Happy Birthday, Marilyn

If there’s a fresh cake in the fridge, it must be my birthday.

That means it’s time for an annual birthday tradition. Someone I know once suggested that I make a list of things I want to do before my next birthday and seal the list in an envelope. Then, the next year I was to open the envelope on my birthday, see what I’d managed to serendipitously do (since most of the list is almost immediately forgotten), and then make a new list.

In 2008, which was my first birthday as a blogger, I augmented the tradition by creating a little watchlist for myself – choosing 21 titles I hope to watch by my next birthday. No promises that I’d get to them, but still neat to mark a few down.

Interestingly, this is the first year where I’ve seen ten of the twenty-one I listed.

While I get out and enjoy this beautiful weather, take a glance at the new list…

PARADE
MY OWN PRIVATE IDAHO
SANJURO
CRIMES AND MISDEMEANOURS
WILD STRAWBERRIES
I AM CUBA
THE CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON
THE SQUID AND THE WHALE
NORMA RAE
ALIEN 3
EXOTICA
DUNE
THE WAY WE WERE
24 HOUR PARTY PEOPLE
ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA
THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI
PAT GARRET AND BILLY THE KID
THE SECRET LIVES OF OTHERS
THE BIG RED ONE
IF…
THE LOVERS ON THE BRIDGE

10 Replies to “Oh So Many Years (My Birthday Tradition)”

  1. Good list! If you get to The Big Red One, definitely watch the reconstructed version and not the butchered theatrical version. It’s soooooooo much better. I think it’s Fuller’s best work, although I like Underworld USA a bit more than it in terms of entertainment.

    And is that Dune the Lynch version, or the 2000s Sci-Fi Channel film? The Sci-Fi version is a much better adaptation of the book, but the Lynch one is definitely interesting in its own right.

    1. I agree The Sci-Fi version is a better adaptation of the book, but the David Lynch one is a better movie. I saw it when I was about ten and loved it. Not many people agree with me.

  2. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!
    Nice list. I actually own Lovers on the Bridge but its subtitles are messed up and I need to fix that shit soon. And the only reason I haven’t seen Alien 3 yet is because I don’t want anything to ruin Fincher for me :/

  3. The Squid and the Whale is one of only three or so screenplays that I actually own. Oddly enough Exotica and 24 Hour Party People are two films that I keep forgetting to upgrade to DVD/Blu-ray, only have them on VHS. I still need to see about about half of these, but I enjoyed most of the ones listed that I did see.

  4. Happy birthday, Ryan! And congrats on double digits!

    I, of course, haven’t seen any of these, but this year, I at least have one in my watchlist — THE SQUID AND THE WHALE!

  5. Happy Happy Birthday to you! What an eclectically amazing list you’ve got here! My Own Private Idaho and Creature From the Black Lagoon are on my must-see lists as well. I have a draft of “what went wrong” with Alien3…maybe I should get back to writing it…very interesting backstory behind all the drama surrounding that film during production. Have a great birthday 😀

  6. Wow, I’ve seen a lot of these films. I totally recommend Lovers on the Bridge though I would avoid Alien 3 because it’s the worst of the Alien movies.

  7. Happy Birthday!
    I’ve only seen three myself: Crimes and Misdemeanors (in my top 5 Woody Allen films), The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (among the silent films you need to see) and Alien 3 (not as bad as people think it is).
    Good luck with your project!

  8. Happy Birthday, Ryan! I like this idea of yours for birthday list. I just am not sure if I’ll be patient enough to keep that damn thing sealed for whole year. 🙂

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