This past March I wrote about a number of (usually pairs of) films that I sometimes mix up in my mind. The reason could be due to similar titles, release dates, stars, plots/subject matter, etc., and it’s usually a combination of two or more of these factors. And, sometimes my mind just makes weird connections.
When I posted before, I said that there were probably a few more that confuse me which I hadn’t remembered, yet. I was right, and I have been slowly building another list ever since. This is that list….
Love Me Tender (1956), Flaming Star (1960), and Charro! (1969)
When I was a kid, I was a big fan of Elvis Presley music, which led to me watching several of his movies — usually when they would come on some Saturday afternoon or on a holiday. Elvis did a few Westerns (e.g., the three named above), though those weren’t my favorite. A few of them were serious dramas, and his character dies in at least one of them. (I vaguely remember crying while watching the final scene.) Of course, I can never remember which one(s)….
The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) and A Bridge Too Far (1977)
I think I may have watched (at least part of) this first movie, ‘cuz I have vague memories of Alec Guinness in a Southeast Asian jungle. William Holden and Jack Hawkins also co-starred in the story about British POWs in Japanese-occupied Burma (now Myanmar), who were forced to build a bridge. This second movie is about Operation Market Garden (Sept. 1944), in which the Allied forces tried to capture several strategically important bridges in the Netherlands. It starred Sean Connery, Michael Caine, and Ryan O’Neal, along with Laurence Olivier, Gene Hackman, Anthony Hopkins, James Caan, Robert Redford, et al. They may have come out twenty years apart, but they are both “classic” war movies with stellar casts and the word “bridge” in the title. Cut me some slack!
Roustabout (1964), Spinout (1966), and Speedway (1968)
Back to Elvis… These three were a mix of drama and fun, and they seem to get confused in my lil brain. The first is centered around a carnival; the second rhymes with the first and has Elvis as a part-time racecar driver; his character in the third is a full-time racecar driver. I think you can see the connections.
Duel (1971) and The Duellists (1977)
Not only were these two, similarly-named films from the same decade, but they were made by two of my favorite directors. The former was Steven Spielberg’s first directed film — for TV, though it was later released to theaters internationally. The latter was the first film that Ridley Scott directed, followed up by Alien (1979) and Blade Runner (1982). (Scott also directed The Last Duel (2021).) The first starred Dennis Weaver as a business commuter terrorized by a malevolent truck driver. The second is about a number of duels between a couple of French lieutenants in the early 1800s. I have never seen either film.
The Incredible 2-Headed Transplant (1971) and The Man with Two Heads (1972) and The Thing with Two Heads (1972)
The basic plots of this trio can be gleaned from their similar titles, of course… except they are quite different. The first is a horror/sci-fi — starring Bruce Dern, John Bloom, and Albert Cole — in which a mad scientist transplants the head of a psycho-killer onto the body (and next to the head) of an extra large, simple-minded man. The deceptively-titled second film is also a horror/sci-fi — starring Denis DeMarne and Julia Stratton — and is alternatively known as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Blood. (One head, two personalities.) The third film is a comedy/sci-fi — starring Ray Milland and Rosey Grier — about a dying, racist surgeon who has other doctors transplant his head next to that of a (large) Black convict. This last is the only one of the three that I have seen, but I can never get the title right.
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974/1998/2009) and Assault on Precinct 13 (1976/2005)
I suppose my confusion regarding these two is due to a) the similar action words at the start of the titles, b) the numbers at the ends of the titles, and c) the fact that the original versions of both were released in the mid-1970s. Of course, the settings are actually quite different. The first one — starring Walter Matthau, Robert Shaw, and Martin Balsam — has four men hijacking a NYC subway car and holding the passengers for ransom. The second one — starring Austin Stoker and Darwin Joston — sees a violent street gang attacking a defunct LA police station, which is defended by a cop, two criminals, and a secretary. (I plan to watch both in the coming months.)
Network (1976) and Broadcast News (1987)
“I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not gonna take this anymore!” This is a famous line from Network, starring Faye Dunaway, William Holden, and Peter Finch (whose character gives the speech that includes that line). It’s about a TV network’s attempt to cynically exploit a former anchor’s on-air ravings. Pure drama. Broadcast News, on the other hand, is a comedy/drama/romance starring William Hurt, Holly Hunter, and Albert Brooks. I enjoyed it many years ago and really need to watch it again. Except, I always forget the title, and the best I can come up with is “Network”.
Testament (1983) and The Day After (TV movie) (1983)
These next two movies came out the same year and were both about the days following a nuclear attack. The first starred William Devane and Jane Alexander as the parents of the suburban American family that the story centers on. Other familiar faces included Kevin Costner and Rebecca DeMornay. The second was a TV movie (which I think I saw) with Steve Guttenberg, JoBeth Williams, and Jason Robards in a similar situation as residents of a small town in Kansas. John Lithgow, Bibi Besch, John Callum, and Amy Madigan also have roles.
Needful Things (1993) and The Good Son (1993)
Any fan of Stephen King will recognize Needful Things, wherein “a mysterious new shop opens in a small [New England] town which always seems to stock the deepest desires of each shopper, with a price far heavier than expected.” The main stars are Max Von Sydow, Ed Harris, and Bonnie Bedelia, but J.T. Walsh and Amanda Plummer have memorable roles, as well. The Good Son stars young Elijah Wood, whose character has to stay for some time with relatives, including his violent and psychopathic cousin (Macauley Culkin). Wendy Crewson and David Morse also star. While not based on a King work, it has a similar, creepy vibe and also takes place in a quaint, seaside town in Maine. Add to this that they were released the same year, and perhaps you can understand my occasional confusion.
Event Horizon (1997) and Supernova (2000)
In the former film, Laurence Fishburne, Sam Neill, and Kathleen Quinlan head the cast and fictional crew for a deep-space mission sent to investigate/salvage another ship that has mysteriously re-appeared after disappearing 7 years earlier. In the latter, a deep-space rescue operation via dimension jump has unexpected results. This one stars James Spader, Angela Bassett, Peter Facinelli, and Robin Tunney. Both movies are classified as horror/sci-fi/thrillers.
Donnie Brasco (1997) and Donnie Darko (2001)
I think you can see how similar the titles are, and that’s about where the similarities end. The first one is about a young FBI agent who goes undercover to infiltrate the Mafia. It’s a biographical crime drama that stars Johnny Depp, Al Pacino, and Michael Madsen. The second — which I did see many years ago — is a drama/mystery/sci-fi about “a troubled teenager… plagued by visions of a man in a large rabbit suit who manipulates him to commit a series of crimes.” It stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Jena Malone, and Mary McDonnell.
Monster’s Ball (2001) and Monster (2003)
First, we have Halle Berry and Billy Bob Thornton starring in a story about a racist prison guard who falls in love with the African-American wife of the last prisoner he executed. Peter Boyle, Heath Ledger, and Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs co-star. Second, Charlize Theron plays real-life Daytona Beach prostitute-turned-serial killer, Aileen Wuornos. Christina Ricci, Bruce Dern, and Pruitt Taylor Vince co-star. The two films were released within a couple years of each other, they involve quite a bit of violence, and each one has a strong female character in a (or the) central role. But, I think it’s the “monster” in both titles that most confuses me. Maybe, if I ever watch one or both of them, I might be able to keep them straight. Maybe…
The Butterfly Effect (2004) and The Number 23 (2007)
I have seen both of these, but it has been many years. My memory is that both thrillers are rather dark, both in mood and tone. The first one has a sci-fi element, as Ashton Kutcher’s character suffers blackouts, finds his old journals, travels back in time, and deals with the after-effects of trying to “fix” things. Amy Smart co-stars, and a few other familiar faces show up, too (e.g., Eric Stoltz, Melora Walters, Logan Lerman). The second film is a crime/mystery flick starring Jim Carrey as a guy obsessed with a novel he is positive was written about him. Of course, the number “23” keeps popping up here and there. Co-stars include Virginia Madsen, Danny Huston, Lynn Collins, Rhona Mitra, and (surprise) Logan Lerman!
The Island (2005) and Shutter Island (2010)
First: Scarlett Johansson and Ewan McGregor star in this action/sci-fi/thriller about a futuristic (but sterile) colony, but then one of them is chosen to go to the Island, the last uncontaminated place on earth. Djimon Hounsou, Sean Bean, Steve Buscemi, and Michael Clarke Duncan all have roles, as well. Second: Leonardo DiCaprio stars as an up-and-coming U.S. marshal who gets assigned to investigate a missing patient at Boston’s Shutter Island Ashecliffe Hospital. But, things aren’t what they seem, and the marshal begins to doubt is own memory, even his sanity. Mark Ruffalo, Emily Mortimer, Ben Kingsley, and Michelle Williams are among the co-stars. The “island” connection is obviously the biggest similarity.
In the Valley of Elah (2007) and No Country for Old Men (2007)
These two crime-dramas came out the same year, and both star Tommy Lee Jones. Elah is also a mystery movie, in which “a retired military investigator [Jones] works with a police detective [Charlize Theron] to uncover the truth behind his son’s disappearance following his return from a tour of duty in Iraq.” Co-stars include Josh Brolin, Jason Patric, Barry Corbin, et al. Old Men, on the other hand, has more of a thriller element. A hunter [Josh Brolin] stumbles upon the aftermath of a drug deal gone wrong and over $2,000,000 in cash near the Rio Grande, resulting in violence and mayhem. Jones plays the local sheriff and Javier Bardem plays a psychopathic killer in pursuit of Brolin’s character and the money. Additional co-stars include Woody Harrelson, Tess Harper, Kelly MacDonald, and Barry Corbin. So, same release year, similar vibe, and three actors in common, is it such a surprise that I can’t keep ’em straight?
OK, well, a few of those summaries are perhaps a tad longer than they needed to be, but… too bad. 🙂
Do you get similarly confused by any of the above movies? Are there any others that get your wires crossed when trying to remember them? Please share below…
Heroes and Aliens 