He has no means of, or interest in, relating to the men under him. My favorite stereotype is that of the arrogant Captain. The perpetual clueless look on John Diehl's face is the best, "dumb," yet likable, look I have ever seen. I bet there is a Psycho the hot head, Elmer the party boy and Cruiser the ignorant in every platoon that ever existed. No one thinks to assign a new Sargent to this platoon after the first one gets seriously wounded? What I did find sincere about it was the depiction of the men in uniform. and like its predecessor, it plays fast and loose with the reality of being in the military. Like Private Benjamin, I watched Stripes many times when I was younger. Private Benjamin is about a woman learning to not be a doormat for every man she meets, while Stripes is about a loser finding his place in life as a leader. Both also demonstrate the positives of how the military promotes personal growth and maturity. They were made near the same time and both poke humorously, but gently, at the military and its strict manners. Stripes indeed makes for an interesting double feature with Private Benjamin. Warren Oates, Conrad Dunn and John Diehl in Stripes Today whenever I watch it, I not only crack up at the humor, I also enjoy the ever thickening layer of nostalgia that time keeps adding to it. Stripes (like Private Benjamin) is yet another movie I remember watching on HBO in the early 80s. The clandestine military action at the climax to Stripes goes completely over the top but the whole thing is done with such a spirit of fun that it somehow just doesn't matter (to borrow a quote from Meatballs). The ending also echoes Private Benjamin as it includes a trip to Europe for the main characters. The supporting cast is filled with young -soon to be familiar- faces like Sean Young, Judge Reinhold, John Larroquette, Bill Paxton and Timothy Busfield. At first you think he's going to be the bad guy, and he is the butt of several jokes, but I love the fact that he turns out to be the hero. My favorite character is the drill sergeant played by Warren Oates. I laughed at it but thought it dragged on a bit too long. Depending on your sense of humor you will either find this scene hilarious or distasteful. John Candy even mud wrestles with a bunch of half naked women at one point. This being the early 1980s there's plenty of gratuitous nudity on display. When asked if they are homosexuals Ziskey replies, “No, we're not homosexual, but we are willing to learn.” It happens during their enlistment interview. Murray gets (and deserves) more of the credit for the success of this movie, but Ramis says my favorite line. The most iconic moment in the movie is their rendition of “Doo Wah Diddy” during marching drills. When they demanded complete creative control, the script was re-written for Murray who insisted on Ramis being cast as the other lead and they do make a great duo. This buddy comedy was originally conceived as a vehicle for Cheech & Chong. But whereas Judy Benjamin enlists on her own as a means of proving her independence, John Winger talks his best friend Russell Ziskey (Harold Ramis) into enlisting alongside him. Judy Benjamin's husband dies during sex on their wedding night, while John Winger loses his job, apartment, car and girlfriend all within a few hours. In fact they make a great double-feature.Īs Hawn did in Private Benjamin, Murray enlists in the army after one particularly devastating day. Stripes borrows much of its plot from Goldie Hawn's Private Benjamin (1980), both are very funny movies. His streak would continue with Tootsie (1982) and Ghostbusters (1984). Stripes (1981) is the third comedy classic of Bill Murray's career following Caddyshack (1980) and Meatballs (1979). Bill Murray, John Candy, Harold Ramis and cast in Stripes.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |