In honor of Bill Murray winning the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am a few weeks back, I decided this week, I'd hit the top 5 movies from the distinguished career of Bill Murray.
Here's the list:
5 - "Zombieland": Yes, it was just a cameo appearance, and yes, he was playing himself, but it was possibly the greatest cameo appearance in movie history. And, the fact that it was in a really funny movie makes it that much better.
4 - "Caddyshack": "Cinderella story. Outta nowhere. A former greenskeeper, now, about to become the Masters champion. It looks like a mirac... It's in the hole! It's in the hole! It's in the hole!". Many of the great quotes from "Caddyshack" were uttered by the groundskeeper, Carl Spackler. Murray's character is the best character in a really good movie.
3 - "Groundhog Day": As Phil Connors, Murray is stuck living the same day, February 2nd, over and over again in Puxatawney, PA, home of the official groundhog day groundhog. The transformation of Phil from a self absorbed jerk to a character you root for is outstanding...and this is just a really funny movie.
2 - "Scrooged": When people ask me to name my favorite Christmas movie, "Scrooged" always tops my list. Bill Murray portrays Frank Cross, a TV executive who has forgotten what is important in life. In a great retelling of Dickens' "Christmas Carol", Frank is visited by the 3 ghosts and discovers what is really important in life and in Christmas. "Scrooged" is funny and touching. If the final scene doesn't get you, you've got no heart.
1 - "Ghostbusters": Was there any doubt? Peter Venkmen is one of the greatest characters in movie history, and it's Bill Murray at his sarcastic, deadpan best. "Ghostbusters 2" would have made this list too, but I figured one movie from the series was enough. Murray pulls off some of the greatest one-liners in this movie, and along with Dr's. Raymond Stantz and Egon Spengler, we get a great "underdog hero" movie. One of the best movies of the 1980's.
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4 comments:
Although I loved Zombieland, and it was like you said, one of the best cameos in movie history, I would have swapped in "What About Bob?" myself. Great choice for a list tonight, by the way. :)
If you can believe it, Caddyshack was written by Bill's brother, Brian Doyle-Murray, and Bill's character was supposed to be the lead character, instead of a side story.
He did do a good job in What About Bob? Jake, have you seen any of his more recent roles in serious movies? Like the "Translation" movie he was in? I heard he did a really go job in it. Just wondering what you thought of him as a serious actor, though Groundhog and Scrooge to have moral messages.
I think he's a terrible serious actor. I like the comedies.
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