Looking for something more than a quick quip like, “I’ll be back?” or: Adrian! Or: I love the smell of napalm in the morning. The smell of victory. Well, here are 10 of my favorite movie quotes and what they mean to me. So grab some popcorn and a Coke (or Pepsi, or bottled water) and enjoy. Feel free to leave any comments.
1. “Wherever there is doubt, there is no doubt. That will teach you first.” – Robert DeNiro. “Ronin
Status: DeNiro and company are going to meet with some arms dealers. It’s night, they meet under the bridge, and DeNiro smells a bit. After everything goes down and they barely take it off, Jean Reno asks him how he knew the reason.
What this means is that it is the opposite of the “you never know” act. If you ever feel like something bad is going to happen, and you’re second guessing yourself if you should or shouldn’t, maybe you should listen to your intuition.
2. “You are not your job. You are not how much money you have in the bank. You are not the car you drive. You are not the contents of your wallet. You are not your fucking khakis.” >Brad Pitt, “Fight Club”
Re: Project Mayhem is building steam and all Tyler Durden’s students are growing crops and using what they have to achieve their Master’s goal Plan. He shouted the words of the superior with his faithful.
Whatever it is, we must be more than our things. ‘Nuff said.
3. “Dr. Oatman, choose, please, take it! It’s Martin Blank! I’m standing where my, uh, was a living place and it’s not here because my house is gone and it’s the last one! You can never go back home, Oatman… but I guess you shop there”<. /i> – John Cusack, “Grosse Pointe Blank
Status: Hitman Martin Blank returns to his hometown of Grosse Pointe and drives to his childhood home only to find out that there is not enough comfort.
What does it mean: I walk and walk around and I found that in our minds the “thing” is the space we call “home” is there; everything is changing, and we have to deal with it.
4. “Long listener, first caller. Love the show…” – Hank Azaria, “Grosse Pointe Blank”
Situation: Martin Blank is back in town and is running a local radio station where he runs the childhood friendly/prom date Debbie radio show . He sits in a chair and does part of the show. He names several people, including the government agent Hank Azaria played.
What it means: It’s a great line, and I use it when I call my friends. I have one friend who replies, “You’re our demographic!”
5. “Indiana Jones and the Temple Adept
Location: Indiana Jones sidekick Short Round was indirectly looking for the cause of the recent accident.
What it means to me: This is what I wanted to write and part of the film, in addition to wanting to tell a good story.
6. “Did I ever tell you about Sammy Jankis?” – Guy Pearce, “Remember”
Location: Leonard Shelby talks to Teddy, and confirms the only thing he knows for sure.
What does it mean: I use it, because when someone repeats something to me that I have already heard a thousand times, or I am confused by what someone is telling me and I say that it should be thrown away.
7. “Hey Mav, do you still have the number for that truck driving school?” – Anthony Edwards, “Top Gun
Location: Goose and Maverick are soon sent to the tower with a buzz. They walk to their respective rooms, feeling that they have failed.
What it means: I use this when I feel like my hope is dying; being almost gone in my dreams and having a heavy low end job is my only means of survival.
8. “The only true happiness is when shared.” – Emile Hirsch, “Into the Wild”
Location: Christopher McCandless/ “Alex Supertramp” writes in his journal.
What it means: As much as I feel that I am running away from happiness, I think this is the truth of what it is.
9. ” It is a story of the most serious duties of proportion.” – Dr. Teeth “The Muppet Movie”.
Location: Kermit the Frog and Fozzie the Bear across the teeth of Dr. and Electric Mayhem (played by Animal, Sally, Zoot, Floyd and Skeeter). Dr. Teeth just reads the script for the movie and gives its interpretation.
What it means to me: In most of the projects I work on, I try to have something to mean; I try to make them have something bigger than what they are. This is a joke that’s meant to be fun, and not take all the serious lethality.
10. “Joel, you gotta know something? Every now and then you say, “What the fuck?” It gives you freedom. Freedom attracts opportunity. Opportunity makes the future.” – Curtis Armstrong, ” Risky Business”
Event: Miles and Joel are having a discussion. Joel tries to navigate his options, and Miles has a more direct, “let’s do this.”
What it means: Ignore the language, sometimes you have to wear it. You don’t always know how things are going to turn out.
Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed the trip down Movie Quote Lane.
– Chas
