The first time I realized the power of a bizarre movie plot was when I saw Heathers one New Year's Eve in high school. It was darkly humorous, wicked, and to say the least, bizarre. But I loved it. It was exciting. It was different. However, it wasn't until I was in college, staying in a spare loft with my cousin over Thanksgiving break, that I first understood what really caught my attention in the film world. We were flipping around channels and settled on TCM. We'd never heard of it or seen it, but Inside Daisy Clover was just beginning. When it came to the scene where Christopher Plummer's character picks up Natalie Wood like a child, but then passionately kisses her, we both looked at each other and exclaimed, "what the hell??" And that's when the spark was born. I LOVE those points in a film where the story line takes a bizarre twist and you're left wondering "what in the hell just happened?" Maybe my imagination is too complicated and regular boring movies are too predictable, but I just adore those films that take unmarked turns and start you wondering about every other detail of the plot. Maybe its b/c life is more like that. Bizarrely cruel in sudden twists that you couldn't see coming. Or maybe life isn't like that at all, and for a writer to come up with such a plotline is commendable to their imagination. When I think about it though, I wonder if all of those scenes that make me go "YES!" are what normal human beings could only dream of doing, if their bland life of modesty and contentment didn't hold them back.
For instance, at the end of Daisy Clover, she humorously cannot seem to kill herself, so she turns on the gas line, lights a match, and walks away from her beach house smiling as it goes up in flames. Those are the impulses people have that are suppressed by reality and social codes! When it really comes down to the line, these actions are what characters are forced to do for the good of their sanity. Its brilliant! I absolutely love it! Its the writer getting into the characters head and actually making possible that which would be socially or morally unacceptable. Its a sketch of the individuals psychosis coming to life, creating their own niche, separating them from any other average Jane. Jessica said to me the other day, "remember that film Le Divorce? And in the end it basically taught us it was ok to shoot someone b/c it would work out in the end? what hell was up with that movie?" I know! It was so bizarre. But God knows I have to give kudos to the writer, b/c even if the movie was terrible, the plot twists were awesome :0)
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