Last night, I watched a movie on the American Movie Classic channel. When one thinks of American Classics, one might picture Casablanca, The Grapes of Wrath, or It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. I did not watch any of these flicks. I watched Happy Gilmore.
I really had to think of this one. Does Happy Gilmore deserve the moniker of Classic? So I went through my mind and thought of what makes a classic and tried to see if Happy Gilmore stacks up.
1. A classic has strong identifiable characters. Casablanca had Rick; a strong male figure if ever there was one. Happy tried to stab a guy with his skate now that is manly as it comes.
2. A classic has a provoking central theme. The Grapes of Wrath showed the struggle of the common man against a hostile and sometimes cruel world and taught that no matter what nothing can destoy the dreams of the common man. Happy taught us that if we just find our happy place then we can do anything.
3. For a comedy to be a classic it has to hold it's humor over a test of time. The non-stop zaniness of It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World is still as funny to me as the first time that I saw it. Will Happy whacking a housewife off the balcony of her home from 400 yards away ever lose it's power to make a person laugh? I really don't think so.
So I suppose that Happy Gilmore does deserve to be a classic. Now Waterboy, the jury is still out on that one. After all Foosball is the debil.
20 comments:
Happy Gilmore on AMC? That's just all kinds of wrong.
OK, here's where you and I go our different ways, Fuzz. I've never thought Sandler was funny, even when he was on SNL.
Casablanca....sigh...
lisa: It really doesn't seem that old of a flick to be called a classic.
bruce: Different strokes as they say.
paige: Me too.
vic: Here's looking at you, kid.
Happy Gilmore is definitely NOT a classic. It's a funny movie, however.
"Price is wrong, bitch!"
Now THAT part is classic.
I had to switch to the full page comments instead of the pop up window. I prefer the pop up window but I noticed that it was starting to do the same bullshit as when I try to comment to a few other blogs such as phred's, pixies, and cz's that when I press comment the screen blinks and nothing else. Fucking Blogger bullshit.
I have tried to watch Casablanca twice and fallen asleep both times. Same with Gone with the wind.
I wouldnt think of Happy Gilmore as a classic, but thats just it, they dont make classics anymore.. Movies are nothing like they used to be. They dont make love anymore...they just f@@k. I liked all the romance...it was like foreplay. And plots are weaker too. The stars were more regal...and ladies acted like ladies, no matter how sexy they looked..now they all pose nude in Playboy with their hands in their crotches. I guess the mystery is gone in everything. I liked the mystery!
not a big fan of sandler, but in happy gilmore he cracks me up every time i watch it...which is regularly..not too sure about it being a classic just yet, but time will fix that..glad you changed the comments screen...i had so many vanish into the void i just about gave up..i always seem to have trouble with blogger, but then that could be an ie issue too becasue it's crap as well....
I agree with Phoenix, it has classic moments, but is not an overall classic.
Sorry Fuzz my man, but no way can I see Happy Gilmore as a classic. Sandler is marginally funny at best - but there isn't any movie he's ever made that belongs on a classic movie channel.
He is amusing but I think he's a better dramatic actor than comedian.
WC
I guess they were running out of classics, and had to ''create'' some new ones. ????
Still, Happy was a phunny movie..
A night with a classic? How about "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure?"
-- david
phoenix: One of the blurbs in the presentation stated that Barker agreed to be in the flick when he found out that he would win the fight. Phunny stuff.
mark: I was never able to get through Gone with the Wind either.
catch: The stars may not be regal but they are damn sure shoved in our face enough. BTW, it is perfectly acceptable to type out the word fuck around here.
anonymum: I think that Happy is Sandler's best as well.
mike: Don't you want any breakfast?
mimi: The look on Bobs face as he gives Happy the final kick and calls him a bitch is priceless.
wc: I never know how to take his serious roles. He just kinda freaks me out when he tries to be serious.
phred: Zactly.
david: Now that's a classic!!!
This is one of my favorite movies of ALL time....
I'm usually bored by the "traditional" classics...so I buy your argument on this one. :-)
I vote NO, not just NO, but HELL NO!
I'm not a big fan of Sandler movies but if i had to pick one that sucked the least it would be Happy Gilmore.
I have to agree with Amulet Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure is definitely a classic.
Post a Comment