Pet Hates
Submitted by bertie on Tue, 02/20/2001 - 09:13
Tags:
- Any movie starring DORIS DAY.
- Almost any movie starring GOLDIE HAWN :-o (the Doris Day of the 70s and 80s) - at least DD could sing.
- Almost any movie starring EDDIE MURPHY.
- Almost any acting performance by AL PACINO.
Author Comments:
It's the feminist in me that hates the DD and GH movies, not the misogynist. (No, that's a lie - at least in DD's case; I just couldn't stand her in anything.)
Was there a Doris Day of the 90s? - No one springs to mind.
It's the person of good taste in me that hates most EM movies. Okay, BEVERLY HILLS COP wasn't too bad, and COMING TO AMERICA was excellent - his best by far - but the rest of his stuff is putrid, particularly THE ABSENT-MINDED PROFESSOR [correction: THE NUTTY PROFESSOR].
To me, AP always seems to be too aware of the camera and to be playing up to it instead of trying to give a credible performance. His wide-eyed expression is as constant and annoying as Bruce Willis's smirk.
I assume you're talking about The Nutty Professor? I liked 48 Hours and Bowfinger. And I thought he was great as the voice of Mushu in Mulan.
Jim, thanks for correcting my mistake about THE NUTTY PROFESSOR - you'd think the title of a despised movie would stick in the memory.
Doris Day I could live without, but I rather like Goldie Hawn. Eddie Murphy has actually done some good work: Coming to America, Life, Beverly Hills Cop, The Distinguished Gentleman, 48 Hours, Trading Places, etc.
As for The Nutty Professor, it did give us the memorable phrase "Makes me moist!". I'm not sure which version is better (worse?) though; I'm going to have to re-watch Jerry Lewis' version.
I wish I could explain in detail just what I hate about DD and GH, but I can't - no doubt the hate is largely irrational. Their movies may have entertained a lot of women, but they did women no other favours. [BTW, (and Jim might make me delete this) am I the only one who's noticed that most of GH's movies contain references to fellatio? I mean, a reference in one or two movies you'd take in your stride, but when it's movie after movie you start to get suspicious.]
Okay, EM may have made a few more not bad movies than I've allowed, but, for me, they don't make up for the putrid ones.
Jim, after pressing the "Post" button I pressed my browser's "Stop" button in order to change "Jim might make me..." to "Jim might decide to...", but I was too late.
The above was me. Hit "post" by mistake. I'll have to fix that (that it's possible to post blank comments). No worries about the post - I'm just glad to hear The Listology is so responsive.
I can understand and for the most part agree with these. I did enjoy Dollars and Everyone Says I Love You, but neither was a masterpiece, and Ms. Hawn certainly has many terrible films to answer for.
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
Your comment prompts me to clarify: in the cases of DD and GH, it's not so much the movies as the personalities that rub me the wrong way - and in the case of EM it's the content and style of the movies more than the actor's personality.
I agree with you concerning Eddie Murphy, but Al Pacino???
Yep! Al is overrated. His Godfather work was good, but most of his performances make me wonder how so many people can be favorably impressed by such sheer mugging. When I watch Pacino I am always very aware of the camera - he makes me aware of it because he is so very obviously aware of it.
Well, that's an interesting point of view.
You Luxembourgers are very diplomatic :-D
Hmm. I can definitely agree with you when it comes to Scarface, though that was just such a ridiculously over-the-top movie in general, that his performance seemed to fit, in my opinion. I think aside from the Godfather movies, Pacino has given great performances in Dog Day Afternoon, The Insider, and Insomnia, among others. Just my opinion.
Could you tell me, in which films do you find Pacino's performances most offensive?