Last month I had the opportunity to watch HBO’s thrilling 5 part mini-series, Chernobyl. A compelling depiction of the 1986 explosion at the nuclear power plant in the Ukraine. The film is beautifully shot, veiled in beiges and browns, cigarette ash and horned rim glasses, realistically conveying the imagery and mood of the latter years of the Soviet Union. It’s also brilliantly acted with a cast that includes the very talented Emily Watson, Stellan Skarsgård and Jared Harris, the son of the late master thespian and “Hellraiser” Richard Harris. It had me at Привет, completely enthralling me with its storytelling and bold revelation of the underlying truths that were swept under the rug by the old communist regime. But what really struck me the hardest, was its horrifying disclosure of the ramifications of radiation poisoning. There are absolutely terrifying scenes where brave blue collar workers and soldiers put their very lives on the line or even sacrifice them overtly in order to help contain the disaster zone.
Many of these scenes left me with a bout of anxiety at their heart pounding suspense and ominous consequences. Several times throughout the weeks that I watched it, I found myself on my couch, alone in my apartment quietly uttering the phrase “What the fuck?!”. Near the end of the 4th episode I noticed that I was doing this, and started to wonder about how many movies I’ve seen caused me to use profanity for all to hear. So, without further delay, I’d like to present my inaugural article entitled “The Farrar Five” for mitchmelnick.com. A self-indulgent piece where I count down 5 events, entities or people in a wide range of genres that have made an impact on me during my 42 years on this planet. This week, I give you 5 movie moments that made me say “What the fuck?!” out loud…
V
“Aw, man, I shot Marvin in the face…”
Pulp Fiction (1994)
Although not as psychologically heavy as the rest of this list, poor Marvin’s sudden demise in Pulp Fiction is an unforgettable movie moment nonetheless. Unforgettable, and completely unexpected. While Jules Winfield and Vincent Vega have a philosophical exchange in the car over Jules’ future life choices, their prisoner Marvin, looks on in the back seat. Vincent for some reason, deems it important for Marvin, whose roommate he just killed in cold blood, to weigh in on the conversation. Gun in hand, he turns to Marvin to get his take, and in mid-sentence, proceeds to accidentally and suddenly blow his braincase to smithereens. When Pulp Fiction was released in 1994, I as a 17 year old, had the opportunity to witness this moment spoiler free. The “What the fuck?!” that ensued, not only came from the mouth of Samuel L. Jackson, who was splattered with pieces of Marvin’s cerebellum, but also from myself and every other person sitting in that Chomedey cinema that night. I have never experienced a simultaneous reaction of shock, shouts, screams and astonished laughter in a movie theatre like that before, or anything even close ever since.
IV
“Things will go on as they have done up until now. They’ll go from bad to worse. Things will go on, and then one day it will all be over.”
Amour (2012)
Amour is a French masterpiece dealing with the hardships of taking care of an elderly spouse with dementia. Georges and his wife Anne start off as a couple of happy, middle class seniors enjoying their retirement, until one day Anne’s mental condition begins to deteriorate. The challenges that follow are heartrending, eventually culminating in what begins with a tender scene between Georges and his bedridden love, but ends with a twist that I can only say involves an act of excruciating desperation and a pillow. The “What the fuck?” that I whispered that night was muffled as it emerged through a huge lump in my throat, and an awkward feeling as I laid my head down on my own pillow.
III
“He got a real pretty mouth ain’t he?”
Deliverance (1972)
To say what we all witnessed in that particular scene in Deliverance left an indelible imprint on us as a mainstream movie going audience, would be an understatement. Released 4 years before I was even born, the scene involving Ed Gentry and Bobby Trippe’s unfortunate run in with a gang of inbred mountain men would still be controversial today. Deliverance’s initial pace fools you into thinking that it will eventually progress into some sort of buddy action film, and sometimes even a light, humourous one at that, but it takes a dark turn very quickly, and Ned Beatty’s pig squealing still rings in my head to this day. The “What the fuck?!” I yelled out during that viewing was not only one of shock, but also one of agonizing anticipation, as I shouted pleadingly at Burt Reynolds to fire that goddamn bow and arrow.
II
“Let Jesus fuck you, let Jesus fuck you. Let him fuck you.”
The Exorcist (1973)
If Deliverance upped the ante when it came to unspeakable scenes in early 70’s cinema, The Exorcist, released a year later, made it look like a Disney cartoon. To watch someone who started out as a sweet 12 year old girl get possessed by a demon, then use atrocious language never before articulated on the big screen and directed at clergy nonetheless, followed up by the physical torment of her mother by tossing her violently about the room and spewing projectile artichoke green vomit from a sore ridden, abhorrent face is one thing. But it doesn’t hold a candle to what a hapless young Regan does to herself with that metal crucifix in an ineffable display that none of us can unremember. My “What the fuck?!” in the wake of that scene was quickly followed up with prayers of salvation to any and every deity I could think of. Upon its viewing, The Exorcist nearly converted this staunch atheist to piety, as Jesus, Yahweh, Shiva, Buddha and Muhammad all heard from me that night.
I
“Dad loves us. Mom loves us. Do we love them? Yes, we do.”
Dogtooth (2009)
This final movie moment on my list is just…um….I….I just can’t……I don’t even know…..how…..how to describe…..oh boy. Even writing about Dogtooth makes me physically ill, or want to type it out with a loaded gun on the table next to me like Robert Towne did when he wrote the script to Chinatown. To select a uniquely disturbing scene from this Greek psychological thriller is an exercise in futility as the entire film is just a series of repugnant, stupefying actions, with one constantly doubling down on the other. The plot involves a middle aged couple living on a remote ranch in Greece with their three teenage children. They have systematically isolated their kids from the rest of the world, brainwashing them into a state of complacency by convincing them that they would instantaneously suffer a terrible death if they were to tread past the estate gates. Convincing their adolescents that planes are actually small toys flying through the air, that cats eat children, and rearranging the definition of words in order to disrupt their actual meaning, it is no wonder what kind of psychotic disorders the three siblings develop. From Dad and Mom awkwardly copulating while both are listening to music wearing headphones, to the vicious beatings delivered with VCR accessories, to the mutilation of a small kitten with a pair of garden shears, to one of the girls knocking out her own teeth with a dumbbell, and most horridly, the ghastly grooming of the eldest daughter to take part in incest in order to satisfy her brother’s postpubescent sexual urges, this movie is just a plethora of unmitigated “What the Fucks?!”. The scenes are so disturbingly real, and the amount of “What the fucks?!” I uttered were so numerous upon its viewing, they eventually evolved into actual comprehensive Greek. I’ll never be able to Men In Black flash my way out of what I saw, so I’m just going to have to store that shit and hope it doesn’t unexpectedly surface during a first date.
So there you have it. Are there any movie moments that ever enticed you to yell “What the Fuck?!” out loud? Let me know in the comments section, or on Facebook or Twitter. I would love to get your feedback!
