I’ve been sharing a chronological list of the movies of my life. Not a list of the best films of all time or anything like that, but just a list of films that somehow made the memories that make my life. We’re up to the mid-80s now, and the competition for my mind is downright fierce. Let’s get to it, shall we?
1984
The Gods Must Be Crazy.
Egads this is getting hard! Take a look at these other flashes from my past: Ghostbusters, Gremlins, The Last Starfighter, The Natural, Red Dawn, Romancing the Stone, and Temple of Doom. How did I choose just one?
Well, I thought long and hard about it for about ten minutes this evening. That’s how. And I decided that the thing that’s stuck with me the most — more than the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, more than the Little Mule (couldn’t find a clip) — was the Land Rover in The Gods Must Be Crazy. Yes, the whole movie is a fascinating journey, from existential maundering to slapstick silliness, but that Rover stole the show. Herewith, a collection of scenes featuring the Antichrist:
. . .
1985
Back to the Future.
If ’84 was a tough call, this one is dreadfully difficult. How do you compare Back to the Future, Better Off Dead, European Vacation, Fletch, Goonies, and Silverado? I just don’t think it’s possible, frankly, making this one of those “ask me on a different day…” situations. Tonight I’m giving it to Back to the Future, with a particular nod to Biff Tannen, who now does stand-up: