I watched the latest movie about Alfred Hitchcock. It is called Hitchcock.
It was ok. As I was watching, I suddenly realized that Hitch was being played by none other than Sir Anthony Hopkins. He is best known for Silence of the Lambs, but is a very accomplished actor. The movie highlights the importance his wife Alma Reville played in his life and his movies. The role of Janet Leigh who plays the role of Marion Crane in Psycho was played by the beautiful Scarlett Johansson. I think it is a good introduction to Hitchcock's story, but there are tons of books about him. Some of the books contradict each other. For example his reliance on storyboards, how he directed etc. Of course there are the stories of how he pursued the leading ladies in his movies. The Hitchcock icy blondes. There are also stories of him being creepy, voyeuristic, and more than weird. True or not, I enjoy how he builds his movies.
The movie subject matter he chooses is mostly dark, but his movie-making craftsmanship is what drives me to watch his movies. Each scene is carefully created. Each pan, travel draw you in. One can spend lots of time researching the symbolism in his movies. Sometimes I do, sometimes I just sit back and catch the ones I can, and enjoy the show.
It got me in the mood to re-re-watch some of his movies again.
It all started one dreary Ottawa February. I was strolling down the aisles at the library, when I was drawn to a colourful book cover. I read the jacket. Two guys on a road trip in Florida. Now that sounds like something I'd much rather be doing.
Well, it's a lot more than that. The main character, Serge A. Storms is a lovable, yet undeniable insane Floridiaphile. His obsessive
love of Florida history leads to madcap adventures throughout the state,
often with his stoner best friend Coleman. Oh, and Serge is a serial killer, who preys on the rude, abusive or
greedy. He comes up with elaborate methods of dealing out death.
The first one in Tim Dorsey's series about Serge and his sidekicks is Florida Roadkill. The writing style is sparse, witty, manic, funny. Each one of his books reads like a cool movie I would love to see. All sewn up with apt social commentary skewering all sides of the political spectrum under zany, sunny Florida skies.
Serge is like a permanent tour guide and is always sharing his knowledge of Floridian history. From Ponce to Ponzi, he knows it, and shares it.
I love to watch movies (who doesn't right?). Serge does too. During many of Serge and Coleman's road trips, or as some call them: 'police chases', or 'being on the run', they will often make a detour, or stop where a famous movie scene was based or shot. This of course infuriates the rear-seat occupants who usually aren't too thrilled, about, or even consenting, to be driving around with Serge in the first place.
So here it is, my Florida Film Festival list:
Scarface
Cocaine Cowboys
Square Grouper
Key Largo
Notorious
Miami Vice
Plot: When Fidel Castro opens the harbor at Mariel, Cuba, he sends 125,000
Cuban refugees to reunite with their relatives in the United States.
Among all the refugees, there is one who wants it all, his name is Tony
Montana.
Best Quote"Say hello to my little friend"
Serge Connection: Serge is a proud Cuban and his heritage is often refered to. The Mariel boatlift is often referred to as well. Also, in Torpedo Juice, the vilain, who calls himself Scarface, is a psychotic drug lord obsessed with the movie.
Notes: This is an entertaining gangster movie. As an outsider, I don't pretend to know all the issues relating to the rise of the cocaine drug trade thru Miami in the 80s, or the Cuba/Florida issues either. But this movie serves as an entertaining start before viewing documentaries such as Cocaine Cowboys, or Square Grouper.
The drug trade has not served Florida well in many respects. Tons and tons of money were made and spent in Florida via the drug trade. However, the price is
much much more that what was lost. And that is the essence of what Tim
Dorsey is nostalgic about via his spokesman Serge.
Plot: In the 1980s, ruthless Colombian cocaine barons invaded Miami with a
brand of violence unseen in this country since Prohibition-era Chicago -
and it put the city on the map. "Cocaine Cowboys" is the true story of
how Miami became the drug, murder and cash capital of the United States,
told by the people who made it all happen.
Written by
rakontur
Notes: There is no direct Serge connection, but it is the best documentary I could find that explains the rise of the 1980s drug trade.
Plot: A colorful portrait of Miami's pot smuggling scene of the 1970s,
populated with redneck pirates, a ganja-smoking church, and the longest
serving marijuana prisoner in American history.
Serge Connection: I remember square groupers are mentioned in one of the books. Another entertaining drug smuggling documentary but this time about the far less damaging drug, marijuana. Brought to you by the same crew that made Cocaine Cowboys.
Plot: A man visits his old friend's hotel and finds a gangster running things.
As a hurricane approaches, the two end up confronting each other as they are all stranded in the boarded up hotel riding out the hurricane.
Notes: Films of this era are always fun to watch. The quick dialogue, everyone wearing suits, even in 100 degree weather. Men's pant styles at the time seemed to require them to go way up the belly, accented by short ties. Many Bogart films are sure classics: The Maltese Falcon, Casablanca, The African Queen, The Big Sleep. The Big Sleep by the way is based on a Raymond Chandler novel which inspired one of my best movie makers, the Coen Brotheres to make one of my all-time favourites: The Big Lebowski.
Serge connection: At the end of Hammerhead Ranch Motel, Serge and friends are riding out a hurricane in a bar by the beach. The plot twists and turns as Serge finally confronts Zargoza. Sound familiar? While all this is going on, Serge is playing, Key Largo on the VCR.
Funny how the movie poster's style is quite similar to Dorsey's book covers.
Notes: It's a Hitchcock movie with Carrie Grant, I mean come on. One of the early scenes shows the Ingrid Bergman character driving drunk. That scene kind of stuck. Either because it has the Hitchcock treatment or maybe drunk driving was not as much as a taboo? She does get pulled over, but still. Anywho, a fun movie to watch.
Synonyms: While googling Notorious, I came across Notorious B.I.G. the rapper who, along with Tupac, died in the infamous East coast / West coast rapper hip-hop feud. There is a movie Notorious (2009) which I found interesting because I don't know much on the genre.
Florida Connection: The only relevant connection is that the story takes place in Florida. Hey, thatwould be good enough for Serge. I don't remember if he references this film. If I find a reference in the books, I'll add it here later.
Trivia: Notorious begins with the title: "Miami, Florida, 3:20 p.m.,
April 20, 1946," a very specific bit of information that adds little to
our understanding or appreciation of the story. Hitchcock used the same
time and date specificity at the beginning of Psycho (1960).
Notes: This James Bond movie features Miami's Fountainebleu Hotel in the opening shots. The hotel has historical and architectural significance on Miami Beach. The Black Tuna Gang ran its operations from there. For more info on the hotel's role, check out the Wikipedia entry.
Serge connection: Serge gets a murder method inspiration from Goldfinger. A James Bond girl is killed buy a villain by painting her in Gold. This kills her via epidermal suffocation.
Notes: Ah Miami Vice. Cringe-worthy tackiness, but the 80s were like that. I might have watched back then it if there was nothing else on. Remember, this was before pvrs. Anything worth programming the VCR had to be pretty dammned good. You had to scrunch down on the floor, and punch thru little buttons to navigate thru green led menus. The kids at school talked about it, so you had to watch it a little. The show may have tackled the issues, but the constant posturing, dick waving, gun-toting, drama made it difficult to watch in my opinion.
Maybe if I wear shades no one will recognize me in the future.
The Miami Vice Opening Theme is iconic.Quick shots that highlight Miami clichés, along with cool percussion music. It is just so good! During highschool, I took a cinema class, and we spliced in a scene where someone is watching the show. Being 18 year old trolls, we of course used the 2.5 seconds of bouncing boobies.
Palm trees shot from underneath against a blue sky, extra sun flare
Flamingos
Close racing shot at sea with Miami Vice logo fade in
Miami Vice logo fluorescent lights up
Wind surfer wets his hair by leaning back into the water while maintaining his ride
Bouncing Caribana boobies
Jai Alai player.
More racing sea shot
Horse race
Rolls Royces
Beach hotels
Parrots
Another racing sea shot
Dog race now
More racing sea shot
Opulent Miami beach hotels
Bikinis
A dozen speed boats complete with wake trails
Miami night skyline
Other movies filmed in Florida
The above films are direct references in Tim Dorsey's books, or paint the backdrop of why Florida has it's own Fark tag. While combing the net for references, I also came across lists of movies that were filmed in Florida, but the story doesn't necessarily take place there.
After watching Scarface, I was in the mood to watch another gangster movie, which brought me to Goodfellas. Ray Liotta is okay, but Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci are at their finest in this movie. Another thing Goodfellas is famous for is Martin Scorsese. Hislong take is a finely crafted choreography and worth seeing. This film was shot in Florida, but most of the story does not.
Edward Scissorhands (1990)
The strange tale about a boy with scissors for hands was filmed entirely
in Florida. The area of Lutz provided the houses for the film, and the
Southgate Shopping centre in Lakelands also features. Directed by Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp.
Rebel Without a Cause (1955)
A good excuse as any to post a James Dean movie. Other of his films I like include Giantand East of Eden.East of Eden, written by a an author I enjoy: John Steinbeck.
Notable mentions
Caddy Shack (1980) includes the Baco Raton Resort and the Grande Oaks Golf Club in Davie. Apollo 13 (1995) for the Kennedy Space Center. The shot of Gary Sinise leaning against his corvette, watching the launch is pretty cool. Most of the early astronauts had Corvettes.The TrumanShow(1998) filmed in Florida.
Midnight Cowboy (1969), filmed in Florida. It is an odd story about a naïve Texan named Joe Buck (Jon Voight) who thinks he is God's gift to women. He decides to move to New York to become a male prostitute, but you know, for women? He is in for a rude awakening. He meets up with a con man Enrico "Ratso" Rizzo (Dustin Hoffman). Of note is the "I'm walkin here" scene:
Speaking of movies with Dustin Hoffman, The Graduate (1967) is a fun film to watch. A must see for theclassic final scene. You can say so much without using words. I recommend watching the whole movie, not just Youtubing the final scene. Body Heat (1981) Could.Not.Watch.This.Movie
Chasing references
When a book or a song lyricrefers to something, it makes me want to look up that reference. And that reference, opens up a whole other bunch of references too. I will try to update this post when I find more Florida movie references.
