Random Movie Fun!

Well, we finished the first weekend of Hair. How about that? It actually went really well and a lot of funny things happened. But, you know what? I really don't feel like writing about it. Today is officially the first day in a month I haven't had to think about Hair and I'm not going to start now.

I spent the whole day trying to do as little as possible and I think I succeeded admirably. The only real activity I engaged myself with was watching The Graduate with my housemates. Sure, it was the same time period as Hair (1967 vs. 1968) but it was the opposite side of the counter culture, so I felt safe (only one afro in the entire film!).




God, I love that movie. I have to say, it was a little disturbing to discover that I am now the same age as Ben Braddock is supposed to be (the scuba suit scene takes place on his 21st birthday).
It's interesting, I remember reading an article by Roger Ebert where he talked about his changing views on the film. As the years have passed, he wrote, it became clear to him that Mrs. Robinson is really the most interesting character of the film. In the few years since I first watched the movie I've come to the same realization. Anne Bancroft gets so much backstory across in just a couple of lines during that bedroom scene where she discusses Elaine's accidental conception. It's amazing.

However, I still love the Ben role (and Hoffman's performance). It was always my dream role to play. Back in high school, I always used to push for our Performing Arts classes to perform the play adaptation as our spring show. It never happened because there aren't enough roles (Mrs. Robinson's scripted full frontal scene didn't help). It was probably for the best though. As much as it tries, the play really is just a pale imitation of the movie and the CharlesWebb novel that inspired it (which, I'm sad to admit, I've been stuck in the middle of for an eternity. God, I wish I had more time to read for fun). I still used to use the seduction scene as an audition monologue back when I thought I wanted to be an actor.

I really love that movie.



ps. I used to love to watch the Oscars when I was little. I'd tape it and then make my parents promise not to tell me who won. Now I can't even sit through a couple minutes of it. It was a sad day when I realized the Best Picture was very rarely the best picture of the year. Right up there with the whole Santa Claus thing.