I LOVED this movie, Buzz the elevator operator's "Waring Hudsucker" jokes, the expert mailroom worker (THEY DOCK YA), so many precious moments, you have to watch it more than once.
Jim True-Frost (Buzz) went on to play Pryzbylewski on The Wire.
I have to suspect the only reason they were allowed to make this film is that because, as you noted, the Coens make non-formulaic, unique & offbeat movies that the suits essentially said, "We don't get it, but their other films have been boffo, so why not". (Though it is notable this film is the only movie they ever made for Warner Bros.)
I also think if this movie had been made 5-10 years earlier, there may have been enough folks who remembered the Sturges and Capra films still going to the theatre that it may have been successful. In the time before cable networks really took off, local UHF channels usually aired old movies every night. (Basically TCM before TCM became a thing). So you probably could have had a quasi-grassroots effort to get people familiar with the concept underpinning the film.
It has an enormous degree of heart. When Tim Robbins is describing meeting JJL as a pair of Ibex it makes me start to mist up immediately. Right up until the punch line when I am laughing and crying at the same time. The score for the film is excellent as well giving you exactly the right audio cue to prime exactly the right emotion to unlock.
In its complete commitment to period-appropriate rapid-fire banter, it is like the comedy mirror universe twin of the darkly brilliant, serious-as-a-heart-attack Miller's Crossing.
Great movie! First time I saw it I loved the depth. I think Loony Tunes fans would get a kick out of it too. But only those fans that got ALL the jokes.
I don’t know, Jeff, if you’d ever had your dough kneaded you’d realize there’s a big difference between someone with 10 years experience and someone that is trying it for the first time.
I'd love to see a retro-sci fi movie like this with all the rayguns and bug-eyed monsters from planet X and stuff.
One thing the A.I. does really, really well is make images of old movies that would have been awesome if they had been made. This is also true with A.I. video.
I'm working on a sci-fi novel right now, and it's taking forever because of those damn Simpsons-high standards you mentioned. I might split it into short stories, or short scripts, set in an old-timey retrofuture.
Its been a minute since I've seen it, but the reasons I loved this movie, along with everything you've said:
- its not just funny, its absurd, which pokes fun at the corporate world and people that think highly of themselves.
- because the characters are naive to how silly they are, while we are in on the joke, it has a meta quality; this was before meta narratives became the big thing
- the theater stage like vibe to it feels like it would later inspire Wes Anderson, but I like how toned down it is here.
I love the Hudsucker Proxy! I don't get the hate at all. It's a funny comedy with loads of great lines. But a long time ago, I showed it to my friend and her reaction was "WTF is this."
"You know...for kids!"
I LOVED this movie, Buzz the elevator operator's "Waring Hudsucker" jokes, the expert mailroom worker (THEY DOCK YA), so many precious moments, you have to watch it more than once.
Jim True-Frost (Buzz) went on to play Pryzbylewski on The Wire.
I have to suspect the only reason they were allowed to make this film is that because, as you noted, the Coens make non-formulaic, unique & offbeat movies that the suits essentially said, "We don't get it, but their other films have been boffo, so why not". (Though it is notable this film is the only movie they ever made for Warner Bros.)
I also think if this movie had been made 5-10 years earlier, there may have been enough folks who remembered the Sturges and Capra films still going to the theatre that it may have been successful. In the time before cable networks really took off, local UHF channels usually aired old movies every night. (Basically TCM before TCM became a thing). So you probably could have had a quasi-grassroots effort to get people familiar with the concept underpinning the film.
Another fan of that movie here. Wonderfully quirky, and I thought it had plenty of "heart".
It has an enormous degree of heart. When Tim Robbins is describing meeting JJL as a pair of Ibex it makes me start to mist up immediately. Right up until the punch line when I am laughing and crying at the same time. The score for the film is excellent as well giving you exactly the right audio cue to prime exactly the right emotion to unlock.
In its complete commitment to period-appropriate rapid-fire banter, it is like the comedy mirror universe twin of the darkly brilliant, serious-as-a-heart-attack Miller's Crossing.
The movie is obviously for those who fantasize about sucking a hud, but since that’s illegal, they can watch someone else do it on the screen.
Just watched this absolute gem again last month! 🤌❤️🔥
Great movie! First time I saw it I loved the depth. I think Loony Tunes fans would get a kick out of it too. But only those fans that got ALL the jokes.
Thanks for reminding me of how much I loved Barton Fink and how much I hated this thoroughly confusing movie.
I absolutely loved this movie when it came out, but I am a fan of hyper-stylized films in general
Well it's obvious Jeff. You were supposed to see (and pay for) this movie several million times with your friends like the kids did for Star Wars.
From the descriptions this movie seems like the movie Airplane! but the jokes didn't land (pun intended).....
I don’t know, Jeff, if you’d ever had your dough kneaded you’d realize there’s a big difference between someone with 10 years experience and someone that is trying it for the first time.
Don’t cough when kneading dough. You’ll be in for rough treatment, or at least on a tenuous bough…
I remember this film by the title but otherwise didn't know anything about it but now after reading this I want to see it.
Oh man. It’s for me. One of my favorite all time favorite films. Still say “you know, for kids,” on a too regular basis.
I'd love to see a retro-sci fi movie like this with all the rayguns and bug-eyed monsters from planet X and stuff.
One thing the A.I. does really, really well is make images of old movies that would have been awesome if they had been made. This is also true with A.I. video.
I'm working on a sci-fi novel right now, and it's taking forever because of those damn Simpsons-high standards you mentioned. I might split it into short stories, or short scripts, set in an old-timey retrofuture.
Its been a minute since I've seen it, but the reasons I loved this movie, along with everything you've said:
- its not just funny, its absurd, which pokes fun at the corporate world and people that think highly of themselves.
- because the characters are naive to how silly they are, while we are in on the joke, it has a meta quality; this was before meta narratives became the big thing
- the theater stage like vibe to it feels like it would later inspire Wes Anderson, but I like how toned down it is here.
- I like weird things
Great, great movie.
I love the Hudsucker Proxy! I don't get the hate at all. It's a funny comedy with loads of great lines. But a long time ago, I showed it to my friend and her reaction was "WTF is this."