Gryphon

I watched this film under rather unusual circumstances. I came into work one day as a substitute teacher, and found that this had been left for me to show my students throughout the day. So I popped the cassette in, turned the lights down and quieted the class. Together we watched.

And what was presented hardly seemed worth the effort. After it was all over, I failed to see any benefit this film-making would give to anyone, really. There's a bunch of new age nonsense tied in with the theme of learning to marvel at the world. The teacher, played adequately by Amanda Plummer, presents a slide-show of things she things are quite enchanting, but there are errors in some aspects (for example, the idea of Ancient Egyptians believing in reincarnation is off-base). Now, actual Egyptian beliefs on the afterlife ARE fascinating, and would be ripe for teaching to young kids to get them intrigued about our human history, but what we have is all very shallow. It would only take a minute, for example, to talk about the concept of seven souls.

Needless to say, none of the characters are anything more than stereotypical, and the voice-over used is often unnecessary. The plot is cookie-cutter and the ending cheesy, with "dramatic tension" shoe-horned in when it's not really necessary. And then a snappy reversal so that things don't get too down! Everything about this is less than impressive, and only useful for it's nobility rather than any profound effect.

You can get the sense of Amanda Plummer trying to make her part whole, give herself a hinted-at past, but there's too little for her to work with.

This one-hour made-for-TV movie was a part of the Wonderworks series and stars Amanda Plummer and Alexis Cruz. Its theme is that one's ordinary life is surrounded by magic, usually overlooked. A belief that magic exists in daily life and a desire to reach out to it are all that are necessary to transform one's life.

Things are excruciatingly boring and painful in the lives of a class of predominately Hispanic inner city middle school students when Miss Ferenczi, an "angel" (Amanda Plummer), appears one day as the substitute teacher. She seems to be an aging hippie or New Age eccentric. The students don't know what to make of her. Her doctrine is that the students must expand their minds, reach out and up to a new level of thinking and perceiving. The highly artistic and sensitive Ricky (Alexis Cruz) is able to capture her meaning, but his new level of awareness puts him in conflict with other classmates who see him as selling out to the teacher. In a stroke of insight, Ricky organizes the class to spray paint the back of the school building with a fantasized Gryphon he created--with Miss Ferenczi's blessing (and the principal's consternation). To Ricky, the Gryphon represents the validation of Miss Ferenczi's teachings. In mythology, the Gryphon--a lion with the head of an eagle--guards over treasure. Society's treasure may be considered its children, over whose school Ricky's Gryphon guards, protecting their youthful vision of beauty and of other worlds to conquer. Miss Ferenczi's last comment: "Remember, angels hide their wings on Earth."

I give this movie a rating of "7" out of "10" because of uninspired production values (probably due to a low budget) and to the fact that it was directed toward middle school children. This latter fact is reflected in the dialogue, the lack of depth in characterization, the facile plot, and the cartoonish presentation of the regular teacher. However, the film was based on a very interesting premise and was memorable. It could be summarized in one word: "thought-provoking". It would be especially valuable to Hispanics, students and teachers...as well as angels.

Ricky (Alexis Cruz) is a middle schooler with a great talent for drawing. Despite this, he is often in trouble in his inner city school, usually without cause. Nevertheless, he has two parents who support and love him. One day, the class gets a substitute, a Ms Ferenczi (Amanda Plummer). As the kids often do, they plant a striped snake in her desk. To the astonishment of the young adults, she loves it! She even puts it around her neck for awhile. More surprises occur. THIS teacher is full of knowledge and understands exactly how to motivate and captivate her students. What a pity when their regular teacher comes back from a brief illness. A short time later, Ms F returns and spies an outstanding and beautiful picture of the mythological gryphon. It is Ricky's work. Seizing the opportunity, Ms F suggests that the class, under Ricky's direction, paint the gryphon on the side of their school building. But, will the principal like this? And, if she does not, will Ms. F and the kids get in trouble? This is a lovely film, despite being only an hour long. Plummer gives her usual outstanding work, with that matchless voice, and Cruz is wonderful as well. Viewers will like the story, direction, sets, and costumes, too. In fact, a showing of this movie would be beneficial for every teacher and every student on the planet. All you school districts, are you listening?

I think it is obvious, that you can't compare this 55 min low budget TV film with standard high budget Hollywood movies regarding to production standards. But there is more about a film than production standards.

It is a nice and sweet film mostly for middle aged kids but also for adults who have an open mind.

The location of the film is portrayed as a rather poor area. The life of the kids is obviously not too much filled up with obvious beauty and a wonderful nature in the surroundings. So, the circumstances are not really supportive for the well being of the kids, specially in the future.

The basic idea is (in my humble view), that even in not so good circumstances, You can find beauty, mysteries and something which leads you to a meaningful life by living YOUR life. Just open your eyes (and be open, because there is more about life). Perhaps it is also about appreciating those little nice things and people which / who are supporting you and caring for you.

The substitute teacher (wonderfully and cute played by Amanda Plummer) is only the katalysator or cristalization point for the kids to recognize this (Don't want to write more about the content...don't want to spoil the content).

You can't expect a philosophical deep meaning film. But it is not meant to be. But it is definitly not a waste of time. It can't be, because at least Amanda Plummer is always worth to be watched in a movie. And the meaning of the film is very warm hearted. The film was produced 32 years ago (it is 2020 now). And it is sad to see, how degenerated the film industry has become since.

BTW.: The film is from 1988 and not from 1990 !