Analysis of the Movie Harold and Maude- A Cult Classic

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Harold and Maude is a cult classic from the 1970’s that defined film making today. The movie based around a young man named Harold Chasen, and an old woman Maude. Harold seems to have a bizarre psychological fascination with death. While Maude is also interested in death; she enjoys living as well and has lived her life to the fullest. Both are brought together while attending funerals simply because they enjoy them. Maude begins to influence and change Harold’s perceptions and attitudes about life. Harold and Maude are polar opposite, in age, but the time they spend together will help Harold live his life better and more fulfillingly.

Before Harold meets Maude, he is a disturbed individual with no friends. Harold, who performs suicides to upset his mother just about every day, shows Harold’s almost willingness to want to be dead. Harold’s mom, Mrs. Chasen sends him to a psychologist. It can be pointed out that in the movie one never se’s Harold’s father and this could be why Harold is so dysfunctional. Harold’s mother doesn’t quite know how to communicate with her son and seems to think buying him whatever she thinks he wants will fix it. Harold admits to his physiologist that he finds joy in visiting funerals. Harold travels to funerals in a hearse that he bought as his car. His first encounter with Maude is at a funeral, and because they keep repeatedly running into each other at funerals she pursues him because they share this common interest. As their relationship develops, Maude shows Harold some of the joys she has found in life and shares her philosophies with him. Harold tells her of an explosion during a chemistry laboratory experiment at his boarding school, which caused people to think he was dead. He says that he...

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...tten specifically by Cat Stevens for Harold and Maude. Therefore it’s only appropriate that the message of Cat Stevens music parallels the message of Harold and Maude. The music basically states that no matter who you are, or how old you are love is something you see inside of someone, not outside. Also Cat Stevens music encourages you to be yourself and live you life how you want.

Harold and Maude have a 30 year age gap between them but Maude helps show Harold the important things in life. Through Maude, Harold grows and becomes a normal and well-adjusted person, capable of normal human feelings of love, compassion, and possessing a new ability to enjoy life. Maude has a very immense influence on Harold’s life, that can’t be found in any other movies or relationships that have also shown an influence on a person’s life such as that displayed in Harold and Maude.

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