Friday, May 18, 2007

How Movies Have Changed My Life

I regularly reference movies in everyday conversation. Obscure, strange references that upon mentioning them, should others get my reference, they immediately become my new best friends. I remember when I realized that Matt Fraction knew "Three Amigos" as obsessively as I did and now, I think, should we ever be trapped in a room together, it would eventually devolve into Dusty Bottoms quotes. After quoting "Beetle Juice" today in reference to a spreadsheet I received from a vendor ("this book reads like stereo instructions"), I thought I might make a wee list of some of the lines I've worked into my repetoire, just because. There's one new line in there that I'm going to be working hard to adopt so if I reference lockjaw around you, maybe a thumbs up is in order.

"Three Amigos"
El Guapo: Would you say I have a plethora?

Pablo: Can I have your watch when you are dead?

El Guapo: It's a sweater!

Sam: Take the Amigos' clothes.

"Steel Magnolias"
M'Lynn: Drink your juice, Shelby.

"Uncle Buck"
Maizy: That's a pretty stupid thing to do during flu season.

U.B.: Oh, the OUTER door...because there's nothing on this one.

U.B.: Maizy, if the object of the game were to get the ball as close to the pins without knocking any of them over, you would be champion of the world.

"Beetle Juice"
Old Barber Bill: He's got hair right down to his goddamned shoulders and he says to me, "Just...just trim it a little."

Betelguese: Stick around, round boy, we're gonna have some laughs.

Delia: Oh look, an indoor outhouse.

Adam: This book reads like stereo instructions.

Receptionist: And let me tell you, if I knew then what I know now, I wouldn't have had my little accident. (Who, by the way, was played by Carmen from...yes..."Three Amigos".)

Charles: Birdies.

Charles: I had Maxie Dean on the phone.

"One Crazy Summer"
George: CHILI DOG.

"Kicking and Screaming"
Max: Is that a pyjama top?
Otis: No...yes.

Kate: Why's everything gotta be so glum wit'cha? Parkin' spaces, toppings on pizza... (I'm pretty sure that's paraphrased, but that's what stuck.)

Otis: Monkeys, monkeys, Ted, and Alice.

Skippy: COUGARS!

Friedrich: Two grape!

"Donnie Darko"
Crazy Evil Health Teacher: Sometimes I doubt your committment to Sparkle Motion.

"Lone Wolf McQuade"
Dakota: How would you like to bite that in the butt, develop lockjaw, and be dragged to death?

Wow. I've got weird taste in movies.

6 comments:

Real Tears said...

For me it is not so much quotes as feelings and outfits. It is hard to explain.

But for example I always wanted a tight black dress suit. And could not work out why - doesn't fit into my life style.

Then I watched Less Than Zero again, and that suit Jami Getz is wearing is what I want.

Jon said...

I've used the "I'm nostalgic for things that haven't even happened yet" line a few times in my life, I think. I could probably quote shocking amounts of that movie on demand!

Old Aunt Amy said...

Hi "what?" and welcome. Skinny black suits are a necessity. And I agree that there are images and ensembles that make quite an impact on my psyche, but they usually cost money whereas quoting, in the right circumstances, is free!

Jon, do you have the Criterion DVD of "K and S"? There's a crossword of memorable quotes. I spent tbe better part of my first viewing filling it in. They make you think of words and roots of words and sometimes in Latin!

Jon said...

CROSSWORD! No! A friend of mine has the Criterion DVD, but we didn't delve deeply enough into the special features, apparently.

Anonymous said...

i do the same - most quotes come from tim burton or john hughes movies (i know the opening scene of weird science, half of the breakfast club, and just about every line of sixteen candles by heart). things commonly quoted...

beetlejuice -
"if you don't let me gut out this house and make it my own, i will go insane AND TAKE YOU WITH ME!"

"... and it keeps gettin funnier EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. I SEE IT! not to mention the fact that you're talkin to a dead guy. so what do you think? you think i'm qualified?"

sixteen candles -
"it's like a piece of cake *snap* bread *snap*..."

"i got it. I GOT IT i got it."

"i'm sorry i don't do that.
yes you do.
i know!"

better off dead -
"hello lane, how was your day?
beth broke up with me.
oh, heh, that's nice."

"well you look like you'd make a fine helper, what's your name?
charles demar.
shut up, geek."

"this is pure snow. do you realize the value of this mountain? i think i've frozen the left side of my brain! *spins arm in circles* i can't move my right arm!"

ferris bueller -
"um, he's sick. my best friend's sister's boyfriend's brother's girlfriend heard from this guy who knows this kid who's going with a girl who saw ferris pass out at 31 flavors last night. guess it's pretty serious."

my favorite from raising arizona -
"son, you got a panty on your head."

and my very favorite from alice in wonderland -
"or button, button, who's got the button?"

i could quote movies for days.

Todd said...

GET DOWN!
SHHH!
COOKIEMAN!