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Actors: Alan Arkin, Austin Pendleton, Judy Graubert, Madeline Kahn, Fred Gwynne, Wallace Shawn
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| Review Summary and Plot Commentary about Simon |
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Funded by supersecret government grants, the brilliant but goofy scientists of the Institute for Advanced Concepts in Hanover, Maine, have been responsible for all sorts of odd world developments (e.g., the penicillin-resistant strain of gonorrhea, and the different Nixon that came back from China!). Their latest scheme is to brainwash an orphan into thinking he is an alien, and their guinea pig is Simon Mendelssohn (Arkin), a Columbia psych professor. Seduced by money and the comely Dr. Cynthia Malloy (Kahn), and already experimenting with sensory deprivation, Mendelssohn falls for it. Of course, his girlfriend Lisa (Graubert) has some objections. Eventually, the National Guard gets called out, headed by gruff Major General Korey (Gwynne). Longtime Woody Allen collaborator Marshall Brickman co-wrote and directed this 1980 satire, which has some great moments but is terribly uneven. As always, Arkin is terrific, though.
--David Loftus, Resident Scholar
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| Analysis of Simon |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about
books by breaking them down into many different literary
elements, all of which are searchable (click here). |
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Movie
Actual chase scenes or violence - 10%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzle - 30%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 60%
**Fantasy or Science Fiction?**
- science fiction story
Character operated on/altered?
Yes
Parody movie?
Yes
Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- teacher/professor
Age:
- 20's-30's
Eccentric:
Yes
- eccentric
Hair color?
- brunette (Brown)
Hair type
- (man) short/medium curly
Body type
- average (man)
Unclothed?
- Chest
Events of movie makes character more...
- sensitive
Ethnicity/Nationality
- Jewish
How sensitive is this character?
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor?
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
Physique
- average physique
Secondary Main Character
Identity:
- Female
Hair color
- brunette (Brown)
Hair style
- (woman) medium/shoulderlgn curly
How much in movie?
- 60%
Ethnicity/Nationality
- Jewish
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 40's-50's
Profession/status:
- scientist
Eccentric:
Yes
- eccentric
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- 60%
Hair color
- brunette (Brown)
Hair style
- (man) short/standard straight
Body type
- average (man)
Ethnicity
- White
Sense of humor?
- Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physical condition
- average physique
How sensitive is this character?
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Setting
Earth setting:
- 20th century (1970's to Present)
Takes place on Earth?
Yes
Style
Accounts of torture and death?
- no torture/death
Tone of movie
- funny
Comedy or somewhat funny movie?
Yes
Sex/nudity in movie?
Yes
What kind of sex:
- vauge references only
Any profanity?
- Occasional swearing
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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