A few good quotes from Jack

0 Comments | Oakland Tribune, Sep 6, 2004

LOVE those quotes ... Last week, we chewed over classic and not- so-classic movie lines that burrow into our lives. This week, it's time for your contributions, in "Revenge of the Flick Quips, Part Deux." Jack P. of Half Moon Bay writes, "Jack Nicholson's 'You can't handle the truth,' from 'A Few Good Men,' hasn't always worked well with my wife, but I've made up for it with 'You make me want to be a better man' from 'As Good As it Gets.' "Of course, 'I coulda been a contender' ('On the Waterfront') when reflecting on past failures ... "But more consistently, Mel Brooks films have found their way into my life, like 'It's good to be the king' ('History of the World -- Part I') when things turn out well around the house, and 'Put ... the ... candle ... back' ('Young Frankenstein') when they don't. "Then again, when I'm fearful of trying something new, my wife comes up with, 'The fall'll probably kill ya' from 'Butch Cassidy.'" Sounds like you two have got it as good as it gets, Jack. Another personal favorite from the latter: "You're adisgrace to depression."

From Gail: "Hi Barry. I loved the column and it made me sit down and think of several lines of movie dialogue (which) have become pretty much part of my husband's and my 'language.' ... here are the (ones) commonly used around our house when they just seem to 'fit' the circumstances:

"'A man's got to know his limitations,' from, I think, 'Dirty Harry.'

"'I take comfort in that, Dude,' and 'lots of ins, lots of outs, lots of what-have-yous' from 'The Big Lebowski.'

"'And you had to do it the hard way' from 'Desperado.'

"And last but not least, 'Yippee-ki-yay (expletive deleted)' from 'Die Hard.' This is the line my husband and I say quietly when we are on an airplane and just taking off ... because we both hate to fly!"

Ditto. ("Ghost.")

Another line that helps when you're from the "if God had wanted us to fly, He would have given us wings" school is: "And don't forget to fasten your condoms! ... Seatbelts, I mean seatbelts," from "Father of the Bride."

Plains, trains, automobiles, what's the difference. The fundamental things apply.

"... I grew up in a household of movie lovers," Christina A. of Fremont writes. "The quote that immediately came to mind, that is often used (by) my sister Elizabeth and I, is from ... 'The Princess Bride.' We love to come out of nowhere with, 'Hello! My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die!' Complete with Spanish accent and fencing stance. Thanks for allowing me to share just one of my favorite moments from a lifetime of enjoying movies."

You are welcome, Christina. Ditto -- there it is again -- to the rest of you who sent in some of yours. Because of limited space, I can't fit them all in today. So I will run at least one of your letters weekly until we are all so tired that, frankly, we don't give a damn.

Around the Bay ... The spunky 1952 musical "Singin' in the Rain" ends this year's Old Oakland Outdoor Cinema Series, along with a program of shorts, beginning at dusk Friday on Washington Street between 9th and 10th streets. Admission is free. Call (510) 238-4734 or visit the Web at www.filmoakland.com

Because so many people were turned away from a previous sold-out "Greendale" screening, the Coastside Film Society will host another showing of Neil Young's "musical novel" at 8 p.m. Friday at Community United Methodist Church Sanctuary, 777 Miramontes St. (at Johnston Street), Half Moon Bay. Admission is $6. Visit www.hmbfilm.org

La Pea Cultural Center joins the fray by hosting a video screening of the "Battle of Chile, Parts 1 & 2," with introductory remarks by author Roger Burbach, at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, 3105 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. A voluntary donation is requested. Call (510) 849-2568 or visit the Web at www.lapena.org

Out Tuesday on DVD ... "Alexander's Ragtime Band," "The Alligator People," "Basket Case 3," "Bear in the Big Blue House," "The Best of Beakman's World," "The Boston Strangler," "The Burning Bed," "Clerks: 10th Anniversary Edition," "The Creation of the Universe," "The David Lean DVD Collection," "DC 9/11 Time of Crisis," "Decoys," "Doing Time on Maple Drive," "Disney Princess Collection," "El Segundo Aire," "Genocide," "Gotham," "Hear No Evil," "Iron Fisted Monk," "Jersey Girl," "Jim Henson's The Storyteller: Greek Myths," "Judgment at Nuremburg Special Edition DVD," "Kaena: The Prophecy," "King Kong Lives," "La Dolce Vita," "The Ladykillers" (2004), "Latter Days," "Liberation" and "Maggie and the Ferocious Beasts: Puzzles and Picnics."

Also: "The Man with One Red Shoe," "The Martian Chronicles," "Mask: Director's Cut," "Maximum Overdrive," "Moving Target," "Mr. Vampire," "Murder on the Orient Express," "Music in My Heart," "Naked in New York," "NFL History of the Oakland Raiders," "Night of the Living Dead" (color/BW), "The Postman Fights Back," "Power Rangers: Dinothunder Volumes 2 and 3," "The Punisher," "Resident Evil: Deluxe Edition," "Rounders," "Sexo, Pudo Y Lagrimas," "Soul Plane," "Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter ... and Spring," "Terror Train," "They Looked Away," "The United States of Leland," "The Vanishing," "Vivir Mata," "Whispers in the Dark" and "Working Tra$h."