CMT - Top Gun

We've all gone through it; I know I have. It's been a long time, but I remember sitting through the torture of a boring class. Maybe the subject was interesting but it doesn't really matter. Sometimes, we'd rather be anywhere else. 

Maybe you had a date lined up, and you were anxious to get to it. Maybe you were meeting with friends or waiting for Monday night football. Whatever was on your mind at the time, one thing is certain; you were not paying attention to what you're supposed to learn. It could have been the professor or the material itself, but it also could have just been the setting. 

Classic Movie Trailers – Top Gun (1986) 

You might think this is funny, but while I watching this, I was reminded of the first Alien film. On the surface, it looks like I'm talking about apples and oranges, but the two are more alike than you may realize. When you go to see a scary movie, you really want to be frightened, but a smart story doesn't give up the goods prematurely. 

"Top Gun" is like that, because after all, we want to see the down-and-dirty dog fighting of war. We want the gunfire and we want the explosions, but what if we get that right away? If that need is satisfied, at the beginning of the movie, why would we bother to watch the rest of it? I'm sure there are ways around it, but maybe it's best to hold off. 

It takes time for us to grasp the whole situation. It takes time for us to know what the conflict is about. Above all else, it takes some time to care about the characters, and if we're going to be invested, you have to give us that in spades. If bullets are flying and people are dying it's definitely a tragedy, but it won't be felt as much if we don't know the people involved. 

Now here's a point that may be one of contention, but I don't think that action is enough. We do want Hulk to smash and we want Rambo to engage, but if that's all we get it probably won't satisfy. We expect a whole lot more than that, and the interesting thing is we really don't know what the other elements should be. If we did know that it wouldn't be a great experience; there have to be surprises and things we hadn't considered. 

You may not have thought about watching film to learn new things, but in order to entertain us, a film has to teach. I'm not talking about a drab presentation of facts here, but little pieces of information to spark our interest. It's mainly about the characters and their progression, but as far as I'm concerned, we need something new. That something could be anything, but in the case of this movie, the setting is a big part of the appeal. 

I haven't seen too many movies set at a flight school. I doubt I'll see a whole lot in the future. If I am wrong I hope they're all as good as this one, and this one is good because the school isn't the focus. It's a story about someone that's trying to be the best and all of the obstacles tearing him down. 

It gets worse and worse, and before you know it., you forget that all you wanted to see was the conflict. Suddenly you're rooting for the main character, and pulling for the win that seems very far away. If you made it to that point, then "Top Gun" did its job, by creating a need you didn't have, when you sat down to watch it. Along the way we got some fancy aerial jargon, that was brief enough and vague enough, to be the icing on the cake. 

I imagine a lot of young men saw this movie, and left knowing what they wanted to do with their lives. It could have been a throwaway line, or the unfamiliar setting, or the power of the jets and the thrill of flight. Whatever the case, people learn best when they're not supposed to be learning. So in that way, fiction is the best teacher on earth. 

Trailer Here.

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@ChannelSeals 

See "Top Gun" on Netflix! 

CMT - Chaplin

Creative people are just people in the end. They're not fundamentally different from the rest of humanity. We all have faults, vices and emotions, and we have to react in some way, to the world around us. That's isn't to say that every artist will make a political statement. They might throw themselves into their work, in order to avoid doing so. 

When people sit down to watch TV, they want a break from the world. They want to kick back, relax and forget the troubles of the day. If a word view intrudes upon those peaceful moments, we want it to be agreeable. We don't want to be challenged, we don't want to be torn and we don't want  to think about it.  

Some people prefer reading, and they have a better time of it. When you aren't changing channels you're likely to miss the unwanted ads. Unfortunately, if you are literate, you're doomed to read automatically. Wherever you go, the front page of something is there to irritate you. 

We all turn away at some point and block it as best we can. That could mean a late night with our game of choice, whether we're playing or not. If you're a tradesman, you're lucky to have an additional means of escape, and it works against all kinds of enemies, foreign and domestic. 

Classic Movie Trailers – Chaplin (1992) 

I don't care about celebrity news. I don't read the gossip rags, or visit the websites, but I think I understand the appeal. Of course, I don't understand you and besides your closest kin and kind, I doubt anyone does. When I think about it, that's the only tragic thing about biographies. 

Films like this are real treats, and they benefit us in multiple ways. As I've stated earlier, they provide a welcome, and very much needed distraction. Additionally, they can teach about pitfalls and how to avoid them. They can give us a moment to reflect on history, and light the way towards the future. 

Personally, I feel that the last point is the most important. An uplifting story is valuable, but an inspiration is priceless. Where would be today, if science stopped in Chaplin's day? We're much better off, by having successors that took the baton and carried it forward. 

The impact of art is quite different, but it's just as beneficial. It isn't medicine, but at the same time, it's a life-saving remedy. Our life on earth would be terrible without all these ways to express ourselves. We benefit from all of the creations, just like the creator. 

It's funny that at the heart of the matter are the same motivations. It's ironic to note that some make art for the same reasons why others seek it. If you consider biographies as a whole, you'll see the similarities. They hope to be successful, but there's an altruistic motive tagging along. 

No one that performs seriously, does it for themselves. We all dream of fame and fortune, but know there are other concerns. The only thing better than being happy is seeing a happy world. If you could wave your hand and solve the problems of today, I bet you'd do it even if you're very well off. 

For now, I hope you've enjoyed these thoughts I've cobbled together. If they've benefited you, as they've done me, that's all I could ever hope for. When you leave this blog and continue with your life, I hope you find good times ahead. However, if you find something else there's a lot to appreciate and get you by. You might even find a key you weren't looking for, and it could unlock your fondest and most benevolent dreams. 

Trailer Here. 

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@ChannelSeals 

  

See "Chaplin" on Netflix! 

Next Week: "Top Gun" 

CMT - Batman ('66)

I can't overstate the importance of a film's running time. It's just as vital as the content of the movie. You can have the greatest ending to grace the silver screen, but that doesn't matter if you take too long to get there. Running jokes are funny, with the proper comedic timing but without it, you lose the audience well before the punch line. 

Classic Movie Trailers - Batman (1966) 

The Batman TV series from the 1960's, is a timeless classic, as far as I'm concerned. It's one of those shows in constant syndication. We know it, love it and have done so for years; however, that's because of the excellent presentation. Each episode was approximately thirty minutes, and in hindsight, that's all we needed. 

This feature is over four times the length of the weekly adventures, without a major difference in content. Instead of making changes to justify the scope, what we have here is just an extended romp. Personally I thought that it felt extended. It seems like they had to stretch it out, to make the timing requirements. 

If you do that in stand-up, do you know what happens? I'm told a large hook enters the scene from stage right. It grabs the performer by the neck, and drags that person off stage, while the audience laughs and breathes a sigh of relief. If the hook doesn't come early enough they start throwing tomatoes. Again, this is hearsay, but I'm sure it happens occasionally. 

You really have to get in, do the job and get out. I don't think this movie did that, but it has some great moments. The strength of the TV show was always the performances, and we're treated to the acting that made the show a success. Burgess Meredith steals the show as the Penguin, and Romero's Joker is authentic, despite the stubborn moustache.   

Above all, I think the greatest asset of the movie, is Adam West's portrayal of the lead role. In order for camp to work, you have to pay it straight, and West gives the right amount of seriousness. Despite the rediculous things happening around him, this Batman is earnest and committed to fighting the evil. When he has Robin and the Commissioner around, the whole thing feels like a Silver Age comic. 

  

Still, after eighty minutes I was looking at my watch, and I had another twenty minutes to go. The gags were losing potency and I was losing patience. My smile turned into half of one, and then I was smirking. The crimefighter was running around with a time bomb on his head, and I would have paid extra to have the thing blow up. It just went on and on and I had to wonder, if the editor was told to let it play. 

Regardless, don't let this one dissuade you. The timing crisis here isn't present in the series. If you did enjoy the production and you were left wanting more, please ignore my rambling and carry on. You can have too much of a good thing, but that line is different for all of us. Indulge yourself until you've had enough. 

Trailer Here.  

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@ChannelSeals 

See "Batman" on Netflix! 

Next week: BYE Week. (Happy Halloween!) 

The following Monday: Commentary on "Chaplin".