Thursday, August 6, 2009

The perils of late-night movie watching.

It's the weirdest thing... I know I've seen Big Trouble in Little China. In fact, I'm positive I've seen it several times, but for the life of me I couldn't tell you how the plot unfolds.

This is not an isolated occurrence, either; the Cap'n has similar problems with all kinds of movies. It's usually ones I know I really like, too. Apocalypse Now is one such example: I can tell you how it begins and how it ends, but the progression of story in the middle loses me every time. It feels like a dream watching the film, and while I know there's the surfing sequence, the gunning down of innocent boaters, the Playboy riot, Chef doing too much acid, the tiger scene, and the explosions/fireworks sequence between Willard's assignment and the time when Dennis Hopper shows up, I can't tell you the order in which they appear.

Blade Runner used to be a similar problem, although it's been alleviated by repeat viewings last year. Come to think of it, I don't think I could tell you exactly what happens in Blazing Saddles, although I might be able to work out Young Frankenstein at this point. The Princess Bride? I'm a little iffy.

It's the damnedest thing, because I really do like these movies. This is not a situation of "foggy memory", like Return to Oz, where I remember how the movie starts (Dorothy being sent to a hospital for shock treatment) and scattered scenes afterwards. I know I've seen these films, I know I enjoyed them, but for the life of me I can't tell you the story mechanics. Something like 8 1/2 or Dead Man I don't feel so bad about, but I ought to be able to remember what happens in Living in Oblivion. Or Trees Lounge. Or hell, even Dawn of the Dead. The broad strokes? Sure, but specific details are lacking.

Perhaps the common thread between all of these movies is that I watched them for the first time late at night (with the exception of Oz), usually half asleep, and my mind simply coded them as films which are reminiscent of dreams. Despite the fact that what is being projected onto the screen doesn't necessarily change, my memory obfuscates and combines with other hazy recollections, so while I enjoy the film, the ambiguity remains.

Ironically, I think this is what Richard Linklater had in mind with Slacker and Waking Life, two "free form" movies I did not see in a "half-awake" state and accordingly just can't get into. Admittedly, I can't necessarily give you the plot progression of those either, but it's more because I don't care enough. I'm getting better with Dazed and Confused, which I did (and do) like but for long periods of time couldn't recount, and not due to any drug related shenanigans.

To turn this over to you, dear readers, is this a unique phenomenon to the Cap'n, or do you also have similar experiences with movies? Is there something you gravitate towards or have affinity for that, if questioned, you couldn't properly explain? Or am I just crazy?

Wait, don't answer that second question. We know the answer is yes.

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