Episode 16 August 28th, 2011

Highbrow! Lowbrow? is coming at you with a hot fresh episode from the HBLB studios (aka Jesse's garage). Every two weeks or so, Jesse and Shaun get together with some brews to discuss two films from the same year, the Best Picture Academy Award Winner and Top Box Office Earner, to determine who was right: the critics or the masses. This year we go far far back with a pair of movies from 1946: The Best Years Of Our Lives (Highbrow) and Song Of The South (Lowbrow).

The Best Years Of Our Lives, directed by William Wyler, tells the story of three soldiers coming home from the war and discovering that home isn't what it used to be. Al Stephenson (Fredric March) comes home to a family that has grown up without him, Fred Derry (Dana Andrews) finds the wife he had been fighting for to be someone he doesn't know, and Homer Parrish (Harold Russell) can't acceptance in himself or others after losing his arms in the war. Despite feeling the age of the film with a sense of been there done that, this film is able to draw you in with it's honest humanity. The characters really bloom as they learn to integrate themselves into society, especially of note is Homer, the handicapped veteran, who in one poignant scene shows his love Wilma his most vulnerable state. There are several unique scenes throughout the film that elevate it beyond expectations, for example the scene where Fred re-experiences his war time trauma in an airplane graveyard and the moment where Homer viciously thrusts his hooks through a window. Hoagy Carmicheal, acclaimed songwriter, makes an appearance in the film as Homer's uncle Buck, providing a comforting respite between the drama. Don't let the film's age detract you, it's really impressive how this film can draw you in and keep you invested.

Song Of The South, directed by Harve Foster and Wilfred Jackson, is yet another Disney animated feature that reimagines the stories and the life of Uncle Remus who tells tales of Br'er Rabbit and Br'er Fox to young Johnny. This film tried to capture the spirit of the south without dipping into controversial race issues,but today is viewed more harshly under the critical of our PC era. The stories Uncle Remus are your average cartoonish fare, with Br'er Rabbit outwitting Br'er Fox at every step with loony gags. Johnny is somewhat of an awkward main character , as the surrogate for the audience, he is often hard to relate to. There are several unappealing shots in the film, maybe due to the era of the film, where the composition and look felt off. The live action transitioned to animation rather amazingly bringing to mind movies like Who Framed Roger Rabbit? The tunes are enjoyable and catchy with Zipee-A-Dee-Do-Da being a standout number. Though this film was able to garner the attention of the masses, this hasn't stood the test of time, being difficult to view in a modern light.

So which film did we end up choosing? The Best Years Of Our Lives relating the stories of our war hardened vets? Or Song Of The South with it's catchy tunes and quaint southern stories? Check out the latest Highbrow! Lowbrow? and let us know what you think.