On the Road Film Festival
I’m planning a road trip for next month and a vacation drive this summer. In my notebook, I found a list of on-the-road or travel films that I have learned lessons from watching. Queue them all up and you have a good on-the-road film festival and prep session while you look at maps and guides and make reservations.
The Wizard of Oz — One lesson is pick your travel companions with care. Don’t be concerned with food or lodgings. Do be concerned with witches and flying monkeys. No matter how good the trip is, it should also be good to be back home again.
National Lampoon’s Vacation — A road trip with family, as child or parent, will present many lessons. As with life and school, you will fail at some.
Before Sunrise — You should take a serendipitous journey alone. You should meet a beautiful/handsome person along the way. If you go back there at sunset or midnight, don’t expect things to be as good as they were before.
Up — Take that trip you and your spouse have been talking about for years now before it’s too late.
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade — Take a trip with your Dad. Or son, depending on your age and point of view. (What film could be the Mom or daughter version?)
Broken Flowers — Go on one cross-country search for old girl/boyfriends in search of answers. (Not connected to any 12-step program)
The Darjeeling Limited — Go to an exotic place filled with things that you have never seen and smells that tell you that you’re not in Kansas anymore.
Planes, Trains and Automobiles — Be nice to fellow travelers. You never know.
The Lord of the Rings — Undertake an adventure trip full of possible peril. Once. After that, there is no need for you to do it again. You have nothing to prove. Your home is quite comfortable and there are so many books unread and films unseen.
Lost In Translation — Be prepared to be a stranger in a strange land. Try to have Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson around just in case.
I’m sure you have other films to add to the festival list. How about if you make a comment and give us a film and a short reason for its inclusion?
Originally published at paradelle.wordpress.com
