Hey, you know that movie where that guy (usually) has some special talent and is "chosen" to save and/or lead their people from/out of some dire situation? Yeah, that one. It doesn't much matter what you said because there are a ton of them. Thanks to our wonderful host for Thursday Movie Picks, Wanderer at Wandering Through the Shelves, those are the movies we're discussing - movies about The Chosen One. Being a guy who loves a theme within a theme, I found one and ran with it. Let me know if you figure it out. I promise it's easy to get.
The Last Starfighter
(1984)
Alex (Lance Guest) lives in a trailer park with his mom and his brother. His one joy in life seems to be playing “Starfighter,” an arcade game in one of the park’s common areas. As us 80s kids know, sometimes you just get on a roll. He does one day and obliterates the game’s high score. He does so well that the makers of the game come looking for him. However, the people who come looking for him aren’t your average Silicon Valley nerds. No, these are beings from another planet. They use the game as a way to identify people who have “the gift” and will help them defeat the evil Ko-Dan Empire. Yes, this film owes a lot to Star Wars, but man is it a fun time. I must have watched this a dozen times or so between its release in ’84 and, say, 1987.
The NeverEnding Story
(1984)
Bastian (Barret Oliver) is a bookish type who routinely gets chased home and/or beaten up by bullies. However, he’s not the chosen one. Shortly after we meet him, Bastian discovers yet another book that catches his fancy. This one is about a magical land called Fantasia. The Empress of the land is dying and the entire place is in danger of being consumed by an evil entity known as The Nothing. A young boy named Atreyu (Noah Hathaway) is chosen to find the cure, and hopefully, stop The Nothing. This film is one of the more magical movie watching experiences of my youth. When I saw it at age 13 or 14, I was at the point where I thought kiddie flicks were beneath me. Somehow, this cut through my ridiculous teenagerist attitudes, pulled me in, and gave me a sense of wonder.
Sheena
(1984)
While on a glorious expedition to find some magical healing ground in Africa, gloriously white Phillip and Betsy are killed when they cave they are in collapses. They are survived by their daughter Janet. The natives take this is the coming to pass of a prophecy, adopt the girl, and rename her Gloriously White Janet. No, they don’t. I’m kidding. They do rename her, however. Her new moniker is Sheena, Queen of the Jungle. Eventually, she gets wind of a plot to assassinate the local king and yes, she does have to save everybody. Just imagine a Tarzan movie, any Tarzan movie. Now replace Tarzan with a woman. That’s it. Sociological ramifications of the White Savior trope aside, the movie isn’t really good, but it is fun because it’s kind of nuts. For starters, that lion ain't cgi, folks. As a teenage boy, the real draw was the star, actress/Playboy model Tanya Roberts. And let me tell you, ladies and gents, you could get away with a lot more in a PG rated movie in 1984 than you can in 2017. Ms. Roberts has several buck nekkid scenes. I’m not talking about shots where it’s implied she’s nude or somehow has her naughty bits covered or blurred. I’m talking clear as day nekkidness. That was about all I needed back then to keep me coming back for more. Now? Let me put it this way: the story sucks and our lead actress can’t act, but damn if she don't look like Tanya Roberts.
Ah.... Tanya Roberts. Yeah, that was a PG-rated movie that should've been given a R rating. It's an OK film but Midge Pinciotti was sure gorgeous to look at. I love The Last Starfighter as I think it's an underrated film while I have a fondness for The Neverending Story. The 2nd one was OK but the third was fucking crap.
ReplyDeleteIt definitely should have gotten an R. The Last Starfighter is very underrated. And who doesn't have a fondness for The NeverEnding Story. I never bothered with the sequels.
DeleteNothing says PG than a playboy model in a nothing outfit who swings through the trees and more than likely takes a few dips in a crocodile infested river. Thankfully I never saw that flick but I did see the other 2 and I love them. I have to see both again because it has been years. It seems your theme are about normal young people who end up somehow in a bigger than life save the day kind of place??
ReplyDeleteNot quite. That's the overriding theme, but there is something a bit more specific I'm using.
DeleteHmmmm...can't wait to find out as you have me stumped. I'd love to say they all have pets of some kind but I can't remember in The Last Starfighter as it has been so long since I have seen it
DeleteIt's so obvious you're about to kick yourself since the answer is literally right in front of you when you read the post. They were all released in 1984.
DeleteI think I waited to long to finally see The Neverending Story, two years ago, it was fine but I wasn't enchanted as so many people told me they were when they saw it.
ReplyDeleteSheena! Ha! At the time I thought it was a terrible piece of crap, and it probably was but compared to an awful lot of the utter slop that is turned out now it was harmless and entertaining enough.
For the first time ever I think we match!! The Last Starfighter is one of those low-key, lower budget films that were prevalent in the 80's. Some like this one turned out to be undiscovered gems and some real garbage along the lines of Let's Get Harry. Haven't seen it in years but I have fond memories of it.
I stayed away from franchises like Star Wars & Harry Potter and found three stand alone films that still fit the theme.
Excalibur (1981) - Director John Boorman’s amazingly evocative version of Le Morte d’Arthur where all the elements-casting, cinematography, acting, music, visual style and direction blend seamlessly. Following a prologue explaining how Excalibur came to be in the stone we meet the young squire Arthur (Nigel Terry) who is guided by Merlin (a brilliant Nicol Williamson) to the realization that he is The Chosen One by removing the Sword in the Stone. Initially as King Arthur he unites England, befriends Lancelot, takes Guenevere as his Queen and formulates the Knights of the Round Table but then his malicious half-sister Morgana (Helen Mirren) begins to take her revenge for the grudge she’s long held against both Arthur’s father and Merlin and a darkness descends on the land. Loaded with performers who went on to greater fame-Gabriel Bryne, Liam Neeson, Patrick Stewart and Mirren among them.
The Ten Commandments (1956)-C.B. DeMille’s final film is a huge pageant telling the story of how Moses came to realize he is The Chosen One to lead the Exodus to Mount Sinai and receive the Ten Commandments. Florid and often arch but loaded with great set design and effects that are still impressive 60 years later. Charlton Heston’s granite stiffness is actually a perfect fit for Moses, MISS Anne Baxter could not be more dramatically entertaining as Nefretiri torn between two men and emoting for all she’s worth over it and they are not alone, everybody more or less projects to the back row. Both Yul Brynner and Yvonne de Carlo are more naturalistic but they’re exceptions. If you enjoy BIG pictures making BIG statements this is one of the best.
The Last Starfighter (1984)-Teenager Alex Rogan (Lance Guest) spends all his free time playing the video game Starfighter at which he’s expert. He doesn’t think much of it when the new guy in his trailer court (Robert Preston) notices how good he is but the next thing he knows Preston has spirited him away to the edge of the galaxy and told him that he is The Chosen One who can save the universe! Turns out the video game was a test and Alex and his compatriot lizard/man Grig (Dan O'Herlihy) are leading the Star League in fighting the evil Kodan forces.
The NeverEnding Story is one of those probably best seen for the first time as a child.
DeleteI saw parts of Excalibur, but never the whole thing. I have seen The Ten Commandments, but it's been quite some time since I have. Probably time for a revisit.
Yay for our match!
I haven't seen any of these but I want to see The Neverending Story.
ReplyDeleteCool. I'm curious to see the opinion of someone whose first viewing of it is as an adult.
DeleteI've only seen The Neverending Story, which I hated as a kid. I'm not sure how I'd feel about it now. The Last Starfighter seems familiar, I'm not sure if I've seen that or not.
ReplyDeleteWow. I didn't know there were kids who could hate The NeverEnding Story. The Last Starfighter is a fun one. Curious to see what you would think of it on a (possible) revisit.
DeleteThese are silly picks. I loved Neverending Story as a kid, although I only sort of learned recently that it must have been a sequel that I loved.
ReplyDeleteNever bothered with the sequels. I heard they weren't good. Might change that if I'm bored one day.
DeleteI never saw The Neverending Story as a child, so I fear its time has passed for me. The Last Starfighter, however, is LOVE.
ReplyDeleteWhy, yes. Yes, it is.
DeleteThe Neverending Story was part of my childhood too, but ask me now and I remember nothing of what actually takes place...just that there was this white lion/dragon creature and a child princess.
ReplyDeleteI understand. Lots of our favorite childhood movies fade away after some time.
DeleteStarfighter sounds good! And who isn't moved by the Never Ending Story! I was always inrritated by Bastian's name though....
ReplyDeleteI think Gloriously White Janet would have been a perfect name! The Tarzan story is dull to me and even though its a woman, I'm still not keen, her carefully cut rags costume doesn't scream gender equality.
The Last Starfighter is very fun. As for Sheena...agreed...her outfit screams something other than gender equality.
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