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Forrest Gump: Appreciation Thread

post #1 of 43
9/7/02 at 11:11pm
Thread Starter 
Forrest Gump is just one of the best movies to come along, ever. Bash it all you want for it's alleged social commentary, or the fact it beat Pulp Fiction. If I'm having a bad day, I can always go on a trip through time with Forrest Gump. The way it quickly tells the story of the man while integrating an excellent soundtrack and so much history is amazing. I remember first seeing it on video when I was 9. Me and my sister stayed up real late on a school night to finish it. Back in that day it was a big deal because if we were caught we'd get in trouble but it was so good we just couldn't stop watching it. Did you know that the running segment in this film is the greatest seven minutes ever? I thought I'd inform you.
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post #2 of 43
9/7/02 at 11:15pm
Quote:
I remember first seeing it on video when I was 9

Quote:
Back in that day

I feel old.
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post #3 of 43
9/7/02 at 11:19pm
Thread Starter 
I feel old.


Well, I'm 16, so 9 years old feels like a good while ago. I'm already starting to feel old. I'll never be able to enjoy the greatness of my childhood again.
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post #4 of 43
9/8/02 at 5:24am
forrest gump rules! just the other day i was writing my resignation letter for burger king and at the end i wrote "i'm pretty tired...i think i'll go home now," and i just walked out of my remaining 3 hour shift(ROYALLY screwed the king over... ).
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post #5 of 43
9/8/02 at 6:01am
I also think Forrest Gump is a great movie and have no idea why so many people don't like it.
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post #6 of 43
9/8/02 at 6:28am
I love this movie, as well as my grandmother and sister. We watch it alot together. I practically wore my VHS watching it with them all the time before getting the DVD.. I remember seeing it in the theater too, which I found to be a fun experience.
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post #7 of 43
9/8/02 at 6:35am
Great film, still brings a couple of tears to my eyes today, whenever, I watch certain scenes from this film. Roger Ebert just said on his show today that Hanks performace in this film was his best. This was the film that convinced me that Hanks was a great actor with an unlimited potential in the scope of his future film performances.



Crawdaddy
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post #8 of 43
9/8/02 at 7:37am


I remember just being completely owned by this film when I saw it during a sneak preview screening right before it was released. I went back to see it two other times in the theater after that because I loved it so much. Like Robert, this movie is the movie that really convinced me that Tom Hanks is a great actor. He was absolutely perfect as Forrest and really gave the movie the heart and soul that makes it work so well. Combine that performance with the great direction, storytelling, and humor in Forrest Gump and you have a classic film that stands the test of time.

In fact, I think I'll go pop in the DVD right now!
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post #9 of 43
9/8/02 at 8:08am
Great Thread!

I remember seeing Gump the first weekend of its release and falling in love with the movie and Hanks's acting performance. I too do not understand the bashing it gets on this forum. I absolutely think it deserved best picture then, although today I am still torn between which is the best of the three great films that year: Pulp Fiction, Shawshank Redemption, or Forrest Gump.
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post #10 of 43
9/8/02 at 10:05am
It's disingenuous to ask why people don't like a film in an appreciation thread for that film. Anyone explaining why he doesn't like it will probably be scolded for badmouthing a film in an appreciation thread and overwhelmed by the film's defenders.
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post #11 of 43
9/8/02 at 10:38am
It's disingenuous to ask why people don't like a film in an appreciation thread for that film.
Yeah, it probably would be. But I don't get your point. Nobody in this thread has asked anyone to come in and explain. Some of us have said we don't understand the negative reaction, but no one has asked for an explanation.
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post #12 of 43
9/8/02 at 10:40am
It's disingenuous to ask why people don't like a film in an appreciation thread for that film. Anyone explaining why he doesn't like it will probably be scolded for badmouthing a film in an appreciation thread and overwhelmed by the film's defenders.

I don't think it's disingenuous, but it's not the wisest thing to do because you're inviting others that disagree with appreciating a certain film to defend their point of view by posting in a thread, meant to be a lovefest for "Forrest Gump".

If we don't want others to express their negative view about "Forrest Gump" then don't invite them indirectly to puke in this thread by bringing up the topic of them not liking the film.




Crawdaddy
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post #13 of 43
9/8/02 at 10:55am
Well, I'm 16, so 9 years old feels like a good while ago. I'm already starting to feel old. I'll never be able to enjoy the greatness of my childhood again.


That just makes me feel older, and I'm too damn young to feel old. (although my 30th birthday looming over me is freaking me out a bit.)

This is a fantastic movie, much better than the listless 'Pulp Fiction' with an entire cast of Quentin Tarrantino sound-a-likes.

What's fabulous about 'Forrest Gump' is that he lives through extremely turbulent times but never judges it. He never preaches. When he tells the story of Bubba dying he doesn't say the Vietnamn War is bad, just that his friend died. In fact the only time he's allowed to editorialize on the Vietnam War it's cut off by the 'boinker' pulling out the mic cords.
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post #14 of 43
9/8/02 at 10:56am
Forrest Gump is a fantastic movie, although I wish my old LD player had not died, because I prefer the LD DD over the DVD, but that's just an opinion, not against the movie itself.
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post #15 of 43
9/8/02 at 12:19pm
Thread Starter 
I forgot to mention something here. Did Forrest Gump win the academy award for Cinematography. Watching it last night I realized how great it is. Also, if anyone has time, watch the running segment with all the shots of Forrest running. Do any of these shots remind you of specific shots from Lord of the Rings. A couple of them are eerily similar.
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post #16 of 43
9/8/02 at 12:24pm
AAN for cinematography, but it lost to Legends of the Fall.




Crawdaddy
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post #17 of 43
9/8/02 at 2:18pm
I think it's a great film too, one of my personal favorites. And as much as I love PULP FICTION and THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, I think FORREST GUMP deserved the Academy Award for Best Picture. The ending gets to me every time (and I've seen it countless times).

Rich, I'm only 17, and you're making me feel old!
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post #18 of 43
9/8/02 at 3:42pm
There's a lot of love in this thread!

I love both Pulp Fiction and Forrest Gump (am I one of the few?) I saw them each 4 times in the theater (if I remember correctly) I wasn't disappointed that Gump won (or PF lost) the Academy Award, they are both great films IMO.

Zemeckis is one of the most successful directors ever that still doesn't seem to get the credit he deserves; he's right up there with Spielberg AFAIC.

-Dennis
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post #19 of 43
9/8/02 at 3:46pm
I enjoyed Forrest Gump too, although normally I wouldn't go out of my way to see a Tom Hanks movie, I did see this one, loved the Vietnam section, which sounds great on dvd btw, and Gary Sinise as Lt.Dan was just perfect, loved that character.

I think the one big reason this film is hated by many film fans is that it beat Tarantino's Pulp Fiction for Best Picture at the Oscars.

Personally I prefer "It's the one with 'bad mother****er' written on it" Pulp Fiction to "Stupid is as stupid does" Forrest Gump, but I'm very happy to have both on dvd.
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post #20 of 43
9/8/02 at 6:44pm
Forrest Gump was a great film and it deserved to win the Oscar. Funny that you should bring up the running segment, Rich, as most people I've talked to always say they wish the running segment was cut out of the film I thought it was one of the strongest segments of the film. Funny but it also lent so much to how Forrest was still a child, in most ways, in that he tried to literally run from his pain. It was poignant and very well constructed. But, for me, the top sequence is definitely when Jenny leaves. Forrest goes through the house looking for her and all you see is Forrest looking in a room or sitting and staring and there is no sound...only silence. I've always just been dumbstruck at how wonderfully that worked.

Bruce
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post #21 of 43
9/9/02 at 5:33am
quote:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What's fabulous about 'Forrest Gump' is that he lives through extremely turbulent times but never judges it. He never preaches. When he tells the story of Bubba dying he doesn't say the Vietnamn War is bad, just that his friend died. In fact the only time he's allowed to editorialize on the Vietnam War it's cut off by the 'boinker' pulling out the mic cords.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Actually, even that scene it seems Forrest never passes judgement on anything. According to IMDB, the dailogue spoken after the mics were cut out was:

"When Forrest gets up to talk at the Vietnam rally in Washington, the microphone plug is pulled and you cannot hear him. According to Tom Hanks, he says, "Sometimes when people go to Vietnam, they go home to their mommas without any legs. Sometimes they don't go home at all. That's a bad thing. That's all I have to say about that."
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post #22 of 43
9/9/02 at 6:04am
Dave,
wow, thanks for that, I never knew that.

Count me in as a lover of this fine film. My absolute favorite scene comes near the end when Forrest finds out he has a son. Look at his face when Jenny says "Your his daddy Forrest.", it's heart wrenching! It's all in his eyes in that shot.

I also can't get enough of the films cinematography! Pure cinematic perfection! Unfortunatly I saw this for the first time on vhs in P&S , this was before my awakening to OAR. But I made up for it later with the LD, my only problem with the LD was that it had no chapter stops, i'm sure glad the dvd does though.
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post #23 of 43
9/9/02 at 8:42am
Does anyone recall the marketing campaign for this movie? I remember seeing billboards all over Chicago saying something like, "Forrest Gump is coming." It had everyone talking.

This is the only movie that my wife quotes and the only DVD that she was excited to purchase when it came out last summer.
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post #24 of 43
9/9/02 at 9:57am
This is one of my favorite movies of all time and I still get teary eyed watching it. Hanks was incredible as Forrest and the supporting cast was great. I was in high school when it came out and I remember driving everyone nuts while talking like Forrest Gump. Best part is that I had a good friend named Jenny.

"Me and Jenny were like peas and carrots again."
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post #25 of 43
9/9/02 at 10:02am
This was my most watched DVD until LOTR came out. Once I start watching Gump I can't shut it off. It's a great flick.
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post #26 of 43
9/9/02 at 7:09pm
Quote:
My absolute favorite scene comes near the end when Forrest finds out he has a son. Look at his face when Jenny says "Your his daddy Forrest.", it's heart wrenching! It's all in his eyes in that shot.

This IS one of the best scenes in this movie. And the first thing he thinks to ask is whether his son is "like" him. Man, I always have to fight the sniffles on that one.

Technically, it may not be Citizen Kane, but it is my all time favorite movie.
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post #27 of 43
4/8/04 at 12:44am
Just dug out the old laserdisc of one of the most enjoyable movies I've seen in my life. This IS it's 10 year anniversary...and I hadn't seen it in several years. This is a movie that is fun....touching......humerous.....sad......uplifti ng........and many more things. Hanks did earn his 2nd Oscar for this....when you watch the documentary........he IS Forrest Gump-you truly believe his character(if not quite everything that happens to him ). But it's the supporting cast that makes the movie truly shine.......Robin Wright(Penn now)is wonderful...Sally Field.......Gary Sinise...and I even now recognize a VERY young Haley Joel Osment(as Forrest Gump's son-never noticed it before). In case you're curious, I LOVE this movie........and want people to give it a spin again. Do have 1 question for people out there...has anybody read the book the movie is based on? How is it? Even better than the movie? Just curious.......was thinking about reading it and wanted to know what people thought of the book as well. Great music, great use of it, and great movie........wanted to hear from people out there.......that's all


P.S. Also noticed that this was one of the first movies that came out in DTS.....caught the Square 'The DIGITAL experience' logo at the end..not the normal DTS logo that you see now.......thought that was interesting too.....
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post #28 of 43
4/8/04 at 1:20am
Gump is an enjoyable film. That being said, the more I watch it, it seems waaaay to sappy. Like a lot of films, it seems to be a little short on substance and too reliant on emotional manipulation.

I like the film enough that I do still pop in my laserdisc from time to time. I'm not the world's biggest Zemeckis fan, but he can really construct a film well.

BTW, I did read the book (and sequel) about 10 years ago and I remember really liking both of them.
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post #29 of 43
4/8/04 at 1:31am
The film is great. It really captures time and place well, along with great characters, cinematography, and music. Overall, one of the most satifying movies of the past twenty years. I know there are naysayers, most of them upset that Pulp Fiction didn't win the Oscar over Gump....but I like both, and Forrest Gump remains an inspiring, moving story.
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post #30 of 43
4/8/04 at 5:24am
I read the book years ago after seeing the movie. I personally was very disappointed in the book - probably because the movie is quite different. To be fair, I may have enjoyed the book if I had read it before seeing the movie.
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