The Pirates of Penzance

Over the weekend I was watching TV and came across a movie that I hadn’t seen for quite some time. From the title of the post you already should know that the movie was The Pirates of Penzance. It was the 1983 production with Kevin Kline, Angela Lansbury, and Linda Ronstadt. If you haven’t seen it, MAKE THE TIME. It truly is one of the great musicals, if not movies, of all time. Gilbert and Sullivan plays have stood the test of time wonderfully but perhaps none more so than this one.

While I was enjoying the movie I thought it was funny that every time Mable (Linda Ronstadt) and her sisters came on screen I almost half expected to see my sister Coleen. Every little line or common quip I could hear her quoting even before they said it onscreen. Perhaps it is because of her years of theatre that I associate more movies with this one sister than anyone else I know. EVERY time I see or hear any of the songs from any of countless musicals, i.e. Oklahoma, 7 Brides for 7 Brothers, the first thing in my mind is my dear sister. Due to the time difference I was quite certain my sister was still in church when the movie came on or I would have given her a call. By evening, the moment had passed and I never got a chance to give her a call.

One of the nice things about running is it gives me the free time to just let my mind wander. As I pondered about my sister and these associations I began to think of my other siblings and other family and if any of them have similar associations. With some I thought of movies, others songs or bands, but in each case the movies below trigger immediate thoughts of one of my siblings for various reasons. I hope no one takes offence as none is intended… So here is my list:

Mom – Pride and Prejudice – The black and white, not the new one.
Dad – October Sky (also Short Circuit – I have never seen him laugh so hard at a movie before or since)
Lorin – Rain Man – You would think this ties into the autism thread but really it stems from my childhood view of my eldest brother as the smartest man on earth!
Keith – Any movie with John Candy but particularly Uncle Buck. For some reason I can just see him making snow shovel pancakes. It is more than just the similarity in looks, it is his demeanor and his non-verbalized expectation of the best from other people.
Diana – Along with Dave, one of the harder to come up with something from "Pop-culture" to associate with her. Although I have many fond memories of her, they don’t really tie to movies or songs. From those memories, various objects remind me of her: model paint, birch beer, Breyer horses, and children’s storybooks, particularly "My Turn on Earth".
Coleen – See Above…
David – I thought hard on this one and I really couldn’t come up with a movie but what kept coming to mind was early 80’s rock, Journey, Loverboy, Rush, etc. I can’t get through "Come Sail Away" without picturing Dave at some point.
Oliver – You would think the obvious "Oliver" but the first movie that came to mind was Tron. Of course the other one that instantly brings Oli to mind is Rock Horror Picture Show. I’m sure he’ll wear that with a badge of honor… much to my mother’s chagrin.
Pat – The obvious would be Twins with his DeVito to my Schwarzenegger, but in reality it is all things from the 80’s. As no one was closer to me during that time, just about everything from that decade remind me of him.
Jamie – Although most everything is seen through the light of how I experienced it with her, I’m going to have to go with a song, I’m guessing she knows which one already… Whistling in the Dark by They Might Be Giants. Yes there is a story there.

So what I want to know is two things, am I the only one that associates particular movies with a single individual or is that common for all of you? Secondly, do any of you associate particular movies with me? Other than the obvious of course… Superman, The Incredibles, The Incredible Hulk… Of course, I could also be The Very Model of a Modern Major General...?