Anniversary Alert! It’s Yesterday Once More: Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of “Groundhog Day!”

By Michael Lyons

“What if there is no tomorrow?!?  There wasn’t one today!”

This line of dialogue from 1993’s “Groundhog Day” is not only witty, it’s the movie’s theme in one of film’s most original comedies.

Hard to believe that it’s been 25 years since “Groundhog Day” debuted in theaters.  This anniversary, coupled with the fact that Punxsutawney Phil is about to emerge this week in Pennsylvania, to hold our extended winter or early Spring in his little paws, it seems the perfect time to celebrate director Harold Ramis’ comedy masterpiece.

Anyone even remotely familiar with movie, comedy or even groundhogs knows the story by now.  Bill Murray plays dour, cynical weatherman Phil Connors, who is sent to  Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania to cover the annual ritual reveal of groundhog Phil and the prediction for our upcoming weather.

A snow storm traps Phil Connors in the small town and, for absolutely no reason whatsoever, he finds himself re-living the same day, Groundhog Day, over and over and over and over again...until he realizes just how to make the day, and himself, better.

More than just a gimmick, “Groundhog Day” is one of the most reflective and philosophical comedies ever made.  If life is an endless boring replay of the same places and faces, how do we find our own inner peace and joy in that?

Bill Murray is at his most, well, Bill Murray as Phil.  No other comedic actor could have pulled off the smart aleck attitude, slow burns and eventual explosions as he does.  His performance here is a brilliant blend of the comic and the tragic. 

Director Ramis was given a most difficult task within “Groundhog Day.”  The film is a marvel of continuity, as the same scenes from each day are played out again and again with different reactions and scenarios.

All of it to hilarious comedic effect, as audiences are in on the joke, knowing how the scene should play out and waiting to see how it changes during one of the repeated days (It’s still easy to chuckle as the alarm clock changes to 6:00 am and “I’ve Got You Babe” begins to play).

Within these days, we get to meet the solid, supporting cast, including Andie MacDowell, bringing heart to what could have been a thankless role, filled with nothing but straight lines.  There’s also the always hysterical character actor Stephen Tobolowksy, as a long lost friend of Phil’s, that he meets over and over again to hysterical effect.

The real wonder of “Groundhog Day” is the script, written by Ramis and Danny Rubin, who came up with the story.  Deep at the core of the film is the unspoken theme to make the most of each day, no matter how mundane or repetitive it may seem.  Like Phil Connors in the film, who pulls himself out of a very dark place to make the most of the small marvels in the small town around him, each of us can find the beauty in each new day.

Released on February 12, 1993, “Groundhog Day” is that rare film that’s become part of our pop culture and our lexicon.  If someone says, “I felt like I was stuck in Groundhog Day,” we know exactly what they mean.

Few movies have done that.  Two and half decades later, it’s safe to say that if there really is no tomorrow, “Groundhog Day” would be the perfect movie to watch...over and over and over and over again!

Sources: Wikipedia

Read All About It: Movies about the Newspaper Business

By Michael Lyons

In Steven Spielberg’s most recent film, “The Post,” (nominated for Best Picture and Best Actress Oscars this week) there’s a scene which includes quick shots of fingers tapping on typewriter keys, typeset moving, a printing press and rolls of newspapers unfurling out of the presses.

The scene is one of the excellent film’s many important messages:  informing audiences of the work, the toil, the blood, sweat and ink that goes into a newspaper bringing us the news of the world.

Times change.  Today, with many holding the news of the world on the smart phones in their hand, newspapers have joined a long list of many mainstays of our world that are watching the sun set on their industry.

“The Post,” which stars Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks, brilliantly relays the true story of how “The Washington Post” reported on “The Pentagon Papers” in 1971, exposing a cover-up in our government around the Vietnam War.

Additionally, Spielberg’s film also, and quite brilliantly, provides a look behind the scenes of the now fading newspaper world.  With “The Post” regenerating interest in the importance of newspapers and newspaper journalism, it seems the perfect time to look back at other films that centered on the world of front page headlines.

Here are some other memorable movies about the newspaper business:

“His Girl Friday” (1940)

Director Howard Hawk’s screwball comedy tells the tale of a reporter (Rosalind Russell), who is trying to leave the newspaper life behind to get married.  She must break the news to her editor (Cary Grant), who is also her ex and doesn’t want her to get married, so he tempts her with something no reporter can resist: the chance to cover the latest, greatest and biggest story to come along.

Hawks snappy dialogue and rat-a-tat style not only set the standard for the screwball comedy genre(and it WAS a genre in the ‘40’s), but it’s also a remake of one of the greatest newspaper stories ever: “The Front Page.”  The Broadway play, written by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur had already been brought to the screen in 1931 and would be again in 1974 (starring Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau) and then again in 1988 as “Switching Channels”(with Burt Reynolds and Kathleen Turner, where the setting was relocated to Cable news).

It’s “His Girl Friday,” however that set the gold standard for the story, by changing the gender of one of the characters and adding an element of romance to the proceedings.  Comedies don’t get more classic than this.

“All the President’s Men” (1976)

No conversation of “newspaper movies” would be complete without this film, which can now almost be considered a sequel to “The Post.”  Directed by Alan J. Pakula with a gritty realism that came alive in the ‘70’s, the film re-tells a tale that was still fresh and stinging at the time, as it relays the story of how “Washington Post” reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein uncovered the Watergate scandal that ended the presidency of Richard Nixon.

In “All the President’s Men,” we are given a glimpse into the world of rolled up sleeve and loose tie newspaper journalism, while watching a gripping thriller, made all the more watchable by the fact that it actually happened.  One of the ‘70’s many “paranoia movies” that questioned all that many had faith in, “All the President’s Men” is a groundbreaking masterpiece.

“The Paper” (1994)

Ron Howard does what he does best here, directing an ensemble cast and getting the best out of everyone: Michael Keaton, Marisa Tomei, Glenn Close, Randy Quaid and Robert Duvall.  

“The Paper,” tracks a day in the life of the fictional Manhattan tabloid newspaper, “The New York Sun,” as its staff finds itself on the precipice of breaking a major story that could clear the names of two young men who are accused of a serious crime.

Keaton is at his manic best as the driven editor; Glen Close, is all clenched frustration as the managing editor who goes toe-to-toe with him; Robert Duvall, is quiet wisdom as the editor-in-chief.  They are just some of the film’s great performances.  Funny, thrilling and timely, “The Paper” is one of the most underrated films of the ‘90’s.

“State of Play” (2009)

This movie is not just underrated, it’s all but forgotten, which is a true shame.  In it, Russell Crowe plays an investigative journalist, who is looking into the mysterious death of a young woman, who had an affair with a prominent Congressman, played by Ben Affleck.

Also starring Hellen Mirren, Rachel McAdams and Jason Bateman, “State of Play” not only works as an effective mystery, but because it was made within the past decade, it’s sub plot involves the slow moving, sad demise of newspapers, while celebrating the importance of courageous journalism.  This not only makes the film timely, but extremely important, as well.

“Spotlight” (2015)

A surprise winner of the Academy Award for Best Picture (and deservedly so), “Spotlight” tells another real-life story, this one involves a team of investigative journalists who write the “Spotlight” section of “The Boston Globe” and their work that brought to light a child sex abuse scandal involving Roman Catholic priests.

A solid ensemble cast that includes Michael Keaton and Rachel McAdams (again), as well as Mark Ruffalo, Liev Schreiber, Stanley Tucci and John Slattery.  “Spotlight” is not just an extremely gripping newspaper mystery, but a shocking, heartbreaking drama that stays with you long after you see it.

Toward the end of “The Post,” Meryl Streep’s character, Katherine Graham calls the news “a rough draft of history.”

These are just some films that celebrate all that newspapers do, every day, to bring that “rough draft” to us all.

Sources: IMDb 

Wikipedia 

“Zone” in: A “Twilight Zone” Trilogy

By Michael Lyons

There are few TV shows that are truly timeless.  Few that involve themes and messages that are scarily more relevant today, then they were when they debuted.  Few that become even more dramatic and compelling as time goes on.

“The Twilight Zone” is all of these.  Host, creator and writer Rod Serling’s anthology series that cloaked comments on society and humanity in the guise of science fiction, fantasy and horror still stands as one of the most original and creative TV shows ever to grace the small screen.

If you’ve never ventured into the “Zone,” or its been a while since you have, here is a “Twilight Zone” Trilogy that can serve as a primer for new or returning viewers.

“The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street.”   Originally aired March 4, 1960

It’s summer time in suburbia and for the residents of Maple Street, a day like any other, until a shadow crosses the sky, accompanied by a flash and a strange sound.  This is followed by a power outage, that impacts not just electricity, but cars and phones as well.

As the neighbors gather to determine what is happening, a young boy starts comparing what’s going on in the neighborhood to stories of an alien invasion that he has read about.  Soon, rational thought starts shifting to a mindset in which each neighbor not only believes that the power outage was caused by aliens, but that, possibly, any of them may be an alien in disguise.

Paranoia soon spreads like wildfire, as violence erupts with neighbor against neighbor, culminating in the standard “Twilight Zone” twist ending.  Starring veteran character actors Claude Akins and Jack Weston, this episode not only creates a viscerally compelling half hour, but one with a powerful message, as Serling sums up in the episodes conclusion:

“The tools of conquest do not necessarily come with bombs and explosions and fallout. There are weapons that are simply thoughts, attitudes, prejudices– to be found only in the minds of men. For the record, prejudices can kill– and suspicion can destroy– and a thoughtless frightened search for a scapegoat has a fallout all of its own– for the children– and the children yet unborn. And the pity of it is– that these things cannot be confined... to the Twilight Zone.”

“The Eye of the Beholder.”  Originally aired November 11, 1960

This episode is one of TV’s most original half hours, both in its execution and conclusion.  Using unique camera angles, “Eye” tells the story of a patient named Janet Tyler, who is in a hospital for her eleventh plastic surgery.  The surgery is to repair her face that is, as one doctor describes, a “pitiful, twisted lump of flesh.”

Eager to see if the surgery was a success, Janet asks the doctor and nurses to remove the bandages early.  They agree, removing the dressing, only to find that the surgery has once again failed...but what follows is another of “The Twilight Zone’s” trademark twist endings (and one of the series’ most famous).

This time, the twist ending is not just surprising, its poignant, as this episode, beautifully written by Serling and directed by TV veteran Douglas Hayes, utilizes the conclusion to comment on our appearance-obsessed world.

“Time Enough at Last.”  Originally aired November 20, 1959

In this gripping “What if?” Episode of “The Twilight Zone,” Burgess Meredith stars as Henry Bemis, a mild mannered bank teller who is also a voracious bookworm.  His real escape in life is reading.  In fact, he takes his lunch break in the quietest place in the bank, the vault, where he can quietly get lost in a book.

On this particular day, while reading in the vault, a nuclear bomb is detonated outside, knocking Henry unconscious.  He emerges later to find himself in a now ruined world.  Being in the vault saved his life.

Lost in despair and at his wits end, now realizing he is the last man on Earth, Henry soon finds hope in the ruins of a local library.  Here, he comes across enough books to fill several lifetimes worth of reading.  Henry is stacking the books up and planning his days ahead when an accident with tragic consequences happens.

One of the more heartbreaking episodes of “The Twilight Zone” (which was actually mentioned by Albert Brooks in the opening prologue of 1983’s “Twilight Zone: The Movie”), “Time Enough at Last” was not only a comment on the dangers of a solitary life, it also forces the viewer to ask the age old “What would I do?’  Question.

And so, as Mr. Serling himself would have said:

“Submitted for your approval, these three episodes from a TV series, the likes of which haven’t been seen since.  Three episodes that are proof positive as to how this show remains part of our lexicon and our pop culture consciousness.  Three episodes of a show that dared to test the boundaries of television in its earliest days.

A warning though to all reading this, watching these episodes, like all in this series, could cause a serious addiction to...

...”The Twilight Zone.”

Sources:  “Dimensions Behind The Twilight Zone: A Backstage Tribute to Televisions’ Groundbreaking Series” by Stewart T. Standard 

IMDb

Wikipedia

Anniversary Alert! Still The “Man”: Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of “Superman: The Movie!”

By Michael Lyons

Those who remember venturing to movie theaters in 1978 to see “Superman: The Movie” have earned the right to act like the proverbial “old man,” rocking on the chair on the front porch and waxing nostalgically: “In my day, there were no ‘Avengers’ or ‘Justice League!’”  We didn’t have a new super hero movie every six months!  We had ONE supper hero movie and we were happy to have it!”

And...that’s not an exaggeration.  That one super hero movie was “Superman: The Movie.”  Released on December 15, 1978, it was the first time that a prominent comic book super hero had been in the spotlight since Adam West’s campy “Pow” take on “Batman” in that popular TV series from the previous decade.

However, “Superman: The Movie” would be different: big budget, serious and epic.  In our current movie culture where super hero films are so common place that they’ve become a genre unto themselves, “Superman” still flies high above the rest.  With this year marking the film’s 40th anniversary, it seems the perfect time to reflect back on how this version of the man in the red cape led the way for all of the super hero goodness we enjoy today.

“Superman: The Movie,” tells a tale that’s become almost commonplace today and one that it helped create: that of an “origin story.”  We learn how Superman came to be.  On his home planet, Krypton, he is jettisoned aboard an escape vessel by his father Jor-El (played by none other than Marlon Brando, setting a then-record for the highest price paid for an extended cameo).

We follow Superman to Earth, his teenage years in Smallville and his later life, dealing with the dual personality of reporter Clark Kent at the Daily Planet newspaper.  Here, Superman finds himself saving big city Metropolis, and the world, from the villain, Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman, having the time of his life).

Taking a page from the blockbuster disaster movies that preceded it, “Superman: The Movie” is a march of ‘70’s all-star actors, each one bringing their A game.  In addition to Brando and Hackman, veteran Glenn Ford is so homespun and wise as Pa Kent, Superman’s Earth father; Ned Beatty, dim-witted and hilarious as Luthor, Lex’s sidekick; Jackie Cooper, gruff and barking as Daily Planet editor Perry White and Valerie Petrine, very likable as the Lex Luthor’s conflicted femme fatale (“Miss Tessmacheeeerrrrr!!!”).

Rounding out the cast, in two prime roles, were Margot Kidder, as reporter Lois Lane, redefining this iconic character, as an independent, work-driven, metropolitan woman.  Kidder accomplishes something unique, balancing both strong and vulnerable, as she strives to get the story on Superman, while falling for him.

Then there’s Christopher Reeve in the title role.  An unknown prior to “Superman: The Movie’ (he received billing after Brando and Hackman AND after the title), Reeve became this super hero for an entire generation...and beyond.  Not just satisfied with playing the role as a stiff, strong man, Reeve brought humor and emotion (his anguish after the earthquake sequence is still amazing to watch) to this role that’s not been seen since.  Reeve became immediately associated with Superman for his entire career after this and with good reason, the actor imbued the icon with his heart and humanity.

Pulling “Superman: The Movie” together was director Richard Donner, who would go on to a string of hits in the ‘80’s with “The Goonies” and the “Lethal Weapon” movies.  Here, Donner works on a large-scale and orchestrates everything perfectly, from impressive action sequences (Superman’s first major appearance saving Lois from a helicopter crash is perfectly choreographed) to quieter, character moments (young Clark struggling to understand why he couldn’t use his powers to save a life is very touching).

Additionally, the film’s use of special effects still astound.  Well in advance of our computer generated age where nothing is impossible, “Superman: The Movie” was made at a time when a character flying meant wires and clunky movements.  This film changed all that, using every available, hand crafted trick in the book to create a visceral feeling of flight and speed in the film.  

Much with the character has followed in the four decades since “Superman: The Movie” was released.  There were three sequels in the eighties, two TV series in the ‘90’s, an attempt at a reboot in 2006 and, of course, the recent re-vitilizatoon of the DC Universe on film.

This non-stop wealth of movie riches from both DC and Marvel owes so much to the blockbuster that soared into theaters almost forty years ago.  As the tag line for “Superman:The Movie” stated: “You’ll Believe a Man Can Fly.”  Indeed we did...and still do!

Sources: IMDb

Wikipedia

January Jokers: Binge-Watching TV’s Classic Sitcom Episodes

By Michael Lyons

January, the Christmas Tree and decorations are back in solitary confinement for another year, the credit card bills are littering your mailbox and the news just reported that the temperature in your hometown is the same as Anchorage, Alaska.

What a great time to stay inside and warm yourself by the glow of your television, watching episode after episode of an entire TV series.  While you put together your watchlist, alongside the latest Netflix offering, or that network series from two seasons ago that’s still taking up space on your DVR, consider these classic episodes of some of television’s most classic sitcoms.

So get out the “Retro remote control” and get ready to watch some TV from a time when binge watching meant that you went to the kitchen for a snack while the commercial was on!

“The Honeymooners”: “TV or Not TV’” Originally aired October 1, 1957

This, the first of the episodes that are now dubbed “The Classic 39” is, without a doubt, one of the funniest of the Brooklyn misadventures of the Kramdens and Nortons.  In the episode, Ralph and Ed decide to finally invest in the “luxury” of a new television set and “share it,” with Ralph keeping the set in his apartment and Ed reserving the right to come by anytime and watch it.

The episode is filled with all of the staples that made “The Honeymooners” so memorable (Gleason’s “Get Out!” Explosions toward Carney are magnificent). There’s good reason Jackie Gleason spun “The Honeymooners” off from a recurring skit on his variety show to a show of their own.  This episode is what the Golden Age of Television is all about - filled with great comic timing and audience pleasing laughs.

The episode is also a perfect capsule of the time, when gathering around the TV was indeed, not just a luxury, but a communal, shared experience of entertainment.

“I Love Lucy”:  “Lucy and Superman.”  Originally aired January 4, 1957

One of the best examples of the hysterical predicaments Lucy would get herself into (and would later have some “‘splaining” to do).  In this episode, Lucy tries to make little  Ricky’s birthday party a hit by attempting to get George Reeves (at the time, TV’s Superman) to come and make an appearance.

When he can’t, Lucy attempts to play Superman herself (complete with a makeshift costume, boxer shorts and a football helmet!).  No spoilers here, but the results are classic “I Love Lucy.” 

An early example of a Guest star (Reeves), playing himself, something that would become a staple of sitcoms for decades after.  Watching two popular shows of the time collide is, like the aforementioned “Honeymooners” episode, another glimpse back in time at just how much TV was becoming part of our popular culture.

“The Dick Van Dyke Show”:  “It May Look Like a Walnut”. Originally aired February 6, 1963

Rob and Laura Petrie (Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore, who else?!?) are watching a scary science fiction movie before heading off to bed one night.  When Rob awakes the next morning, he finds that the events of the movie have come to life - an alien named Twilo (Danny Thomas) is using walnuts to take over Earth.

Is he dreaming?  Is this real?...there were several more seasons of the “Dick Van Dyke Show” and Earth survived, so you can only guess the answer from there.

What audiences are left with in this episode is a sharply written (by series creator Carl Reiner), bizarre and darkly funny show that skewered a paranoid society and science fiction movies.  All elements are in top form.  The ending sequence, involving a closet full of walnuts, has become a “Dick Van Dyke Show” classic moment.

“The Odd Couple”:  “Password.”  Originally aired December 1, 1972

Another “Guest Star” episode (and a bit of a “crossover” episode too) that provides another glimpse into TV of another time is also one of “The Odd Couple’s” funniest episodes.

New York’s most mis-matched room mates, the slovenly sports writer Oscar (Jack Klugman) and fastidious photographer Felix (Tony Randall) find themselves contestants on the then popular game show “Password.”

Felix’s cultured thinking clashes, as always, with Oscar’s common sense, for some hysterical responses while on the game show (“Aristophanes is ridiculous!”).  Then real-life wife and husband Betty White and Allen Ludden (the host of “Password”) guest star as themselves and both demonstrate impeccable comic timing.

The late, great Jack Klugman has called “Password” his all-time favorite “Odd Couple” episode and it’s easy to see why.  It’s one of those rare TV moments that gets funnier with each viewing and reveals why “The Odd Couple” remains one of the TV’s most woefully underrated sitcoms. 

“The Mary Tyler Moore Show”:  “Chuckles Bites the Dust.”  Originally aired October 25, 1975

Mary and the rest of the crew at TV station WJM receive news that the station’s own Chuckles the Clown has met with an untimely death.  They learn that while serving as the Grand Marshall in a parade, Chuckles, dressed like a peanut, is accidentally “shelled” to death by an elephant.

Mary is appalled when everyone around the news room cracks jokes and take this lightly...then, at Chuckles funeral, Mary suddenly appreciates the humor in the situation, at the most inappropriate - and hysterical - time.

Written by award winning veterans James Brooks, Allan Burns and David Lloyd, “Chuckles” consistently comes up during conversations centering on the greatest sitcom episodes ever and for good reason.  This is as giddy and dark as TV humor gets.  It’s more than appropriate that the word “chuckles” is in the title!

“Cheers,”:  “Bar Wars.”  Originally aired March 31, 1988

The rivalry between the Boston Bar “Where everybody knows your name” and Gary’s Old Towne Tavern was often the subject of “B plots” in many episodes, but in this one, it takes center stage.

The two bars’ extensive practical jokes keep both the characters and viewers guessing throughout and a guest appearance by famed Red Sox player Wade Boggs cements the show in a nice, Boston back drop.

What’s nice about this episode is, at this point, “Cheers” had been on since 1983 and had experienced a pretty significant change-out in cast (Kirstie Alley for Shelly Long), but the caliber of this episode shows that the sitcom was able work through these changes solidly (some would say even stronger) and remain one of the greatest shows of the ‘80’s.

If you’ve never watched any of these shows, or vaguely watched them, these episodes may just turn you into a fan.  Start binge watching them all now and before you know it, Spring will be here!

Sources: IMDb

Wikipedia