I just started (re)watching Something Wild. Damn good flick.
For some reason I am interested in movies about characters whose entire lives suddenly start ungluing and falling apart cataclysmically. I try not to think about what that says about me. :-)
(Of course some people would say that such a breakdown may be a doorway rather than an end.)
Other examples are Falling Down, Vampire's Kiss, After Hours, Clockwise, Subway...
One thing I notice now is that all those are films probably unknown to your Jane and Joe Public. Too scary/depressing to be hits.
... Only now realizing that all these movies are also described as "dark comedy". Hmm. Without the comedy they would probably be way too depressing.
Anybody know other films of the type?
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Clockwise, it turns out, was written by Michael Frayn. I've read several of his other works (plays Democracy, Copenhagen, and novel "Headlong").
Headlong, like Clockwise, has a guy spiralling out of control through an obsession with a painting, even to the point of leaving his mistress in a burning Land Rover while he tried to rescue the painting. Real train wreck stuff.
"Democracy" has a similar feel, but I believe it was biographical about a German politician.
Clockwise was a hit movie, possibly because of Cleese.
(Of course some people would say that such a breakdown may be a doorway rather than an end.)
Thanks.
Falling Down is great.
I don't know if any of these movies qualify:
- Office Space and American beauty: about getting rid of frustrating life, not about total loss of control.
- The Ice Storm, about a family completely getting destroyed.
- Bernie, about a mentally challenged young fellow who grew up in an orphanage, trying to live in the real world (a pretty gruesome comedy, not everybody can stomach this movie, but it's fun)
- About Schmidt: a man retires and his life falls apart. Jack Nicholson.
Good examples, thanks.
I *love* Office Space.
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I just finished Something Wild, it really is outstanding.
"Bernie" is French? I can't find it on DVD.
French indeed. You can find it here
Has anybody seen Avalon?
Also a world falling apart.
Thanks, Jan.
Aniko, you mentioned Avalon before, and I have it queued in my rental list. (Seems I have to wait for the DVD to come out, though.)
... Ah, screw it, I've just ordered the US version instead.
(And I got nostalgic for Roxy Music's "Avalon", almost too sweet as it is, and bought it on iTunes.)
Oooh, Jan, does this DVD have English subtitles? And he answers himself...
Yes, I know just enough French to decode "SOUS-TITRES : FRANÇAIS - ANGLAIS - HOLLANDAIS"
Good 'nuff.
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