A Brief Parade of American Cinema

Hey everybody! I wrote this for my first assignment for my Intro to Creative Writing class. There are 25 film references in all. See how many you can catch! :D



Cowboys rob trains in clouds of gun smoke,
the ruffians are rather loud,
good thing they were silent.
But even pointing a gun at the screen can't stop
Charles from playing with his food,
or “Sonny Boy” from lovin’ to singa
his way into the Great Depression,
putting Lina Lamont and nearly Don Lockwood out of work.

Seven little Oscars broke animation records, and launched the careers of Walter
and The Mouse Formerly Known As Mortimer.
Why gasp at “Frankly my dear”
when that poor man Kane is still looking for Rosebud?
And while Joe and Jerry get into drag queen shenanigans with Norma Jean,
Your mama’s welcomin’ the 60's.

Where everyone buys clear shower curtains after Marion Crane's murder,
but it didn't help young Benjamin.
His life was no Scarborough Fair. 
And the hills are alive!
With the sound of the von Trapps getting the hell out of Austria–
and of course the black guy dies. 
Damn you, Romero.

Linda experienced no love loss playing [with] herself making porn chic,
with plenty of offers she can't refuse,
but even so,
you'll find no afros or flashing disco lights
in Amity Island's Independence Day.

TRON crashed through the MCP’s barriers,
but in the meantime, 
Luke stays stoic racing Beggar's Canyon back home, 
Molly Ringwald blows out her 16 candles,
and time bungees when you reach 88 miles per hour in a DeLorean.

You grimace when the King is green from drowning in words
and cry because Captain Barbossa is holding him afloat.
But then you smile,
and don’t take so seriously,
Steve and Tony’s date at a shawarma joint,
when they greet each other with “I see you.”