I spent a quiet night after a tiring work day watching Groundhog Day with my roommates who had never seen it before! That's practically un-American, so I'm glad they rectified their questionable patriotism. I think they enjoyed the movie, and they were intrigued, like many others, by the layered interpretations and meanings that can be found within the story. As I mentioned previously here, by one person's analysis, Phil relived Groundhog Day for a total of 4 years, while the original script called for that to 10,000 years.
Watching it again for the umpteenth time, it reminded me of this act by the agents at Improv Everywhere where they created a living moebius strip at the Astor Place Starbucks:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3hV1qSF-3U]
There's also a crapload of essays written and some published about theology, especially Buddhism, and Groundhog Day. Just Google it. Hah.
Lastly, Google completely failed me, but there is this play that I've seen performed a couple times that mimics (or is it the other way around?) the scenes in Groundhog Day when Bill Murray's character, Phil gets multiple chances to say the right thing to Rita, played by Andie MacDowell, in his attempts to woo her. Yes, I used the word woo. In the play, a guy attempts to solicit a random girl's attention and interest. Each time he fails because he mentions the wrong book or doesn't ask permission to sit down a bell goes off and he tries a different approach. It's amusing and I am annoyed right now that I can't locate it. Does anyone know what I am talking about???
Update: Thanks to the kind commenter who gave me the head's up about the play above. It is an act titled "Sure Thing" from David Ive's All in the Timing aka better known as The Story of MRod's Life.
Here's a lengthy excerpt from this great play:
Bill: Is this seat taken? Betty: No it's not. Bill: Would you mind if I sit here? Betty: Yes I would. Bill: Oh. (Bell)
Bill: Is this chair taken? Betty: No it's not. Bill: Would you mind if I sit here? Betty: No. Go ahead. Bill: Thanks. (He sits. She continues reading.) Everyplace else seems to be taken. Betty: Mm-hm. Bill: Great place. Betty: Mm-hm. Bill: What's the book? Betty: I just wanted to read in quiet, if you don't mind. Bill: No, sure thing. (Bell)
Bill: Everyplace else seems to be taken. Betty: Mm-hm. Bill: Great place for reading. Betty: Yes, I like it. Bill: What's the book? Betty: The Sound and the Fury. Bill: Oh, Hemingway. (Bell)
Bill: What's the book? Betty: The Sound and the Fury. Bill: Oh. Faulkner. Betty: Have you read it? Bill: Not ... actually. I've sure read about ... it though. It's supposed to be great. Betty: It is great. Bill: I hear it's great. (Small pause.) Waiter? (Bell)
Bill: What's the book? Betty: The Sound and the Fury. Bill: Oh. Faulkner. Betty: Have you read it? Bill: I'm a Mets fan, myself. (Bell)
Betty: Have you read it? Bill: Yeah, I read it in college. Betty: Where was college? Bill: I went to Oral Roberts University. (Bell)
Betty: Where was college? Bill: I was lying. I never really went to college. I just like to party. (Bell)
Betty: Where was college? Bill: Harvard.
Ahh, it's so good! I'm sure this is old news to many of you, but if not, read the rest of this play here. Some of you that I know "IRL" should DEFINITELY read this piece. I'm talking to you, DC, CK, and MC! You know who you are.