The Weigh in 76

This week in my world...

From large orchestras with massive fanfare and sweeping crescendos to the repeating beat of a cello or synthesizer, Hollywood has managed to imbed some of the greatest moments in its history and move us to emotion with just a few notes. Whether these songs bring a smile to our face, give us courage, or just plain scare the crap out of us, they are universal to anyone that watches movies. This week I wanted to acknowledge some of the most recognizable film themes in history; ending the list with my personal top ten.

	10. Psycho Theme Bernard Herrmann’s frenetic score mimicked the sweat and pressure of a man cracking under the pressure of well, being pretty damned crazy, even while he appeared calm and methodical on film.		9. Back To The Future A film embraced by a generation that spawned two sequels with a score immediately recognizable by anyone between the ages of 20 and 40.
	8. James Bond Theme The theme song for 21 James Bond films (and counting). Famous not only for its longevity but also for its timelessness.		7. The Exorcist (1973) A beautiful piece of music turned into one of the creepiest themes ever created.
	6. Jaws Starting with two cello notes, faster and faster, a wonderfully terrifying piece of music that will have you taking a step back before stepping into the water, even if it is a bathtub.		5. Indiana Jones Recognizable by almost anyone that has ever watched a movie. Thanks to this piece of music everyone knows about the man with the faded fedora and whip.
	4. Superman Almost synonymous with the Man of Steel himself, probably the perfect piece of music to accompany the greatest superhero movie ever made.		3. Rocky The theme starts and the word Rocky scrolls across the screen. The greatest theme to the greatest underdog film of all time is like a shot of liquid courage.
	2. Star Wars With the opening theme, you can visualize the scrolling space scene leading into one of the greatest science fiction films of all time. So good, 20th Century Fox uses it to open all of their films.		1. The Godfather One of the most memorable themes opens on a black screen to the words “I believe in America. America has made my fortune.” A perfect opening for what is arguably the perfect American film.

All the news that is fit to forget (real news, not so real commentary):

It's official, the Superman franchise will get a sequel. Many in the industry were worried that with lower than expected box office numbers, the much anticipated sequel would be abandoned. Warner Brothers was concerned about the money making potential of the 60 year old franchise. Meanwhile, after the success of initial its weekend, Lionsgate has announced plans to produce Saw 4-13 over the next ten years.


This weekend at your local multiplex (11/03/2006)

The Santa Claus 3-The Escape Clause: Comedy
Tim Allen, Martin Short, Judge Reinhold, Eric Lloyd, Spencer Breslin
Plot: Jack Frost tries to ruin Christmas and Santa Clause must band together with his elves to save the holiday season.
Buzz: Tim Allen and Martin short together in a movie? Pinch me I must be in heaven. Oh wait, I mean the end of the world is near and California is about to fall into the ocean, and unless they quit making crap like this and actually make good movies, no one will really care one way or the other.

Flushed Away: Animated Comedy
(voices): Kate Winslet, Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen, Andy Serkis, Bill Nighy, Simon Callow, Shane Richie
Plot: An uppercrust rat is living the life of luxury until a rat from the sewers threatens to ruin his life. In an attempt to get rid of the rat, the uppercrust rat gets sucked down the drain into the sewer and has to make his way back.
Buzz: From Dreamworks and the makers of Wallace and Gromit, this film has a built in audience. Although his is not a claymation film, maybe some of that Aardman magic will rub off onto this film.

Borat: Comedy
Sacha Baron Cohen
Plot: Borat Sagdiyev is a newscaster from Kasakhstan who has been asked to go to America and bring back part of its culture to help bring the country into the 21st century. On the road, he learns about Pamela Anderson and other quirky bits of Americana.
Buzz: (see review)


This weekend on DVD
 
(10/30/2006)
Mission Impossible 3
Baywatch collection 1 and 2

(10/31/2006)
It’s a Wonderful Life (se)
CSI: Miami (season 4)
Keeping Up With the Steins
The Ghost Whisperer (season 1)
The Kids in the Hall (season 5)
Tales from the Crypt (season 5)
Speed Racer (vol 5)
The Hitchhiker (vol 3)
The Super Mario Brother’s Super Show (vol 2)
The Tarzan Show
The Martin and Lewis collection (vol 1)

As always, you can send me you loving adoration or death threats to DPlace76@yahoo.com. You can read random musings and innermost thoughts at http://bigdpimpin.livejournal.com/. Also, come by and learn about the comings and goings of the Stumblebum crew at www.myspace.com/stumblebumstudios. We could all use a few more friends.