Caffeinated Clint
I tell ya there’s nothing better, when you’re stressed, exhausted or both (I’m bout ready to go Fred Flintstone-style clobbering I reckon so might take my own advice!), than to sit down and watch a nice, feel-good, film. Something that makes all your fuckin’ troubles go away – well, at least for the length of the movie. If for you, that movie is “Police Academy 4 : Citizens on Patrol” then so be it. We’ve all got a movie that makes us feel all warm, fuzzy, gooshy and buzzy – my wife’s is “A Nightmare on Elm Street III : Dream Warriors”, go figure!? – inside.
One of my old-time feel good favourites is Joel Schumacher’s “St. Elmo’s Fire” – a sweet little tale of a bunch of college pals trying to sort their lives out, and basically just make their way in the post-classroom world. I’d have to have watched the film about 100 times now (I can’t tell you thankful I was when it was released on DVD, because my VHS tape was as chewed and worn as a dog’s plastic bone) and plan to watch it about 100 times more before I check into the dirt motel. “Elmo’s” is the one I stick in the machine whenever I just want to lay back, switch off the noggin, and enjoy something – – something that, unlike say “Funny Games” or “Blow Out”, doesn’t make you want to skin a cat… or drink the last of the bottles in the bottom drawer. It makes ya feel all warm inside.
Yes, I’m a sucker for 80s Brat Packer movies (“Breakfast Club”, “Sixteen Candles”, “Less than Zero”, “Young Guns”, “About Last Night”), but I’ve got an especially big woody for this one. A lot haven’t… In fact, most critics trashed the bejesus out of this thing when it was released in the mid-80s. But from the very moment I saw the poster for this film at the Shepparton roller-skating rink – yes, before blades, that’s right kids! – I knew it’d be my bag… because even that one-sheeter looked warm-and-fuzzy (or was that just Ally Sheedy?). Oh, and that infectious theme song had started to play on the local [AM] radio station. Ah, good times, good times. But I digress, the movie delivered- in spades.
Script issues aside, “St. Elmo’s” is a movie with heart – it’s a timeless tale of friends who are unconsciously separated because of, say, marriage, a fight, one that drinks, or an affair. But mostly, age – and the fact that we may slowly see less and less of our old friends because, well, we’ve all got different things going on in our lives, but forever, we always remain friends (Celine Dion probably should’ve sung that last sentence). Sickly? Yeah, a bit. Realistic? Yes. I don’t think this one person out there who couldn’t at least relate to something in the movie – – ok, maybe not our old pimply 14-yerar-old friend whose currently flogging it to a Miley Cyrus poster whilst glancing occasionally back at the monitor to see if I’ve written anything interesting about the new “Ghostbusters” movie in today’s column (sorry pal, I haven’t).
So that’s mine. “St Elmo’s Fire”.
I also enjoy “Ghost”… that’s a good feel-good film, though a fuckin’ sad… “Can’t Buy Me Love” with Patrick Dempsey and Amanda Peterson… funny, but sweet…. “Planes, Trains and Automobiles”… man, huge lump in my throat every time I watch that film… “Field of Dreams”… beautiful movie… “Family Man” with Nicolas Cage…,. a movie I can really relate to… “Say Anything”…. Just all-round nice shit… “The Majestic”… yes, with Jim Carrey… it was good.
And now there’s another I can add to that list : “Henry Poole is Here”.
Check out the trailer :
What a sweet-ass film this is. Luke Wilson stars in it. He plays a rather unhappy sod that moves to a new neighbourhood – and soon discovers a stain on the exterior house wall. The locals believe it looks like the face of Jesus – so start singing hallelujah! – but Wilson’s character doesn’t buy into it… not until miracles start to happen.
I had a chance to talk to the films writer, Albert Torres, about this wonderful film. He told me he wrote the film when he was down-and-out.
“I wrote the film at a time when I didn’t have a career as a screenwriter. I had a day job and I had spent a Number of years writing spec scripts I thought I could sell. After a number of failed attempts to get noticed or make any headway in the film industry, I changed my course. I quit trying. I stopped writing altogether for about two years. The result was an undefined sadness, which after some time, I figured out was due to the ill-conceived decision to stop writing.”
He continues, “So I started again. And rather than write a movie I thought I could sell or one I thought others would like, I wrote a movie I wanted to see. I emerged from a desperate time, looking for a little hope and Henry Poole was born. (Although at the time the screenplay was titled STAIN)”
We don’t have a lot of feel-good movies these days. Torres believes it’s because we live in a contemptuous world.
”In the words of the great Cameron Crowe (via Jerry Maguire) “We live in a cynical world. A cynical world. And we work in a business of tough competitors.””, says Torres. “And when the competition blows things up or creates an earth shattering car chase or flies across the world in a robot-suit and the people who actually see movies on a regular basis then flock to see those films, then of course more of those will be made. But don’t get me wrong. I go see all those films too. And I love them. Those are the films that made me want to make movies. But I also watch “It’s a Wonderful Life” at least once a year. And I cry every time. And I feel a little bit better about the world each time I see it. ”
Having said that, “Poole” wasn’t a difficult film to get made – not any more difficult than any other film.
“Once Mark Pellington, the director, became involved, about 4 years before we actually made the film, it was his sheer force of will which kept the project moving. (Along with his producer, Tom Lasally) We were fortunate to have a number of actors respond to the screenplay. And Mark met with a handful of them, including Jim Carrey. But ultimately, there was always one variable which derailed the process. Usually scheduling issues. All that said, when Luke came along, it was an incredible blessing. And his participation was what got us off the starting line. And I can’t imagine Henry Poole being played by anyone else.”
There’s a bit of a religious theme to the movie – – but I don’t think you need to pray to the almighty one to appreciate the movie. Do you Albert?
“Not at all. I think it’s easy to discard the movie as a religious film. But I don’t see it that way. And I didn’t intend it to be that when I wrote it. The religious aspects of it are part of the storytelling tools I used to move the narrative forward. This is a film about desperation and finding hope when all seems lost. The fact that the face of Jesus appears on the wall of Henry’s house is a device to stimulate the plot, the themes and the heart of the movie. It could have been the face of Buddha. But we don’t hear of that happening as much as we do find the face of God in potato chips and tortillas. And most Buddhists I know keep to themselves, so it would have been tough to get the ball rolling.”
Sadly, “Henry Poole is Here” didn’t do much at the box office – in fact it disappeared quicker than a cat around a coyote.
Torres has no idea why it didn’t do better.
“That is the million dollar question. And if I had the answer, I’d own this town.”
Moviehole Mailbag
Clint, I run *****.com. God, movie publicists are stupid sometimes! One just removed me from the media lists because I gave a negative review to **** aren’t we even allowed to have an opinion anymore? – Peter
No, we’re not – didn’t you get the memo?
Please god tell me that the Brett Rattner helmed ”Conan” remake is some sort of sick joke. PLEASE. Awesome site, been following it for years. Thanks for the laughs, keep it up. – Mike
God here. You’ll be glad to know that rumour has since been debunked. They’re apparently trying to get Robert Rodriguez – but he’s pretty much solid-booked.
Question about Rambo 5. Is the Script about him having a Daughter?And is he a nice guy in person? I hear a lot of Stories that he is not Approachable? But then again you might not of met him or knew people that met him! ? – Paul
No, I’ve never met Rambo – but I hear he’s a nice-enough guy, so long as you don’t ask him to take you down the River. No word on his next adventure – and whether or not it’ll include a daughter – but apparently it’s filming early next year in Bulgaria. (In all seriousness, I’ve met Sylvester Stallone at a Planet Hollywood opening a few years back – when I was working in film publicity – and found him to be quite a nice guy. If he isn’t approachable, it’s because of his bodyguards – they’re pretty darn overprotective).
hey clint holden here any way any way keep reading about the evil dead remake or the sequel evil dead 4 any way i would like a hole new adventure of safe world from zombies any who the sequel now if did a remake i would cast wes bentley as the new ash in remake but i think evil dead 4 should you have to do the last chapter of saga any way i put for sam and bruce to make evil dead 4 maybe someday in near future we would like see remake but for leave it to evil dead 4 groovy freakin awsome holden – Holden
Um, Yes. Groovy.
hey clint holden resident evil 4 is still going because i heard that paul anderson wants make the 4th installment of resident evil i think should the first 3 films were just so great i think he pull off the 4th one and that be cool zombie flick its like back to 1983 before my time but they pull it off good they should make with ash and alice teaming up to safe world from the t virus any way that was my kinda of idea any way that be a cool sequel to any way latter clint holden – Holden
What if they had Darkman in there too? How cool would that be?
hey clint holden it feels great to be back on the mailbag again any way i heard something spyhunter movie with the rock in it any way any way that be like watch knight rider again any way that be really neat i like the video games i think make an old fashion car movie like did in the 70s i was thinking remake of smokey and bandit remake of the 1980 when back in 1977 they did truck full beer and think should old story back in 1977 any way i think thats what they should do with remake any way talk latter clint and movie fans holden – Holden
Hey, It’s really great to have you back on the Mailbag!
