S1E9 - After Hours (1985)
Before apps, before ATMs were ubiquitous, you had to carry cash, or you risked getting stuck in a surreal nightmare.
Transcript
Um Salon. I'm a film critic and author of the book 101 Films You Could See Before You Die. And this is off the Marquee, where we spend a minute with a movie you might consider revisiting. Martin Scorsese's 1985 film After Hours tells the story of computer programmer Paul Hackett, who, after a particular mundane day, goes on a late night excursion to connect with a stranger named Marcy. Paul's patience and sanity suffer when he clashes with Marcy after the unsuccessful date. In this scene, Paul loses his patience and pushes her away, making a strange excuse as to why he has come to see her in the first place.
Speaker B:Are you all right?
Speaker C:Where are those plaster of Paris paperweights, anyway? I mean, that's what I came down here for in the first place.
Speaker D:Well, that's not entirely true.
Speaker C:I came to see you, but where are the paperweights?
Speaker D:That's what I want to see now.
Speaker B:What's the matter?
Speaker C:I said I want to see a plaster of Paris bagel and cream cheese paperweight. Now cough it up.
Speaker B:Right now?
Speaker D:Yes, right now.
Speaker B:They're in Kiki's bedroom.
Speaker D:Get them, because as we sit here.
Speaker C:Chatting, there are important papers flying rampant around my apartment because I don't have anything to hold them down with.
Speaker B:Bye.
Speaker A:Paul's short trip into Soho turns into a surreal struggle when he loses his keys and his cash and can't find a means of transportation home. He encounters a strange array of unsympathetic characters as he traverses the fashionable Soho neighborhood trying to collect himself. In this scene, Paul tries to buy a subway token from an uncompromising subway. Cashier.
Speaker E:Really coming down, huh? Oh, well, you bet. There you go. Fair is a doll and a half. What? Fair went up to a doll and a half as of midnight. You're kidding. Look, I've got $0.97. No.
Speaker D:It's raining like mad out there.
Speaker E:No.
Speaker C:Would you just give me a break?
Speaker D:I really just want to go home.
Speaker E:I'm sorry, I can't do that. I could lose my job.
Speaker D:Well, who would know, exactly?
Speaker E:I could go to a party, get drunk, talk to someone who knows.
Speaker A:The dialogue exhibits an unusually slow brand of anarchic humor, while the noir shooting style turns New York City into a playground for the disenchanted and makes for an unusually dark comedy. After Hours is a fun film and an interesting portrait of Soho in the 80s. I'm Philip Salon, and this has been off the marquee. You're listening to 91.7 W yxr.
Episode Notes
Martin Scorsese’s 1985 film After Hours tells the story of computer programmer Paul Hackett, who after a particularly mundane day, goes on a late-night excursion to connect with a stranger named Marcy. Paul’s patience and sanity suffer when he clashes with Marcy after the unsuccessful date. In this scene, Paul loses his patience with Marcy and pushes her away making a strange excuse as to why he has come to see her in the first place: Paul’s short trip into Soho turns into a surreal struggle when he loses his keys and his cash and can’t find a means of transportation home. He encounters a strange array of unsympathetic characters as he traverses the fashionable SoHo neighborhood trying to collect himself. In this scene, Paul tries to buy a subway token from an uncompromising subway cashier: The dialogue exhibits an unusually slow brand of anarchic humor and the noir shooting style turns New York City into a playground for the disenchanted and makes for an unusually dark comedy. After Hours is a fun film and an interesting portrait of SoHo in the 80s.
After Hours has recently been released by The Criterion Colletion on DVD and BLU-RAY. After Hours
After Hours is also featured in Billups Allen’s book 101 Films You Could See Before You Die: available through Goner Records.
Off the Marquee on the web.