re: The John Candy Man Can Appreciation Thread

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John Candy was severely depressed. He hated himself for being so fat. He tried often tried to lose weight but was clearly unsuccessful.

Every time I see him in a movie, I feel sad. I don't see the humor. I see a sad man playing the fat man caricature.

Tragic life.

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Hot to Trot

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Goodness. Haven't even thought about that movie in 25 years.

His early appearances on Letterman were amazing. His talent as a talk show guest was untouched.

Yes, Debbie Downer, you've already chimed in about that. Go shite on someone else's thread with your annoying nonsense.

Seriously, why are so many of the Missouri fans such complete nutjobs?

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His early appearances on Letterman were amazing. His talent as a talk show guest was untouched.

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...and yet he was using comedy to mask the hatred he had for himself.

Sad.

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When Nirvana comes on the radio, do you walk around reminding everyone that Cobain killed himself?

I love John Candy!

Is Home Alone considered a John Candy film? He is a side character, but he had some great moments in the film.

...ok, films where he was a main character...

1. Uncle Buck
2. The Great Outdoors
3. Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
4. Spaceballs
5. Summer Rental

shite no Stripes? How old are you people?

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John Candy was severely depressed. He hated himself for being so fat. He tried often tried to lose weight but was clearly unsuccessful.

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You are way off base. I don't know where you have gotten this information but, you are wrong. There is one book I know of where John is painted as a saddened figure but the author never interviewed John or his friends and family. John loved life and loved to make people laugh. He was a wonderful family man who lived for his kids.

You should feel great when you watch his movies and only feel bad that his life was too short and we didn't get more laughs from him.

Yeah, the Martin Knelman book about Candy being a sad clown has been widely discredited. I'm not going to say Candy was never depressed or didn't struggle with his weight, but I don't think it was nearly as defining to him as the author wanted it to be. If anything, Candy was a hedonist, trying to suck every last bit out of life. The guy died of a heart attack because he ate a bunch of food, drank a bunch, and did his share of drugs. Eventually, his body gave out (though there was no drugs in his system when he died, this wasn't a suicide... he was just a really fat guy).

I love Candy's pathos in roles like Uncle Buck and Plane, Trains, & Automobiles. He was a good actor, better than he ever got credit for, and he could reveal pain underneath his buffoons. He was a master at starting as the person you point and laugh at and slowly shifting the frame until you were laughing WITH him. He was not your buffoon, he just played one.

My faves?

Canadian Bacon
Uncle Buck
Volunteers
Stripes
Planes Trains and Automobiles
Spaceballs

Sorry, had to go to six. There is a time to act, and there is a time to think. And this, ladies and gentlemen, is no time to think.

ETA: Armed and Dangerous was pretty great, too. This gun is only legal in two states... and this isn't one of them.