The Last Picture Show (1971) 118 Minutes

Though this Pick is recorded as a Wiener Selection for rotation purposes, our

stalwart Meteorologist bestowed his slot upon Amy “Bourbon Cookie”

Dudgeon.

B.C. first joined the Movienight Crew for Tooda’s ‘Cabaret,’ and with the

exception of ‘The Last Detail,’ hasn’t missed a pick in the 18 weeks since

then. That dedication, coupled with the fact that she has posted at least one

review, made Bourbon Cookie eligible for Wiener’s pick.

Indoors once again at Chez Tooda, the six people on hand for the Selection

marked the smallest Movienight audience since four people gathered to watch Nubs’ ‘Audition.’ While four of the Membership were in attendance, the aforementioned Wiener, along with Netti and Buffy were unable to be on-hand for Amy’s debut.

Amy proved true to her nick name providing Nubs, Jaja, Slim, Johnnie G., and Tooda with some damn fine bourbon cookies.

Pat Towne, continuing his boycott of Indoor Presentations, missed the second Official Selection directed by Peter Bogdanovich. Mr. Bogdanovich debuted with ‘What’s Up, Doc?’ when Pat pinch hit for Nubs.

Jeff Bridges returns here for the first time since his Dude abided on our first Movienight ever. Eileen Brennan makes her second appearances as well, she first bowed in Jaja’s ‘The Sting.’ ‘The Last Picture Show’ is the Movienight Debut of Cloris Leachman, Cybill Shephard, Ben Johnson, Ellen Burstyn and Timothy Bottoms. Randy Quaid joins the ranks of four-timers with this appearance, his previous three films were ‘Midnight Express,’ ‘What’s Up, Doc?,’ and ‘The Last Detail.’

Movienight North soldiered on as well this week, and their pick is chronicled here.

Next week, Movienight falls on the July 4th. Indoors or outdoors? Wednesday or Thursday? Many questions surround this pick, but one thing is for sure - Netti’s back for his first pick since the hotly debated ‘The Swimmer.’

“Look, Larry, they can catch.”

Written by: Larry McMurtry & Peter Bogdanovich

Directed by: Peter Bogdanovich

BBD Comments:

I was decidedly a little nervous for Amy stepping up to the plate. We can be a rough room of critics, and I hoped Bourbon Cookie would navigate the Scylla and Charybdis of the Crew with aplomb. As I surely should have trusted from the start, our own Kentucky bad-ass did just that.

‘The Last Picture Show’ beyond its remarkable achievement as a film in its own right, was a pitch perfect pick for the Crew at this time. The easy breezy days of our innocent youth have been slowly stripped away, and at least for the moment, the outdoor theaters of our Membership’s youth have closed their doors.

Bourbon Cookie, you done good. Thank you for showing all of us at Movienight that you “get it,” and for debuting with such a strong Selection.

For the record, this review was in no way influenced by your wonderful cookies, etc.

Onwards.

Brandon Comments:

Bourbon Cookie busted her cherry…what a great Selection, Amy. I was trying to think of something very clever to say by combining cherries and bourbon cookies, but it just doesn’t work. Regardless, ‘The Last Picture Show’ worked very well for our Wednesday together. And after seeing this film twice in the past 6 or 7 years, it was only on this viewing that I realized how the title applied to the story: the last picture show, the last movie played in town, the old man died…life changed. But the last show could also apply to the characters’ lives changing very dramatically and suddenly. Hearts are broken, relationships dissolved, people moving away, fathers dying…with nothing to do in a small town, people’s lives become their movies.

‘The Last Picture Show’ is definitely a slow-burner, but it grabs you in the first 10 minutes and escorts you slowly through the story. The rich black-and-white film and character-driven plot make you feel like you’re in that small town, watching life pass you by. By the film’s end, you desperately want to move away with the Jeff Bridges character. You want to leave that windy, dusty little town and never return. You want to go to the big city and dance and drink and screw. You want to burn down that little bar and move away as fast as you can. But there’s also a comfort level with the town, where things never really change. And the decision to either leave or stay is, to me, the real crux of ‘The Last Picture Show’...the real crux of all our lives.

Nice job, Bourbon Cookie. You done real good.

SELECTOR Comments:

Hoping that my first official guest Pick wouldn’t be my last, I chose ‘The Last Picture Show’ for its beauty and for my own shits and giggles. Yesssssss, it is a slow burn for many especially if you are in an altered state of mind. But, if you are able to open yourself up to the chemistry of the human condition, one can witness true splendor in tragedy.

With the stark landscape as a background, ‘The Last Picture Show’ envelopes you with an emptiness and loneliness that is stifling. Coming from a small town where everyone knows each others business, this movie was very real. Even with your neighbors and friends being ever present, one can feel very isolated no matter the age. In the end, this was a story about people I know, that everyone knows.

For this ensemble cast, I enjoyed the individuals who truly owned their craft. Cloris Leachman’s performance alone does it for me. Going from a simple, desperate woman with her hair pulled taught, to a vivacious, living soul with the glow of youth, to a tired, shattered wife, alone but still willing to accept what will make her happy is true art. Cybil Shepherd, although a little hokey because of the genre, had one of the most quietly intriguing sex scenes I’ve ever seen. With only the unzipping of her shorts and each hand, one at a time, bracing themselves in the corner pockets being shown, the intensity is left to the imagination. Timothy Bottoms was the picture-perfect tragedy of youth living in a world that he was simply trying to carve out a life in. Ben Johnson held the town together with his care for its people and knowledge of life. With his death went the security and started the true beginnings of the coming of age.

Long story short, I dig this film. Thanks for the Pick. Wasn’t following any plan or mood. Apologies to Nubs for misleading him in his pre-Movienight ritual. To some, this was a rookie mistake because it didn’t go along with the previous Picks or maybe they thought I was trying to prove something or impress. Not so much. I like it. Deal.

Hope all enjoyed the bourbon cookies at least. Cheers!

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