"Say Anything" is not a flick that I would watch every night, but Lloyd Dobler is a great 80's character. He had such a uniqueness about him that was quite refreshing.
In my opinion, it took incredible courage to take a chance and contact Diane Court that appeared to be out of his league. In reality, Diane Court never really was out of Lloyd Dobler's so-called reach, but high school is a strange world where the stuff that matters later in life is not a priority just yet. Just go to any high school reunion twenty years later and you will quickly recognize that fact has come to fruition.
I really enjoyed the party scenes where Lloyd is the ultimate 'Key Master'. The scenes where Lloyd let Diane mingle at the party, but was always close by to check on her to make sure she is doing okay is awesome. Also, at graduation where Lloyd does the ingenius "take a picture of me with Diane Court though she doesn't know who I am" is another great moment.
Awww... look at this guy!
But if you want to get to the real message of the movie all you need to do is visit Lloyd's buddies at the Gas 'N Sip:
"Man, all you gotta do is find a girl that looks just like her, nail her and then dump her, Man. Get her out of your mind."
"Your only mistake is that you didn't dump her first. Diane Court is a show pony. You need a stallion, my friend. Walk with us and you walk tall."
ok, that was a mistake!
How about this:
"Nobody thinks it will work, do they?.....No....but, you just described every great success story."
I don't know about all of you, but I'm always looking for my next dare to be great situation!
[ 19. May 2010, 16:19: Message edited by: Valley ]
Posted by TKO (Member # 1471) on :
Ah.. "I gave her my heart, she gave me a pen" snif...
Great movie (when you're in the mood for it) and probably the last 80's flick I saw on the big screen. John Cusack was his brilliant self as usual, Ione Skye beyond beautiful and Eric Stoltz never looked any cooler. But God... Diane's father was so annoying.
quote:Originally posted by Valley: Also, at graduation where Lloyd does the ingenius "take a picture of me with Diane Court though she doesn't know who I am" is another great moment.
THAT scene was more memorable to me than the boombox scene. Too funny!
Are there any extra's on this release Valley?
Posted by Veronica Sawyer (Member # 2221) on :
I used to baby-sit when I was in high school, and the parents I sat for recommended this movie to me, so I bought it on VHS and watched it with my BF at the time and we both loved it right away. I really love the interaction between John and Joan Cusack in this ("How hard is it to decide to be in a good mood, and just be in a good mood?" "Gee, it's easy"). The party scene is great too, with Lily Taylor's songs, ("that will never be me, NO!").
I always liked Ione Skye's perfomance in this too. She kinda reminded me of Jennifer Connelly in some ways. I love her dictionary with the words circled, and her speech at the graduation.
This movie made me a big fan of Cameron Crowe and I have come to love all of his movies, but this one is my favorite (Almost Famous is a close second).
Posted by Muffy Tepperman (Member # 1551) on :
Always will be one of my ultimate favorites movies with one of my ultimate favorite characters! Lloyd Dobler
he's sweet, genuine, and funny all in one.
Lolyd beats Jake Ryan any day for me......"I gave her my heart she gave me a pen" one of my favorite lines.
Nothing beats the car scene though.....They had a great chemistry and it shows in every scene and just makes you fall for Lloyd more and more.
Posted by logan5 (Member # 1467) on :
I was never entirely convinced that Diane Court would have given Lloyd Dobler a pen. But that's a minor quibble. Also, I never liked 'In Your Eyes'.
There I've said it.
Posted by Veronica Sawyer (Member # 2221) on :
Logan, I never liked the song that much either, but after I saw the movie I gained an appreciation for it Posted by Muffy Tepperman (Member # 1551) on :
quote:Originally posted by logan5: I was never entirely convinced that Diane Court would have given Lloyd Dobler a pen. But that's a minor quibble. Also, I never liked 'In Your Eyes'.
There I've said it.
Logan logan logan....I have to just walk quietly away on this one....shaking my head in disbelief...
I felt their hearts in the first backseat car scene and then again in the hurtful front seat pen scene....Diane was on the nerdy side and she was new to love...I totally see the pen thing as her nervousness to solve a problem that she was so confused about.
I too love Crowe but honestly Veronica I hated Almost Famous.
Posted by Veronica Sawyer (Member # 2221) on :
Really? You're not the only one, my brother hates it too Posted by Kash (Member # 297) on :
Good movie, best line...
"I don't want to sell anything, buy anything, or process anything as a career. I don't want to sell anything bought or processed, or buy anything sold or processed, or process anything sold, bought, or processed, or repair anything sold, bought, or processed. You know, as a career, I don't want to do that."
Every time Valley does one of these posts, for a second I always think I've missed some big DVD release news, alas they are but hopeful musings!
Almost Famous was hilarious IMO (the untitled director's cut was pure self-indulgence--playing the entire Led Zep song? Come on now). Almost every Cameron Crowe film has some great dialogue and music.
Posted by logan5 (Member # 1467) on :
quote:Logan, I never liked the song that much either, but after I saw the movie I gained an appreciation for it
Good scene, tepid song. Maybe it's Gabriel's voice? He doesn't have a 'declaration of love' type voice. Hmm... nah, it's the song.
quote:Logan logan logan....I have to just walk quietly away on this one....shaking my head in disbelief... I felt their hearts in the first backseat car scene and then again in the hurtful front seat pen scene....Diane was on the nerdy side and she was new to love...I totally see the pen thing as her nervousness to solve a problem that she was so confused about.
Don't get me wrong; I don't want to hate on Say Anything too much. Obviously I loved it (what's not to love?) And, if memory serves me right... long before Jake Ryan had become the revised 'dream 80's guy' Lloyd Dobler held the mantle (certainly for the first part of the 'slacker' generation - Muffy - that's you!)
But... when I watch it now, I get the feeling that too many of the scenes are working towards a memorable one-liner. And it feels like Diane Court only gave Lloyd a pen so the line "I gave her my heart, she gave me a pen" (which is great) could exist.
Muffy calm down! It doesn't matter how hard you throw that brick, I'm in another country and it's not gonna... JESUS! Good aim! You're paying for that window.
quote:I too love Crowe but honestly Veronica I hated Almost Famous.
CIVIL WAR!!!! WOO-HOO!!!
In the interests of bi-partisan discussionism; why did you hate it?
Posted by Muffy Tepperman (Member # 1551) on :
Ok Kash and Logan..........why did I hate Almost Famous? I will maybe restrain from hate but why I didn't love it.......
I love Cameron Crowe....love his writing....omg i love stories of music history and I know it's loosely based on his own life. But the actors sucked....Kate Hudson as Penny Lane was just weird to me.....her acting?? This is coming from me as a 14 year old I read "I"m with the Band" Pamela DeBarres groupie story.
Billy Crudup was just annoying....Patrick fugit was just blah....the only scenes that I even remember is "Tiny Dancer" and Penny in a hotel room........I don't know it just didn't draw me in? Rant over. Posted by logan5 (Member # 1467) on :
I'm not keen on Kate Hudson either. Don't know why.
I agree with you. I wasn't really drawn in by it either. Didn't hate it, just wasn't bowled over or anything.
Posted by skatexedge (Member # 5712) on :
I'm watching this movie as I type this. Diane just found out her dad is a crook! She's pi**ed!
Great movie!!
Posted by Ronnie (Member # 465) on :
haha muffy, i didn't know you disliked Almost Famous. wow! i love that movie and Penny Lane is one of my favorite characters. and Billy Crudup was sooo handsome to me, in this movie.
but i do agree about Kate Hudson, i'm not a fan of hers, and AF is probably the only thing i like her in.
as for Say Anything, i didn't like it before. but i watched it last year and i think i got why it's so loved. i also listened to the commentary with Cusack and Skye and i liked it.
i might have to watch it again, soon!
Posted by Valley (Member # 1322) on :
I freaking love "Almost Famous"!
It gets better on repeat viewings in my opinion. Kate Hudson is just fantastic as Penny Lane.
"I never said I was a golden god... or did I?"
Posted by Veronica Sawyer (Member # 2221) on :
I love Almost Famous too, especially the "untitled" version. Got it on blu ray at Best Buy recently
Oh, and Kate Hudson...I've only really liked her in this movie and Skeleton Key.
Posted by Ronnie (Member # 465) on :
ha, i love penny's "me too!!" line.. i copied that, often . also, always loved her quote about going to the record store, to visit your friends.
i'm going to have to do like Veronica, and get myself a blu-ray copy!
Posted by Muffy Tepperman (Member # 1551) on :
ohhhh I feel like the odd man out....ehhhhh I will not change my mind, never! Posted by Valley (Member # 1322) on :
Muffy .. at least you still have "Grease 2" and "Earth Girls Are Easy". ha
Ronnie.. I'm so proud of you for not giving up on "Say Anything" .. the party scenes so makes the movie for me.
And as Veronica mentioned.. if you upgrade "Almost Famous" to Blu-ray please go get the Best Buy exclusive.
I've been a Billy Crudup fan since I first saw him in the movie "Without Limits"..
No perfect people, no 'and happily ever after', but real human beings in real situations. Say Anything is a sincere and sensitive romantic movie, with some funny moments ("Bitches, man") and 2 great main actors... A classic!
Posted by Muffy Tepperman (Member # 1551) on :
A year later lol!!!
I still feel the same way......love me some Lloyd Dobler.....Cusacks "Gib" (The Sure Thing) coming in a close 2nd....
and I still hate Almost Famous!.........now I feel like watching the Say Anything commentary today.......
I like that "real human beings in real situations"
Posted by Crash (Member # 7484) on :
I can relate to your standing in the corner by yourself on "Almost Famous," MT. You should start a thread "I'm alone. Everyone loves this movie, but I hate it." (My 80's choice would be "Prizzi's Honor." While I don't necessarily truly "hate" it, I'm mystified at all the rapture it gets. It's not that good. )
Posted by The Good Package (Member # 9492) on :
is prizzi's honor better than ironweed?
Posted by Helen_S (Member # 5804) on :
Ironweed was one of my fave films when I was a kid, people always used to look at me funny for that lol I wonder what I'd think about it now.
Posted by Crash (Member # 7484) on :
Ehhhh... Not really, and I thought "Ironweed" was a slog. Just for fun, I looked on imdb.com. "Prizzi's Honor" has a 6.8 and "Ironweed" a 6.7. I wondered... How many movies nominated for Best Picture are ever rated that low? Just for fun, I then checked last year's ten nominees: not one was under 7.2. As I said in a previous post, "Prizzi's Honor" was a critics' darling only because of the "comeback" of director John Huston. It's not a great film at all.
As an aside, "Almost Famous" has an 8.0. And to put this thread back on track after my digression, "Say Anything..." has a 7.5. (And I love both of them very much.) Posted by The Good Package (Member # 9492) on :
i read a discription of the plot for ironweed, it sounded like the writers were really shooting for a oscar with that one.
Posted by Crash (Member # 7484) on :
They were. Nicholson and Streep got nominated, but not much love for the film itself. Posted by Ronnie (Member # 465) on :
Back to Say Anything...
I watched a part of it this morning... caught it as Lloyd was getting dumped.
And I think I like the first half way better. Because after the dumping.. it goes south for me. It's just odd, for some reason. And the reunion doesn't seem to be a bid deal, like in most movies, ya know? Maybe I expected that. Like most 80s romance movies, I just expect it to be there, I guess? That's the cliche I never seem to mind.
Like I said before, I wasn't a fan of it, but definitely get the love for the character of Dobler.
Posted by Muffy Tepperman (Member # 1551) on :
Ok gang I watched and liked Prizzi's Honor this last year.....I'm pretty sure I made a thread about it hahaa
I'd read this and a couple days ago Ironweed was on.....I watched maybe 15 mins and bam my A D D kicked in.........it was boring ZZZZZZZZ!
Back to Say Anything......sad it goes down south for you Ronnie.....ok that sounded funny. But I get what you're saying....It wasn't odd for me....just turned way more into a drama I guess for me?........I love Lloyd!
Posted by Logan 5 (Member # 1467) on :
quote:Because after the dumping.. it goes south for me. It's just odd, for some reason.
It definitely changes tone and becomes more earnest. Making the dad a corrupt character always seemed like a plot device to me.
Man... this is turning into the anti-Say Anything page! It's an 80's hate-fest! Call out the mods! REVOLUTION!
quote:sad it goes down south for you Ronnie.....ok that sounded funny
That sounded *rude*! Filthy beasts!
Posted by Burnett (Member # 9924) on :
To me, it didn't feel like the dad's insurance fraude was just a plot device. It seemed believable because his daughter obviously meant everything to him, and he wanted to let her live her further life in the best possible circumstances... This is coming from someone who is absolutely allergic to every type of 'deux ex machina' btw. I think this movie is exceptionally well written. In the 80's, Crowe was probably the best writer of teen movies. Better than Hughes, yes. Crowe's screenplays had a more natural, real feel to them.
[ 07. September 2011, 11:32: Message edited by: Burnett ]
Posted by Logan 5 (Member # 1467) on :
quote:In the 80's, Crowe was probably the best writer of teen movies. Better than Hughes, yes. Crowe's screenplays had a more natural, real feel to them.
Contentious stuff there! I think both writers have weaknesses; Crowe seemed to have more... how can I put this? Pretensions to great writing? Does that make sense? I think I said somewhere (maybe this thread) that the whole reason Diane gives Lloyd a pen in Say Anything is just so Lloyd can say the line "I gave her my heart, she gave me a pen". It just doesn't ring true to me. Also, he only wrote three movies in a decade, and one of them was based on his book which was largely him noting down actual events. If I sound like I hate him - I don't - I really like his stuff. It's just that Say Anything in particular hasn't worn very well to me, which I always thought it would. I *really* better stop criticising it now in case I sound like a hater.
Hughes' Achilles heel has always been over-sentimentality and mis-judged off the wall stuff (would Andrew *really* have started dancing hard after smoking a joint?! *Should* Duckie have looked at the camera at the end of Pretty in Pink?) But I have to give the edge to Hughes. Crowe produced two stone-cold classics in a decade (more than most) but Hughes - even excluding the Molly Ringworm trilogy - produced Some Kind of Wonderful, Ferris Bueller, Planes Trains, Uncle Buck, Vacation, etc... he just wins on sheer breadth and consistency.
That's my $2.
Posted by Burnett (Member # 9924) on :
I could have known that one would provoke a reaction . I like Hughes's movies. Well, some of them - especially Sixteen Candles and Ferris Bueller. Not very deep stuff, but simple and fun. His more serious movies, like Breakfast Club, always seemed to me like a thirty-something really trying to capture the teen psyche. He did quite well, but he never really got there. Crowe on the other hand, never really seemed to try to understand teenagers like Hughes... Crowe just just 'got' them. His characters just came to life; they never seemed scripted. Plus, he didn't get sentimental or moralistic. On the other had, Hughes probably had a more creative and playful visual style. And yeah , he did a lot more movies, but imho they never reached the level of Crowe's two classics (although Heckerling obviously had a big part in the exceptional qualities of Fast Times too). Of course, that's just the way I personally feel about it.
Posted by Muffy Tepperman (Member # 1551) on :
Yes Logan I am a rude and filthy beast! anyone that knows me knows I am.........sure I look all cute and sweet.....
Logan and Burnett....it was really fun reading you twos insight.....I almost think you need to make a separate thread altogether...."Debate Crowe vs. Hughes-who told the story better?" love it!
How do you guys feel casting effected their characters? and their believability?
I also agree Burnett.....Heckerling had a big part in the quality of Fast Times!
Posted by TerdNthePoolGGB (Member # 9818) on :
Boy, talk about getting sidetracked. I come on here to talk about the topic Say Anything and its infested with 20 other topics.
Anyway, watched it the other day, 1st time since seeing it at the movie theater in '89. Back then thought it was just ok but enjoyed my second viewing.
So many scenes were real situations for Terd. I loved the scene in his car when Lloyd shoved a matchbook under the playing cassette to get it to work. And the Metallica, Clash and other concert shirts.
The songs the girl sang about Joe were pretty funny also.
I also felt the movie started strong and the last third or so wasn't as interesting but I did like the father getting ______at the end.
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