Welcome back to the Video Store Podcast! Next week is Thanksgiving, a holiday many of us celebrate by spending time with our families… whether we want to or not. Can you believe my family banned me from bringing the mashed potatoes just because of the time I piled them up into the shape of a mountain and screamed “THIS MEANS SOMETHING” while serving them? My family has no sense of humor. Or appreciation for Close Encounters of the Third Kind.
On this week’s episode I decided to share a few family films… not necessarily films made for families, but ones that feature families. Sure, some of them are non-traditional family units, but as you all know, we can’t choose our families and sometimes we have to accept our relatives for who they are. Even if they’re chainsaw-wielding cannibals.
My first pick of the week is is the 1974 classic, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, featuring the Sawyer family. (If you’re looking for a conversation starter over Thanksgiving dinner, you can now tell your family you know Leatherface’s last name.) The legend of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is bigger than the film itself. It takes a while before our sacrificial teens get into trouble, and in full disclosure only one person gets killed by a chainsaw, which isn’t much of a massacre. The film is nowhere near as gory as people think and people have ripped the idea off hundreds of times in other films, but it’s always fun to go back and watch the source of so many horror movie tropers. Good for watching before or after Thanksgiving dinner, but probably not during.
Next is 1966’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, starring Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and George Segal. Stylistically, this film always reminded me of 12 Angry Men. Both films (both of which were based on plays) have the ability through dialog to take you on an emotional ride. Both films made strong impressions in me. In Virginia Woolf, George and Martha (Burton and Taylor) invite a younger couple over for drinks after a dinner party. As the alcohol continues to flow, pointed barbs turn to nasty cuts as the couple weaponize their guests against one another. It’s a masterclass in acting and you’ll have to play close attention to fully understand everyone’s motivations and, ultimately, the ending. Woolf is a tragic and powerful film that remains only one of two films to ever be nominated for every Academy Award category it was eligible for.
My third recommendation this week is 1985’s The Stuff. The Stuff is a delicious and addictive treat that may also be alive and turning people into mindless zombies. After The Stuff ravages the ice cream industry, a former FBI agent nicknamed Mo is hired to figure out what The Stuff is and who is marketing it. Meanwhile, a boy named Jason has discovered the dark side of The Stuff and fights with his family who demand he joins them. Before long Mo and Jason along with ice cream mogul Chocolate Chip Charlie team up to take on The Stuff. Remember, “Enough is never enough!” The Stuff is a little horror and a little comedy with a whole lot of thinly disguised social commentary sprinkled on top. Fun 80s schlock that might have you double-checking the whipped cream on top of your pumpkin pie.
Lastly we have Labyrinth, released in 1986. One of Jim Henson’s greatest film achievements, Labyrinth tells the story of Sarah, a girl who wishes the Goblin King would take away her young brother Toby… and immediately regrets it. Sarah must work her way through Jareth’s labyrinth, with both help and detours presented by its inhabitants. Despite occasionally getting annoyed with our family, there’s no stronger bond. While there’s a good chance you’ve seen Labyrinth, I’m worried that maybe your kids, nieces or nephews, or grandkids haven’t. This is a great film that deserves to be shared with the next generation.
Thanks as always for stopping by the Video Store Podcast. We’ll be closed on Thanksgiving which means you’ll get an extas day’s rental for free on any tapes rented this week. Don’t forget to rewind your tapes before returning them, and be sure to pick up your complimentary cup of The Stuff from our snack bar on the way out. Enough is never enough!
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