Our younger daughter is her father’s child when it comes to movies. She loves them! When she’s home from college we tend to rent, buy and watch more movies than ever. We’ve seen quite a few during the past week. A couple of them were newer movies: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and Journey to the Center of the Earth. Both the kind of movie you love to pick apart, but still have fun watching. Last night we decided on the spur of the moment to go see The Day the Earth Stood Still. It was pretty good, but I thought the ending left a little to be desired.
While in the mood for “family movie viewing”, my husband and I decided to introduce her to a few of our favorite movies. First up was my all-time favorite Western, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. Directed in 1962 by John Ford, it stars Jimmy Stewart, John Wayne, Vera Miles and Lee Marvin. There are lots of great scenes in the movie, but my favorite is when Valance’s henchman volunteers to grab up the steak that’s been knocked to the floor and John Wayne’s character kicks him in the face. Trust me, in context it’s a very funny scene. In addition to the movie, I’ve always loved the song of the same title by Gene Pitney.
The next evening we watched Quigley Down Under starring Tom Selleck, Laura San Giacomo and Alan Rickman. I’ve been a big Tom Selleck fan since his Magnum PI days, but especially like him in gunslinger roles. In Quigley he’s hired to kill off wild dogs in Australia, but learns upon arrival that it’s actually Aborigines he’s expected to shoot. Naturally he refuses and ends up being the one hunted. Quite entertaining!
Finally, we watched Zulu starring Michael Caine and narrated by Richard Burton. Based on fact, it tells the story of the battle at Rorke’s Drift where approximately 100 British soldiers defended their post against 4000 Zulu warriors. Eleven Victoria Crosses (the British equivalent of our Presidential Medal of Honor) were given out as a result. The score by John Barry is fantastic and the Zulu songs and chants included are quite mesmerizing. Definitely a movie worth seeing at least once!
- Kelly
- Making my way through the ups and downs of life, holding fast to my favorite Bible verse: "For we walk by faith, not by sight." ~2 Corinthians 5:7. I began blogging in earnest at Yahoo360 on October 24, 2005. (briefly using LiveJournal and blog-city prior to that) In June 2008 I moved to Blogger. I'm now at WordPress where I hope to remain.
4 comments:
Good movies, all. I plan to watch "The X Files I want to Believe" this weekend.
Got it earlier this week.
Always been an X Files fan. :)
"I'll git it Liberty!"
Hey Mike... our brother reminded me in an e-mail that Strother Martin (who spoke the line you quoted) also delivered the famous line from "Cool Hand Luke".
"Liberty Valance" had a few other well know names in it like Andy Devine and John Carradine.
I have a soft spot in my heart for Quigley. I wasn't a Magnum fan, but loved Tom Selleck in this one. And one of my all time favorites, Alan Rickman, was on hand, too.
Zulu had a big impact in my life when I was an adolescent. I credit as being one of the first films that gave me a worldview, let me think beyond the borders. Michael Caine's first film. Never saw it until the 70's, when it came as part of a retrospective to campus. I loved this line: "The army doesn't like more than one disaster in a day."
What a great way for all of you to spend time together.
We're doing the same today, with the yule theme... I was on board for for "A Christmas Story" and "Elf", but I draw the line at "Bad Santa". Sigh. Can't find "Scrooged" on any network. Time to get the DVD.
quid
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