![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
And here I am watching it. Again. The thing is, I know it's a totally sucky movie. So I'm pondering why I am willing to watch this movie, and why despite its suckitude it's managed to find regular rotation on TBS -- thus proving that I am not the only one so afflicted.
Hold on, Swayze's doing the claw of doom thing.
Wow, they just cut at least three gunshots from the ending. That sucks.
Okay, I'm back.
Okay, so here's my list of why this movie doesn't completely suck. Please note that these are not in order of importance.
1) Good looking men. Swayze was young and lithe and in shape and pretty pleasant to look at during this period, especially when he's doing athletic stuff. He can sort of act, not that he was given a lot to work with here. When he's with a decent actor in a scene, though, he can sort of rise to the occasion. Also, Sam Elliot (see below).
2) Jeff Healey Band. Yes, I know that was so frickin' 80's. The music in this is good though. It's even still good, as opposed to other movies that came out at the same time that now make you sort of retroactively embarrassed for whoever assembled the soundtrack.
3) Sam Elliot. Sam Elliot is a huge reason why this movie doesn't suck. Primarily because he doesn't suck, he has fun with the role, he manages to have some form of chemistry with Swayze -- even with the romantic interest, which is a hell of a lot more than anyone else manages with her. He's also really sexy when he's fighting despite age and trick knees and whatnot. And his hair looks better than anyone else's in this show.
4) The town. I have a soft spot for small town stuff, and they really nailed it in this. I've seen something like a billion small-town car dealerships just like that one. Big windows = status for rural car dealers, apparently. Also, they got a bunch of actually good long-time actors for this who worked really well together and remind me of people I knew growing up. Giving them the ending worked. Hell, I wish they'd been the focus of the film instead of Swayze. The writers missed their protagonists altogether, really. Despite this, the actors rise above the material and pull this off.
5) The mook who gets trapped under the polar bear bought a cougar figurine from me back when I was in high school. He likes cougars. I have no explanation. Plus, "A polar bear fell on me."
6) The movie that might have been. Far more interesting than this whole "oh look, I'm a zen wandering bouncer with a Mysterious Past" thing is the story of a self-declared tyrant king gone mad and how the Prophesied Warrior really isn't the guy who fixes things after all, though he does arguably help. Then again, I think the townspeople would have eventually taken care of it regardless, rising up against tyranny to overthrow their oppressor. It's a classic tale, really, and it supplies a good deal of the reason people keep coming back to this IMO. It's hard to beat the classics.
Granted, there's an equally long list of Reasons This Movie Sucks, starting with Swayze and The Girl and The Writing and moving on from there, but the very fact that I came up with that many reasons why it doesn't suck means that in the end, it sort of evens out.
Snack rating: Fritos, Hormel Chili, diced Kraft Singles (consumed together and eaten with a plastic spoon) and Dr. Pepper. Possibly Coors instead, depending on taste (or lack thereof).
Awful snacks aside, though, that's why this movie doesn't entirely suck. :)
Hold on, Swayze's doing the claw of doom thing.
Wow, they just cut at least three gunshots from the ending. That sucks.
Okay, I'm back.
Okay, so here's my list of why this movie doesn't completely suck. Please note that these are not in order of importance.
1) Good looking men. Swayze was young and lithe and in shape and pretty pleasant to look at during this period, especially when he's doing athletic stuff. He can sort of act, not that he was given a lot to work with here. When he's with a decent actor in a scene, though, he can sort of rise to the occasion. Also, Sam Elliot (see below).
2) Jeff Healey Band. Yes, I know that was so frickin' 80's. The music in this is good though. It's even still good, as opposed to other movies that came out at the same time that now make you sort of retroactively embarrassed for whoever assembled the soundtrack.
3) Sam Elliot. Sam Elliot is a huge reason why this movie doesn't suck. Primarily because he doesn't suck, he has fun with the role, he manages to have some form of chemistry with Swayze -- even with the romantic interest, which is a hell of a lot more than anyone else manages with her. He's also really sexy when he's fighting despite age and trick knees and whatnot. And his hair looks better than anyone else's in this show.
4) The town. I have a soft spot for small town stuff, and they really nailed it in this. I've seen something like a billion small-town car dealerships just like that one. Big windows = status for rural car dealers, apparently. Also, they got a bunch of actually good long-time actors for this who worked really well together and remind me of people I knew growing up. Giving them the ending worked. Hell, I wish they'd been the focus of the film instead of Swayze. The writers missed their protagonists altogether, really. Despite this, the actors rise above the material and pull this off.
5) The mook who gets trapped under the polar bear bought a cougar figurine from me back when I was in high school. He likes cougars. I have no explanation. Plus, "A polar bear fell on me."
6) The movie that might have been. Far more interesting than this whole "oh look, I'm a zen wandering bouncer with a Mysterious Past" thing is the story of a self-declared tyrant king gone mad and how the Prophesied Warrior really isn't the guy who fixes things after all, though he does arguably help. Then again, I think the townspeople would have eventually taken care of it regardless, rising up against tyranny to overthrow their oppressor. It's a classic tale, really, and it supplies a good deal of the reason people keep coming back to this IMO. It's hard to beat the classics.
Granted, there's an equally long list of Reasons This Movie Sucks, starting with Swayze and The Girl and The Writing and moving on from there, but the very fact that I came up with that many reasons why it doesn't suck means that in the end, it sort of evens out.
Snack rating: Fritos, Hormel Chili, diced Kraft Singles (consumed together and eaten with a plastic spoon) and Dr. Pepper. Possibly Coors instead, depending on taste (or lack thereof).
Awful snacks aside, though, that's why this movie doesn't entirely suck. :)
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2007-10-13 05:24 pm (UTC)From:I've never actually seen Road House, I just remember that they used to mention it a lot on MST3K. They even did a Rifftrax on it.