The Big Chill - 1983

Perhaps it was the time in my life in which I saw "The Big Chill" which was when it first came out 26 years ago. I was about the same age as the characters in the movie, lived in the south until I was about 30 (uh-oh, much to my surprise I find I was almost 37), loved the characters & the actors, and on some level identified with their "reunion". Even though the love interest of the character of Karen (Jo Beth Williams) toward Sam (Tom Berenger) is not relevant to me, I did identify with the scene between her & her husband when they were leaving the funeral service & going to the reception. Her husband prattled on about how none of the people seem to be anything like he imagined from her years of talking about her friends ... the look she had on her face as she stared out the car window was priceless. That look told volumes about her relationship with her husband... that I could see myself doing!
And then there is the music!!!
Harold (Kevin Kline) is "perfect" as Meg (Mary Kay Place) stated "the perfect husband". And the character of Meg... a reformed "hippie", or at least liberal, who gave up working as a lawyer for indigent criminals ... "scum of the earth" (as she refers to them) and now is a high-powered lawyer who defends companies who only "rape the land" is spot-on in her performance.
This story covers the "drop-outs" who didn't finish their PHDs, the mild-mannered successful businessman, the egotistical reporter out for himself, etc., etc. It, to me, shows how people change as they grow older, but when confronted with their past ideologies remember what they started out to be in life.
This may not be a good explanation, but the movie spoke to me. I'll have to watch it again and see if it still does. I'll report back later.

PS - Now watch Glenn Close on the hit TV series "Damages". From the nurse/mother in "The World According to Garp", to Sarah (wife, mother, doctor) in "The Big Chill", to Patty Hewes (cut-throat lawyer) in "Damages" --- what an actress!

The Right Stuff -- 25th Anniversary

This afternoon I decided to watch "The Right Stuff" which I had saved from a couple of months ago when AMC was celebrating the 25th anniversary of the movie. I've seen it off & on again over the last 25 years and it is still riveting! Chuck & Glennis Yeager are wonderfully, perfectly portrayed by Sam Shepard & Barbara Hershey. Now I don't know if the Yeagers were as adventurous and exciting as they are portrayed, but it makes a wonderful movie.

Chuck Yeager flew the Bell X-1 nick-named "Glamorous Glennis" after his wife. The plane (which I have seen) hangs in the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum in Washington, DC. If you are ever in DC go to see the exhibit. The exhibit on naval air carriers is quite exciting to see and an exhibit in which one can participate.

Chuck Yeager - 1st to break the sound barrier at Mach 1. He continued flying and breaking records in the years on the high California desert. As you can see I still (after all these years) think this is a terrific movie!

PS - The Big Chill (09/1983) was released the same year as The Right Stuff (10/1983). Harvey noticed The Big Chill listed as one of my all time favorite movies and wondered why. Even though it is about fictitious characters I thought the characters were well fleshed out & portrayed. I thought I was about 30 when these were made, but to my surprise I find I was almost 37! My how time flies!

Mamma Mia!

Mamma mia... what a day! Gayle, Priscilla, Nancy & I went to Austin to play golf, enjoy lunch, shop a bit, & see the new movie "Mamma Mia". We were celebrating Gayle's 65th birthday & we had a FABULOUS time! I haven't laughed so hard in a movie as I did yesterday. Imagine these 50- & 60-something characters dressed in '70's disco attire and singing and dancing to ABBA's "Dancing Queen", "Take a Chance on Me", and "Waterloo"! It really was one of the most FUN movies I've seen in a while. As much as I enjoyed "Sex and the City", "Mamma Mia" beat out those lovely NYC ladies and their beaus for pure fun!