Chills, both Big and Little

I didn't plan to spend a chunk of the week-end rewatching The Big Chill.  In fact, what I really wanted to watch was Bull Durham.  Once I owned a copy of that movie, but it's gone the way of many outmoded media--I think I had it on video tape.

I have owned at least one video tape of The Big Chill, and I did upgrade to DVD, but this week-end, it was running multiple times on one of our local PBS stations.  I got sucked right in.

The movie came out during my first year of college, and I loved it then.  When I first watched it back in 1984, I assumed that these college friends had stayed close--I was in college, and that was the story I wanted to believe. It was only upon seeing it again years later that I realized how far apart they had drifted, both from each other and from their ideals.

And then, this week-end, I realized that I'm not even sure they EVER lived up to their ideals.  But I still enjoyed hanging out with them again.  Would I want to be friends with them?  Some of them.  Most people I know have lives that have gone in different directions than their college selves planned, and it makes for interesting conversation.  The characters in the film do seem good at heart--well, with some very obvious exceptions.  And even Michael, the scuzzy guy who keeps pursuing the girlfriend of the dead friend Alex, was entertaining; I wouldn't want to be trapped in an elevator with him though.

I thought the dialogue was still snappy, and the scenery gorgeous.  The shots of the South Carolina Lowcountry in autumn made me homesick for a landscape that probably doesn't exist anymore. When they filmed that movie in the early 80's, it was very underdeveloped--not the case anymore.

What a beautiful house in that movie!  I'm talking about the big house, of course.  I thought that the kitchen was still beautiful--I'd be happy to have that kitchen. I'd love to have that house, but I'd furnish much of it differently.  And I also love the little house on the plot of land--not sure what that says about me--I'd take that one too if anyone wanted to give me a house.

It's also fun to see this slice of the early 80's, to see what cutting edge technology was then (a video camera!   A big, clunky thing) and what stays fairly timeless.  The clothes aren't as dated as many 80's movies, and the cars have aged well.

And the music--oh the music!  During our Independence Day meal clean up, the Rolling Stones' "You Can't Always Get What You Want" came on, and we sang at the top of our lungs.  I'd have likely watched the movie anyway, having stumbled across it, but I was even more in the mood after having talked about it.

When we were in college, we talked about which characters reminded us of real life counterparts.  Different characters speak to me at different times, but I've always nodded my head when Sarah says that she was tired of being a good girl who could always be counted on to do the right thing.

And now, like those characters, it's time to get back to regular life.  But I begin the week differently.  I leave at noon today because we've got a meet up with my spouse's sister who is in town and other family members.