Three acts looking for a locomotive

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In Reply to: The most hilarious comedy in years posted by Victor Khomenko on October 5, 2003 at 07:00:46:

Victor,
I'm a big fan of "Mystery Train" also. I'm a person to whom the word "cool" will never apply, but I sometimes can recognize it when I see it- and "Mystery Train" is all over the job.
I would suggest to that it will seem even more wonderful if you see the entire movie through. The three acts join together near the end and suddenly there is a relationship between all the characters that centre on the hotel and Elvis. If you miss the collision of events that put all the scenes into the time perspective- and this is as well done as everything else- a lot of the clockwork cleverness is lost and the result might seem episodic and not much more.
This is in contrast to "Night On Earth" in which the episodes are really independent and stand alone. I could watch only the Begnini epsiode and forget the others for example.
As you say, the Japanese scene is wonderful, but the scenes of Jay Hawkins and the bellhop are side-splitting too, "How much would Elvis weigh on Jupiter?"
Overall, it's a wonderful and subtle view centred on foreigners: the Japanese students, the Italian woman whose husband has died, the Englishman known as "Elvis" and how they come up against American culture. A fresh look at America and the iconic, almost religious stature assigned to pop culture.
Fun AND smart!
I love train movies as trains (similar to ships) can be the island, serendipitous encounters, a "ship of fools", and catalysts of change, and/or symbolic of other kinds of journeys. "The Train" with Lancaster is one of the high points of the train genre.

Cheers,
Bam

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Follow Ups Full Thread

Topic - The most hilarious comedy in years - Victor Khomenko 07:00:46 10/05/03 (5)

Three acts looking for a locomotive - Bambi B 11:22:50 10/05/03 (4)

We left when they got to the hotel. - Duilawyer 20:17:14 10/07/03 (2)

Re: We left when they got to the hotel. - Bambi B 17:18:01 10/08/03 (1)

But be fair! - Victor Khomenko 17:20:56 10/08/03 (0)

From Family to Scola - the Train of thoughts - Victor Khomenko 06:52:16 10/06/03 (0)

Follow Ups

Three acts looking for a locomotive - Bambi B 11:22:50 10/05/03 (4)

We left when they got to the hotel. - Duilawyer 20:17:14 10/07/03 (2)

Re: We left when they got to the hotel. - Bambi B 17:18:01 10/08/03 (1)

But be fair! - Victor Khomenko 17:20:56 10/08/03 (0)

From Family to Scola - the Train of thoughts - Victor Khomenko 06:52:16 10/06/03 (0)

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