While Halloween is often associated with scares and the macabre, it is also a time for dark comedies and gallows humor. Enter Harold Ramis. Blindedstarring Brendan Fraser and Elizabeth Hurley, a remake of the 1967 British classic, released on October 20, 2000. A quarter of a century later, it's still worthy of a place in your magazine. spooky season playlist.
In the original film, the Devil offers a hapless man seven wishes in exchange for his soul. Each of these desires is then twisted into sinister irony. Original Blinded is a parody of the horrors of Faust's pact with the Devil, written by Peter Cook and starring Dudley Moore respectively. However, instead of a pointy-eared man with a silver tongue Blinded the remake subverts these expectations by casting the femme fatale as Satan (Hurley). She is a British beauty, drives an exotic car, and is a high-end fashionista whose favorite color is red. Satan changes her wardrobe more times in this movie than you could in a week, and you love her eccentric tastes as much as you love her quirky personality.
Instead of a more ambitious protagonist, Fraser plays Elliot as a meek man who has no friends and is shunned by his colleagues. He's painfully awkward and pines for a girl named Allison (Frances O'Connor), who doesn't even know he exists. So of course he sells his soul to the devil for the chance to be with her. He receives a pager with his wishes, on which he must dial “666” if anything goes wrong with his requests.
His first wish should come as no surprise: to be rich, powerful, and marry Allison. Of course, that's technically three wishes, but the Devil doesn't seem to mind. Elliot gets what he wants, but the point is that he's only rich because he's a Colombian drug lord; to make matters worse, his marriage to Allison is loveless. Subsequent crippled desires turned him into an overly emotional man, a basketball star with a tiny penis, and much more. The wishes never come true, and Elliot ends up in one nightmare scenario after another, while Allison is always out of reach for various, often humorous, reasons.
Faustian bargains are very similar to The Monkey's Paw, a cautionary tale about wishes that come true with unforeseen, often tragic consequences. However, Faustian bargains involve a deliberate trade, in this case with Elliot's soul, which not only leads to unexpected consequences, but also goes against ethics and morality. And only after Elliot fulfilled his last wish, Blinded shows his true colors and shows where Fraser's performance is at its best.
Fraser proves he had all the makings Hollywood leading actor in this era he easily moves from seriousness to courtesy, from awkward charm to sharp wit. He combines comedic timing with heartfelt sincerity, showcasing the full range of his talent in every scene. Meanwhile, Hurley closes the film with a performance that is equal parts funny, seductive and menacing, fully embodying the Devil archetype. The film also clocks in at just under 90 minutes before the credits roll, ensuring that the film or its plot never overdoes it.
Blinded simple and silly enough to be understood by younger audiences, with silly and even memorable moments involving dolphin-safe tuna and mayonnaise. But there are also much smarter and more mature themes that will keep teenagers and even adults on the edge of their seats. At the end of Elliot's ordeal with the Devil, he finds himself in a much better position than when we first met him. He's no longer a pushover, able to stand up to colleagues who almost bully him, and even works up the courage to approach Allison on his own. It ends on a well-deserved, happy note for Elliot, encouraging viewers to be grateful for what they have and to pursue their own dreams without corruption.
It's also a great way to get someone who isn't afraid of fear to enjoy the scary holidays. And you're in luck, it's currently streaming on Hulu. So we know what you're doing tonight.
