Throwback Thursdays - The 'Burbs

A lazy weekend and little to nothing on television to pique my interest, had me pondering what movie from my extensive collection of DVDs I should watch. I was in the mood for a classic comedy and this is what I came up with:

The 'Burbs
Director: Joe Dante
Starring: Tom Hanks, Bruce Dern, and Carrie Fisher
Released: 1989
Box Office: $36,602,000 (USA)
Throwback Review

The 'Burbs (slang meaning 'the suburbs' for the late person) is a film about a group of neighbours in a suburban cul-de-sac where mysterious new neighbours have recently moved in. The eccentric and at times almost psychotic neighbours, decide it is their duty to find out what these people are up to.

The film opens with Ray Petersen (Tom Hanks) trying to enjoy some much needed vacation time by being "lazy around the house" for a couple of weeks. His friend and over-the-top neighbour Art, consistently interrupts Ray's quiet time and also hints that the new mysterious neighbours are up to some strange activities, mainly at night. Deciding to take matters into their own hands, Ray, Art and another neighbour Mark Rumsfield (Bruce Dern) spy the neighbours (Klopeks) drive their car to the end of their driveway, take out a large black bag from the car, place it in the garbage can and bang it with a stick. Later that night, Ray witnesses the Klopeks digging in their backyard in the middle of a rainstorm. Believing the Klopeks to have murdered their recently missing neighbour Walter, the three men decide to do whatever it takes to prove they are in fact murderers.

Categorized as a "dark" comedy, The 'Burbs does something (and does it well) that few movies, especially at the time, could accomplish; the film focused on everyday stuff, things that would happen in real life, and portrayed it in an extreme way to bring out the laughs. Everyone can relate to the film; we all have those crazy neighbours who are constantly mowing their lawns at the same time every day, or the ones who rarely seem to leave their houses. That's what makes this film so funny - it's easy to understand and it's not forced comedy.

Hanks as the main character emphasizes the realness of the film - he comes off as an all American type of guy who's easy to relate to. The way that Hanks speaks, specifically when he gets excited or irritated, his voice becomes almost high-pitched and urgent. You can't help but laugh whenever he does this. Although this is nowhere near being the best film that Hanks has ever done (he's had some stellar ones such as Forrest Gump, Saving Private Ryan, The Green Mile, etc.) it is one of his most memorable comedy. It is complete with great one-liners that I still quote to this day. And it still gets me laughing even after seeing it for the umpteenth time last weekend.

Final Verdict: See it. If you haven't seen it yet, you must not be a fan of the 80s. This is a classic 80s comedy that can still very much be enjoyed today. Great laughs, memorable acting and just the slightest bit of horror and intrigue makes this film worthwhile seeing by any movie fan, especially if you are a fan of Tom Hanks. And for those 80s fans - Corey Feldman is in it!