Barry Mendel: 5 Movies You May Want to Revisit
Barry Mendel
Producer

I have a whole list here that's hard to break down. Kind Hearts and Coronets, A New Leaf, Dr. Strangelove, Blazing Saddles... so I just thought I would throw out ones that people are watching less these days, but they would maybe enjoy revisiting.

1
Modern Romance
1981

It's literally my favorite movie. I can quote it backwards and forwards and when I meet people who can quote it backwards and forwards, this joy of being able to do that together... A friendship can only continue once we both have that movie in our system. I don't even know what it is. I just love the movie.

2
Polyester
1981

It's a movie I saw growing up three times in the movie theater with the scratch-and-sniff card. It just always really made me laugh. It's so smart and satirical and crazy.

3
Mr. Hulot's Holiday
1953

This one is a little more poetic. When you want some happiness and joy and what it feels like to lie on the beach and close your eyes and have to breeze dance across you… that's what watching that movie feels like to me, and sometimes you need that.

4
Sullivan's Travels
1941

This movie has always meant a lot to me because of what it's ultimately about: that we think of comedy as being an escape or light or not as meaningful as the serious things of life—and how wrong we are.

Comedy is an essential part of our existence. That sounds serious in and of itself, but the movie is not serious. The movie is fun.

5
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
1975

It’s the movie I watched over and over and over again as a kid. Just genius comedians at work.

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