The Graduate
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Movie Reviews of The Graduate
Movie Review: The novelty's worn off, and it's left as a former shell of itself
Summary: 2 Stars
On Tuesday November 30, 1982 I had just come home from a scout meeting, and I turned on the television, and not knowing what was on my father got all hyper, and told me to turn it off, and I didn't even know the name of this. I looked it up in the TV Guide later on, and unfortunately, due to the fact that I was still shaken up by the other night I didn't dare share the name due to the fact I'd get a sermon. I was at a crucial age in my life where I was 15 where I had desires for girls, but emotionally I was not prepared for them. I can understand the fact that it's a morally bankrupt film, and was capturing the fact of the free-sexual revolution, but I don't see the connection considering that it was always burning since the world's been turning, but our parents put thier hands over thier ears if we were to tell them that. I guess looking back my parents argument is "There's a time and place for everything", but guess what that would've been a perfect time to help me understand. I know that a few months later that I brought it up to my aunt who's a committed Christian, and she paled, which led up to the sermon, and to be honest I felt like I couldn't win. I feel with this movie I had to not let it go until I got to see it because it was important for me to see it in it's entirety, and I didn't get to see this until I was 20, and I brought it back up to my parents as my father's friend had just opened a video store in Cherry Hill, NJ., and the battle started again. I have felt like a eunich I didn't get to watch this movie all this time, and when I did I found it rather appealling, and now wanted to add it to my collection I was getting flack as I actually bought the blank video, and tried to get it copied onto the videotape. Looking back I would've been better off just buying it, but I know I have to wonder if I would've come to same conclusion. I got the tape finally when I was 25 years old, and watched it once, and since then I lost the appeal. I saw it from a different light that my college professor was showing it from. I didn't focus on the colors, or the scene where Ben was looking into the goldfish bowl after being dumped by Elaine, and thrown out of a campus because of the fact that Mrs. Robinson took away Ben's virginity, and this was when Ben was trying to get together with Elaine. I found this to be coincidental, but rather truthful when I had a woman make a phone call one night when I was working in a convience store, and it was a rather seductive one, and then the woman just turned it off when I finally met her kind of like Mrs. Robinson doing it to Ben, and especially when he was in too deep. The fact that this happened could've been an alternative lesson my father could've taught me if he didn't want to talk about the sexual nature. With this mindset I don't own this anymore, and have no inclination, or intention of owning it again. I can't honestly say if I bought the tape instead of waiting for the blank copy that it would've made a difference. I feel that once I saw the fact that Mrs. Robinson made a blank promise to make Ben happy for the rest of his life it just ruined it for me. This is where the sexual revolution tone takes over as no one would've ever suspected a woman would be a seducer because men are supposed to, or it's implied that it's a man's job to have an affair, but that's the world's standard, and morally it's wrong for either side to cheat on one another. It left me feeling that I wasn't worth the time to talk about this movie to, and about the way the relationships in the movie, and made to feel dirty because I wanted to know, and angry that I had to repress myself, and my feelings, and my character to fit this model that pleased my family. I just feel that it was more worth if you are really wanting to see this movie just buy it, and not worry about your parents helping you. Mind you it is a PG rating, so anyone 13 and under not without a parent.Movie Review: The Graduate ages as well as John Kerry in his little GI Joe Outfit...
Summary: 2 Stars
You remember that surreal scene right? John Kerry, replete with fake Boston Brahmin accent accusing the United States of America of essentially being a bunch of terrorist thugs wrecking havoc in SE Asia.
How fake! How phony!! How untrue!!!
And, all the more so when you see candidate John Kerry of 2004 masquerading as a Viet Nam ware HERO while trying to relate to black folk by using phraseology like "You know sumpin?"
That's how watching The Graduate in 2006 feels.
You know the reality of life in 2006 and the nonsense The Graduate tries to pass off as a cultural milestone looks, in retrospect, as disingenuous as John Kerry at the Senate Hearings.
In 1967, Jewish = 'liberal' and blond haired/blue eyed uptight waspy frat boys = republican.
So, in the spirit of Hollywood elitism, it's only right that the Jewish (liberal) Hoffman stole the girl away from her wasp (republican) fiance'.
That's what liberals call a 'happy ending.' lol!
And the depictions of the wasp's in this movie is so despicable, it's almost minstrel-show like.
They actually have Elaine's fiance meet her at the zoo smoking a pipe!
At the freaking zoo!
And the scene at the end (where Benjamin has to ask the wasp's frat buddies where the wedding is) actually shows them towel-snapping!
Talk about racial stereotyping!
Of course today, Jewish people are much more likely to be conservatives (see cons, neo, David Horowitz, Dennis Prager, Dr. Laura, etc, etc, etc.) so this wouldn't work.
They'd have to present the liberals as really scientific minded rational people and the conservatives as some sort of fundamentalist nut cases. Gosh, I wonder if they've ever tried THAT in a Hollywood movie?
Bottom line: Aside from some VERY sweet cinematography (most notably aerial pans of Benjamin driving that cool little red sports car across the bridge to the strains of Simon and Garfunkle at their best) the film sucks.
It's not seminal.
It's not rebellious.
Benjamin is a whiny a-hole.
Mrs Robinson is an old lady. Not sexy, not seductive and certainly not interesting. No self-respecting young guy would be the least bit tempted to do her.
It's not about the generation gap, middle class values in atrophy or the younger generation unshackling themselves from the burdens of their parents hang-ups.
In fact, I'd venture to guess that, if Benjamin and Elaine ever did get married, they'd be as unhappy as their parents were (until they inevitably got divorced) with the only perversely redeeming distinction that, because they would be getting high all the time...
... they'd never really notice.
Movie Review: Are you sure it's Non-anamorphic?
Summary: 2 Stars
I just came across this apparently new release of The Graduate at the Amazon website. I own the original non-anamorphic widescreen DVD from many years ago and have been looking for an anamorphic replacement ever since. According to Amazon's technical details page, it's supposed to be in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen. Is this a misprint? How come Lanny the previous reviewer has already seen it although it's scheduled for release only on April 5? Are we referring to the same DVD? I hope someone can confirm the specs because I dearly want to replace the totally deplorable non-anamorphic version MGM released earlier.
PostScript: Thanks for the clarification. Amazon has also corrected it's tech specs to Letterbox 2.35:1. MGM's own website is totally useless in providing any info on the DVD. MGM ought to be ashamed. Trying to pull a fast one on customers. Why bother releasing another non-anamorphic version when the original non-anamorphic "Special Edition" with its extras is already available at a lower price? No wonder MGM's being devoured by the Japanese. Hopefully its new owners will get things right. Here's a tip, 2007 will mark the 40th anniversary of this movie. Surely it's high time to give this classic the treatment it deserves.
Movie Review: Non-Anamorphic Again
Summary: 2 Stars
I thought that MGM was re-releasing "The Graduate" to provide consumers with an anamorphic transfer.
Wrong, wrong, wrong.
If you have the original DVD from a few years ago, you may as well keep it. For some reason, MGM has chosen to provide another non-anamorphic transfer - which begs the question: Why bother to re-release the DVD?
Very disappointing.
Movie Review: What?
Summary: 2 Stars
What is with the hype for this movie? It was just not good to me. I know most who didn't like the movie, liked the music, but in my opinion that was distracting too. Way too much of it. It was almost like watching a music video with a weak story about a stalking psycopath thrown in between songs.