The phrase “IS IT INTERESTING” (no punctuation) appears on a sign in Rock Hudson’s newspaper office in THE TARNISHED ANGELS (1957). I thought that was interesting, so I wrote it down for future reference. I thought that maybe I would make an identical sign and hang it up in my apartment, because that seemed fun. Instead – many months later – when I had an inkling to start a blog to house some of my movie notes, I decided the phrase might make a nice blog title. So I made it my blog title.
Do I believe that I am a brilliant movie critic? No. I do not. Do I watch so many movies that I forget some of them and need a way to easily recall my thoughts on them? Yes. I do.
Here’s some vaguely important stuff about my movie perspective:
My very favorite movies of all time are (in no particular order): MY MAN GODFREY (1936), SAY ANYTHING (1989), HARVEY (1950), DESIGN FOR LIVING (1933), FIELD OF DREAMS (1989), HIGH NOON (1952), THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES (1946), and any of Buster Keaton’s silent features.
One of my lifelong goals is to watch every movie James Stewart ever made. So far, I have seen 45 of them. This may not seem very impressive, until you realize that one of them is THE ICE FOLLIES OF 1939. Yeah. I watched that “movie.” Now you’re impressed.
I hate GIGI (1958) with every fiber of my being. If you have watched it all the way through, and don’t understand my hatred for it – don’t bother asking me for an explanation, because you’re not the sort of person I can be friends with, or even want to talk to.
My favorite decade of movies is the 1930s. Because of the black & white. Because of the glamor. And because duh, it’s the best. I also love silents from the ’20s; when I watched my first Buster Keaton movie (THE GENERAL (1926)), it opened a whole new world for me. Watching silent movies in the mornings while eating breakfast is one of my favorite pastimes.
Finally, if you ever hear (or see) me reference “that one movie, with the writer and all those people” – it is highly, highly likely that I’m talking about GOODBYE AGAIN (1933). Sure, I remember it now, but trust me – I won’t later.
IS IT INTERESTING 