The Bowdoin Orient

April 13, 2001
Volume CXXXII, Number 21

The man, the myth, the movies: a
Tom Hanks weekend

by JIM FLANAGAN - COLUMNIST

   This weekend, we celebrate the films of Tom Hanks, a true acting legend. Tom has made some great films: Philadelphia, Forrest Gump, Apollo 13, Saving Private Ryan, The Green Mile, Cast Away, to name a few. But he hasn't always been that way. You see, Tom got his start making really bad, stupid movies. With titles like: He Knows You Are Alone, Bachelor Party, Dragnet, Punchline, and Turner and Hooch, Tom has made himself a hero to everyone who likes skeletons in the closet and a mildly embarrassing past. With this weekend, we hope to bring you a good mix of both stages of Tom's career and will leave it up to you to decide which part you enjoy more.
   The Film Studies department has requested that I mention a special event here: Eric Schaefer of Emerson College will be giving a lecture entitled "'Other' Images of America: The Case of Exploitation Film" on Thursday the 19th at 8pm in Searles 315. He is the author of "Bold! Daring! Shocking! True! A History of the Exploitation Film, 1919-1959." His lecture will reference two films, Glen or Glenda (1953) and Marihuana (1936), which will be screened by the Film Studies department.
   All the films will be shown in Smith Auditorium, Sills, Hall and are free and open to the public.

Friday at 7pm
Big (1988)
Directed by: Penny Marshall
Starring: Tom Hanks, Elizabeth Perkins, Robert Loggia,
John Heard, John Lovitz, David Moscow, Jared Rushton
Big was Tom's first A-list star vehicle (up until this point, all his films were B-movies or ensemble pieces). The story concerns a 12-year-old boy who wishes "to be big." The next morning, he wakes up to discover that he is now an adult, but in body only. He still has the same curiosity and mind of a 12-year-old. He now must go out into the real world and live as an adult. The way Tom plays this role, and the story in general, gives a humorous look at life through the eyes of a kid forced into the big world. Rated PG

Friday at 9pm
Splash (1984)
Directed by: Ron Howard
Starring: Tom Hanks, Daryl Hannah, Eugene Levy, John Candy
After Bosom Buddies and a low-budget horror film, this was Tom's first major media exposure. He plays a man who, as a young child, was saved from drowning by a mermaid. Later, as an adult, the same thing happens again, and the same mermaid comes to his rescue. She then decides to find him in the real world, and lets her tail dry out to become a pair of legs. She finds Tom, and they fall in love, but only then does he realize what this woman really is. The entire cast is really good in this film and Howard's direction makes this a top-notch 80's comedy. Rated PG

Saturday at 7pm
Forrest Gump (1994)
Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
Starring: Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise,
Mykelti Williamson, Sally Field
Philadelphia made Tom a star, but Forrest Gump made him a superstar. Like Big, Tom plays an innocent man who enters into the world and has encounters with famous people and influences numerous historic events. OK, so it may be sappy at times and extremely impossible and occasionally inaccurate, but this is a very enjoyable movie. Tom really becomes Forrest and you forget all about his star persona as you become engrossed in the film. Everyone has probably already seen this movie, but we couldn't have a Tom Hanks weekend without at least one of his Oscar winning roles. Rated PG-13

Saturday, a little after 9pm
Volunteers (1985)
Directed by: Nicholas Meyer
Starring: Tom Hanks, John Candy, Rita Wilson,
Tim Thomerson, Gedde Watanabe, George Plimpton
Tom plays a snobby rich gambler who has way too many debts to pay off. His father won't help him out, so he joins the Peace Corps to get away from his creditors. Once in Southeast Asia, he has to help build a bridge with two serious volunteers. The three soon discover that this is a very special bridge that many groups want to control (including the Communists and a drug lord). This really isn't seen as a good film, but so what? We can't let Mr. Hanks get all high and mighty on us. Even the best actors had to make some sub-par films before they gained worldwide fame. This is definitely one of those films. Rated R

Tuesday at 9:30pm
Wednesday at 10pm
Marihuana (1936)
This is one of those famous films that shows the dangers faced if young people are allowed to act freely. This time around an evil man (you can tell he's evil because of his mustache) gives some kids marijuana to smoke. Soon they go to a beach, enjoy some fun naked time, but then problems ensue. People start to die...or worse, as the film leads you to believe. This is up there with Reefer Madness in terms of a film completely missing its mark in preventing drug use.

Tuesday at 10:30pm
Wednesday at 11pm
Glen or Glenda (1953)
Directed by: Ed Wood
Starring: Ed Wood, Dolores Fuller, Bela Lugosi, Lyle Talbot,
Timothy Farrell, Conrad Brooks
This is Ed Wood's first film, and it's a classic. Taking the name Daniel Davis, he casts himself in the autobiographical role of a man who enjoys wearing women's clothing. Everything about the film may be technically horrible (acting, writing, direction, etc.) but the film is so much fun you won't even notice. Fans of Tim Burton's Ed Wood will want to check this out, as it is one of the three films featured in Burton's movie.