Way OT: Wackiest movie, ever!

The most surprising movie to me was "Zero Hour" The movie "Airplane" was a spoof of this movie, and yet I never knew that Airplane was a spoof. Watching Zero hour is quite amusing.

Especially enjoyable scenes as the 'tire' takes revenge upon seeing his fellow tires being burned in a pyre. Not sure why the constant 'in jokes' for filmakers, but that works, too. Entertainment on several layers as you watch the low budget rawness and keep looking for those 'flaws' and shortcuts. Makes you wonder just how big was their budget for raspberry jam?

The aftermath was amusing. (though the turkey *meal* was probably the most nonsensical)

I actually found the very beginning to make *some* sense as the tire is "born" and explores its environment.

Note the reference to The Graduate?

I think the budget for this was measured in "pocket change"! Had it been a bigger budget film, I could see the tire done via CG effects. The attraction, for me, was trying to deduce how it was done on that shoestring budget. Sort of like your first trip to Disney{Land,World} -- wondering how all the illusions are performed (though *they* have a much *bigger* budget! :> )

One constant in Hollywood is recycling old ideas! :>

So, truly odd/bizarre films tend to stand out a bit. I usually "watch" movies just for background noise while working. So, rarely am *engaged* by them (i.e., listen in and look over at the screen from time to time as things "sound interesting" but largely ignore them). If something pulls my attention

_The City of Lost Children_ is another that comes to mind. Esp when you look at the sets, props, characters, etc.

It's also amusing to find movies made from books (never the other way around!) and catch the differences. And, try to decide if the differences are present because of technological limitations (of the filmmaker's craft), budget, social issues, etc.

The three examples that (immediately) come to mind are: _2001 A Space Odyssey_ -- the text underwent MANY revisions before coming to the screen. There is a book that presents the various alternatives explored (and the reasons behind the changes). IMO, the original _The Sentinel_ was far more poignant than the film or the book! More entertainment per unit time :>

_ The Day the Earth Stood Still_ -- very different versions of the film and both in a different spirit than _Farewell to the Master_ from which they hail (another very poignant work). _War of the Worlds_ -- almost alarming to see the differences between the text and the original movie. Just as alarming to see the differences between the original movie and the remake! Even moreso when you eventually realize the later version is truer to the text (though still completely missing the point of the original text).

And, finally, enormously entertaining to catch filmmakers trying to "slip one past you" just above/below your normal threshold of perception. Perhaps the best example of this is the Jet Car dieseling after its test run in Buckaroo Banzai -- or, maybe the "WUT" (watermelon-under-test) in the lab...

(Of course, in Airplane, the "Panic" scene is appealing for

Grrr... also forgot the three (!) different versions of _Casino Royale_ and the _Little Shop of Horrors_ remake!

Grrr... also forgot the three (!) very different versions of _Casino Royale_, the _Little Shop of Horrors_ remake and the (disappointing) HHGTTG "improvements" (though the yarn scene in the newest is entertaining) :-/

Well Don, on your recommendation we watched it last night.

My adult son & I enjoyed it immensely, my wife asked "what is this crap?". I feel a bit like I've had some sort of subliminal acid trip.

Don Y wrote: (...)

I've wondered for years why John Larry Kelly, Jr's 1961 IBM 704 rendition of the song "Daisy Bell" was not used in the climactic scene of _2001_. It would have been extremely chilling, creepy and cool. Pity, that.

Starting at 0:47:

(...)

Oooh. Happy. :)

--Winston

Another wacky movie was Killdozer. About a bulldozer that gets possessed by an alien (I think) and goes on a killing spree.

Oooops! I didn't think anyone would actually *take* that advice!! ;-)

I share your feelings *and* hers. It's sort of like watching a train wreck -- you don't WANT to see it... but you find it really hard to look away! (i.e., "What is this crap?! No, no, don't change the channel. Let's see how it ends...") :>

I'll rewatch it some time in the future. I'm sure there are lots of things that I missed as I got caught up in the absurdity of it all.

And, the engineer in me was preoccupied with finding evidence of how they managed to get such *lengthy* shots of the tire "in motion" -- often very COMPLEX motions! -- without any obvious "cuts" in the film.

A movie *she* might like (not quite as bizarre) is _Cashback_. More of a "feel good" movie (no tires involved!). But, like Rubber, you can't prejudge it until you've seen the *entire* thing. (your "adult son" will enjoy it as well!! :> )

Find a copy of _The Sentinel_ (online?) and make some "quiet time" to read it. WITHOUT thinking about the movie -- until later. It's **really** short but leaves a delightful "taste" in your mind.

And, gives you a deeper appreciation for what the movie was *supposed* to be saying -- had not all the special effects got in the way! I am convinced it is, by far, the better work!

I *assume* the ratings agencies caught that! I suspect everyone who owned a VCR was really happy with the "slow motion" feature when that came out! :>

Speaking of which: _This Film is Not Yet Rated_ Interesting and informative -- though a bit hard on folks of "delicate sensibilities"! :-/

It was good value, it's still doing my head in 12 hours later!

I'll check out Cashback as well.

Thanks

I'll bet that she won't like the new 'Three Stooges' movie that's due out April 13th.

I'll keep an eye out for it!

Yup. But _Killdozer_ "almost" made sense (if you accept the premise that a bulldozer can be "inhabitted" by some other life form). Ditto "Christine".

"Rubber" goes far beyond this. It's not just the plot/theme that is bizarre -- it's the whole presentation of the story (you'd really have to watch it -- probably *twice* -- to see at how many different levels it abuses the "movie experience". "Does everyone have their binoculars?")

I'll have to wait for the DVD/Bluray release. The last movie I went to was so damn loud that I had a headache for over a week

And likewise _Farewell to the Master_.

?-)

Gosh, it may be that even the title was cloned off the short story.

?-)

_FttM_ really highlights the differences between the two films and the original story. Makes you wonder what the filmmakers were thinking...