Sep 07 2008
GENE WILDER
GENE WILDER MOVIES!!! Here’s an actor from the past, Mr. Gene Wilder star of many classic films, it’s almost a shame that we don’t here about him anymore. Considered like the Jim Carrey of the 70’s here’s an actor that has starred in numerous comedies that became instant classics: YOUNG FRANKENSTIEN, BLAZING SADDLES, THE PRODUCERS (the following have all been Mel Brooks collaborations), WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY, and even the murder mystery MURDER IN A SMALL TOWN. Gene Wilder has been semi-retired from the film and television business since 2003 because he wanted to focus more on writing novels and spending time with his family. In 2000 he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and with the help of chemotherapy his cancer has been in remission ever since. This man is a legend and I think we need to revisit some of his films: FRISCO KID and SILVER STREAK.
FRISCO KID stars Wilder as a rabbi who winds up in early Wild West America to take up a position in San Francisco. With the help of a local bank robber (Harrison Ford) they set out for California with some hilarious results. This is a great film, which totally shows the range of Gene Wilder, his comedic talent shines as the clueless rabbi, plus his dramatic side really gets pushed in a very emotional scene with Harrison Ford in a restaurant. This is actually a great forgotten film with an excellent cast and deserves to be watched on a rainy day. SILVER STREAK, viewing this film again after so many years of his actual release is a non-stop pleasure. Richard Pryor teams up with Gene Wilder (an hour into the film) for the first time in this action comedy. This film is more of a thriller than a comedy, but as soon as you inject Richard Pryor into the mix, it becomes clear of what kind of genius he was in his own right. The film is about an international conspiracy that is witnessed accidentally by Wilder, and its up to him to rescue the woman he loves, by fighting off thugs on a “Silver Streak” train. It’s obvious that this film has been copied many times as the buddy action hero kind of film, but this first pairing with Wilder and Pryor has instant magic. The plot and some of the situations are completely unrealistic (SWAT team surrounding a train, and three guys fight the entire team off with pistols and a rifle, also a cop actually gives Wilder a gun and says to ride along to a gun fight) but the film still is entertaining (a little bit longer than it should have been, it could have been shaved by fifteen minutes) and has a memorable scene as Richard Pryor teaches Gene Wilder to “act” black in a train station. SILVER STREAK is awesome viewing material. Gene Wilder, we miss you! Please make another film, and as for Richard Pryor we definitely miss him as well, another comedic genius that sadly had passed away. As a matter of fact, according to Gene Wilder, him and Richard Pryor, despite making four films together were not friends at all. In fact Wilder said that Pryor’s cocaine addiction made him very unpleasant to be around.
Mr. Wilder, I ask you, please consider making another movie!
