own experiences with these movies and to share stories about how these movies came to be, how they affected our POP CULTURE, and what they mean today! So stop on in and see what your BLUE BLOGGERS have to say about the latest BLUE STARLITE PICKS before you DRIVE-IN to see them!

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1. at least 1 post a week about 1 or more of the films we are showing that week. It can be personal, it can be about the films history, it can be about the films staying power or any knowledge you think YOUR readers will dig. As well you can relate it to another movie coming out that month in theaters if you like in order to make them even more topical and in the now!

2. You will SHARE your posts link of the blog through your social media and help promote your posts, the site, and the Drive-in through sharing your weekly cinematic musings!

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*As well if anything is blatantly inappropriate or goes against the Blues high standard of good vibes and good attitudes we will cancel your blog- Weather you decide to end your Blog or it is canceled - we will always be happy to copy all your postings for you to keep should you not have copies of them saved. 

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