It’s Thursday and I’m back with a new Thursday Movie Picks feature post. This series is hosted by Wandering through the Shelves and offers you a weekly prompt to post some movie recommendations/talking points according to the theme. Usually, you are supposed to post about 3-5 examples, which I find a very manageable amount.
This week is all about Dream Sequences! I honestly couldn’t think of a single one from the top of my head, which just means that dream sequences aren’t something I pay a lot of attention to. Either way, we are … or rather I am going to try and come up with some.
Inception
Does it count when basically the whole movie is a dream? I’m just going to say yes. Inception had such a great concept and I loved the world of possibilities it opened up. I really enjoyed watching that movie back in the day, although I haven’t revisited it much to be honest.
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
Walter Mitty’s daydreams were wild and ridiculous at times and then really beautiful as well. I love that movie, despite some flaws, because it’s just such a great motivator to be brave and go into the world. It’s also just very human.
Grease
Okay, who could ever forget the Beauty School Dropout scene? I sure couldn’t, so it made this list. Grease didn’t age particularly well, but it’s one of the musical movies I enjoy more than others.
Life and Other Disasters 
Great list! I almost forgot about the Grease dream sequence!
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Beauty School Dropout!? How could you forget?? Just kidding, I went on a deep dive of dream sequences to find some I had actually watched and still remembered.
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Cool!
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LOVE Inception (thought of it myself right off but I’d used it before). Great concept brilliantly executed with a terrific cast making it happen. Everyone is very good but Tom Hardy steals the film I think.
We match in a roundabout way since I chose the original version of Walter Mitty. This one is okay if a bit ridiculous but I prefer the first film.
Beauty School Dropout!!!! What a fun number. The entirety of Grease is fun if you don’t take it seriously, for instance I adore Stockard Channing in the movie (and everywhere else) but she had to be pushing 30 when the film was made so we’re divorced from reality right there! But Frenchy’s spotlight number is unquestionably one of the highlights.
Along with our semi match I reached back to older films with dream sequences that stuck in my mind.
The Dark Past (1948)-On the lam after busting out of prison murderer Al Walker (William Holden) along with moll Betty (Nina Foch) and the rest of his gang take psychologist Andrew Collins (Lee J. Cobb), his family and friends hostage in their remote cabin. As a storm rages outside impeding their escape the shrink attempts to probe Walker’s psychosis focusing on analysis of a disturbing dream (which we see in an extended sequence) that has plagued the maniac for decades resulting in a psychological breakthrough that may help save them all. Aside from the quick fix cognitive hooey the film posits this is a well-acted noir, particularly by Nina Foch.
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947)-Mild-mannered pushover Walter Mitty (Danny Kaye) fills his days with flights of fancy to break free of his overbearing mother (Fay Bainter) and mercurial fiancée (Ann Rutherford). Indulging in elaborate daydreams he finds himself involved in a real-life escapade when the enigmatic Rosalind van Hoorn (Virginia Mayo) ropes him into an intrigue. Suddenly involved with valuable jewels, a little black book, and sinister criminal Dr. Hugo Hollingshead (Boris Karloff) Walter’s staid world is soon full of all the adventure he can handle and some he can’t!
The Bitter Tea of General Yen (1932)-Arriving in Shanghai to marry her missionary fiancé Dr. Robert Strike (Gavin Gordon) Megan Davis (Barbara Stanwyck) finds herself swept up in China’s civil war and taken captive by warlord General Yen (Nils Asther). Held in luxury as Yen persistently tries to woo her Megan is at first repelled by his barbaric tactics but after an unsettling dream (which with this being a pre-code film is replete with very erotic imagery) finds herself becoming attracted to the general developing sympathy for his embattled position.
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I honestly didn’t even know there was another version of Walter Mitty! This is such big news to me. It’s so interesting how different the adaptations are when both are based on a short story.
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Oh man, Beauty School Dropout is perfect for this theme. This makes me want to watch Grease all over again.
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Right!? I was really glad I remembered that one, because it’s perfect for the theme.
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Hahaha I recently rewatched Grease and that dream sequence is soooo funny. A helluva way to send a message! 😛
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I love that scene! It’s one of the most memorable from the movie for me.
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Grease is such a great pick. I wish I had thought of that!
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I’m very proud of that pick haha it fit so perfectly!
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I thought Inception would be everywhere this week. We kind of match as I chose the original Walter Mitty which I prefer over the remake. I have not seen Grease since it came out because I hated the ending. She decides to forget who she is for a moron and turns into a slut…always hated that but love this scene and most of the movie actually.
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Grease is a fun movie. I enjoyed most of the musical scenes including this one.
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