Harold & Maude-50 year Aniversary

[blackcat]

On December 20th it will be 50 years since the film was released and this article reveals a little information about a problematic kickstand.

“Making “Harold and Maude” wasn’t easy, and releasing it to the general public was even harder. But 50 years on, the touching, droll and subversive story of a troubled teenager, played by Bud Cort, who falls in love with a nearly 80-year old free spirit, played by Ruth Gordon, still feels fresh and funny.

The idea for the film was hatched by Colin Higgins, a UCLA film student who lucked into a job cleaning the pool of a producer and ended up selling his script to Paramount. Director Hal Ashby fought the establishment at every turn, nearly getting the production shut down. Released with almost no marketing on the same date “The Godfather” was supposed to premiere, “Harold and Maude” flopped spectacularly in its initial release. Yet over time, it slowly caught on as a repertory theater staple, becoming a ‘70s touchstone and finally recouping its budget several years later.”

https://variety.com/2021/film/news/harold-and-maude-oral-history-flop-cult-classic-1235130303/?fbclid=IwAR0beGLC99qBkrRWRympSoEKfI3t7LE2IqwHZhomuoUkdyKOm5Yjk_UeI6U

[john fish]

Great movie.



Guzzi content:
Charles Mulvehill: Truthfully, the movie was challenging to pull off. We have the scene with the motorcycle cop where they’re replanting a tree. They’re pulled over by a motorcycle cop who at the end of the scene gets back on his bike and heads off down the road. And he had forgotten to put his kickstand up on the bike, he went flying off. Luckily he wasn’t seriously hurt, but it was bad enough that he couldn’t do the role. So that that’s when I asked Tom Skerritt, a friend of ours, if he’d do it as a cameo. And he played the motorcycle cop and he did a terrific job.

[LowRyter]

That was among a lot of cult movies of the time.  I remember going to the Saturday midnight movies in the early '70s.  Big theater, lots of smoke and fun.  Good times.  Get home at 4am. 

Even the previews got applause.  Harold & Maude, 2001, Slaughter House 5, Catch 22, Midnight Cowboy, Easy Rider....

Later the Rocky Horror thing took over and the midnight movie scene changed. 

[steven c]

 One of my favorites.

[john fish]

That was among a lot of cult movies of the time. 

A lot of great movies in that era.  I've heard it called the Auteur Era of Hollywood.  Directors had a lot of leeway to create.  That all ended with Heaven's Gate in 1980.  A pity.  There are still great movies being made but the 1970's was definitely a magic time.

[LowRyter]

A lot of great movies in that era.  I've heard it called the Auteur Era of Hollywood.  Directors had a lot of leeway to create.  That all ended with Heaven's Gate in 1980.  A pity.  There are still great movies being made but the 1970's was definitely a magic time.

don't forget M*A*S*H and Bonnie and Clyde

[Mayor_of_BBQ]

One of the greatest movies ever. I didnt buy a loopframe because of Dirty Harry

[blackcat]

I’m pretty sure it’s one of the reasons I have an el Camino.

The one midnight movie that was just flat out weird is Eraserhead, but it is a Lynch film.

“While working on The Elephant Man, Lynch met American director Stanley Kubrick, who revealed to Lynch that Eraserhead was his favorite film. Eraserhead also served as an influence on Kubrick's 1980 film The Shining; Kubrick reportedly screened the film for the cast and crew to "put them in the mood" that he wanted the film to achieve.”

[Guzzi Gal]

Love, love, love this movie!

[Mayor_of_BBQ]

It's a real tearjerker Guzzi Gal! I cant hardly stand it but I still see it a couple times a year!