FFF: There’s Just Something About…Bill Murray?

I’m pleased to introduce Kelly Kay to you today from Dances With Chaos. One reason I can relate to Kelly: Her parents never let her watch anything racier than MacGyver when she was a kid. One reason I can not relate to Kelly: She has a husband. One reason I can not relate to Kelly’s husband, CG: He can fix anything.

Kelly writes from Texas with an original take on “The joys and pitfalls of being a stay at home mom” and her battles with “early onset mommy brain.” Her kids the Lil Diva and Tackler are a neverending source of material and like so many 21st moms she has taken to blogging because therapy is just too expensive.

Speaking of therapy, Kelly’s included one of the greatest mental health movies ever in today’s Friday Flick Faceoff, but I’ll let her tell you about that. In the meantime, go find her on Twitter. Baby steps to the blog post. Baby steps to the poll…

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There’s just something about Bill Murray. There’s no question. He’s everywhere.

Little known fact: Bill Murray is my surrogate father~Clay

Especially at Educlaytion.

He popped up in the Greatest Christmas Movie Bracket in Scrooged.

Aunt Bethany had him singing Star Wars in the Best Movie Score battle.

His classic line in What About Bob was mentioned in The Crazy Face Off: “I’m a schizophrenic, and so am I.”

As I wrote this blog (in my head) I quickly removed Caddyshack as a contender since it popped up in the Greatest Golf Movie Showdown.

Now, it’s Groundhog Week at Educlaytion.

That means it is time for one of the best comedians of my childhood to spring from the peripheral shadows to the glory of the spotlight.

Because there’s just something about Bill Murray.

He practically raised me, in an edited “My Parents Made Me Leave the Room, Cover My Eyes, or Fast Forward – Even During PG Movies” way.

My introduction to Murray came with the release of Ghostbusters (1984) and the relatively “new” invention of the VHS tape. No longer was I restricted to TV movies or cajoling my parents into taking me to the theater.

Nope, now from the comfort of my very own home I could be ordered by my mother to turn my head and avert my eyes as Venkman’s girlfriend Dana slept above her covers—four feet above her covers.

I do believe I was the last child in my grade to see this movie, my parents deeming anything with ghosts, sex, kissing, extortion, demon dogs, Mr. Stay Puft, or demigod possession inappropriate for a third grader.

Ok, maybe not Mr. Stay Puft.

As I gradually outgrew the “you can’t watch this PG, PG-13, or R part” I gained new appreciation of the comedic genius that is Bill Murray.

I actually understood the lines, “Dogs and cats, living together! Mass hysteria!” and “But if I’m right, and we can stop this thing – Lenny…. you will have saved the lives of millions of registered voters.”

The awesome supporting cast doesn’t hurt, with Rick Moranis in his second best role – falling just behind Dark Helmet. [Editor’s note: You know that’s right.]

What About Bob? (1991) was the second Bill Murray movie of my childhood and one of the few that escaped the Parental Edit. Bill Murray’s portrayal made me believe Bob was completely clueless about Death Therapy—an impressive feat.

My husband on the other hand—sides with Dr. Leo Marvin (brilliantly played by the unraveling Richard Dreyfuss). He refuses to watch the movie with me, because Murray’s acting is so spot on, he’d love nothing better than to see Bob blown to pieces.

Meanwhile, I’m thrown back to my teen years and how the simple slurred line, “Getoutofthecar!” used to dissolve my friend Jason into an uncontrollable giggling machine because of how perfectly Murray and Dreyfuss played against each other.

Stripes (1981) popped onto my radar around this time. Living in the only house without cable TV (my parents resisted the lure of 90 plus channels until after I got married and moved to Texas), several years passed before I had the privilege of viewing it in an unedited for TV format. I still remember how the “Boom-shocka-locka” scene had me convulsing with laughter.

It also taught me an important lesson: never join the army on the rebound.

Murray rounded out my education with Groundhog Day (1993).

In addition to being one of the funniest movies I’ve seen, it made you think. How would I react if I was forced to repeat the day over and over? Would I break down and dream of ways to end it? Would I use the time to learn and accomplish all of those things I’ve dreamed of but never had the chance to do?

Would it all depend on what happened on the day I was forced to repeat?

Two days ago, I had the worst Groundhog Day… ever: complete with a puking child, soiled baby pajamas, and rolling blackouts that didn’t pass you by so much as roll over you before backing up to smash you again and again over a seven hour period.

If I’d had to repeat that day more than twice in a row…

Let’s just not go there.

As a parent of two young children, sometimes I have normal days that are like Groundhog Days, filled with the same monotonous routines—each day the same as the last—where no matter how much you clean or pick up, the next day begins in the same disaster mode as the previous day. It gives me a new appreciation of what Bill Murray’s character experienced.

No matter which of these four comedy film classics takes the FFF trophy, you have to agree:

There’s just something about Bill Murray.

[UPDATE: Wow, Kelly sure picked a tough matchup! Stripes looked to have the title until a late weekend rush on Groundhog Day. Great stuff.]

The Friday Flick Faceoff features films that share a common thread. Cast your vote anyway you like and don’t worry if you’ve seen all the movies or not. Love to hear why you picked what you picked though!