Is this a fav film for a lot of people? - Harold and Maude (1971) Discussion

[–] franklindf 14 years ago

Yes, I've heard that a lot too, and frankly I'm not sure why. I like the film and I think it's great. But I just don't find Maude a very likable character and for me this destroys it because I can't really relate to the profound personal journey or whatever it is that people love about this film. I think it's very funny and a nice story, but I don't think it's riveting or profound- that part is simply not there for me, but admittedly a lot of people do seem to get fully swept up in it and think it's one of the best movies of all time.

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[–] sdckapr 14 years ago

but admittedly a lot of people do seem to get fully swept up in it and think it's one of the best movies of all time.

Don't mistake the notion of a personal favorite for the idea of a film being "one of the best movies of all time". Those are 2 distinct criterion. The "connection" with the film that I felt when I discovered it in the late 1970s, has faded as I have changed personally over time. But even then, when I used to watch the film on college campus once or twice a semester, I never considered a "one of the best movies of all time". But at the time it was my favorite, and is still one of my favorite films.

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[–] celtic_moon_spirit 14 years ago

It is defintitely my no.1 favourite film and I love loads and loads and LOADS of films. I'll leave out why it's my fav film because its tedious and long but lets just say it means so much to me that I even got "If you want to sing out, sing out." tattooed on my wrist.

"If you want to sing out, sing out and if you want to be free, be free."

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[–] franklindf 14 years ago

I am going to guess that you are 40 or older. I think there is a generational aspect to appreciating this film. It seems to resonate more with those whom saw the film closer to the time of its release, or else grew up with the film. I think the times and incumbent geo-political factors make for a greater appeal to the aforementioned demographics.

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[–] celtic_moon_spirit 14 years ago

Me? I am 19 and I saw this film for the first time about two years ago, it's message helped me see life in a new way.

"If you want to sing out, sing out and if you want to be free, be free."

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[–] ClassicFilmEra 14 years ago

I'll be 17 next month, and I am just like you 'celtic moon spirit' (except I don't have a tattoo, lol!).

"It's funny...God makes us mad if we work and go mad if we don't." -Bud Cort

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[–] celtic_moon_spirit 14 years ago

Hehe thats brilliant :) Glad I'm not the only young fan! It is a magical film, love your sig :P

"If you want to sing out, sing out and if you want to be free, be free."

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[–] weji 14 years ago

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is better...

WARNING: I'M SEXY!

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[–] franklindf 14 years ago

That's a very different movie. Saying it's better is comparing apples to oranges.

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[–] weji 14 years ago

Then you would know that oranges are better.

WARNING: I'M SEXY!

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[–] 14 years ago

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[–] suzycreamcheese1 12 years ago

well said. I agree.

RIP Heath Ledger 1979-2008

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[–] jaynekranc 14 years ago

Oh, God yes. I saw it over and over in the theatre until I had it memorized, bought the VHS and then the DVD. I still pull it out once in awhile, like today, although I've probably seen it a hundred times. Everyone was so perfectly cast and the music was just as perfect. It's a bit dated, with the draft thing and all, but it's still wonderful.

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[–] jane_lane66 14 years ago

This is probably my favorite movie......it's definitly in the upper part of my top ten. i first saw this movie about a year ago when i was seventeen and i just feel in love. everything in this movie is perfect, i love the dark humor and the soundtrack is amazing. but yeah, when people ask me what my favorite movie is, i usually say this :)

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[–] lunapooka 13 years ago

It's my favorite film, hands down. I'm 28. I first saw it when I was 15 in my high school art class. Watching it now still takes me back to that day and I still remember all the classroom discussion we had about it. I revisit this film at least once a year.

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[–] klules664 13 years ago

This is absolutely my favorite movie

"Oh Blanche? You know we got rats in the cellar"

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[–] SpideyFan914 13 years ago

I'm 19, first saw it about a year ago, have been trying to get my friends to see it once. (Almost did once, but we got kicked out of the basement.) Easily one of my all-time favorite movies, if not my number one spot. As a film major, this is the kind of movie I would not be able to tag my name to!

As a side-note, I know of another young fan of the film - a 22-year-old Emma Stone. On her IMDb page, she's listed it as one of her favorites (along with City Lights, Network, and Manhattan).

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[–] sabalon1 13 years ago

yep its one of my top 5 favorite. i have always joked that you get bonus points if you've actually heard any of them lol - though the last one is more recent so they get at least one right;)

harold and maude
local hero
creator
silence like glass
lost in translation

and they are the top five because the storyline reaches me on a more personal level. ask me to take out that element and i can list a whole different 5 based on overall skill

the godfather
star wars
michael collins
alien
animal house

if it wasn't for my horse, i wouldn't have spent that year in college

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[–] ELashes 12 years ago

I love Harold and Maude, Local Hero, and Lost in Translation too!

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[–] 12 years ago

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[–] sdckapr 11 years ago

i cant imagine a straight guy enjoying this film

I am a straight man and this is one of my favorite films of all time.

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[–] 11 years ago

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[–] sdckapr 11 years ago

so you can identify with the protagonist??

I identified a lot with Harold.

you could have sex with ruth gordon????

I don't understand your point. My identification with Harold as a film's protagonist would not make me fall in love with Maude.

It is especially confusing when you mention about gays and women liking it byut not straight men. Gay men would not be interested with having sex with her since she is a woman. Perhaps gay women. Where do you believe straight women see the film.

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[–] 11 years ago

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[–] sdckapr 11 years ago

gay men are not interested in sexual relationships with females so they are not going to put off with this 'romance' (males will though)

I am put off more by the typical Rom-Com than I was by this movie.

when you identify with a character it means you could have done what he 's done...

I disagree. When I identify I can understand why the character did what he/she did, I don't have to believe I could do what they did. I can identify with McClane in the "Die Hard" knowing I could not do what he did, nor want to. i can identify with Michael Corleone in the "Godfather" films and not be able to have people killed during my son's baptism, etc

thats why i asked if you could have this affair with maude

I don't love Maude in that way, I don't think I could love any film woman (or any woman for that matter) after knowing her for only 2 hours. I can understand how Harold would, especially since, for Harold, it was much more than 2 hours.

in real life it could NEVER happen (unless we are talking about insane people)

But it does happen. There are May-December marriages and romances. Most seem to be younger woman and older men, but the converse can happen as well. A 2003 survey by AARP http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/22/cougar-life_n_690366.html which indicated that 34 percent of 40-and-older women were dating younger men. I am sure there are other real cases out there, I think you will find it hard to prove a negative, that it could never happen. I doubt that you could prove that it has NEVER happened.

[Perhaps Guinness world records could indicate to you the largest age difference in a romance to prove your point...]

****************
There is an example of a 71 yr age difference (more than Harold and Maude) on the website at:
http://www.angelfire.com/stars4/lists/couples-age-differences.html

So that disproves your remark that "in real life it could NEVER happen". Age difference larger than Harold and Maude has happened in real life.

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[–] 11 years ago

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[–] sdckapr 11 years ago

you are obsessed with the movie so no reason to debate...

I don't know how you could even claim this based on our discussion, since nowhere have we even talked about the film or even its content. I have only corrected your inaccurate statement about real-life older women and younger men, corrected your misunderstanding and trying to expand your knowledge about what a straight man may or may not like in a film, and also to expand on what you seem to believe it means to identify with a film's protagonist. These are more general topics and not that related to the film's content.

if you dont wanna see a thing, you ll never see it

I suppose that credo of yours is true. You don't want to see the film for what it says or represents. You seem more to identify with the antagonists ("the establishment", by the views that you seem to be mirroring), instead of either protagonist. This is a very 1970's type of film which were often "anti-establishment", and if you are unable to identify with someone who is an individual and anti-authority, or anti-establishment, I can see why you have an issue with the views of the film.

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