PrimeTime ATX

It's hard to overstate just how much movies changed in the early 1970's. Every power dynamic and every genre underwent massive transformation as producers started to lose power and directors and actors started to take control of Hollywood. Tried and true blockbusters such as musicals and westerns started to vanish or massively shift their focus in favor of more serious fare.

Although not talked about very often, comedy may have undergone one of the most startling overhauls. When you were a kid, you probably remember when a pie in the face and the pratfall were the funniest thing on earth. Comedy was about putting normal people in ridiculous and hilarious situations that for the most part were not their fault. From there you simply watched the hilarity unfold.

Starting in the 1970's and 1980's comedy started to get, for lack of a better word, meaner. Suddenly we started laughing at characters instead of feeling sympathy for and laughing with characters. The pie in the face gave way to sexual or social embarrassment, usually at the main character's expense. Instead of feeling sympathy, the laughter became about how we the audience felt superior and how glad we were the idiot characters on the screen were not us. It was a subtle, but important, change.

Tonight's movie is one of the few films that tried to bridge the two eras, in which it owed as much to modern sensibilities at it did the screwball silliness of Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, William Powell & Myrna Loy, and Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn.

WHAT'S UP DOC? (1972) was made when wunderkind director Peter Bogdonovich, an alumni of the Roger Corman School of Filmmaking, was on a roll. He had just won the Academy Award for Best Picture in THE LAST PICTURE SHOW (1971) and was a highly respected film historian and writer. Everyone wanted to work with him, and his career would go on to add the multi-Oscar winning PAPER MOON (1973) and indie favorite MASK (1985) to his resume in addition to this film, which is rated number 61 on the American Film Institute's Greatest Comedies of All Time list.

At it's heart, WHAT'S UP DOC? is a clear throwback to the 1920's, 1930's, and 1940's comedies, and makes specific references to Howard Hawks' classic Katherine Hepburn and Cary Grant starrer BRINGING UP BABY (1938) about a scatter brained heiress complicating the life of a geeky paleontologist (along with a pet leopard named "Baby"). Also in clear evidence are various references to numerous Bugs Bunny cartoons.

And yet...WHAT'S UP DOC? is a surprisingly modern film featuring two endearing characters played by post-FUNNY GIRL (1968) Barbara Streisand and post-LOVE STORY (1970) Ryan O'Neil. The film also introduced the world to Madeline Kahn, who would go on to star in a string of now classic modern comedies, including numerous Mel Brooks classics such as YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN (1974) and BLAZING SADDLES (1974).

Penning this wild ride are THE GRADUATE (1967)'s and future SNL writer Buck Henry and multi-Oscar winning Robert Benton, who had already written BONNIE AND CLYDE (1967), and would go on to give us Best Picture KRAMER VS. KRAMER (1980), the underrated Sally Field starrer PLACES IN THE HEART (1984), and SUPERMAN (1978).

There's a lot of talent here.

And so come join me in the backyard as we laugh our patooties off watching a story of comic intrigue involving 5 identical plaid suitcases, one of the finest comic car chases through San Francisco ever, and yes, a few pies in the face.

Presenting our fourth year of Primetime's popular Backyard Movie Series, where we'll all get together during good weather armed with our bug spray and lawn chairs to watch a variety of movies. I have the movies. I have the projector. I even have a long, narrow but semi-deep backyard with a giant oak tree that will silently watch over us as we relive our youth at the drive-in and as we make fun of those making out on the back row.

There will be free hot dogs, movie candies, nachos, and popcorn. Feel free to bring other stuff if you want, including your own lawn chair. I have some spares and some blankets, but not enough for a full house. BYOB. I'll have some soft drinks and water as well.

We'll socialize for about an hour before the movie, which will start promptly at dusk (about 8:55) if not a few minutes before. There will be my usual Alamo Drafthouse-style preshow. Preshow will start when it gets dark enough to see the projector. Will be warm, so we'll set up the misting tent and fans, and you can always slip inside to the A/C if you need to.

RAIN POLICY - I'll post here if we have to reschedule for weather or other unforeseen events. Just check here before you head this way.

CARPOOLS - My parking around here really is limited thanks to overbuilding on nearby lots, so carpooling is encouraged.

The mighty Tex Zep makes a rare appearance in Round Rock! The band will be pumping out the classic tunes of Led Zeppelin for a special 3 hour show! Oh yeah, it's the Killer's birthday as well so come join this Zep rock & roll party!

Chat with friends over coffee or tea or whatever jolts your morning. An opportunity to make new friendships and renew favorites. Share some news, tell a joke, sell a fib!

Greg is hosting today.