Sunday, February 13, 2011

Rec. #45: Harold and Maude


What: Harold Chasen is a privileged young man obsessed with death. He stages fake suicides, drives a hearse, and attends strangers' funerals. At one of these funerals, he meets Maude, who is equally driven by a love for life. She dances and sings, rescues trees, steals cars, and tries something new every day. Harold quickly falls in love with the free spirit. Harold's mother, priest, and psychiatrist object to the relationship, though, mainly because Maude is 79 years old. The story of Harold and Maude is brought to near-perfection by well-integrated music from the inestimable Cat Stevens (Yusuf Islam). This is a great way to spend Valentine's Day.

Comparable to: A major influence on many writers/directors. In my opinion, Wes Anderson has spent most of his career trying to recapture the quirky, happy/morbid vibe of this film.

Representative quote: "You know, at one time I used to break into pet shops to liberate the canaries. But I decided that was an idea way before its time. Zoos are full, prisons are overflowing . . . oh my, how the world still dearly loves a cage."

You might not like it if: You have a very low threshold for quirk.

How to get it: It's possibly more expensive to buy than you would expect, but it's worth it.

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