A couple of weeks ago, my wife and I found the the DVD bargain bin a copy of the Cinderella fable "Ever After" (1998) starring Drew Barrymore. Sometime ago, my friend Earl blogged extensively on the subject of this film, which likely brings the total of fan-based weblog essays for "Ever After" on the Internet up to two if you include today's JSVB post.
When we brought the DVD box to the checkout, we explained to the cashier that we were going to watch "Ever After" as a movie double-header with "Saving Private Ryan" (also 1998). The cashier thought that was a good idea, and related to us the same story we were going to tell to her.
"Saving Private Ryan" and "Ever After" were in theatres at exactly the same time. For JSVB readers who are younger and may not know, back in 1998 it was considered affordable to go to the theatre to see movies, and you could even take your date to see more than one on the same night without having to write out a bank loan. I wanted to see the bloody action of World War Two on the big screen, and my wife wanted to watch some sappy, syrupy chick-flick. We compromised by going to see "Ever After" and "Saving Private Ryan" in the theatre back-to-back.
I realize now that many couples of our generation made this same decision. "Ever After" remains an agreeable enough film, and "Saving Private Ryan" has lost none of its visceral horror. They do make for a pretty weird double feature, though. The two memorable effects upon me were some sleepless nights with bad dreams about the war, and now whenever I see anything about Omaha Beach, I can't help but think of Drew Barrymore in a wimple.
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