I watched The Big Chill last night, which is kinda unusual for me in that I'm a "once and done" kinda guy where movies are concerned. I can count on one hand... with a finger or thumb left over... the number of flicks I've seen more than once. I can also count on that same one hand the number of movies I've seen that have been released in the 21st century, but that's another story and we shall not go there.
I'll just cut to the chase: the movie made me misty in parts. Quite a few parts. (My first parenthetical aside: I'm one of those guys like Speaker-To-Be-Boehner, in that I can tear up at the drop of a fucking hat. I HATE that.) But back to the misty parts: Sex. Drugs. Rock'n'roll. GOOD rock'n'roll, mebbe even the best soundtrack, ever. Good friends. Good food. Money. Yuppies. A fine house. Or houses. Great memories. Former Happy Days, in other words.
I didn't see this movie as a first-run thing, in a theatre. As I recall we (The Second Mrs. Pennington and me) rented it from our local video store in Dee-troit and watched it on our teevee sometime in 1986. I'm pretty sure SN1 watched it with us, too. And we were yuppies at that time. TSMP much more so than I when it comes to the "young" bit, seeing as how she was just barely 30 then. We had quite a few friends like those in the movie, some near and some far. The movie really resonated with us then, it resonates even more so with me now.
I think Hollywood otta make The Big Chill, Part II, where geriatric Old Farts get together to bury yet another one of their college buddies. Think of the possibilities! Chowing down on soft foods, making runs here and there in their Beemers or Mercs (to the 7-11? for Depends?), and the party where they wave off the ONE guy with pot due to encroaching emphysema. There could be cosmetic surgery comparisons between the heroines, the guys arguing Viagra vs. Cialis, and everyone would have funny "senior moments."
DUDE! This is spooky. Pam and I saw The Big Chill in the theater when it was released. I fell in love with that movie then and there, and NEVER forgot it.
ReplyDeleteAbout 6 months ago, I mentioned it to Pam, and she bought a DVD online. We have watched it several times since. JoBeth Williams is hot (then, and now).
Just sayin'...
On Saturday, I was watching college football with #2 son. We happened across the Michigan game, and I tried to remember the line about "stupidest uniforms in football" (not an exact quote) from The Big Chill. So, I asked Ross if he'd ever seen The Big Chill. He had not, so I tried to explain the film to him...but finally just grabbed the DVD from the bedroom, and gave it to him.
He loved it.
Man, this is spooky...
There's a LOT to love in the movie, Andy. You can relate to the situations and the people in it, even if one didn't live it/them.
ReplyDeleteBut... yeah. Spooky, indeed. Even more so because I literally stumbled on it last evening, up there where the air is rare in the cable channels.
I saw it, sometime, but I can't remember much about it. I guess it is an old fart thang. Maybe I will have to see it again sometime.
ReplyDeleteWow! It's on cable? Pam could have saved fourteen bucks!
ReplyDeleteNot really...we don't have all those high altitude cable channels with three digit identifiers.
I've often wondered why that film is not more well known (even by people over 50). As you wrote, there is a LOT to love about it. Even though watching it as an old guy, I found a few things disturbing personally (which I will not go in to), there is some real social brilliance there...a real snapshot of the era in many ways.
Plus, JoBeth Williams is hot. Then, and now. And, she's from Houston, too.
Just sayin'...
I didn't live those situations. But, I've been surrounded most of my adult life by one or another that did...and the deep emotions (for lack of a better word) that they bring to the table while unloading their memories really does help me relate.
Crud...I'm about to type too long...when I do that it becomes crystal clear that I'm not nearly as smart as I think I am.
So, I'll just shut up and say, "Great flick! Everybody ought to watch it at least once."
Interesting as we watched it recently as well. I've seen it many times and the recent viewing was the first time in many that it was unedited.
ReplyDeleteI'm conflicted about it. The music is awesome, the house is incredible, etc... And yet...
All that whinging. The sex with the best friend thing.
The whinging.
I guess it is an old fart thang.
ReplyDeleteIt might be, but then again it might NOT be. I tend to believe it's more of a cultural thing for those of us who lived it. But how to explain those both younger and older? It's just a GOOD movie, when ya get right down to it. Better for some than for others, I suppose.
Plus, JoBeth Williams is hot. Then, and now.
I won't debate that. Glenn Close, however, reminds me of someone I used to know. And love. But it's Meg Tilly that floats MY boat, then and now. Ahem.
All that whinging. The sex with the best friend thing.
Funny you should mention the first, Kris. Don't we all have friends that go there, and often? As for the "sex with best friend..." thing: the BEST sex I ever had in life was with my Best Friend, be it Best Friend Of The Moment or Best Friend For Life. We're built that way, aren't we?
Yeah, I've seen the Glenn Close somewhat look-alike in an image or two on this here blog. I'll just stop there.
ReplyDeleteMeg Tilly...dang...I see where you're coming from, having seen similar images on this here blog. I'll just stop there...okay, I won't...seems you already covered it in the "best sex with my best friend" deal.
Heh. You ARE one perceptive kinda dude, Mr. Andy.
ReplyDeleteNaw, I ain't perceptive.
ReplyDeleteYou're transparent.
Buck - it wasn't the sex with the best friend. It was the sex by the married guy with his best friend, with his wife's blessing and her delivering him to the room of the friend.
ReplyDeleteSomething about that just creeped me out.
But I do love me some Jeff Goldblum.
You're transparent.
ReplyDeleteYou say that like it's a bad thing. ;-)
Kris: I thought that part was one of the more touching parts of the movie. Coz there's sacrifice and then there's SACRIFICE... or giving, whatever ya wanna call it. The very thought of a woman saying "Yeah, I want you to help her out" strains all credulity. Buy, art. Yanno?
Buy, = But,
ReplyDeleteBuck,
ReplyDeleteYeah, boy. I remember seeing that in '83 with Juicy Beth Rubin, my 24-year-old girlfriend.
Since I dropped out of college in '65 when somebody got me pregnant, and since several lives had been lived in the interim, I didn't really pick up on a lot of the nostalgia aspect at the time - and Julie was game, but a little mystified.
At this point, though, even though you're a lot older than me (around three weeks, I think,) I think you'll agree that there's nothing to compare with hangin out with folks your own age. As you've pointed out in the past, guys our age got the best of it, and the stories....
Nothing can compare with watching younger folks stare in awe while we crack each other up with the goofy shit we remember from the '60s. They were a drag in a lot of ways, I guess - but I was a helluva lot younger, which is hard to beat.
The soundtrack is fabulous. Yes, I have seen the movie. No, didn't think it was all THAT. I kinda wished they would all just hush up after a while.
ReplyDeleteAnd, dear Lord, NO, there does not need to be a second one, not even in thought! Bec. now you know someone in Hollywood has said, Hey, I saw on the internet where there's interest in a sequel!! (Since everyone reads you.)
Rob: These days I like hanging with folks my own age, but it wasn't always so... especially after I left the military. My Buds after the AF seemed to be primarily work friends and ALL of those were much younger than me. The same thing was true with my wife's friends, who were her age but ten years or more younger than me.
ReplyDeleteAnd we DO have the best stories, LOL!
(Since everyone reads you.)
Heh. HA! I get an average of 130-something hits a day, fully half of which are googlers (and NONE of those are looking for "The Big Chill)... so HA! (Made me smile, tho.)
One of my all-time favorites.
ReplyDeleteYou may recall that Younger Daughter and her group of friends did that very weekend over the summer, including an unplanned sleepover because they're old enough now to be cautious about drinking and driving. I don't think there was a "friends with benefits" episode, but I'm "the Mom" so I probably wouldn't be privy to that info, even if it happened. Nah -- of course I'd be privy -- they wouldn't have been able not to brag to me! The good thing -- the passing of their friend brought them together again and they've stated in touch and gotten together several times since. That makes me happy, as it would her.
Contrary to some of the other commenters, I think you're onto something with a Big Chill, Part 2! We could all contribute to the script -- you've given us a good start! I see fiber playing an important role. And socks.
You may recall that Younger Daughter...
ReplyDeleteI DO recall, Moogie. The "keeping together" aspect of that unfortunate event is a Good Thing, indeed. As for a Part Deux to a great movie... I dunno. Unless the script was intentionally and specifically was written as a comedy. ;-)
Mmmmmmm...JoBeth.
ReplyDeleteBut I like her better in Poltergeist. And Meg Tilly rocks my world too, but for that there's The Two Jakes and Agnes of God.
It was kind of funny when the whole house was screwing like minks except for Jeff Goldblum. Other than that I don't remember much about it, and pardon me but my curiosity is on the wane.