This article is part of our Classic Film Throwback series – By Sam Hendrian – The old maxim “Love is blind” has become so cliché that it is almost cringe-worthy to hear. Nevertheless, this hackneyed expression is given a beautifully literal meaning in Charlie Chaplin’s timeless romantic comedy City Lights. Released in 1931, it has no audial dialogue despite the fact …
‘The Graduate’ – A Timeless Examination of Spiritual Emptiness
This article is part of our Classic Film Throwback series – By Sam Hendrian – BEN BRADDOCK: “Mrs. Robinson, do you think we could say a few words to each other first this time?” MRS. ROBINSON: “I don’t think we have much to say to each other.” This rather pathetic bedroom exchange between the 21-year-old Benjamin Braddock (Dustin Hoffman) and the …
‘The Apartment’: A Poignant Commentary on Virtuous Romance
This article is part of our Classic Film Throwback series – By Sam Hendrian – “Some people take, some people get took. And they know they’re getting took and there’s nothing they can do about it.” These piercing words said by Fran Kubelik to C.C. “Bud” Baxter in 1960’s The Apartment summarize the film’s rather bleak outlook on the modern business …
On ‘Big’ and Preserving Our Inner Child
This article is part of our Classic Film Throwback series – By Sam Hendrian – Human beings seem born with an innate dissatisfaction about the age that they are. Kids wish they were adults so that they can do adult things, and adults wish they were kids so that they can be free of mature responsibilities. This dissatisfaction is hilariously explored …
On ‘Support the Girls’, Love Substitutes, and the Dangers of Good Intentions
– By Sam Hendrian – Won’t forget, can’t regret/What I did for love. So go the famous closing lyrics of the Marvin Hamlisch/Edward Kleban song “What I Did for Love” from the Broadway musical A Chorus Line. While these wistful words may seem nothing but beautiful at first glance, they bear a darker subtext upon further analysis. Just what exactly …
On ‘The Exorcist’ and Why Faith is Indispensable
This article is part of our Classic Film Throwback series – By Sam Hendrian – Why do people like watching scary movies? Such is a question that has been pondered by philosophers and everyday thinkers throughout the history of film. While there may be no definitive answer to this question, one likely reason is that humans find excitement in the idea …
On ‘Casino Royale,’ Redeeming Romance, and Points of No Return
This article is part of our Classic Film Throwback series – By Sam Hendrian – If cliché has a name, it must be James Bond. This handsome secret agent who fights overly-ambitious super villains while employing ridiculously crafty gadgets and seducing beautiful women in his spare time has, for better or for worse, become an icon of popular entertainment since he …
On ‘The Dark Knight’ and the Tactics of Satan
This article is part of our Classic Film Throwback series – By Sam Hendrian – Evil is not always depicted accurately in art, especially in works intended to entertain the masses. Bumbling, relatively un-scary villains are all too common in films, and corruption is often startlingly portrayed as lighthearted and humorous rather than a serious threat to the goodness in Man’s …
On ‘Jaws’ and Resisting Cowardice
This article is part of our Classic Film Throwback series – By Sam Hendrian – Of all the things that unite us as human beings, one of the most prominent is fear. Fears vary from person to person, but they apply similar amounts of pressure; that is, they can make or break a person’s character. Steven Spielberg’s suspense classic Jaws (1975) …
On ‘E.T. The Extra Terrestrial,’ Friendship, and Motherhood
This article is part of our Classic Film Throwback series – By Sam Hendrian – “I’ll be right here.” Such are the simple but transcendentally comforting words that any of us would love to hear from someone we cherish. A promise of spiritual companionship even when worlds apart, they are the last lines the alien creature E.T. speaks to the human …