Forrest Gump

The Gump Store

If a Tree Falls on Forrest Gump…
by Michael Flanagan

Solid

            A filmmaker must ask himself, after all is said and done and the Oscars are won and the videos make money and the film does well overseas, whether his movie will last in the history books of film.  Such the case must be for Robert Zemeckis and Forrest Gump.  A great movie at the time of its release, Forrest just doesn't have the lasting power to be another Casablanca, Godfather, or even another E.T.

            The plot falls short of history-making due to the unoriginality of the plot.  A less-than intelligent person goes on a journey through life and learns about … blah blah blah.  Not that it's bad, it's just been done before.  Case in point:  William Shakespeare's Macbeth, Act V, Scene 5:

Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage, 
And then is heard no more; it is a tale 
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, 
Signifying nothing. 

            This passage has been used in various ways by various people, and many of them were for the same purpose:  an unintelligent person seeing the life in an audience-pleasing sentimental way.

The special effects also date the picture.  While Tom Hanks shaking hands with JFK is very impressive for a 1994 audience, as time goes by and the effects improve, the slight-of-hand loses its power faster than the dinosaurs of Jurassic Park.

            Not all is lost, however, as we look at the performance of Tom Hanks.  Hanks will always be remembered in the role, though in no way will he be known only for that part.  But his slow, southern, "Life is like a box of chocolates . . ." will always be remembered.

            Gump will be a film of fond memories and a stepping stone for Tom Hanks.

DVD Update

The Forrest Gump DVD does a fine job of reinforcing how good this film is.  The documentaries on the DVD explore the making of the film, from director Robert Zemeckis’ comments to make-up effects and the special effects of adding in Forrest to Kennedy’s White House.  The documentaries are good, but not good enough to watch ever again.  The commentary is a collection from Zemeckis and other people involved in the film.  For the first time in my DVD commentary watching, someone actually annoyed me.  Producer Steve Starkey’s comments were boring and at times childish as he chimed in to production designer Rick Carter’s serious, engaging discussion of many different elements of the movie.  Starkey sounded more like your annoying nosy neighbor than a film producer, unless, of course, your annoying nosy neighbor is a film producer.  And to those neighbors of Starkey, I do say I am sorry for you.  Zemeckis’ comments were, as always, good but few.  An enjoyable movie with a lot of extra features on this 2-disc set, it’s a worthwhile own for fans of the film.  DVD: Solid. Order the DVD: Forrest Gump

Trivia:

1.)  The scenes where Forrest meets with famous figures are so incredibly realistic that large numbers of moviegoers believes that Forrest Gump was a documentary.  Major magazines, radio stations and television stations published and broadcasted reports to let these people know that Forrest Gump was in fact fictitious.

2.)  In the film, every still photo of Forrest, his eyes are shut.

3.)  Forrest Gump was the first film to star Haley Joel Osment (who played Forrest Gump Jr.).  In 1999, Osment would shock the world with his stunning portrayal of a boy who can see and communicate with the dead in The Sixth Sense.

4.)  In the school bus when Forrest is trying to sit down, the first boy who tells him he can't sit there is Robert Zemeckis' son.  The red-haired girl on the bus is Tom Hank's Daughter.

5.)  The necklace worn by Lt. Dan is a rosary with a Saint Christopher medal, inscribed "Protect us in Combat." It was worn in Vietnam by Gary Sinise's brother-in-law, Jack Treese, in 1967-68.

6.)  Tom Hanks learned Gump's accent from Michael Conner, the actor that played Gump as a child.  Young Mr. Conner really speaks that way. 

7.)  In a tribute to Midnight Cowboy, when Forrest is pushing Dan in his wheelchair, a cab almost hits them and Dan yells "Hey! I'm walkin' here! I'm walkin' here!":