Episode #3: Harold and Maude

In episode #3 we discuss the romantic dark comedy drama "Harold and Maude." A young man, fascinated with death, meets a venerable woman who teaches him what life is really about. Starring Ruth Gordon and Bud Cort.

SHOWNOTES

• While this movie (and episode) deals with the topic of suicide in a humorous manner, if you or someone you know is struggling with suicide please visit the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline or call 1-800-273-8255
• Harold and Maude - Criterion Collection
  • Not to be confused with Maude starring Bea Arthur
• Cat Stevens composed and performed the soundtrack including the two hits If You Want To Sing Out, Sing Out and Miles from Nowhere
• The 4 non-Cat Stevens songs:
  • Greensleeves (Author unknown)
  • Piano Concerto No. 1 - Tchaikovsky
  • An der Schönen, Blauen Donau (On the Beautiful Blue Danube), Op. 314 - Johann Strauss II
  • Sobre las Olas (Over the Waves) - Juventino Rosas
• Velveeta cheese commercial - Velveeta Melts Better Than Cheddar
• The Jaguar driven by Harold was a 1965 Jaguar XK-E; the hearse was a 1959 Cadillac Superior 3-way
• Jay Leno’s incredible car collection
• Nathan Hale was the first American Spy to be captured and executed
  • A&E’s Turn: Washington's Spies is a war drama NOT a documentary
• We can all agree that black licorice is disgusting
• The police officer was played by Tom Skerritt who also starred as Viper in Top Gun
• Bud Cort (Harold) appeared as Pvt. Lorenzo Boone in the movie MASH
  • Suicide Is Painless (written by Johnny Mandel and Mike Altman) was the theme to both the movie and TV series M*A*S*H
• The Omen was NOT a prequel to Harold and Maude (however writer Colin Higgins did imagine a prequel called Grover and Maude)
• Music and Films:
  • Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead scored the music for There Will Be Blood and The Master
  • Trent Reznor collaborated with fellow NIN member Atticus Ross for the soundtracks of The Social Network, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo(2011), and Gone Girl
  • Sondre Lerche composed the majority of the music for Dan in Real Life(starring Steve Carell)
  • Carly Simon is credited with the soundtrack to Working Girl (starring Harrison Ford, Sigourney Weaver, Melanie Griffith, and Joan Cusack) including the theme song “Let the River Run”
  • John Williams composed and conducted the music for Raiders of the Lost Ark
  • The soundtrack to Real Genius (starring Val Kilmer) featured multiple artists including Don Henley, Bryan Adams, and Tears for Fears
  • Arthur B. Rubinstein scored the music for WarGames starring Matthew Broderick
  • Melancholia (written and directed by Lars von Trier) heavily features the prelude to Tristan und Isolde by German composer Richard Wagner
  • Mychael Danna and the band DeVotchKa wrote the score for Little Miss Sunshine, however the soundtrack also featured the songs No Man’s Land and Chicago by Sufjan Stevens (who is NOT related to Cat Stevens)
• Butterflies Are Free starring Goldie Hawn is another fantastic 1970s dramedy