5/10 and I'm being nice - Local Hero (1983) Discussion

[–] Mickyfinn 16 years ago

Way to hit the details.

You just have to be resigned-
You're crashing by design

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[–] rkruczynski 16 years ago

What details? That's exactly it, there were no details. Characters were 1-dimensional. Oddity replaced eccentricity. This was puff! Storyline plodded. Scenery was good, but you can't eat scenery!

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[–] rthomp-8 16 years ago

There you are you are beginning to get it already! In your riposte you will no doubt say ' andthere are two g's in bugger off!'

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[–] dijomaja 16 years ago

It would be interesting to see a breakdown of the votes. I'm betting the 7.8 (or whatever the rating is) reflects lots of 10s and 5s. People either like this sort of thing or they don't. There's not a lot in the way of traditional plot or character development (although the central character undergoes a major life-change and that ought to count for something). As Louis Armstrong said when asked to define jazz, "If you gotta ask, you'll never know."

Another interesting comparison: I'd also bet that fans of Dylan Thomas' 'Under Milkwood' and the TV show 'Northern Exposure' would also like this film.

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[–] MeMichelfAndI 12 years ago

It's funny that the word "details" came up. I specifically remember a newspaper review at the time ending with something like, "It is said that God is in the details. If that is so, then 'Local Hero' is divine."

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[–] danielscissorhands 15 years ago

I can fully understand why certain people adore this movie. But i agree. It was dull and it is way overrated. The only cool thing about this movie other than the cinematography was Ben, and the fact that he didn't want to sell out.

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[–] 15 years ago

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[–] pounce44 15 years ago

To me, using the term "overrated" is an intellectually lazy way to describe what is essentially this: The characters and events in the film elicited a negative reaction from *me*--the movie did not meet *my* expectations.

From the filmmakers' perspective, everything they did was successful.

For myself, the coolest things about the movie were the quiet humor: Forsythe was doing the quirky character thing when Wes Anderson was still in diapers.

I also was enthralled with Mac's transformation, and the soundtrack, which so perfectly fit the storyline and landscape.

I can fully understand why certain people do not adore this movie. It is too quiet and "odd" for them, and does not lay everything out in a cut-and-dried fashion. But that very quality is what I love about it.

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[–] Nikon11 15 years ago

I didn't love this movie either. I am a fan of quiet and odd films, though. Some of my favorites are,

Experienced Preferred, But Not Essential
My American Cousin
Lone Star
The Station Agent

I just didn't find this movie all that interesting - and I wanted to.

As someone else wrote before me, this movie made me think of, Lost in Translation. There were just too many long scenes of just looking at the actors doing nothing. I get what's going on, but just wasn't hooked.

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[–] Blu765 15 years ago

****I suppose my post contains basic spoilers****

Yeah -- a lot of what seems like nothing happens in this film, but what is actually happening is Mac's slow transformation into a one of the townsfolk.

I suppose there is never an "Aha!" moment that most moviegoers are looking for -- the transformation happened so gradually that it is almost hard to notice. And THAT'S what makes the film great -- that gradual transformation that is not Told to us (the audience) or even Shown to us, but rather it is gradually Experienced by us.

I think the bottom line is this:
If you truly felt the same way Mac did at the end of this film, then you understand it fully and enjoy it. If you don't feel the same way he did -- or even if you simply "understand" his feelings, but still don't feel them -- then you may not like the film.

I know every time I watch the film, I can truly feel Mac's need to return -- and this doesn't happen because we are quickly told or shown this by "big, overt" events in the film, but because we experience what Mac does and we get so truly immersed in this town that we FEEL it.

Yeah -- not much "obvious stuff" happens in this film -- but that's why I like it.

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[–] Jamesir_Bensonmum 11 years ago

I suppose there is never an "Aha!" moment that most moviegoers are looking for -- the transformation happened so gradually that it is almost hard to notice. And THAT'S what makes the film great -- that gradual transformation that is not Told to us (the audience) or even Shown to us, but rather it is gradually Experienced by us.

Right. The main theme of the film (at least to me -- other's experiences may vary) is Mac's transformation.

Like you said, the beauty of this film is that there is no real "AHA!" moment (as you aptly put it) where we see that Mac has been taken to being a part of this town and its people. Instead, that transformation extends completely over the whole of the film, so there is no one moment.

there is no one single scene in which somebody "hits Mac over the head with the proverbial hammer", making Mac realize that the town should be saved. It just happens.

I know every time I watch the film, I can truly feel Mac's need to return -- and this doesn't happen because we are quickly told or shown this by "big, overt" events in the film, but because we experience what Mac does and we get so truly immersed in this town that we FEEL it.

I, too, feel Mac's need to return, and not only because someone TOLD Mac that Ferness is a special place, nor even that Mac himself may have told us (the audience) that Ferness is special, but because WE THE AUDIENCE saw through Mac's eyes why Ferness is special without anyone needing to tell us that it is.

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[–] Druff 12 years ago

Whenever someone uses the term "overrated" all it means is that over time they've heard many people rave about something, and by the time they finally get around to watching it themselves they'd let their expectations get so high that there was virtually no chance of meeting them.

I suppose I should consider myself lucky that I just happened to see Local Hero one day circa 1984 when my mom rented it because Siskel & Ebert reviewed it. No expectations. Just sat down and watched and loved it. It was funny and sweet and I'd never seen anything like it.

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[–] TriumphReq 15 years ago

You must still be a child.

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[–] Druff 12 years ago

I wonder. I was probably about 14 the first time I saw Local Hero, and I loved it.

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[–] 12 years ago

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[–] Ethereal-Cloud 11 years ago

I thought this was a great film, original story idea, great cinematography, plenty of dry humor all around. But then again, I just don't get why people think the Three Stooges are funny.

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[–] rindercella 10 years ago

This is one of my favorite films of all time. The ending was one of the best scenes for me. Love it, love it!

"Meet me in Montauk." ~ Clem, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

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