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Rushmore - Criterion Collection

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Media:	DVD
Directed by:	Wes Anderson
Starring:	Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray
Release date:	18 January, 2000

Average user rating: Average user rating: 3

a truly original film

This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film.

In this movie, 10th grader Max Fischer falls in love with the widowed 1st grade teacher at his school. Max is the undisputed king of extrcurricular activites at his school. His grades have plummeted as a result and is in danger of expulsion. He later becomes the protégée of Herman Blume, the father of twin brother students at his school. His new mentor then falls in love with the teacher and in an act of revenge, Max exposes the affair to Herman's wife.

The DVD has excellent special features.
There is audio commentary by the writers of the film and actor Jason Schwartzmann who plays Max in the film, a "making of Rushmore" press film, short theatrical adaptations films released at the time Rushmore was which aired on the MTV movie awards, screen tests and audtions of the child actors and actress in the film, Chrlie Rose Show interview with actor Bill Murray and Director/co-writer Wes Anderson, and drawn storyboards with film comparison and, several pictures of props, drawings and other items from the film. There is also a foldout map showing key events in the film.

"Rushmore" will restore your faith in movies

That's a bold statement, but it's true. I could complain about how Bill Murray and everyone involved was robbed by not receiving any Oscar nominations, but with a film like this, it doesn't matter. In a year with two Elizabethan dramas and two World War II pictures nomated for Best Picture, Rushmore stood out as a true original. I read glowing reviews for the movie when it played for one week in LA and missed it, but caught it the second time it came out. I was eager going into see it, having loved Wes Anderson's first movie "Bottle Rocket" (also, Owen Wilson co-wrote both scripts with Anderson). I was amazed at what I saw. This is definetly one of the funniest American movies in a long time, and Max Fischer is one of the great characters of all time. Wes Anderson has a sensibility in his films of dry humor paired with true emotions and feelings. The characters in "Bottle Rocket" and Max Fischer share naive dreams that are impossible, but they're so damn likable you're heartbroken when they come up short. For weeks, I couldn't stop talking or thinking about this movie. So many scenes still are fresh in my mind, like the introduction of Max in all of his clubs, and Bill Murray doing the cannonball into his backyard pool. The cinematography and editing are great, and the soundtrack rocks. In just two movies Anderson has set himself apart from the Tarantinos of the indie film world and has proved himself to be one of the best writers and directors working today.

requires a certain type of humor to appreciate it

The owner of the video store warned us about this movie - it only appeals to a certain segment of the population, he told us. He was right. Among the audience I watched it with, half loved it and half hated it. I didn't appreciate the movie's humor because I thought it failed to develop a minimal level of empathy for the characters. As a result, I couldn't convince myself to care much as they moved from debacle to debacle. Not very entertaining in my opinion, but it seems to appeal to some, especially those that sympathize with oddball characters.