If you're a Thursday Movie Picks regular, you know that this month, the leader of our rag-tag bunch, Wanderer at Wandering Through the Shelves, has honed in on romance. This week, we're specifically focused on forbidden love. Immediately, I thought about going with three movies that are essentially <i>Romeo and Juliet</i> rip-offs. But that was too easy. I took a...uh...darker route. Mild spoilers ahead.
Candyman
(1992)
When I said there were mild spoilers, I was talking about this movie. I know it's almost 30 years old and iconic enough that there is a remake that the pandemic is hiding from us. But hey, someone out there hasn't seen this. If this is you, just know that our hook-handed friend is a slave risen from the dead and killing for love.
Underworld
(2003)
Let's switch from the reanimated to the undead. We jump in to the centuries-old war between vampires and werewolves. Our vampire is Selena, who is also their top soldier, or headhunter as they're called. Of course, she falls for a guy who's not a vampire, sorta. He's not a werewolf, either. Kinda. And neither side is happy about it.
High Tension
(2003)
Everyone in this movie is alive, or at least they start off that way. The love in this one isn't forbidden in the traditional sense. Well, it might be by certain people, but we never find out because, uh, they don't make it very far into the runtime. It's most forbidden by the person feeling the love because they can't properly express it. Am I stretching it a bit to fit this category? Probably. Do I care? No.
Click here for more Thursday Movie Picks.
High Tension is the one film on that list I haven't seen as I know it was on TV a lot but in dubbed form and I refuse to watch a foreign film in dubbed form unless it's a martial arts film. Underworld I thought was alright while Candyman is a cool film. I too avoided the traditional takes on this subject by choosing the works of a certain filmmaker.
ReplyDeleteIt is definitely out there in subbed form. Hope you get to check it out.
DeleteGood selection, Dell. I've only seen Underworld and nearly picked it myself. I've avoided Candyman as I really don't like horror. I'm kinda tempted to see it now though?!
ReplyDeleteI get it. Some people just aren't into scary flicks. That said, Candyman is one of the essential 90s horror flicks. Do with that what you will.
DeleteI've had Candyman on my list for years and now that I've read that, I really want to see it as it sounds like a cool (?) version of Romeo and Juliet.
ReplyDeleteI'd say it has more in common with Othello than Romeo and Juliet.
DeleteI really like the twist you did with this theme! I've seen all these movies and enjoyed them. I'm so excited for the Candyman remake. I think that might be the first time I'm actually excited for a remake, even though I love the original too.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I'm really excited for the remake.
DeleteCandyman is terrifying, I'd never thought of it as a forbidden love though. The Underworld franchise is awful but yet I can't help watching some of them! Forbidden romance across species is definitely a popular trope in sci-fis.
ReplyDeleteOh, it's all about forbidden love. I love the first Underworld, they can keep the rest.
DeleteUghh, my post went Poof! Ok Candyman was...is too scary for me and I always hear Sammy Davis Jnr sing that song. I really like Underworld and this was a good movie in this francize. I have not even heard of the last film. I am so glad you like bending the rules because that is why rules should exist...to bend them or break them if need be.
ReplyDeleteSammy is a true legend, but never hear that song come up. Now that you mention it, I'm hoping they use a slowed down creepy version of it in the remake, lol. If Candyman is too much for you then steer clear of High Tension.
DeleteI'm one of those who hasn't seen Candyman and that is by design. Everything I've ever seen or heard about it SCREAMS "This is NOT your kind of movie" and I'm content with that.
ReplyDeleteI've seen bits of Underworld which gave me the big shrug so I've never bothered with a front to back viewing.
Haven't heard of the last and from the description I'm not sure if it would work for me. I have seen a sprightly comedy from the 30's with Glenda Farrell that carries the same title, does that count?!
On a little side note-after reading the synopsis of this one it reminded me of a film I saw about two weeks ago called "And Soon the Darkness" from 1970 about two English girls backpacking through the French countryside who quarrel and split up briefly, when the one girl returns to make amends the other has vanished. When she tries to find her (not being able to speak the language) things quickly become tense. It strikes me as something you'd like I think.
I also flirted with a trio of Romeo & Juliet themed films as a way to go but chose to dig a bit deeper and came up with these instead.
Broken Blossoms (1919)-Chinese immigrant Cheng Huan’s (Richard Barthelmess) dream of spreading Buddhism to London has dissipated and he has sunken into aimless opium addiction until he finds young English waif Lucy Burrows (Lillian Gish) battered on his doorstep. Renewed by their emotional connection he cares for her as she recovers, but their forbidden love across ethnic boundaries is riven when they are discovered by Lucy’s abusive father (Donald Crisp).
Death Takes a Holiday (1934)-Unable to comprehend why people cling so tenaciously to life Death (Fredric March) assumes human form as Prince Sirki at Duke Lambert’s Italian villa. Mixing with his guests in an attempt to gain insight he meets the beautiful Grazia (Evelyn Venable). Instantly attracted to each other Sirki and she wrestle with the impossibility and the forbidden nature of their love.
Dirty Dancing (1987)-Teenager Baby (Jennifer Grey) is vacationing with her family at a Catskills resort in the 60’s when she meets dance instructor Johnny (Patrick Swayze). Through a series of events they become involved but the lovers face several obstacles including the dual facts that Johnny is forbidden to fraternize with the guests and Baby is likewise forbidden from seeing the older Johnny by her father (Jerry Orbach).
And Soon the Darkness does sound interesting. Of your picks, I've only seen Dirty Dancing. To be honest, I'm not a big fan of it. My daughter is, though. I have wanted to see Death Takes a Holiday for a while. Gotta get to it.
DeleteFor a wonder, I've seen all of these. I like High Tension, except for the ending. Underworld I don't care one way or the other. But Candyman...Candyman is a great one.
ReplyDeleteI'm actually the same on High Tension. I still remember reading Roger Ebert's review of it. Of the ending, he said it's got a plot hole big enough to drive a truck through, which was beyond perfect.
Delete