Aug 28, 2011

ClassicMovieRIMF #5: Man in the chair (2007)

So many Classic Movies References in this Modern Film

It happened again: I was in the mood to watch a recent film so I picked Man in the chair because Christopher Plummer was the leading actor...and it surprised me: the movie itself was very good AND Classic Hollywood was part of the plot.

The movie 
Before I show you a clip of some of the references, allow me to tell you what's it about. We could title this film: There's no country for old men, even if they were part of Hollywood's Golden Age meets Karate Movie Director Kid

Explanation: a student with family issues wants to film a movie to present it in a contest and try to win a scholarship and become a great director etc. His classmates are all rich kids from L.A., so he has 0 chances. He really loves cinema and that way he meets Christopher Plummer, in a movie theater. 

The old man is very irritable and soon we realize he has issues of his own. He worked as a gaffer in a lot of old movies like Citizen Kane (mini flashback included) and now he's alone and abandoned, just like other  people he knew in those glorious days, now living in a residential home for the elderly. This group will help the kid to make his movie and he will realize that they have a story to tell...


The movie is dramatic, it feels real. I ended up crying. 

The ClassicMovieRIMFs
Well, you should see this film, so I'm not going to tell you ALL the references, but they include: old posters (example: Meet John Doe), old movie screenings, mentioning fictional people that work in classics (like Roman Holiday), a flashback where Orson Welles is depicted and more.

So, today's ClassicMovieRIMF are three, all placed at the opening credits sequence, so I won't spoil anything to you: His Girl Friday, John Wayne's Angel and the Badman and  The last time I saw Paris starring Elizabeth Taylor. Be sure to check the audio from the very beginning:


To check more ClassicMovieRIMFS click here or the respective button in the sidebar menu :)

5 comments:

  1. Sounds like a really good movie! Thanks for the recommendation; I'll have to check it out. :)

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  2. This sounds like a film everybody should see, regardless of their favorite genre. A film like this comes along very rarely. A film like not only entertain, it teaches us about an era past, and teaches about films of the present. Now I'm really glad I'm following this blog. Without I would not have known about this film - and right now I really wants to see this film.

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  3. A film like this comes along very rarely. Everyone should make an effort to this film. It doesn't simply entertain, it teaches us of an era past, and teaches us about our present. It also teaches us that we make use not only of the things involved in making movies, but of the people too. The forgotten people of the film industry. Because without them we would never have had Spencer, Burt, Audrey, Julie, and countless others.

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  4. Clara, I am going to make a virtual run over to Netflix and order this one. I don't remember seeing it advertised, or perhaps if I did just forgot about it. It sounds good anyway, and I love movies that feature classic film references. Thanks for the recommendation!

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  5. Clara, any film that starts with clips and dialogue from HIS GIRL FRIDAY is already a keeper in my book! What a great opening credits sequence, mixing classic movie footage with scenes of the great Christopher Plummer as a man whose life has clearly passed him by for one reason or another. Looks like MAN IN THE CHAIR is another film I'll have to add to my must-see list! Thanks for sharing this moving opening with us!

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