Okay, maybe not the best year ever, but easily my favorite of the years I’ve covered so far. They should change the award to: The Academy’s Favorite Movie of the Year. Either that, or they could give out the award years later when a movie has either stood the test of time or has not.
But even then, some dumbass would do this.
[youtube wZBfmBvvotE nolink]
“Forrest Gump” – The part that always confused me was he said, “She tastes like cigarettes,” like it was a bad thing.
“Four Weddings and a Funeral” – For my money, the oddball nominee at the time. I like it more now, but back then I was convinced it was only nominated because it’s British.
“Quiz Show” – I love the part when Herb Stempel cranes his neck to see what’s going on in the other soundproof booth, CLONKS his head on the glass, then checks-real-quick to make sure no one in the studio audience saw him. We saw ya, ya sponge-memoried freak.
“The Shawshank Redemption” – Great movie, saved by the studio’s rejection of the alternate ending, in which Red goes to Buxton, but can’t distinguish one hayfield from another because he’s never read a Robert Frost poem, screams in agony; meanwhile, the grocery store owner calls his P.O., who calls the fuzz, who come to Buxton, and gun him down. As life flickers from his eyes, he realizes he’s laying on a piece of volcanic glass that has no business being in a hayfield in the middle of Maine. He laughs to FADE OUT.
“Pulp Fiction” – I think you know how this is going to end.
What should have been nominated:
“Forrest Gump” – I mean, I don’t smoke anymore, but cigarettes are really tasty.
“Quiz Show” – Also, when Rob Morrow gets embarrassed because mustard is on his face. You can read Morrow’s mind: Trying to fit in with the WASP, and this happens?!
“The Shawshank Redemption” – I love that actor that plays the mean guard. He was awesome in “Bad Boys,” in which Sean Penn mashes his nose all over his face with a six pack inside a pillow case.
“Speed” – Pop quiz, hot shot: There are only five spots available for your favorite movies of 1994. What do you do. What do you do? You leave off “True Lies,” “Dumb & Dumber,” “Hoop Dreams,” “Nobody’s Fool,” and “Police Academy: Mission to Moscow,” even though they’re all totally awesome.
“Pulp Fiction” – During my 4 1/2 years of college, no movie was as debated with friends and in classes as much as “Pulp Fiction.”
The winner: “Pulp Fiction.”
Its immediate impact turned out to be a lasting impact. It felt like Quentin Tarantino was a flash in the pan for sure — but we’re still debating that point after a few more love-it-or-hate-it movies. I remember a couple of conversations in particular: One was in a writing class, where a grad student who was no doubt friends with Michael Stipe snarked, “The only reason anybody likes that movie is because the critics loved it.”
A friend of mine responded, “Then why did so many people like ‘Ace Ventura?'”
“Same reason,” shot back Mr. Detached and Oh So Cool.
I’m still scratching my head about that one.
It’s a movie of moments, real movie moments. Tarantino rips off so many movies by way of other movies and TV shows, it’s dizzying. Gangster hit men talk like my roommates at the time–sarcastic snide–“Well, you are aware that there’s this invention called television and on this invention they show shows, right?”
A boxer tough enough to kill a man in the ring flips out on his girlfriend, then acquiesces in shame, only to continue the flip out later when he’s alone in the car. Boxer’s name is Butch. Which means nothing. Because he’s an American, and our names don’t mean shit.
The crime boss casually strolls to a doughnut shop and grabs a dozen doughnuts. Just like me. Everyday. Sometimes twice a day. Oh, except that in the middle of the crosswalk at Fletcher and Atwater, he spots a guy who crossed him sitting in a Honda, whips out a gun, fires as he’s creamed by the Honda, the bullet nearly hitting Margaret Cho and Kathy Griffin.
Tarantino rips everyone off, but his movies work because they’re populated with characters we can relate to; that behave like us and converse like us. Only different.
My wife and I still say we “ain’t got no friendly people in the eight-one-eight,” even though it’s no longer true.
As late as 1997, a guy I worked for was still claiming he was the “Foot fuckin’ master.” Everyday.
It’s close, but it’s the movie that to me has had the most lasting impact of all the movies released in 1994.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.