Professor Elam

Weekend Oct 2 2016

I just watched the movie The Shallows.

Incredibly it only earned a 6.5 at Imdb.com. I would rate it a 9.0, minimum.

The themes of the movie are

Self Reliance

Persistence

Ingenuity

Perseverance

Resourcefulness

Actress Blake Lively carries virtualy the entire film by herself.

She has over a dozen film credits but this is the first time I have seen her. Believe me this is her break out movie.

Parallel movies would include

The Edge – Alec Baldwin and Anthony Hopkins survive a plane crash in the Alaska wilderness only to be pursued by a giant bear

Castaway – Tom Hanks survives a plane crash in the Pacific to be marooned on an island away from shipping lanes

All  is Lost -  Sailing solo around the world in a sailboat Robert Redford awakes to a cabin full of water after a rogue shipping container puts a hole the side of his boat

Endless Summer – Bruce Brown's 1966 documentary about two surfers scouring  the world to find the perfect wave

Alien and Aliens – another female, in this case, Sigourney Weaver, battles first one and then dozens of evil creatures in a pair of one of the best sci fi movies ever made

Outer space and the ocean are fair parallels, humans are pressed to survive in the vast expanse of either and danger is constant

But the biggest parallel is

Jaws 1 – Spielberg's 1975 blockbuster  made his mark with  Richard Dreyfuss, Roy Scheider, and Robert  Shaw battling a great white shark

Numerous video clips are on the imdb.com site.

Decades ago when I was an undergrad we did not even have VCRs, yes hard to believe but true. As a result on a large campus like UT Austin, numerous groups would show films on the weekend. It made for an inexpensive date. Better yet, we experienced the movie as a group. And this resulted in the inevitable discussion  of the theme of the movie. That was a good thing and emblematic of what college was all about in the 'good ole days.' That experience does not exist on a  commuter campus. All I can do is urge you to watch it this next weekend.

Why?

It is always difficult to find a movie that entertains the entire family. This one does.

Most parents of teenagers despair of getting them to do this or that. This movie is all about survival by self-reliance. Students have complained that my movie references need to be more current. This one was released this year,  2016.

The photography and effects are perhaps the best I have ever seen-simply stunning.

Blake's acting as she endures an open wound  made more painful by the salt water deserves an award nomination.

This is another example that a great movie need not have a huge budget. I remarked that the $100 M recent Ben Hur was a flop. I had rather bet on a $12 M Hell or High Water.

At $17 M this movie is of that genre. I found myself watching all of the credits to learn more about how it was created. There are dozens of digital special effects specialists listed.

The movie was not shot in Mexico which is suggested in the plot but Lord Howe Island.  Click this link for the official website and gorgeous shots of the place.

I had mentioned the movie The Karate Kid as inspirational to attending college or taking a certified exam. This film takes inspiration to the next level.

So, there you have it.

I hope that some of you will watch this next weekend so we can have a discussion in class, you know, about self-reliance.