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Tom Hanks broke "big" just about the time of this release from Joe Dante - the guy who almost makes it to delivering a brilliant film, but somehow always drops the ball 3 feet from the goal line.
With Hanks' participation, along with Bruce Dern and Rick Duccomen, this movie mostly is a bona fide classic in every sense. From the amazing opening shot of the Universal logo into the back lot neighborhood, to the creepy Klopek house and the often very funny interplay between the stars (including a hilarious Sergio Leone moment involving a poodle), this movie is damn good, there's no mistaking that.
What always kind of knocks it down from being perfection is that ending. I've seen the alternate endings, and to be honest - not one of them works from a story standpoint. There is no real zinger for The 'Burbs, no matter which ending you go with. Hanks delivers his manic speech about normal suburban folks being the real threat to harmony, but even if the film ended on that note, it still would not have worked completely because, let's face it - that's a bit heavy for a film like this.
Enter Joe Dante. Dante has made many decent films. He truly has a love for camp cinema and the guy knows what he is doing to elicit an agreeable cast and wrangling chemistry moments to make his films work for comedy. He also hires very good crew members who round out the collaboration for such films to be grade "A" B-material. Unfortunately, Joe Dante has never really made a film with a great ending. He always seems to run out of ideas. Maybe it's the script he gets, maybe it's something else. I have no way of knowing. What I do know is that he's 7/8ths an awesome film maker - but those last few lines on the tape measure of quality are always shaved off.
I would think, as a director, you are responsible for making a script with a problem or two, especially the end - work. Writing your own twist or resolution. Endings are very important because they are the resonant element that you remember about a film a lot of times. With The 'Burbs, it's just a messy guessing game. The twists are stupid and don't pack any punch, and having Corey Feldman say the last line of the film, especially a line like "I love this street" is so beyond dumb. Even Ghostbusters was pushing it, but at least the ending of that movie had some good character wrap ups.
I love The 'Burbs. I watch it every couple of years. It's the kind of movie you can just pop on and always be entertained by. It's very funny, looks amazing, and is a great ensemble piece of film making. It's just that the ending, though not a deal breaker, is just so limp and nonsensical. I can't give this the highest rating because I feel like Dante's sensibilities just weren't there. I can't forgive as easily as I could another film that may've slightly "blown it".
Seemed like an easy fix. I mean, end the movie with something like The Klopek's being guilty of something, just nothing anyone can prove. Flash forward a few months and everyone is BBQ'ing together, including the Klopeks. Make the scene even more uncomfortable and awkward than the one earlier in their creaky old house, but also change the tone of the movie to where it was heading, anyway...down the road of the killer ice cream man. Have that mood happening before the credits start. There could be some gold funny moments in there that are unsettling at the same time. Everyone makes nice, but the frustration remains on Art's face at the BBQ that something isn't right. Ray has resigned from exhaustion so he's only into learning how to keep his burger meat together on the grill without losing clumps of meat to the charcoal below.
Anyway, sorry. Still love the movie. Most of it.
The 'Burbs (1989)
Dir: Joe Dante
Dir: Joe Dante
Potential Spoilers Below
Tom Hanks broke "big" just about the time of this release from Joe Dante - the guy who almost makes it to delivering a brilliant film, but somehow always drops the ball 3 feet from the goal line.
With Hanks' participation, along with Bruce Dern and Rick Duccomen, this movie mostly is a bona fide classic in every sense. From the amazing opening shot of the Universal logo into the back lot neighborhood, to the creepy Klopek house and the often very funny interplay between the stars (including a hilarious Sergio Leone moment involving a poodle), this movie is damn good, there's no mistaking that.
What always kind of knocks it down from being perfection is that ending. I've seen the alternate endings, and to be honest - not one of them works from a story standpoint. There is no real zinger for The 'Burbs, no matter which ending you go with. Hanks delivers his manic speech about normal suburban folks being the real threat to harmony, but even if the film ended on that note, it still would not have worked completely because, let's face it - that's a bit heavy for a film like this.
Enter Joe Dante. Dante has made many decent films. He truly has a love for camp cinema and the guy knows what he is doing to elicit an agreeable cast and wrangling chemistry moments to make his films work for comedy. He also hires very good crew members who round out the collaboration for such films to be grade "A" B-material. Unfortunately, Joe Dante has never really made a film with a great ending. He always seems to run out of ideas. Maybe it's the script he gets, maybe it's something else. I have no way of knowing. What I do know is that he's 7/8ths an awesome film maker - but those last few lines on the tape measure of quality are always shaved off.
I would think, as a director, you are responsible for making a script with a problem or two, especially the end - work. Writing your own twist or resolution. Endings are very important because they are the resonant element that you remember about a film a lot of times. With The 'Burbs, it's just a messy guessing game. The twists are stupid and don't pack any punch, and having Corey Feldman say the last line of the film, especially a line like "I love this street" is so beyond dumb. Even Ghostbusters was pushing it, but at least the ending of that movie had some good character wrap ups.
I love The 'Burbs. I watch it every couple of years. It's the kind of movie you can just pop on and always be entertained by. It's very funny, looks amazing, and is a great ensemble piece of film making. It's just that the ending, though not a deal breaker, is just so limp and nonsensical. I can't give this the highest rating because I feel like Dante's sensibilities just weren't there. I can't forgive as easily as I could another film that may've slightly "blown it".
Seemed like an easy fix. I mean, end the movie with something like The Klopek's being guilty of something, just nothing anyone can prove. Flash forward a few months and everyone is BBQ'ing together, including the Klopeks. Make the scene even more uncomfortable and awkward than the one earlier in their creaky old house, but also change the tone of the movie to where it was heading, anyway...down the road of the killer ice cream man. Have that mood happening before the credits start. There could be some gold funny moments in there that are unsettling at the same time. Everyone makes nice, but the frustration remains on Art's face at the BBQ that something isn't right. Ray has resigned from exhaustion so he's only into learning how to keep his burger meat together on the grill without losing clumps of meat to the charcoal below.
Anyway, sorry. Still love the movie. Most of it.