From the Busy Basement

I wanted to jump back into the blogging world (and academic blogging arena) with something stunning, mind-boggling, awe-inspiring......but then my time and attention became absurdly absorbed by template and layout modifications. I had completely forgotten how much fun fiddling with HTML and CSS can be (and frustrating, as well)! It took me back to my early days on Livejournal and GreatestJournal.

In the coming weeks and months (and, if anyone reads it, perhaps even years), this blog will contain thoughts, articles, and snippets related to my research, reading, and experiences in academia. For the purposes of checking formatting and getting something out there, however, this post will feature a brief blurb I did for my intentional community's blog/newsletter last year. Please keep in mind it was written for people with no film knowledge and with little to no chance they would actually care or seek out the films...

Movies You Should See - Original Classics
We complain about remakes all the time - how there's no creativity left in Hollywood, etc etc. But how many of the original films have you actually taken the time to watch? Probably not that many, so I have some suggestions to remedy that.

1. The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
The recent Keanu Reeves remake didn't get great reviews, so maybe you think the original isn't worth your time. Wrong! This 1951 film has an entirely different tone and approach to the issue of alien visitation. Coming after WWII, the bombings of innocent civilians in Japan, and the gearing up of the nuclear arms race, TDtESS presents a much calmer, more logical and humanistic request for the human race to get itself under control. Its special effects may not stand up against today's blockbusters, but there is a tight suspense that runs throughout the film the new one cannot match.

2. Little Shop Around the Corner (1940)
Did you know that "You've Got Mail" is a remake? It shares little in common with the original film than the basic premise - two people who despise each other upon meeting are unknowingly in love in their anonymous email/letter-writing - but the humor and sweetness of the Jimmy Stewart original is well-worth the watch. It's also a little darker than Norah Ephron's take (both in Stewart's sometimes crazed facial expressions and in plot), which adds an interesting dimension. If you like musicals and want to get the full remake treatment, check out Judy Garland's remake "In the Good Old Summertime" (1949).

3. La Jetee (1962) - Okay, this one might be hard to find, but it's definitely worth the effort. A short film upon which the Bruce Willis flick "Twelve Monkeys" was based, La Jetee is a great example of the French New Wave. Clocking in at only 28 minutes, it is composed almost entirely of still photography and tells the story of a post-apocalyptic group of Parisians experimenting with time travel to find a solution to their current situation. There's a love story, some suspense, and many things to puzzle - a great miniature jaunt into art films for a novice!

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Alright! Coming up next, Brecht and Cameron: BFFs or mortal enemies? Stay tuned to find out...