Welcome to Delayed Perspective the blog about Film and TV and other random things I tenuously argue are related to the subject. The mission of Delayed Perspective is a self-defeating attempt to share with you my thoughts on the films and TV shows that have been out for a while and I have only just caught onto or caught up with.
Often I will take a sideways look at a subject or sometimes I may do a straight up review, depending on what takes my fancy.
This week’s DP is a film that has only been out 71 years and is truly iconic. I am sure you may have seen this little movie before but if you haven’t then you really should.
Casablanca
I watched Casablanca for the first time a couple of years ago, full of expectation as it is often rated one of the greatest films ever. I was not disappointed, Casablanca really is a wonderful film. It has fantastic performances, great one-liners and a final scene that will break even the hardest of hearts.
Humphrey Bogart’s “Rick Blaine” is our world-weary hero of sorts, a non-conventional leading man full of bitter cynicism. Bogart in many ways set the template for the “everyman” kind of hero that we have seen in films such as Indiana Jones and Die Hard. Harrison Ford and Bruce Willis both seem to have borrowed a bit of their “I couldn’t really give a shit and would rather be in the bar” attitude from old Bogey.
A story that recently intrigued me was the rumour that a belated sequel to this much-loved classic is being planned. I know that everything is getting the re-make (or to use the modern parlance re-boot) treatment these days but the idea of Casablanca 2 seems all kinds of terrible. Even if it is based on a script by the original Casablanca writer, my advice would be JUST LEAVE IT ALONE!!
I have horrific images of Mark Wahlberg as Blaine’s long-lost son and Megan Fox (no please lord, no) in the Bergman role and arrrrghhhhhhhhhhhhhh please make it stop.
Please No, Anything But That
This also got me thinking about other terrible sequel ideas that are bound to happen whether we like it or not. For me the films that I am hoping against hope they never touch are the Back To The Future movies.
However part of me just knows that “Back To The Future 4 – Back To The Future Again” is in some studio exec’s devilish mind. In this nightmare scenario, Megan Fox (nothing against Megan per se but you know what I’m saying) would play Martina McFly, Marty Mcfly’s great grand-daughter, who one day inherits a DeLorean that turns out to be a time machine. She is visited by a mad scientist and sometime gangster rapper (played by LL Cool J) who advises her she must go back in time to save her father from a terrible fate. Michael J Fox and Christopher Lloyd, turn down the “opportunity” to cameo in the film but their likenesses are used in several scenes. I could go on but I think you get the idea.
Other films I hope they leave alone (but probably will not) are Breakfast At Tiffany’s, It’s A Wonderful Life and Gremlins.
Please feel free to leave feedback below, I would love to hear about the films that you would hate to see ruined. Perhaps it has already happened to your favourite films (Here’s looking at you Star Wars).
Next time on Delayed Perspective I look at an alternative history for the Star Trek film franchise starring William Shatner as the Terminator.
PS I thought a re-boot was something that soldiers did when they got changed in the morning, they un-boot at night to put their pyjamas on and then re-boot in the morning when they get dressed.
The World Outside the Window 