Tuesday 31 May 2011

A-Z #81: Forrest Gump

You can pick up hundreds of DVDs for a round-pound each - it doesn't matter. It's never about quantity, it's about quality. A-Z is my way of going through my collection, from A-Z, and understanding why I own the films ... or you can tell me why I should sell 'em


#81 - Forrest Gump 

Why did I buy it?

Funnily enough, the DVD release coincided with the DVD release of Unbreakable. I watched both over the weekend and ... whats the connection between the two? Robin Wright Penn! But, I first watched this when a friend in Year 8 let my family borrow the video from him and, not only did my Mum and Dad love it, but so did I. I seriously think that comparing it to Pulp Fiction, as the Oscar Nominations did, is exceptionally tough. I really don't know which one to choose.

Why do I still own it?

It really is incredible. Ionly recently watched it as part of Film Club with pupils ranging from 12-14 and they all really enjoyed it - showing that even 15 years after it was made, it still holds. The special effects are subtle and incredibly effective with a brutal story told with such heart. I can only praise this film and, asked whether I think it is a better film that Pulp Fiction I seriously couldn't pick. Pulp Fiction is more ground-breaking but ... which one do I prefer ...

You guys think - Pulp Fiction or Forrest Gump?
Large Association of Movie Blogs

4 comments:

  1. I don't think there's a question of which movie is actually better (PF) but also which has more universal appeal (FG). Both are worth owning for sure. I love Silvestri's work in this - easily one of my favorite scores.

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  2. Well aren't you lucky Jess - I only wrote a post on Silvestri's score recently:

    http://screeninsight.blogspot.com/2011/04/incredible-soundtrack-9-forrest-gump.html

    Enjoy!

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  3. They really couldn't be much more different. From a technical standpoint, you'd have to be an idiot to argue in favor of Pulp. But in just about every other aspect, it wins, including my heart. I dug Gump a lot upon its release, and though I've gone up and down with it over the years, I don't get why some act as though it's awful of they hate it now or whatever. It's a fun, expertly-crafted flick...but Pulp has that *it* (oh, and it's probably my favorite movie of all time).

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  4. "including my heart". ha ha

    I love PULP FICTION and, as I said, PULP FICTION is ground-breaking for what it did and how it presents the story and the dialogue, etc. But in the same way as THE KINGS SPEECH won over THE SOCIAL NETWORK, FORREST GUMP is a simple story told exceptionally well... and, the one thing against PULP FICTION is that, in the same way that FORREST GUMP is cheesy (I was told once, and I agree, that it is in fact a very dark story but told in such a masterful way that you can watch it comfortably so, the cheesy-ness of FORREST GUMP is what makes it such a great film) whereas PULP FICTION is clearly a "bad ass" film " for guys". Its all about butch blokes - and hot uma thurman - being bad asses on bikes and with samurai swords and rape-is-much-worse-if-its-man-rape (rape is rape in my book - don't matter who or how) and cheesburgers and guns. Hardly gonna attract a diverse audience...

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