In pure storytelling terms, I enjoyed this film quite a lot.
However…
My problem with the film stems from the way in which student protests, the counterculture, and other New Leftish movements were vilified, while the simple social conservatism of Forrest’s southern upbringing stood for a moral good. What an amazingly simplistic take on a time that – like all history – is characterized more by shades grey than contrasting colors.
kshane
· 1 year ago
Maybe it's an age thing. I have always loved this film, and catch it nearly ever time it's on television. I lived through the same times that Forrest did, and I've always regarded the film as the story of my generation. It's incredibly moving for me. I've heard the charges of a conservative slant. I either don't get it, or don't care.
As for spectacular scenes, the scene when Forrest is speaking at the anti-war rally in Washington and spots Jenny is one the most spectacular scenes for me in recent cinema. If your heartstrings aren't tugged as they wade across the reflecting pool toward each other, you are stronger than I am.
arensb
· 1 year ago
Robert Zemeckis, whose love affair with visual effects...
Don't forget "Contact" and "Cast Away", which had tons of effects that you couldn't see, like islands removed from the horizon and the like.
Zack
· 1 year ago
I've seen neither (though I read Sagan's book) so I figured I'd keep my mouth shut on those two - but it makes sense that they'd be effect-heavy.
arensb
· 1 year ago
The reason I mentioned those two is that they have lots of what I think of as invisible special effects: when you see a human talking to a cartoon in "Roger Rabbit", or hovering skateboards in "Back to the Future 3", you immediately think "special effect".
"Contact", on the other hand, has effects that don't look like effects: in one scene, they added breath to a character (the location was supposed to be cold). In another, they took footage of president Clinton speaking in the Rose Garden, and made it look as though he were in the White House press room.
"Cast Away" took this even further, with things like establishing shots of the island that look perfectly normal, and are impressive only when you know that the filmmakers removed half a dozen islands and added surf; or, in one case, built the whole island from scratch.
rsbrandt
· 1 year ago
Forrest Gump has about a zillion clues that we're supposed to take it as an updating of Voltaire's Candide.
All Comments
However…
My problem with the film stems from the way in which student protests, the counterculture, and other New Leftish movements were vilified, while the simple social conservatism of Forrest’s southern upbringing stood for a moral good. What an amazingly simplistic take on a time that – like all history – is characterized more by shades grey than contrasting colors.
As for spectacular scenes, the scene when Forrest is speaking at the anti-war rally in Washington and spots Jenny is one the most spectacular scenes for me in recent cinema. If your heartstrings aren't tugged as they wade across the reflecting pool toward each other, you are stronger than I am.
Don't forget "Contact" and "Cast Away", which had tons of effects that you couldn't see, like islands removed from the horizon and the like.
"Contact", on the other hand, has effects that don't look like effects: in one scene, they added breath to a character (the location was supposed to be cold). In another, they took footage of president Clinton speaking in the Rose Garden, and made it look as though he were in the White House press room.
"Cast Away" took this even further, with things like establishing shots of the island that look perfectly normal, and are impressive only when you know that the filmmakers removed half a dozen islands and added surf; or, in one case, built the whole island from scratch.