A few weeks ago, Wanderer at Wandering Through the Shelves, sent me scurrying to Google when the topic for Thursday Movie Picks was "downstairs people." She's done it again for this week's topic.
To be clear, I've heard the term "star-crossed lovers" about a million times in my life. I was just never completely clear on what that meant. Now, I know that it means lovers for whom external forces seem to conspire against them. Their love seems doomed from the start. There are a lot of great movies about that. Can't promise I'll get to any of those. Let's see what I do get to, shall we?
Tromeo and Juliet
(1996)
There are no more star-crossed lovers than Shakespeare's most famed couple. As such, adaptations of Romeo and Juliet are a dime a dozen, hell, a dime a hundred if we add all of those that just use the basic framework of the plot and slap its own title on it. Even this one came out the same year as another much more popular version. That one stars a young, future Oscar winner (hopefully) Leonardo DiCaprio. Still, no matter how many of versons you've seen, I'll bet you haven't come across anything like this one. That is, unless you've seen this one. Like the DiCaprio flick, the action is moved to the modern day. Manhattan, in this case. Like that movie, this is a fairly faithful adaptation. That's where the similarities end. Yes, 
Romeo Must Die
(2000)
Sigh. I've picked this before. I try not to repeat myself for these TMPs, but I couldn't resist it this week. After all, it's another variation on the Bard's classic tale of undying love. Well, they 
Tucker and Dale vs. Evil
(2010)
One of my go-tos for guilty pleasures is slasher flicks. I grew up on them and still love them to this day. Jason Voorhees is my friend. Over time, I've come to also appreciate the well done spoof of slasher flicks. This is most certainly that. The setup is pretty typical. A group of co-eds show up at a cabin in the woods for some fornication and drug abuse over Memorial Day weekend. As they should in a slasher flick, they sit around the campfire and tell the story of what happened in this very location 20 years earlier - the infamous "Memorial Day Massacre" which was perpetrated by some local hillbillies. If you guessed that there are a pair of hillbillies living in a rundown cabin nearby, you'd be correct. That would be Tucker (Alan Tudyk) and Dale (Tyler Labine). Through a misunderstanding, Allison (Katrina Bowden) is injured, so Dale takes her back to his cabin to heal up and the two begin forming a bond. Naturally, Allison's friends assume that Tucker and Dale are psycho hillbillies in the mold of Texas Chainsaw Massacre and set out to rescue her. That's where the star-crossing comes in because damn if they aren't determined to get her away from Dale. Trust me, hilarity ensues.
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"It's Maurice... bitch!" I do think Romeo Must Die is hilarious and fun. Especially for the scene where Jet Li refuses to fight a girl and uses Aaliyah to fight the bitch. That is an awesome film.
ReplyDeleteYes! That scene is awesome!
DeleteTucker and Dale vs. Evil is a film that was recommended to me by a couple of blogs and I laughed a lot at. One of the better horror comedies I've seen, even though the number of “accidents” in the movie is excessive. However the misunderstandings between them you mention is also what makes it funny :) I liked there are characters I could actually root for.
ReplyDeleteOh yeah, the movie is built on those accidents. And they're hilarious.
DeleteRomeo Must Die, like most Jet Li flicks, has some of the coolest fight sequences. They were a staple of my teenage years. Unfortunately, he's an awful actor.
ReplyDeleteR.I.P. Aaliyah.
That Tromeo mess sounds...interesting.
However "interesting" you think that Tromeo mess is, I can assure you it's even more interesting and messier.
DeleteI love that you went with Tucker and Dale, that movie was hysterical. I haven't seen the other two, but I'm familiar with Romeo Must Die. Great picks!
ReplyDeleteHappy to see the love Tucker and Dale. Hysterical is absolutely right.
DeleteI haven't seen any of these, but I think I might enjoy Tucker and Dale vs. Evil
ReplyDeleteTucker and Dale is ridiculously fun. Would love to see what you think of it.
DeleteOh Dell you do come up with the most interesting spins on these themes! Tromeo & Juliet is the only one I've seen and it was certainly different but fun in its warped way. Romeo Must Die is one I've read about but was never really drawn to and I'm not a slasher film fan at all but I do love Alan Tudyk so maybe I'll give Tucker and Dale a shot.
ReplyDeleteThis was going to be a Barbra Streisand theme within the theme since star crossed lovers seems to be part of her stock in trade but her version of A Star is Born is such a stinking pile of wasted celluloid I just couldn’t bring myself to list it and turned to a MUCH better version of the same tale. I threw in a little snippet for each to highlight the theme.
The Way We Were (1973)-Memories will light the corners of your mind after viewing this high quality drama of Jewish radical Katie Morosky (Babs) and "gorgeous goyish guy" Hubbell Gardner (Robert Redford) who attend college together in the 30’s then meet again during WWII and despite immense differences fall in love. The film follows their problem plagued relationship through dating, marriage and the Hollywood blacklist. Tale of doomed love is ultra-romantic with political overtones has nice period detail and perhaps Streisand’s career best performance.
**Star-crossed quote- "I want us to love each other. The trouble is we do."
Funny Girl (1968)-Gawky, burning with ambition and massively talented Fanny Brice is trying to make her way in show biz, by chance she meets suave professional gambler Nicky Arnstein who helps give her a step up. Sensing a spark but pulled apart by circumstances Fanny continues her ascent occasionally running into Nick until a fateful encounter leads to a great love. Problem is Fanny’s compiling one triumph on top of another while Nick feeling the pressure of being “Mr. Brice” suffers a series of bad luck deals leading to a disastrous decision (and an emotion packed finale). Oscar winning showcase for Streisand, how much is true is questionable though the real life Brice and Arnstein did have a troubled marriage.
**Star-crossed quote-Nick: “I thought maybe, finally, at last my luck had changed…but it hadn’t. “Fanny-“So it will change tomorrow, the way it has a hundred other time. Everybody has a run of bad luck now and then it doesn’t mean anything.” Nick-“How would you know darling? You never lose.”
A Star is Born (1954)-Band singer Esther Blodgett (Judy Garland) saves movie star Norman Maine (James Mason) from making a drunken fool of himself at a Hollywood benefit when he stumbles into her act. Intrigued he tracks her down to a late night club and discovers that she possesses “that little something extra” that makes a great star and convinces her to leave the band. After some complications a friendship develops leading to a romance and marriage but as Esther, now rechristened Vicki Lester, rises ever higher Norman, trapped by demons in a downward spiral, falls leading to tragedy for all. Judy’s pinnacle both vocally and dramatically. She’s almost matched by Mason and they are supported by strong work from Charles Bickford, Tommy Noonan and especially Jack Carson.
**Star-crossed quote:
“Love isn't enough, I thought it was. I thought I was the answer for Norman. But love isn't enough for him. No matter how much you love someone — how do you live out the days? How?”
Just trying to keep you on your toes. If it helps, while Tucker and Dale is somewhat gory, it's a spoof of a slasher flick so we're talking comedy.
DeleteI enjoyed Funny Girl. Streisand was a powerhouse back in the day. I know I've seen A Star is Born, but don't remember any of it. I was probably around 10 when I did and I am fairly certain I only watched it once. Haven't seen The Way We Were, but it's been on my to do list for years. Great picks, Joel.
If it's been that long since you've seen A Star is Born you might not have seen the restored version. After it premiered originally the studio hacked over a half hour out of it and it was thought disposed of that footage to allow more showings a day. But a great deal of the supposedly lost footage was found as well as a complete track recording. The found footage was reinstated (along with everything else two musical numbers were cut out!!-who the hell cuts musical numbers from a Judy Garland musical?), what was still missing was replicated by photos over the soundtrack and the print and soundtrack were both remastered. It really enriched the film so I'd highly recommend a re-watch.
DeleteI just as highly recommend avoiding the Streisand remake, aside from her singing it's godawful destroying everything that was lovely and beautiful about the first two versions.
Yes, it's definitely time for a rewatch as I remember nothing other than having seen it. Didn't know all that info about it, either. Thanks for that.
DeleteOMG Tromeo & Juliet. Never thought I'd hear that name again! SO WEIRD. But kind of awesome. I don't remember a lot of Romeo Must Die besides the soundtrack lol. I like the cast a lot so I need to see Tucker & Dale.
ReplyDeleteT&D, so weird, but kind of awesome. Yes! Tucker and Dale is so much fun, so I'll say yes, you must.
DeleteI'm not sure if there's a way to make Tucker and Dale vs Evil more fun than it already is.
ReplyDeleteFor serious star-crossed lovers, if you haven't seen In the Mood for Love, please track it down and make sure you have a box of tissue (or a shirt tail or two) handy. And I'm not sure there are any two film characters more tragically in love than Chow Yun Fat and Michelle Yeoh in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.
I don't think there is. Haven't seen In the Mood for Love. I'll keep that in mind. Great call on Crouching Tiger.
DeleteTromeo and Juliet! Nice! I haven't seen it, but I think I should. Romeo Must Die is brilliant. I saw it in a movie theater with my mom and sister (their pick), and I was delightfully surprised by it. Tucker and Dale vs. Evil is such an intriguing title that I just never got to. Good stuff, man!
ReplyDeleteI highly recommend indulging in your choice of adult beverages while watching Tromeo and Juliet. I also saw Romeo Must Die in the theaters, too, on a date with the wife. Can't remember who's idea it was, but we had big fun. And please check out Tucker and Dale.
DeleteOK..I have not heard of the first or last one and I skipped Romeo Must Die because it looked awful but I do love some kick ass. Tucker and Dale sounds quite funny in a bad way but good way...if that makes sense. I love your picks:)
ReplyDeleteTucker and Dale is funny very much on purpose. It is definitely trying to be a comedy and succeeds. Romeo Must Die is not great, but it's fun. Skip Tromeo unless you've got a thing for weird, so bad it's awesome cinema. Thanks!
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