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Brewster McCloud (1970)

 
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Gord Green
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 12, 2017 7:50 pm    Post subject: Brewster McCloud (1970) Reply with quote

(Comments edited from Wikapedia and IMDb among others)



Brewster McCloud is a 1970 experimental film directed by Robert Altman. It concerns a young recluse (Bud Cort, as the title character) who lives in a fallout shelter of the Houston Astrodome, where he is building a pair of wings so he can fly. He is helped by his comely and enigmatic "fairy godmother", played by Sally Kellerman, as he becomes a suspect in a series of murders.

The opening credits are done twice, followed by the MGM lion opening his mouth to Auberjonois' voice saying, "I forgot the opening line".



The opening credits are superimposed over Daphne Heap (Margaret Hamilton) rehearsing "The Star-Spangled Banner" with a marching band in the Astrodome. She stops the song and accuses the band of being on the wrong key. The band begins again, and the credits also start over, with the same titles repeated with the "better" version of the song. One of the opening credits reads: "Title song by Francis Scott Key"

The Lecturer (Auberjonois) proceeds by regaling his unseen students with a wealth of knowledge of the habits of birds.

Owlish Brewster (Bud Cort), living hidden and alone under the Houston Astrodome, dreams of creating wings that will help him fly like a bird.

His only assistance comes from Louise (Sally Kellerman), a beautiful woman who wants to help. Wearing only a trench coat, ( And nothing underneath!)( She has a spectacular nude scene which I can't show here.....But it is spectacular!) Louise has unexplained scars on her shoulder blades, suggestive of a fallen angel.

She warns him against having sexual intercourse, as this could kill his instinct to fly.

In the climactic scene, a small army of policemen enter the Astrodome but fail to nab Brewster before he takes flight using his completed wings.

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Although Brewster escapes the police, he cannot escape the human being's inherent unsuitability for flight.



Exhausted by the effort, he falls out of the air, crashing in a heap on the floor of the Astrodome. The film ends with a Circus entering the Astrodome, played by the cast of the film, costumed as clowns, strongmen and other circus performers. The Ringmaster (played by William Windom) announces the names of each cast member, finishing with Brewster, who remains crumpled on the floor.



The themes of freedom and temptation are important in this film. Brewster longs for freedom, but is hindered in his realization of his dream by various characters and personal mistakes.

Brewster can potentially "fly away", but there is one important condition. He can never have sex with a woman. If he does, he won't be able to achieve flight because his female guardian (Kellerman) will no longer protect him.

But in typical human fashion, he falls for a girl. This character (Duvall) is his eventual downfall - literally! In the end, the film conveys the message that humans are never truly free. We are always controlled or confined by something, be it other people or our own desires or even the roof of the Astrodome. The dream of achieving flight is a metaphor in this film for man's incessant but futile wish to be free.

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If you have no interest in these plot or thematic elements, Brewster McCloud is still worth watching just because of its bizarre humor, recurring jokes, and odd characters. Listen carefully, for there are many subtle jokes and satirical remarks.

The trademark Altman audio style is used consistently throughout and if you listen carefully, you're bound to hear something funny or witty. When watching this one on video, be sure to crank the volume up high so that you clearly hear all the layers of Altman's "thick" sound mix. The ending - the final ten minutes of the film - is very memorable and provides a great finish to all the previous events. Unlike so many films, this movie's ending is neither anticlimactic nor corny, but rather profound and dramatic.

As a personal aside. This film falls right after Altman's M.A.S.H. and before his NASHVILLE. While it is loosly a science fiction-fantasy it remains a very funny, quirky and deeply serious film. I had to hunt around for it in the 70's and never actually got to see the whole thing untill it started appearing on TCM a few years ago. I had a "photo-novel" book edition of it that told the story in a "picto-fiction" fashion and found it fascinating.

I highly reccoment that you all see this film.

You won't forget it!


Last edited by Gord Green on Sun Aug 13, 2017 1:25 am; edited 1 time in total
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Bud Brewster
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 05, 2023 10:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

________________________________

Here's the trailer for this unusual movie.


____ Brewster Mccloud - Original Theatrical Trailer


__________

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