#18 - The Last Picture Show

Just so there's no confusion, this is the Larry McMurtry adapted film that DOESN'T have gay cowboys in it. Nor does it have an astronaut next door neighbor and all of the doves are popular with tremendous social lives. Having said that, this movie does have a town that is at the beginning of the road to nowhere. The story is centered around a young man who is transitioning from high school into adulthood in a town that is slowly losing its dreams and future. Even though he is the main character, this is truly a wonderful ensemble cast that works well with each other to represent the posibilities for the future, as well as the unrealized potential of the past.

The title of this movie is a sad metaphor for the lives of the people in this town. It refers to the local movie theatre going out of business, but it also represents the last chance for people to escape from the reality of their day to day existence. After this, the question is what do people have left. The spirit of the town has been lost and the only chance there is for a future or any happiness resides elsewhere.

It's hard to know where to start with this movie. There are the older women who have had their dreams but have not been able to see them through and are therefore unfulfilled in their current situations. The wife in the only rich family in town is not fulfilled because she married for money thinking it would make her happy, but she still yearns for the owner of the pool hall, her true love. She doesnt see any other way for her daughter and looks to have the girl go in the same direction she went. This is just a fraction of the layered stories that fill this movie with a sliver of hope and a tremendous amount of sadness. Jeff Bridges has an opportunity for a future in the military, but he doesnt want to leave. Cybil Shepard wants to lead a normal life, but she knows that she is different from everybody because she lives comfortable while everyone else struggles. Cloris Leachman looking for some sort of human connection is devastated when the truth about her situation comes crashing down upon her.

This film is so dynamic, so well structured, and so well crafted. The choice to film in black and white was a good choice because it lends to the stark, lifeless nature of the place. The performances are very well done and eveybody works with each other to create the world they live in. What I want to know is why the actor playing the main character, Tomothy Bottoms, didnt have a larger career. If you look him up on imdb.com, you see that he has done a ton of stuff, but never became a big name. I just find it interesting that nothing major seemed to build off of this performance. Go watch this movie.

Also, young Cybill Shepard is hot.