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This week, a very special edition of the show commonly known as GLoP (that’s Jonah Goldberg, Rob Long, and John Podhoretz, for you noobs): a live show recorded aboard the Allure of The Seas somewhere in the Caribbean. This week, the boys prognosticate on why Barack Obama is really Greg Brady aka, Johnny Bravo, Hillary’s got 99 problems, why zombies are a cultural touchstone, and in case we wind up on one, each panelist chooses the five movies they’d take to a desert island.
Yep, you should list your top 5 in the comments below.
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Wait. You’re on a desert island and it’s got electricity. A DVD player. AND a tv. If the Professor can do all that out of coconuts and bamboo why can’t he build a radio – or a cell phone?
Deserted Island Movies
That was a lot of fun.
I lost bladder control when John came up with the characterization of Bill and Hillary Clinton as Maurice and Endora from Bewitched. It’s perfect. That said, now I want to know who their Gladys Kravitz is and who their Uncle Arthur is.
Praise to Rob for picking Best Years of Our Lives. I will watch the entire movie solely for the scene of Homer and his girl in his bedroom with his girl helping him get ready for bed. It has to be the most tender love scene in American cinema.
Other movies: Bridge over the River Kwai; Twelve Angry Men; Big Country; In the Heat of the Night; you’re Americans, so pick your favorite John Wayne movie; The Dirty Dozen; Chariots of Fire; A Christmas Story.
Surely there is a DVD that shows how to build a boat. Or a DVD of G.K. Chesterton reading a book about boat building.
This edition of GLoP Culture went as smoothly as a well-oiled machine.
Oh, and the real reason zombies are big now is because it’s a plot by PETA to convince people that eating cow is as bad as eating people.
1. How to Survive on a Desert Island
2. How to Build a Boat
3. How to Sail a Boat
4. How to Survive at Sea
5. How to Hail Surrounding Vessels for Help
It’s the old G. K. Chesterton response to the book version of the question, “What would be the one book you would have on desert island?” Answer: “Thomas’ Practical Guide to Shipbuilding.”
A few years from now, what with the ubiquitous devices and satellite technology, the concept of having only 5 movies available … will strike most of the next generation as unthinkable. Gee, grandpa, why don’t they just go on Netflix?
Podhoretz has a remarkably good singing voice. Not that he should quit his day job, but pleasant.
Jonah’s right about Obama’s inability to persuade. Obama got only those who already believed in him (religious language intentionally used) or who already hated Republicans so much that they would vote for a dead frog instead of McCain or Romney.
Maurice and Endora=Bill and Hilary=comedy gold. Thanks. Nearly fell out of my chair.
Rob- Good Choice with Best Years of Our Lives. I love the scene in the airfield- its amazingly, startlingly moving, even when you’ve seen it before.
Love boat would be deserted island torture.
5 movies
Sink the Bismark
Animal House
Kelly’s Heroes
The Great Race
The Fifth Element
I won’t learn anything from them, but for me they have tremendous rewatch value.
My 5 movies
Godfather
Departed
Clockwork orange
Horse feathers
Fisher king
OK, so you’re on a desert island and you only get 5 devices with which to stream unlimited content…
Fantastic discussion. Fantastic podcast. Interesting and entertaining.
This made my week: “GLoP After Dark” I’ll save it so my wife and I can listen together.
One question: do the gang work “blue?”
I’m betting Lileks is ready to go Blue after Goldberg.
And since Lileks uses Harry’s Shave equipment, Goldberg better watch out.
5 Movies:
Sons of Katie Elder
Anchorman
True Grit (original)
Grosse Pointe Blank
Ghostbusters
5 movies:
Beckett
The Lion in Winter
American Werewolf in London
Night of the Iguana
The Thing (Original 1953 version by Howard Hawks)
Captain Bly found his way back to England after being set adrift in a row boat. Therefore, “Mutiny on the Bounty” might be a handy DVD to have on the island.
This was a lot of fun. The best part is that my brother, Randy, was in the audience. His first NR cruise. We talk every day or so and he is having a great time. Randy has been giving me a great deal of color commentary. One example: other passengers on the cruise often stop him to ask what he is reviewing. They spot the National Review ID lanyard. Randy reports he has taken the time to educate quite a few of them.
Fun to hear while looking at the first snow here in Toronto.
In the theater of the mind I can conjure up my favorite scenes from my favorite movies. All the plot and dialogue from Spinal Tap, Shawshank Redemption and Roadhouse will always be with me even when I’m in my late stages of dementia. Shawshank and Roadhouse aren’t among my favorites but I’ve seen each of those movies about 5 thousand times because they play on cable 24/7 and always suck me in. So I’d take 5 random movies I haven’t seen before. Let’s face it even if they’re bad movies they’ll be entertaining because I’m stuck on a desert island with nothing to do.
5 Movies
In Harms Way (One of the Great War Movies, that no one has every seen. John Wayne, George Kennedy.)
Guardians of the Galaxy (Cause its a lot of Fun).
Chinatown (One of the best Film Noire every made).
Richard the 3rd (Great Villainy personified).
Big Trouble in Little China (I watch every year on my birthday).