What Is So Rare As a Movie In June?

A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

Cable, original English
From the Movies All the Other Kids Were Allowed to Watch Collection. Since that time, I have seen Supernatural, so “murdered while stuck to the ceiling” wasn’t very scary.

A few days earlier, I had read an essay (that of course I can’t find now) about how Gen X’s attitudes were formed by being forced to rely on themselves and each other because the parent generation was too busy following its own bliss to bother*. This movie–while obviously written, directed, and bankrolled by adults–illustrated that sentiment pretty well:

“I need to tell you something about the monster that killed my friend!”
“Someone’s already been arrested. Now go take a nap! I’m drinking!”

Notable: “Introducing Johnny Depp.”

TL;DR: I found the gore pretty silly, but in general this movie was a nice time capsule.

*I was smothered until I stopped moving, but in general. Latch-key kids, mallrats, valley girls, usw.

Hot Shots! Part Deux (1993)

Cable, original English
Spent the whole film wondering where I knew the CIA agent from; she tried to–lawfully execute Wesley Crusher for a crime he committed on her planet, but was thwarted by a violation of the Prime Directive. Sigh.

Like Wayne’s World, much of the humor relied on knowledge of television, advertising, and fads of the time. In fifty years it will be as incomprehensible as Shakespeare is today. I had to explain the Bob Vila scene to Mr Radish, because his PBS show was unknown here, and he had to explain all the Rambo jokes, because I have never seen it.

But it was funny. I’d had a shitty day, and I laughed nearly nonstop.

The Bonfire of the Vanities (1990)

Cable, original English

Sidebar: I’ve just spend about five hours of my life trying to figure out which music video featuring a singer standing on this gargoyle was in heavy rotation on VH-1 when I lived in Indianapolis the first time…I thought it was the Goo Goo Dolls, but Reznick’s in a different building. I found the Rolling Stones and 10,000 Maniacs, but they don’t match the picture in my head. Five hours of musical excavation of things better left buried!

Happy Fun Radish status: taunted.

Anywho, let’s just say 1) I understand why F. Murray Abraham didn’t want his name on this; and 2) we’ve seen the “activists, media, and government team up to lie about something to steer public opinion, solidify their power, and get rich” plot played out in real life over and over and over so much in the past thirty years that it was an uncomfortable and unenjoyable watch.

I should have read the book. IN HIGH SCHOOL.

The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947)

arte, Deutsch
Much better than Nachricht von Sam.

Lola Rennt (1998)

arte Mediathek, original Deutsch
A nostalgia pick; I still don’t like Tykwer’s other films, but I saw this film in Milwaukee’s magnificent Oriental Theater with English subtitles and liked it. Since then I have developed a thing for Moritz Bleibtreu and recognize all the other actors from other German films and TV (and even like some of them). And now it’s a cult film, referenced in crazy numbers of other movies and TV, some of which I have seen…and there is an Indian remake, which I probably won’t see because the run time is twice as long, and the story needs the frantic pace and quick release.

Some making-of from The Guardian (I know, I know…).

Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping (2016)

Cable, original English
A rewatch, but still hilarious, even though it’s proof that American culture in the early-mid 21st-century is so crude and superficial, it might be irreparably broken. Love Andy Samberg. He’s making fun of these clowns to their faces, and they’re helping him with it, because they know they’re a joke.

But that’s where the money is.

Also there’s a cute turtle.

Seven Days in May (1964)

Cable, original English
This movie was written sixty years ago, and yet the plot–a cabal of smug Besserwissers conspire to use a black-money project to end constitutional government in the United States because Russia–reads like May 2022 Twitter. Nightmare fuel.

Well made, good performances, always fun to see the contemporary communications technologies.

The Frisco Kid (1979)

Cable, original English
Gene Wilder plays a Polish rabbi having a series of misadventures while traveling to San Francisco, to bring a Torah to the Jewish community there. Harrison Ford plays a bank robber who takes him under his wing. Classic “unlikely buddies” comedy; I enjoyed this one even though Ford seemed a bit too young for the role (internet tells me the part was originally offered to John Wayne–would have been less funny, but the ages would have made more sense). Worth your time.

Blazing Saddles (1974)

Cable, original English
Once again, I had the strange experience of knowing half the dialog from twenty-five years of internetting, but seeing the film for the first time. It deserves to remain a classic.

You know what blew my mind? Alex Karras was only 6′ tall.

The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)

Cable, original English
Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee again, but not as good as Horror of Dracula. DeNiro’s Creature (last viewed in 2020) still the best.