Gran Torino- Clint Eastwood

[59Lark]

Torino oh those were the days.

Kids today, hot rod hondas, noisy mufflers, when i was a teenager we drove cutlasses, malibu, torinos, mustangs, my first car was a rambler. This could explain a lot, a gremlin later and now i drive studebakers. NEVER A HONDA, remember starksy and hutch, check out on ebay and see how many two tone red and white torino are forsale. The ones that rode in where a blue 74 sedan and a silver 76 with cleveland 351 but the windsor was the better motor. When i go , remember me for my gray felt fedora, my overcoat, my 59 studebaker and my trade not for my import. Gotta go see clint.fftopic: 59LARK.

 

[MrBern]

entitlement?

Interesting movie. Dark movie, but thats what we expect of him as a director.
Somewhat reminded me of his character in HeartbreakRidge, just further down the line. A lot of Dirty Harry. A LOT of ArchieBunker. A lot of The Shootist.
I agree that his family was painted broadly & simplistically, but thats just a hollywood technique to make them unimportant in his life & show you why he bonds with the neighbors.

Im not really sure what the movie is trying to say...that America has violence in its roots? Or that the elderly generation that came of age in the `40s & `50s seems to have more hardworking values in common with new immigrants than with their own Babyboomer kids & GenX grandkids.
I suppose the title presents the car as the american dream & a legacy that everyone is suffering to attain.

 

[Lady Day]

I think its trying to say family isnt defined by blood, and knowing someone that you can relate to constitutes family more than anything.

LD

 

[Widebrim]

Ok, I'll probably see it too, but what does this film have to do with "vintage?" Or is Clint himself now considered part of that catagory?[huh]

 

[Hemingway Jones]

Ok, I'll probably see it too, but what does this film have to do with "vintage?" Or is Clint himself now considered part of that catagory?[huh]

Nothing, perhaps, having not seen it, but "The Moving Picture" is fairly wide in its scope.

 

[MrBern]

Ok, I'll probably see it too, but what does this film have to do with "vintage?" Or is Clint himself now considered part of that catagory?[huh]

The M1 Garand that he brandishes!

 

[Lincsong]

The movie is not about "family" relationships, it's about personal redemption and coming to peace with oneself. If I get further into this then I'll have to expose the ending. How this movie ends is what the movie is all about.

 

[Widebrim]

The M1 Garand that he brandishes!

Oh, yeah! That does it in my book!

 

[Doh!]

I saw it tonight and loved it!

Don't want to give away any spoilers, so scroll down a bit for a vague observation...












The ending's not what you expect, but it's a good one. I think it ultimately fits the character better and is more realistic than had it gone in another direction.

 

[Lincsong]

Yeah, D'oh when I saw the ending I almost yelled out "that's bull*&&!" but then I thought about what happened prior to the the mission and then I realized what and why he did it.

 

[59Lark]

good movie

Had a chance to watch the movie last night, and I thoroughly enjoyed it, and am impressed with clints work. The message, the man and the plot was insightfull and credibable. The young actors and main cast were also good, and hey we loved eastwood git off my lawn. Cleansing ones soul and making up for past wrongs. Nothing to loose, already been given a sentence, it all made sense and you know the ungratefull teenager granddaughter, I met her at a wedding a couple of years ago, studs and all and they do exist. I give it a 9.5 on a ten. But hey I love eastwood. 59Lark:rage:

 

[KY Gentleman]

I saw this one and really, really enjoyed it. I can't add to what has already been written other than it wasn't what I expected. Thats what made it so good.

 

[Hondo]

I saw it for the first time, I like it but I think some gang members are
above the type cast as intimidate on others, maybe it once was but
no longer, but thats not what the story is about, but I do agree with
Lincsong,
"it's about personal redemption and coming to peace with oneself."

I hope I didn't spoil it for those who have not seen it.
I didn't like the ending but thought it good, nice little film,
made me laugh and shed a tear.
Good job or well done Mr. Eastwood.

 

[Benny Holiday]

Did anyone else here find they really related to the Kowalski character? I don't mean the racist attitude, but in the way the 'modern' culture clashes with that of Walt Kowalski. For instance, when the kids turn up to their grandmother's funeral in baggy rap clothes or mid-riff tops etc and show a total lack of respect for the occasion.

The FL is a place where a lot of members have a feel for the etiquette and manners of days gone by, where there are threads devoted to such topics as tipping one's hat to a lady and numerous others. I grew up in a very multicultural society, so I didn't relate to the charcter's ethnic issues, but I did to the way the old world of hard-working (working class) values slipped away from all around Kowalski to be replaced by a run-down neughbourhood full of hoods and slackers with no respect for the history that gave them the liberties they take advantage of. I think that's an aspect of the film a lot of Loungers might relate to.

I thought it was a great flick in all, and yeah, the ending is very well done.

 

[Lincsong]

I was thinking about what Benny said, and I think that this film could have been made and set 30 years ago in 1978. The car could have been a 1941 Ford Coupe, Walt could have been a World War I vet. The deterioration of the neighborhoods happened in the late 1950's and early 1960's. By 1978 there were still a few whites like Walt who refused to be run out of their homes and stayed in the ghetto.

I also remember around that time listening to my Grandfather (who was 77 at the time) complain about the younger generations lack of respect, decorum, dress and long hair.

 

[Madcap72]

I was thinking about what Benny said, and I think that this film could have been made and set 30 years ago in 1978. The car could have been a 1941 Ford Coupe, Walt could have been a World War I vet. The deterioration of the neighborhoods happened in the late 1950's and early 1960's. By 1978 there were still a few whites like Walt who refused to be run out of their homes and stayed in the ghetto.

I also remember around that time listening to my Grandfather (who was 77 at the time) complain about the younger generations lack of respect, decorum, dress and long hair.

It's cyclic.

I'm sure at some point there was a old Civil war vet sitting on his porch grumbling about the youth of the turn of the century.

 

[vintage68]

Did anyone else here find they really related to the Kowalski character? I don't mean the racist attitude, but in the way the 'modern' culture clashes with that of Walt Kowalski. For instance, when the kids turn up to their grandmother's funeral in baggy rap clothes or mid-riff tops etc and show a total lack of respect for the occasion.

The FL is a place where a lot of members have a feel for the etiquette and manners of days gone by, where there are threads devoted to such topics as tipping one's hat to a lady and numerous others. I grew up in a very multicultural society, so I didn't relate to the charcter's ethnic issues, but I did to the way the old world of hard-working (working class) values slipped away from all around Kowalski to be replaced by a run-down neughbourhood full of hoods and slackers with no respect for the history that gave them the liberties they take advantage of. I think that's an aspect of the film a lot of Loungers might relate to.

I thought it was a great flick in all, and yeah, the ending is very well done.

Spot on Benny. I related to the values Eastwood's character had more than anything else. Very old fashioned. One of the best compliments I ever recieved was when a woman said I reminded her of her grandfather!

 

[Benny Holiday]

Spot on Benny. I related to the values Eastwood's character had more than anything else. Very old fashioned. One of the best compliments I ever recieved was when a woman said I reminded her of her grandfather!

That's a great feeling isn't it?

 

[CopperNY]

"Youth today love luxury. They have bad manners, contempt for authority, no respect for older people, and talk nonsense when they should work. Young people do not stand up any longer when adults enter the room. They contradict their parents, talk too much in company, guzzle their food, lay their legs on the table, and tyrannize their elders."
- Socrates

"I see no hope for the future of our people if they are dependent on the frivolous youth of today. For certainly all youth are reckless beyond words. When I was a boy we were taught to be discreet and respectful of elders, but the present youth are exceedingly wild and impatient."
- Hesiod

"The world is passing through troublous times. The young people of today think of nothing but themselves. they have no reverence for parents or old age. They are impatient of all restraint. They talk as if they knew everything, and what passes for wisdom with us is foolishness with them. As for the girls, they are forward and immodest, and unwomanly in speech, behavior, and dress."
- Peter the Hermit, 1274

 

[Lincsong]

Out on DVD this week.