THE WIND AND THE LION

                         JACK'S BACK, and this time it's personal
DATE AND STATUS:   Sunday, October 21st, 2012, and I'm exhausted

QUOTE OF THE DAY comes from Margaret Addison:

"I have always rebelled against the unadorned, the unbefitting, the unawakened, the unresisting, the undesirable, the unplanned, the unshapely, the uncommitted, the untempered, all leading to the unintended.  I believe in the unsubmissive, the unfaltering, the unassailable, the irresistible, the unbelievable, in other words, in an art of life."

I love my quote of the day, it describes perfectly how I feel towards everything in life.  I am an idealist, I'm optimistic, and, like Anne Frank, I believe that people are inherently good, (sometimes it just takes a little longer than others to find it.)

First off, I shall like to apologize for not getting this post out to you sooner.  I really am justified in my delay, but, still I feel badly.

We are finally back home in Guelph after quite an exhausting day closing the cottage last Tuesday, but, at least we got everything done.  Mac and I were quite thorough in cleaning everything up, and we are confident that we managed to get everything done, not omitting one item, except of course, to say good-bye to all our friends that we leave up there for the Winter.  Oh well, I can always call them or send them an email.

My first day back home in Guelph and I got a surprise.  While still at the lake, I decided to try one of those promotions that are always offered over the television.  I have been watching the ads for that WEN shampoo/conditioner (have you heard of it? or seen the ads yourself?) for awhile, and based on their promotion, I decided I have nothing to lose to give their product a try.  Well, that product was delivered to me today.

If you don't like the product for any reason, you just have to return the empty bottles (that's right, you can use up all the shampoo/conditioner) and return it for a full refund, no questions asked.  We'll see, that is, if I decide to return it.

The shampoo/conditioner came with free gifts, a rather large comb, I've never seen one so big except of course at hair salons, and some kind of skin moisturizer, and even if you decide to return the product, the free gifts are yours to keep.  Yeah sure, nothing is free in this life.

I have been racing around, doing, and accomplishing many tasks.  For starters, I composed, edited, finalized and mailed seven letters of complaints regarding the very bad treatment I received from a doctor at The North Bay Regional Hospital where I was there for a very bad knee infection, and rather large wound to my knee. 

I don't know if anything will come of those letters, but, if you don't try and do something about a bad situation, then definitely nothing will come of that, so at least, I tried to make a difference, and in that area, I have already won.

Speaking of injury, somehow or other, I recently broke the ribs on the left side of my chest.  It is believed that the ribs broke because I was coughing quite hard thanks to a cold I recently had.  The pain is quite severe, and there really is nothing but time that will heal my ribs.

I was also busy researching many hotels, motels, and bed and breakfasts in Florida, and finally Mac and I chose a two-bedroom condominium situated in Ft. Lauderdale where we will vacation for the months of December and January. I can't wait to go, it's already getting too cold for me.  Wanna come?

I know what you're thinking--what about those kids in Gainesville? that you love so much!  Well, yes, I do love them, quite a lot, but the fact is, the kids are growing up, and have rather full lives. 

Even when we are in Gainesville, we really don't get to participate with the kids that much, they are always going off to swimming practice, swim meets, soccer, basketball practices, Cubs, Choir, church activities, garage sales (the kids hold these to raise money so that they can pay their own way for summer camp; that's right, the kids pay for this themselves, their parents may contribute a little, but it is entirely the children's responsibility, how about that!)

 I get such a charge out of watching my nieces and nephew working each day to raise money, that is, when the kids have free time.  If they do have some spare time, the kids set up a stand and sell lemonade, coca-cola, ice tea, and if they've made it, they will also offer cookies and/or other pastries.  They do very well.

I may have told you before, but, Mac and I, and other people as well, we are not allowed to give Savannah, Bryton, and Camden money for doing nothing, except on their birthdays and Christmas.  The kids have to earn all money given them.  "Nobody hands us free money" is their parents attitude.

I think this practice of not giving them money will serve the children well in their future.  It already is, and the children do not know anything different, this is something they have always done.  Consistency is the key when raising children, or so I think!

When the children do get money, they can only spend half of what they receive, they have to bank the other half, and are not allowed to touch it for anything.  If they need to buy anything, it has to come out of their allowance, and from presents of money, under no circumstance are they allowed to touch their money in the bank.  That is for their future and for their security.

I'm very happy that my brother and Allison curtail the children's spending of money, it will teach the children that, when eventually they go to work, they will know that they cannot spend all of their salary, they will save some of it, and this can only benefit them in the long run.

Gosh, how did my brother Gregg, and his beautiful wife get so smart.  I wonder if I've had anything to do with this; actually, there is no wonder involved, I know I influence my brother and his wife, just not in areas here that we can talk about, he he.

Mac, Angel and I will see the kids, (and my brother and his lovely wife, who I think of as a sister, not a sister-in-law,)  on our way to Ft. Lauderdale.  We will stop in at Gainesville on November 21st, just in time for the American Thanksgiving, (where I predict I shall eat too much,) and stay with them for about three or four days. 

We like to do "Black Friday" in Gainesville, one of the kids usually likes to go out shopping with their uncles, it is a time for them, and us, to do some bonding.

Speaking of Black Friday, this year, Mac and I are hoping to find a good deal on lap top computers so that we can give Bryton one for Christmas.  It's one of the few Christmas gifts that Bryton really wants, and Mac and I would like it to come from us.  If you hear of any really good deals on lap top computers, please let me know, I'm not Rockefeller you know!

I am getting very excited about seeing Barbra Streisand at the Air Canada Centre on October 23rd, 2012.  Barbra just finished concerts in Brooklyn, and to all accounts, and reviews, it was a tremendous success, hope it keeps up for her concerts in Canada.

After we see the Streisand concert, we will be going to New York City, where I will not only reunite with an old high-school-girlfriend, (strictly platonic, you understand) but I will also be attending four theatre events.  They are:  "Evita" starring Ricky Martin, "The Anarchist," starring Three-time academy award nominated, Debra Winger, Broadway's own, legendary Patti Lupone, the revival of  "Annie," which is a huge hit, and the box office hit, "The Book of Mormon."

 Out of all these theatre events, the one I'm most looking forwards to seeing is "The Book Of Mormon."  For any of you who watch the television show, "The New Normal," created by Ryan Murphy, Andrew Rannells, who plays Brian on the show, is in this musical, and I can't wait to see it.  I've listed to the Broadway cast recording about five hundred times, and I never tire of listening to it.  I think it will be a lot of fun.

 Also, when were in New York, we will do the usual outings to Bloomingdale's, The Empire State Building, Ground Zero,  (I hope I don't cry; I get very emotional around things like this exhibit,) hopefully we'll have time to take the Staten Island ferry to see the Statue of Liberty, plus dine out at the plethora of restaurants and nightclubs.

 I am also trying to get tickets to go to a taping of "The Anderson Cooper show."  WHEW, I'm tired just writing about these events, what am I going to be like when I do them?  The theatre isn't stopping in New York, because when we get home we are going to see the musical "La Cage,"starring George Hamilton at the Royal Alexandra Theatre.  Mac and I have quite alot of theatre in store for us.

Next year, I'm off to a bang with theatre and concerts, yet again.  I'm going to see Sarah Brightman (Andrew Lloyd Webber's ex-wife, and for whom he wrote "The Phantom of the Opera,) in January (end of the month), "The Wizard of Oz" and "Lady Gaga" in February.

I haven't even heard any of "Lady Gaga's" music, I just know of her because I read a great deal about her, she sounds like she may be a kindred spirit of mine.  Oh, I do know of one of her songs, it is "I Was Born This Way!  For the life of me I can't explain why I remember this song, he he!

"Also, George's niece, and Goddaughter recently had a birthday and is very fond of Lady Gaga, so to celebrate Christina's birthday, we are taking her to this concert.  Going to a rock concert, especially one as big as this magnitude, shall be a very first experience for me.

We are going to see Barbra Streisand in concert at the Air Canada Centre, this Tuesday night, and I am very excited about it.  Of course I shall tell you all about it, but right now, I want to share with you my thoughts on the movie "The Wind and the Lion!"

In the 1975 film "The Wind and the Lion", President Teddy Roosevelt (Brian Keith), gets a chance to establish his big-stick leadership credentials when Mulay el Raisuli (Sean Connery), a defiant Arab ruler, kidnaps an American woman named Eden Pedecaris (Candice Bergen) and her young children.

 

Roosevelt considers sending in the Marines to rescue the woman.  Meanwhile, German troops land in North Africa, hoping to gain a foothold during the coming skirmish.  The situation quickly turns into an international incident, (doesn't it always?) but Eden and her hero-worshipping son grow close to Raisuli (naturally, remember folks, there always has to be conflict.)

 

The spirited American and her captor share intellectual discussions that reveal Raisuli to be more than a simple warlord.  This leads to romance, imprisonment, and a bloody, Sam Peckinpah-inspired shootout, whom I kind of wish had made this film.  But no, that honour went to writer/director, John Milius.

John Milius leaves authenticity in the dust with The Wind and the Lion, turning a rather mundane real-life storyline into something that plays like a boy’s adventure novel.  In actuality, the beautiful woman embodied by Bergen was a balding, overweight American businessman who Raisuli kidnapped to humiliate the Sultan of Morocco.  No United States (U.S.)  troops were ever sent in, and nary a person was killed.

 

 However, the Republican Party shrewdly announced that a telegram had been sent to Raisuli demanding that he free the businessman or face a U.S. attack, a tricky move,  and an ideal scenario for a big-screen adventure.

 

Milius, it should be noted, isn't completely adverse to accurately documenting history:  he wrote Robert Shaw's memorably horrifying speech about the sinking of the USS Indianapolis in Jaws (1975).

The Wind and the Lion was shot in Almeria, Spain, a site that filmmakers often substitute for the Arabian desert and the American West.  In her autobiography, Knock Wood,  Candice Bergen wrote:  "The area was littered with primitive facsimiles.  You could crest a sand dune and find cartridges spent on Lawrence of Arabia, arrows from 100 Rifles, tombstones from A Fistful of Dollars, and water gourds from The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly."  Bergen greatly enjoyed both the countryside and working with Connery.  Miss Bergen was actually sorry when the filming ended.

Critics, for the most part, gave The Wind and the Lion a split decision.  While many praised Milius' macho flamboyance, others felt the film was jingoistic, as do I,  and far too sentimental.   But the action sequences, featuring an array of stunts involving camels, swords and firepower, are spectacular and the music score by Jerry Goldsmith won an Oscar nomination. It has been called  "the most sappy movie ever made, as well as one of the shrewdest." by New York Times, columnist/critic, Vincent Canby.  That's overstating it quite a bit, but he got the tongue-in-cheek gist of it.

"The Wind and The Lion" is in some ways the apotheosis of Milius' testosterone-drenched he-man sensibility, perhaps his one directorial effort in which his Hemingway-esque sentiments and political views not only meshed perfectly with his   By turns amusing, compelling, and utterly preposterous, "The Wind and the Lion" certainly is not the masterpiece Milius intended.

Working with a limited budget, Milius manages to capture a story of epic scope, replete with all the sweeping, panoramic views and swashbuckling action you'd expect.  There are scenes involving armies of men on horseback clashing in clouds of dust and the clatter of swords that lose none of their power even compared to today's CGI-generated mega-battles.

This is old-school action at its finest.  Visual style aside, it's the performances that carry the day. While Sean Connery isn't exactly the first actor I'd envision in the role of an Moroccan chieftain, and I'm still wondering if there's actually a tribe of lost Scotsmen wandering the deserts of Northern Africa, Connery as an Arab isn't nearly as ridiculous as, say, John Wayne as Genghis Khan in The Conqueror.  

Sean Connery's mushy brogue is so ingrained in the cinematic collective consciousness that it transcends nationalities; after a few minutes, you forget that he's playing an Arab and enjoy Connery playing Connery.

As the "Wind" to Connery's "Lion," Brian Keith delivers a brilliant, complex performance as Theodore Roosevelt, conveying not only Roosevelt's out sized manly-man ruggedness but also his bemused, almost rueful awareness of his own bluster.

Teddy Roosevelt is too often portrayed as little more than a swaggering buffoon;  Keith gets the swagger down pat, and also portrays the rough rider President as a man who relishes his image and knows how to play it to maximum effect, but is too smart not to realize that it's a caricature.

As Raisuli points out late in the film, he and Roosevelt are both forces of nature, but Raisuli knows his place in the world where Roosevelt does not; as dangerous a man as Raisuli is, Roosevelt, with his unfocused appetites, is far more dangerous.  It's a fascinating and multi-layered piece of acting, and stands out in a cast of otherwise fairly one-note characters.

It is impossible to view a film like "The Wind and the Lion" today without relating its central conflict between the Arab world, and the West to the current situation in the Middle East. 

Those mystified by the hostility displayed by Arab peoples toward the U.S. and Europe can find part of the answer in this film's portrayal of the breezy arrogance of the Americans and other Western players, who barely disguise their contempt for the people of a region that, to them, signifies little more than another savage land to be conquered.

It's not difficult to see the inspiration for the current administration's Middle East policy in "The Wind and the Lion", although, strangely, both proponents and opponents of that policy can find their positions supported by this film.  It manages to be both pro-imperialist and a brutal satire of imperialism in the same breath.

Writer/Director, Milius has a sharp ear for dialogue and a knack for memorable characterizations, but he's not an especially gifted storyteller; as a result, the film lacks narrative cohesion, often meandering into irrelevancies and getting mired in talky expository scenes that go on far too long.

Too often the film comes across more like a tribute to old-fashioned swashbuckling epics than a solid story in its own right, and the result is diverting enough but lacks dramatic heft.

John Huston has a prominently credited but largely irrelevant role in the film; it's a glorified, phoned-in cameo, (I wonder how much actors get paid for these type of cameo's, or do they do it just for fun?) 

Another of the film's weak spots is Milius' treatment of the film's female and child characters.  As strong as Milius is with his macho leading men, he's a fish out of water when it comes to women and children.

Mrs. Pedecaris is the kind of character that would have been tailor made for a Katharine Hepburn; Candice Bergen, a last-minute replacement for Faye Dunaway (who had to decline the Eden Pedecaris role due to illness), emotes gamely as the proper-but-tough high society lady, but she's out of her depth in the role, and Milius fails to draw a truly strong performance out of her.

 Likewise, Pedecaris' two children, played by Simon Harrison and Polly Gottesmann, put a lot of enthusiasm into their characters, and they're clearly meant to be a significant part of the action, but Milius doesn't seem to know what to do with them; ultimately, they're inert figures, put through their paces,  but nonexistent in terms of their presence in the story.

As flawed as "The Wind and the Lion" may be, it doesn't lack for sheer entertainment value.  It's the kind of film that thrives on late-night TV, when you're looking for something consistently engaging without necessarily being strikingly original or deep.

Seen on that level, "The Wind and the Lion" is a solid adventure with some fine performances that verges on something more ambitious.  That it doesn't succeed in those ambitions is disappointing, but hardly tragic; it's good enough on enough levels to please its audience.

THE BIG LEBOWSKI

                                                  JACK'S BACK, and this time it's personal!

DATE AND STATUS:  Sunday, October 7th,  2012, and when I'm in New York City on November 14th, 2012, I'm getting to go and see the legendary Patti LuPone and three-time Oscar Nominated, Debra Winger, in David Mamet's new play of "The Anarchist."  How about that sports fan!

Quote of the Day by Samuel Johnson: "One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers, but with gratitude to those who touched our human feelings.  The curriculum is so much necessary raw material, but warmth is the vital element for the growing child."

Hello,  I think I'm going to go the next Turner Classic Movie (TCM) movie festival which will be held next April 27th,  to the 30th of April, 2013.  I may be a little off in my date, but that is an approximation.  Wanna come with me?  Do you like classic movies?  Come on, it will be fun.

I know you haven't heard from me in a couple of days, actually, it's almost been a week, but, I've been somewhat busy.  Like you, I have many things on the go, and while I do my best to prioritize my activities, things always come up to surprise and upset my timetable.  For me, last night it was my sister, Shawna, calling me to tell me that my three-year old niece, Sophia, had been admitted to McMaster Hospital with a pneumonia.

My sister is quite naturally worried, and so am I, I mean Sophia is still a toddler, so I'm asking all of you to include my precious, adorable, niece in your prayers, as am I.  I told my sister not to worry and that if a person is sick, usually the best place for them to be is in the hospital.  Usually, and as long as they don't encounter a doctor like the one that I had recently treating me.  Anyway, enough about that one, for at least now.

The biggest and most demanding item that takes up my time, and Mac's, is this blasted wound on my left knee.  Not only do I have to try and keep it elevated whenever I'm not using my legs, but, twice a week, (are you ready for this oxymoron,) Mac and I have to go to North Bay to get "home care."

Each time we go to North Bay to get the home care, the trip takes up valuable time, ranging anywhere from four to seven hours.  We have to take the boat to get to the mainland, and then vice versa when we head back to our gorgeous home on the lake. 

Depending on the mood of lake, whether or not its calm, or if the North Wind has caused the lake to be quite turbulent with large, choppy, scary waves, which makes the driving of said boat, slower, well, you have to be safe, and you don't want to frighten poor beloved little Angel, and/or me.  Okay, I confess, you don't want to frighten me.

That' s the home care part of my life, the rest of the time, the dressing on the wound needs to be changed twice daily by Mac, who has to not only clean the wound, but has to apply medication to it, and then carefully bandage it, so as not to hurt my very delicate, damaged skin, and finally wrap gauze all around it, and then re wrap it to ensure that it holds up.

 You probably think dressing my wound is quite a simple task, but it takes Mac a while to do this task, as Mac is very methodical in his approach, he carefully examines, and  scrutinizes the wound to keep track of it's progress, or lack of progress.

 Mac takes daily takes pictures of the wound, and then examines the pictures carefully, and charts it all up so he has a good record.  It's important to keep proper records people, and if you need any help in this regard, just call the wonderful Evelyn Seto at the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, (WSIB) who will be more than happy to help you in this endeavour.

My other daily duties include incorporating daily writing tips that I receive from into my writing, and, it is like taking a course at a University, except the University comes to my website, regardless of the location of schooling, the work, and the homework is still the same, alot.

Some of you may have noticed that my vocabulary continues to improve, this is due to my receiving, from Dictionary.com, a new word every day.  While some of the words that I receive will never be incorporated into my speech, and/or my writing, receiving a new word every day is something that I look forward to every day, it's kind of like receiving a present every day, and I love to receive presents.

I'm also  researching homes in Florida, so that come December, Mac, Angel and I can get away from the very cold, windy, dark winter months up here, at least for a little while.

 I have got to finish my letters of complaint regarding a certain, ass of a doctor at the  North Bay Hospital, and this has to be done in a timely manner, otherwise, what's the point.

I'm trying to catch up on my email, when I first logged on to The Camden Plus after getting out of the hospital, I saw that I had over two thousand new emails, and while some of those emails are spam, the bulk of them are not, and will require my personal attention. 

As do my friends on the phone, and everything else, they all require my personal attention and take time.  Sometimes, I wonder where the day has gone.

 Just so you know, I am still mourning the death of the soap opera, "All My Children," (AMC,)  and I am in deep withdrawl of not having Susan Lucci, aka, Erica Cane, brighten up my day.  I did start watching sister soap operas, "Days of our Lives,"  (DOOL) and "The Young and the Restless"  (Y&R)to fill the void of AMC, and while DOOL is getting interesting, and I'm beginning to know and understand its characters, I haven't yet appreciated why everyone loves the Y and the R so much.  But I'll get there, like everything else that is new, it takes time to appreciate novel things.

For those of you who detest getting up early in the morning, try turning the negative into a positive by looking out your window to catch the beautiful sun rise, just like I did, and do every day.  I love getting up early, I feel it's just me with the world.

 A lot of nature is still sleeping, and its interesting to watch as everything gradually wakes up, the squirrels are busy gathering and collecting nuts to prepare them for the harshness of Winter, the birds are especially working hard, searching for food that may still be sleeping making it easier for them to catch it, and get it in their bellies or to their nests.

I'm told that fishing is at its best first thing in the morning, and it is on my bucket list to get out there and do it one of these mornings, its just that usually, I'm so in awe of the view, that I end up doing nothing but meditating on the beauty of the world.

 I also do transcendental meditation twice a day as it helps keep me relaxed and focused.  Trust me, I know what you're thinking, but believe me, I  would be even more scrambled if I didn't meditate.

So many of the sun rises offer spectacular colours that artists love, and hope to capture for their work, when ever I see a sun rise (or sun set for that matter,) I know for a fact that there is a God, as only he could create something so magical. 

I thank God for all these blessings he has bestowed to me, and to you, to all of us.  You know, watching a beautiful sunrise is absolutely free, so take advantage of it, it just might change your outlook for the day.

I wish I could learn how to load pictures into my blog so I could share with you pictures that I've taken of sunrises, sunsets, and the moon looming over the lake at three o'clock in wee small hours of the morning.   While I'm not Ansel Adams, I am getting better at taking pictures.  

 It takes time to live, and unfortunately, I'm not Superman, consequently, I am only posting when I can, however, don't fret, some days things go faster than other days, and I will be able to enlighten you on a movie that I have never seen before.  Today, that movie is "The Big Lebowski."

"The Big Lebowski" is a 1998 comedy film and is a genial, shambling comedy about a human train wreck, and should come with a warning like the one Mark Twain attached to ``Huckleberry Finn'': ``Persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot.''  

Written and directed by the Coen brothers, Joel and Ethan,   Jeff Bridges stars as Jeff Lebowski,
a Los Angeles slacker, and avid bowler, who is referred to (and also refers to himself) as "The Dude".  

The Dude has a goatee, pot belly, ponytail, he's behind on rent, and is also stone-cold unemployed.  The Dude is the laziest man in Los Angeles County.   He's the last person on earth that kidnappers would reasonably mistake for a millionaire with a trophy wife, which is the central joke in "The Big Lebowski!" 

The goons of course have the wrong Lebowski, but before they figure that out, one already has urinated on the Dude's rug, causing deep enmity: "That rug really tied the room together,'' the Dude mourns.

The Dude decides to seek compensation for the rug from the other Jeffrey Lebowski. The next day, the titular "Big" Lebowski, a wheelchair-bound millionaire, refuses The Dude's request.  The Dude meets Bunny Lebowski, (Tara Reid,) the Big Lebowski's nymphomaniac trophy wife, while leaving the premises with a rug taken from the mansion.

Days later, the Big Lebowski contacts The Dude, revealing that Bunny has been kidnapped.  He asks The Dude to act as a courier for the million-dollar ransom because The Dude will be able to confirm whether or not the kidnappers were the same thugs.  Later, a different set of thugs enter The Dude's apartment, knock him unconscious, and steal his new rug.

 When Bunny's kidnappers call to arrange the ransom exchange, Walter tries to convince The Dude to keep the money and give the kidnappers a "ringer" suitcase filled with his dirty underwear. The kidnappers escape with the ringer, and The Dude and Walter are left with the million-dollar ransom. Later that night, The Dude's car is stolen, along with the briefcase filled with money.

 The Dude receives a message from the Big Lebowski's daughter, Maude, played by Julianne Moore ,who played a porno actress in "Boogie Nights,''   and whose versatility as an actress seems boundless,  here plays an altogether different kind of erotic artist; she covers her body with paint, and hurls herself through the air in a leather harness,and admits to hiring the criminals who knocked him unconscious. 

The Dude visits Maude at her art studio, and she reveals that Bunny is a porn starlet working for Jackie Treehorn.  She agrees with The Dude's suspicion that Bunny kidnapped herself and asks The Dude to recover the ransom, as it was illegally withdrawn by her father from a charity.

The Big Lebowski angrily confronts The Dude over his failure to hand over the money, and hands The Dude an envelope sent to him by the kidnappers which contains a severed toe, presumably Bunny's.

The Dude later receives a message that his car has been found.  Mid-message, three German nihilists invade the Dude's apartment, identifying themselves as the kidnappers.  They interrogate and threaten him for the ransom money.

The Dude returns to Maude's studio, where she identifies the German nihilists as Bunny's friends. The Dude picks up his car from the police, but the briefcase with the ransom money is still missing.  He and Walter track down the supposed thief, a teenager named Larry Sellers.  Their confrontation with Larry is unsuccessful, and the Dude and Walter leave without getting any money or information.

Jackie Treehorn's thugs return to The Dude's apartment to bring him to Treehorn's beach house in Malibu. Treehorn inquires about the whereabouts of Bunny, and the money, offering him a cut of any funds recovered. Treehorn then drugs The Dude's drink and The Dude passes out.

 After a surreal dream blending the themes of bowling, the Persian Gulf War, Maude’s “vaginal” art, and the nihilists, The Dude wakes up in a police car and is then placed in front of the police chief of Malibu.

The police chief verbally and physically assaults The Dude and warns him not to return to Malibu. After a cab ride home, The Dude exits and a red sports car zooms past. Bunny is driving, with all ten toes intact. The Dude is greeted by Maude Lebowski, who seduces him.

During post-coital conversation with Maude, The Dude learns that she hopes to conceive a child with him, but wants him to have no hand in the child's upbringing.  He also finds out that, despite appearances, her father has no money of his own.  Maude's late mother was the rich one, and she left her money exclusively to the family charity.

 In a flash, The Dude unravels the whole scheme: when the Big Lebowski heard that Bunny was kidnapped, he used it as a pretense for an embezzlement scheme, in which he withdrew the ransom money from the family charity to keep for himself.  He gave an empty briefcase to The Dude (who would be the fall guy on whom he pinned the theft,) and was content to let the kidnappers kill Bunny.

Meanwhile, it is now clear that the kidnapping was itself a ruse.  While Bunny took an unannounced trip, the nihilists (her friends) alleged a kidnapping in order to get money from her husband.  The Dude and Walter arrive at the Big Lebowski residence, finding Bunny back at home from her trip.

 They confront the Big Lebowski with their version of the events.  The affair apparently over, the Dude and his bowling teammates are suddenly confronted by the nihilists, who have set The Dude's car on fire. They once again demand the million dollars.

After hearing what The Dude and Walter know, the nihilists demand all the money in their pockets. Walter responds by biting one nihilist's ear off, throwing a bowling ball at another's ribs, and knocking the final nihilist unconscious with their portable radio.  However, in the aftermath, Donny, played by Steve Buscemi, a member of Walter and The Dude's bowling team, has a heart attack and dies.

Walter and The Dude go to a cliff overlooking a beach to scatter Donny's ashes. After an informal eulogy which Walter turns into a tribute to the Vietnam War and accidentally covers The Dude with Donny's ashes, Walter suggests, "Fuck it, Dude. Let's go bowling."  "The Stranger" at the bar of the bowling alley hints that Maude may be pregnant with a "little Lebowski".

The Dude tends to have colorful hallucinations when he's socked in the jaw or pounded on the head, which happens often, and one of them involves a musical comedy sequence inspired by Busby Berkeley. (It includes the first point-of-view shot in history from inside a bowling ball.)

Since its original release, "The Big Lebowski,"  loosely based on Raymond Chandler's novel, "The Big Sleep,"  has become a cult classic, noted for its idiosyncratic characters, dream sequences, unconventional dialogue, and eclectic soundtrack.

One of the film's indisputable triumphs is its soundtrack, which mixes Carter Burwell's original score with classic pop tunes and some fabulous covers.

However, it's hard to believe that the Coens' first outing since winning screenwriting academy awards for "Fargo" (few movies could equal "Fargo,")  is "The Big Lebowski."  Although some of its parts are brilliantly executed, and played by a terrific cast, the result is sometimes scattered, over amplified and unsatisfying.    There's a large amount of profanity in the movie, which seems a weak attempt to paper over dialogue gaps.

The film's premise is a tired idea, and it produces an episodic, unstrung film.  It's as if there is a bunch of ideas shoveled into a bag, and it is allowed to spill out at random.  The film is infuriating, and will win no prizes. But it does have some terrific jokes.

There is still the Coen Brothers inspired, absurdest taste for weird, peculiar Americana, but in this film it's a sort of neo-Americana that is entirely invented,  the brothers have defined, and mastered their own bizarre sub genre.  No one does it like them and, it almost goes without saying, no one does it better.

 For those who delight in the Coens' divinely abstract take on reality, this is pure nirvana, and in a perfect world, all movies would be made by the Coen brothers.

To be sure, "The Big Lebowski" is packed with show-offy film making, and as a result is pretty entertaining.  But insofar as it represents a moral position, and the Coens' relative styling of their figures invariably does, it's an elitist one, elevating salt-of-the-earth types like Bridges and Goodman, over everyone else in the movie.

 The significance of the bowling culture was important in reflecting that period at the end of the fifties and the beginning of the sixties.  That suited the retro side of the movie, slightly anachronistic, which sent us back to a not-so-far-away era, but one that was well and truly gone nevertheless.

Mr. Bridges finds a role so right for him that he seems never to have been anywhere else.  Watch this performance to see shambling executed with nonchalant grace, and a seemingly out-to-lunch character played with fine comic flair.  However, sometimes the Dude is too passive a hero to sustain interest, but  there is enough startling brilliance here to suggest that, just like the Dude, those smarty-pants will abide.

Thanks to "The Big Lebowski" we now have an online religion devoted largely to spreading the philosophy and lifestyle of the movie's main character which was founded in 2005, and is simply known as Dudeism.  It's also known as The Church of the Latter-Day Dude, the organization has ordained over 130,000 "Dudeist Priests" all over the world via its website.

David Huddleston plays Bridges' namesake, the man they call the Big Lebowski, The Dude and his buddies, a loose-cannon Vietnam vet played by John Goodman, and a nearly wordless dunce played by Steve Buscemi are pure gold.  You can have all that ransom shtick:  I would've been happier hanging out in the bowling alley for the whole picture.

"The Big Lebowski" is ultimately too clever for its own good.  There are more ideas here, more wacko side characters and plot curlicues than the film can support, and inevitably it deflates from having to shoulder so much. Wait for the digital video device (dvd,) and save your money.

WHEN HARRY MET SALLY

               JACK'S BACK and this time it's personal.

DATE AND STATUS:  Monday, October 30th, 2012, and I'm free again, YIPPEE!

JACK'S PREDICTION FOR "DOROTHY" ON THE CANADIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION (CBC) SHOW, "OVER THE RAINBOW," IS DANIELLE, AT LEAST THAT'S MY PICK FOR THIS WEEK.


TODAY'S QUOTE IS PARAPHRASED FROM AN UNKNOWN AUTHOR:

"When one drinks with a friend, a thousand cups are not enough, but when there is no meeting of the minds, half a cup is frequently too much."

I'm back, yeah, it's me!  After a two-week absence due to being in the hospital, I can finally blog again,and quote again.     I can't tell you how much I missed seeing and reviewing movies.  I've got so many films to catch up on, and I shall, first, let me give you a little update. 

I'm not going to delve into the nitty, gritty, particulars of my hospital stay, (I don't think you would believe the details if I told you, anyway,)  I do want to tell all of you, (and this is something you can take to the bank,) be very careful of your own household hazards, as you too, could end up in the hospital, and have an unforgettable experience.  I ended up in hospital because I tripped on a carpet, so be careful.

One of the few good things that I gleaned from my hospital convalescence, was that I've been reminded how truly blessed I am to have such a huge, and well-informed circle of friends.  My friends are the absolute best, and they're smart too.

The advice and caring that I received from my friends was timely, positive, and beneficial, and I owe all my comrades a huge amount of gratitude and respect.  You know, I like to think that I'm no dummy, but, I recently learned that my friends have even more thetic information at their disposal, than I, and gosh darn it, that information came in handy.

As many of you know, friends can be your family, and if you are ever feeling that you're alone, and/or need advice, turn to your friends, (like I did,) because sometimes friends give advice, and you're likely to find out that you're not as alone and more valued than you thought you were.

"Friendship is a pretty full-time occupation, if you are really friendly with somebody, you can't have too many friends, because then, you're not just really friends."

This quote is from Truman Capote, I like it, because it made me think hard.

Here I go with my peripatetic prose again, I was advised by the hospital that I need to keep my left leg elevated as much as possible.  Consequently, I cannot spend too much time on the computer, so I need to jump right into my review of the film, "When Harry Met Sally," as I can then lay down, and get my blasted leg up in the air. 

Please, Patsy, no funny comments, it will deviate my thinking, and I'm already enough of a deviant in too many regards, so you, Patsy, (and anyone else whose thinking is a bit, risque,) hush up.

"When Harry Met Sally " is a love story with a form as old as the movies, and dialogue as sassy and fresh as a Joan River's act.

It's about two people who could be characters in a Woody Allen/Jack E. Taylor dream, if they weren't so sunny, and about how it takes them twelve years to fall in love.

Harry meets Sally for the first time at the University of Chicago in the spring of 1977, when they share the driving for a trip to New York (did I tell you that Mac and I are going to Manhattan on November 13th.)   Both plan to have careers in the city, he's a political consultant, and she is a journalist.

Presumably, Harry and Sally, are both successful, they live in those apartments that have pictures in Architectural Digest, and the only people that can afford that housing are in the movies, but their professional lives are entirely off-screen.  We see Harry and Sally only at those intervals when they see each other.

For example, they meet several years later at LaGuardia Airport.  Sally's with a new boyfriend, the boyfriend Harry recognizes, she's another story.  Later, they meet again, and at this time they're both in relationships, when those relationships fail, for the both of them, they meet, yet again.

Harry and Sally keep on meeting until they realize that they like one another, and that they've become friends,  even though on their very first cross-country trip, Harry warns Sally that true friendship is impossible between a man and a woman, which really gets Sally's goat, mine too, because I believe, and know, men and woman can be friends.

The movie apparently believes that the best way to get rid of sex is to get married, since married people always seem too tired for sex.  That, and other theories about sex and relationships are tested as if Harry and Sally were proving grounds for the Oprah magazine, until finally, tired of fighting, they admit that they do love one another after all.

Sally is played by Meg Ryan, and Billy Crystal is Harry, they make a good movie couple because both actors are able to suggest genuine warmth and tenderness.  This isn't a romance of passion, although passion is present, but one that becomes possible only because the two people have grown up together, have matured until they can finally see clearly what they really want in a partner.

Nora Ephron, who wrote the script,  gives dialogue that represents the way people would like to be able to talk.  It's witty and epigrammatic, and there are lots of lines to quote when you're telling friends about the movie.  (Some of you may know that I love quoting lines from movies, in fact, I probably reference too many bad moments from too many films!)

The dialogue in the film would defeat many actors, but Ryan and Crystal make it work; their characters are smart, and quick enough to almost be witty.   It's only occasionally that the humour is paid for at the expense of credibility, as in a hilarious, but unconvincing scene where Sally sits in a crowded restaurant, and demonstrates how to fake an orgasm.  I laughed, (I suspect everyone laughs,) but somehow I didn't think Sally, or any woman, would really do that.

"When Harry Met Sally " was directed by Rob Reiner, Meathead of "All in the Family," whose credits now qualify him as one of Hollywood's very best directors of comedy.  Reiner's films include "Misery," "Stand by Me," and "The Princess Bride."  Each film is completely different from the others, and each one is successful on its own terms.

This is Reiner's most conventional film, in terms of structure, and the way it fulfills our expectations. What makes "When Harry Met Sally" special, apart from the Ephron screenplay, is the chemistry between Crystal and Ryan.

Meg Ryan is an open-faced, attractive, bright-eyed blond; Crystal's a gentle, skinny man  (like I used to be,) with a lot of smart one-liners (at least, I still have moments where I stun people with my one-liners.)  What they both have (to repeat) is genuine warmth and sincerity.

In Billy Crystal's previous film, the underrated "Memories of Me," Crystal demonstrated, and it's here again, this time, in scenes when he visibly softens when he sees that he has hurt her.   Billy Crystal is one of the rare actors who can make an apology convincingly on the screen.

Meg Ryan has a difficult assignment in this movie, and she spends most of the movie convincing Harry, and herself, that there's nothing between them, and she has to let us see that there is something, after all.

Harry and Sally are aided, and I feel hindered, in their romance by the efforts of their best friends Bruno Kirby and Carrie Fisher.
Harry and Sally fight happiness every step of the way, until it finally, and predictably, wears them down.   This is a funny film, and worth your viewing time.

I'M IN THE HOSPITAL

DATE AND STATUS:      MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 17TH AND I'M STILL IN HOSPITAL



Sorry people, but as long as I am in hospital, I will not be posting, and I'm sure the world shares your regret.

I expect that approximately one week from today, I should be back to posting as usual.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED  INTEREST IN MY  BLOG, AND AS THE TERMINATOR SAYS:  I'LL BE  BACK

THE NEW NORMAL

                                             JACK'S BACK and this time it's personal

DATE AND STATUS:  Tuesday, September 11th, 2011, and I'M BEING HELD HOSTAGE!

Today's quote is by Crystal Eastman:  "Indifference is harder to fight than hostility, and there is nothing that kills an agitation like having everybody admit that it is fundamentally right."

One of the first things I want to write about is something I was hoping to save for the end of this post, alas, I'm insecure, and am placing it here in case you do not read the entire post.  Here goes:

If you ever want to do something, and in your efforts to achieve that goal, you receive nothing but discouragement from people, try to remember that you are a "Canadian," and that the first three letters of "Canadian" is "CAN," and not "CAN'T!" remember that!


It is so breathtakingly beautiful out.  I long to be a part of the day, and be out walking in it, or to be relaxing on the sunny dock, alas, my salacity to achieve this is fruitless due to the gravity of my knee's condition, which prevents me from leaving the confines of my bedroom.   I am hostage to a seven-inch gash, that refuses to heal, and is making me feel miserable, and in quite a lot of pain.

Mac is going to consult with another doctor to decide the best way of handling this bitch of a gash that seems to have a life of its own.  It just doesn't want to heal, and everything that's been done to it, so far, has been an exercise in futility.

The fifty-plus stitches that were installed to close the wound were ultimately in vain, because after their removal, the wound completely re-opened, sending the treatment. and me, back to square one/step one.  Let's hope that I have better luck this next time.

I have sad news to report, Bill Pudvan, who is a treasured friend to almost everyone here at Lake Nipissing, is today mourning the loss of his identical twin brother, Al.

Al Pudvan, whom both George and I had the privilege of knowing, passed away Sunday after succcumbing to heart disease complications.  He was a lovely man, and will be greatly missed by Bill and Als' families.  Our prayers and heart are with them today.

Well , I was going to write about the film, "Elmer Gantry" today, but have since, changed my mind and have made the revolutionary decision to take the day off from reviewing any movie.  I did watch "Elmer Gantry," (quite enjoyed it,)  and will eventually write about it, just not today, there is so much other material that is on my mind and that I want to write about.

First of which is that I've been thinking of changing some of the particulars of my blog, yes. AGAIN, BLANCHE!

It is all about  preventive maintenance.  I do not want to make myself nuts by having to publish a post every day, and I don't want to become so obsessive about blogging that I forget to live. 

Presently, I'm organized, and it isn't too hard to produce a daily post, but what about when we leave life here at the lake?   What about when the real world invades my existence, and I have to contend myself with doctor, or dental appointments, going to New York, or to see Barbra Streisand in a concert, (which I am on October 23rd,) what then????   

There are so many unknown variables that I can't possibly plan for, and I need to be honest with myself, and my capabilities.  I simply can't do it all!

While movies are very, very important to me, (they're my passion,) I do, do other things. and sometimes I may want to talk about those other things, and not just focus on film. 

While it's conceivable to write about the two separate entities, AND combine them in one post (such as in previous published posts,) it is not always practical, (and you all know, I'm nothing if not practical.) 

Don't fret yourself , I will still meet my goal of watching a new film every day, I just won't be providing reviews of film every day.  I need a respite.

 I have alot to say, and evidently there is way too much verbiage for Blogspot to publish all of it (no LOLA, I can't, nor WILL I, cut it down!)  Check out the previous posts of "Zorba The Greek" and "Incredibly Loud and Extremely Personal,"  and you'll see what I mean. 

The complete reviews got cut off, and did not have everything I wrote about them.  And, if I take the time to watch and review a film, I want you to see the whole critique, not just part of it, most of it, half of it, ALL OF IT, and I think that's what you want too! 

I want time to smell the flowers, read relevant books, and visit valued friends and family.  I can't do that if I'm cloistered in the world of film.

So that's how it's going to be people, one day there will be a review of a film, and the next day, or the day after that, the post will be about this, or that, and then I'll go back to writing about films. 

You'll never know what you're going to get until you sign into all of my posts, and now that we've got that out of the way, let us continue.

It is Fall, and with leaves changing colour and falling, television is giving us it's new lineup of programs to consider for our viewership.

On television tonight, watch for the premiere episodes of "Anger Management," which stars Charlie Sheen being himself, and "Men with Kids" which going by the title of the show is indicative of situations pregnant with possibilities,( sorry it was just too tempting to pass,)

"The New Normal" and "Go On" are back again tonight after having their premiers last night.

 Ryan Murphy, who previously created "Glee"offers us his new show "The New Normal," which revolves around a gay couple who have a baby, courtesy of a surrogate. 

Mac and I watched the premiere episode last night, and it was a gem!  Besides seeing a huge potential for future episodes, last night's show was so good that I'm urging all of you to watch it. 

Trust me, I bet "The New Normal" becomes the first hit show of the season.  It is well written, acerbic and very entertaining.  Mac and I both can't wait for the next episode, which thankfully is tonight. 

The only person in "The New Normal" that you might know is film actress, Ellen Barkin, who previously shared the movie screens with the likes of Robert DeNiro, Al Pacino, and Robert DuVall.

Ms. Barkin recently received a Tony award for her performance in Larry Kramer's "The Normal Heart."

Also in the cast, as one of the fathers, is Andrew Rannells, who helms from performing musicals on Broadway, his last being the male lead in the very successful "The Book of Mormon."

It was from watching Mr. Rannells perform a musical number from "The Book Of Mormon" on the telecast of the Tony Awards, that propelled me into wanting to see the musical in New York.

Mr. Rannells was amazing then, and he's funny NOW, and he is just one of the stars of "The New Normal!"

The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) continues and all of you who are in the city of Toronto, or it's vicinity, should keep your eyes open for actors, singers and celebrities.

Justin Bieber was in town to support his girlfriend,  Selena Gomez's new film, "Hotel Transylvania," and after driving a black Cadillac to the Cineplex Odeon Queensway, Justin went and saw the film, "Ted." 

The cashier, at the cineplex of Odeon, who sold Justin his ticket, now has a great souvenir, with Justin's signature on the receipt. 

Also, a couple of giddy teenagers, who were at the cineplex to see a movie, managed to take Justin's photo with their phone, (of course,) and tweeted his pic, to everyone and everywhere. 

One teen even claims that she grabbed Justin's "junk" which according to other sources report that that isn't too much of a thrill,  but come on, we are talking about teenagers.

Sadly, today is the anniversary of the tragedy of the attacks on the World Trade Centre, the Pentagon and  the attempt to crash the Capital.  To this day, whenever I remember, and think about the loss of so many people, I feel the devastation of a life and time that will never again be the same.

All of us have to do everything in our power to ensure that something like this never happens again.  Even if all we do is cast our vote to elect the next President of the United States, or Prime Minister of Canada. 

Whomever will be the decision maker of our safety and welfare, will be there because we put him/her there, and we should really stop and think about the gravity of such a decision, and responsibility, and never, NEVER allow ourselves to become blase about electing or non-electing an official to office. 

It is a gargantua of a right and responsibility to vote, and we must never shirk it off, otherwise 9/11 could happen again tomorrow! and you're right, THAT IS PONTIFICATION!, it's just sometimes I have difficulty in being passive and remaining silent about those things I value so highly, my freedom, and my safety to enjoy that freedom!

                                      UPCOMING MOVIES FOR REVIEW:

"Elmer Gantry." Both Burt Lancaster and Shirley Jones received academy award nominations for their work here. I want to see if they deserved them, you know how the Academy can be.

"Blow Dry." For no other reason that when I saw the title of this movie in the television guide, it intrigued me.

"Thief." This film stars James Caan and is reported to be one of Mr. Caan's personal favourites. Well, now it is time for us to decide if we want this movie to make our favourites list.

"The Maltese Falcon."  I've avoided seeing Humphrey Bogart and Peter Lorre in this story of murder and intrigue for far too long, (I'm supposed to be a film buff!)  Please note, that the time for me to see this movie has been changed to November to coincide with my salute to Mr. Humphrey Bogart.


"The Dark Knight."  I thought I should view a relatively-recent film. As a child of ten, I loved "Batman," and this film  offers, Heath Ledger, who won an academy award, posthumously, as the joker.  I'm really looking forward to this one!

"Big Night."  I have been frequently asked if I've seen this film which quite a lot of people seem to enjoy, I think it's time I'm able to tell people YES, I'VE SEEN IT!!!!!

"Gentlemen Prefer Blondes."  I am a huge Marilyn Monroe fan, and years ago I did see this film, I must have, but the fact that I can't remember it qualifies it to be seen by this viewer and sometimes critic.

FILMS COMING SOON:  Exodus, The Sand Pebbles, Giant, Monkey Business, The Slut At Four' O'clock, can't wait to see all of them!!

ZORBA THE GREEK

                                 JACK'S BACK and this time it's personal

DATE AND STATUS:  Monday, September 10th, 2012 and I'm re-injured!

Quote of today comes from  E.L. Doctorow:  "There is no longer any such thing as fiction, or nonfiction; there's only narrative."

What's going on in Jack's world?, and yours:

Hillary Clinton, (I like her, I really like her!,) still has not completely ruled out running for President in 2016. 

There were many people, including this one, who were disappointed when Hillary dropped out of the race in 2008 to join the team of President Obama, but looking ahead to 2016, there is still quite a plethora of people encouraging Hillary to run.  

 I really hope Hillary does run for President, and if so, I hope this time, her husband, Bill Clinton, doesn't interfere in her campaign so much!

It seems that the OJ Simpson Trial had some tampering.  (I knew it.)  Evidently, Christopher Darden, co-attorney for the Prosecution team, claims that Johnny Cochrane altered the lining of the glove so that it couldn't fit when the defendant put it on. 

Remember, the phrase "if it don't fit, you must acquit."  Well NOW we know why it didn't fit, and if there is any of you who still have doubt about the guilt of OJ Simpson, please call me.   I happen to have some swamp land in Florida for you to purchase!

Potential frightening news looms over Prince Harry whose gone back to Afghanistan, to fight the Taliban, and is in grave danger as El Qaeda has threatened to kidnap Prince Harry, and kill him.  I'm very surprised and astonished that the Brits have let Harry go back.

I had a perfectly wonderful day yesterday.  As previously posted,  Mac took out my stitches, the weather was co-operating, and we even had a visit in the afternoon from a good friend.  And then it all slowly went into the toilet.

I was sitting on the couch watching the movie "Back to the Future," with Michael J. Fox, and I looked down at my left knee and saw that my gash, that had had over fifty stitches put in it, had RE-OPENED!, and it looked like it did the day of the accident, I just couldn't believe it. 

Subsequently, Mac said there was no point to going back to the hospital as he said they would not put new stitches in it.  Dr. George continued and said that I was just going to have to let the injury heal itself.  Great, how long is this going to take????

Oh well, focus on the positive Jack, always focus on what's good. 

It looks like another glorious day, weather-wise, so far, there are no clouds in the sky, and one can just look at that fantastic blue horizon forever.

The 2012 Para Olympic games closed last night.  The Para Olympics were a huge hit.  I really get inspired from these athletes because they show the world "what they can do," instead of "what they can't do," and some of us who are not disabled could take a page out of their books!  (AM I pontificating again?)

Today marks the debut of talk shows for:  Katie Couric, Ricki Lake and Jeff Probst.

Can't say that Mr. Probst's talk show has any interest for me, I never liked "Survivor."  I've always liked Katie Couric, and she is a warm,friendly and competent journalist, so I will give her talk show a chance, as will I also tune into Ricki Lake's NEW talk show.

I loved Ricki's former talk show, so it will be interesting to see if she still has the chutzpah and the magic that she had in 1993 when her first talk show premiered.   I really believe that sometimes it's better to keep your original, positive memory of an experience, then going back to try it again, it isn't always a good idea, but, as they say, "nothing ventured, nothing gained," so you have to admire her moxie.

The Toronto International Film Festival(TIFF) continues, and I do wish I was there to participate in it.  I miss TIFF every year because I'm here at the lake and it is a drawback for me.  One of these years, I'm going to have to miss seven wonderful days at the lake to take in the TIFF, we'll see.

Just because I'm not in Toronto at the festival, doesn't mean I'm not staying in the loop of things. 

It looks like the film, "The Master" (even with the negative publicity of Joaquim Phoenix's strange antics)  is a huge hit, and because of the huge, huge buzz,  I'm actually going to see it at the cinema.

Phillip Thomas Anderson's "The Master" revolves around a charismatic intellectual, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, who launches a religious organization following World War II.  A drifter, Joaquim Phoenix becomes his right-hand man, but as the faith begins to gain a fervent following, the drifter finds himself questioning the belief system and his mentor.  ⁽Sounds strangely similar to Ron Hubbard and the creation of Scientology.)

While I have enjoyed Mr. Anderson's previous films of "Magnolia," and "Boogie Nights," as there are always great performances in them, I am on guard for some of the bizarre events, that the director and writer enjoys putting in his films, remember the frogs falling in "Magnolia."

 I'm not sure if I'll go and see "Cloud Atlas" which has an amazing cast of Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Susan Sarandon, and Jim Broadbent, all of whom are academy award winners.  The film got a very bad review, but, I'll  likely see it as that is a very impressive cast, and I like to decide whether or not I enjoy a movie for myself.

However, the film I want to see most of all is Ben Afflecks "Argo."   "Argo" premiered to rave reviews at the Telluride Film Festival last month, and its favourable reception at TIFF means that the film will likely land at least a few Oscar nominations in 2013.

  "Argo" revolves around six American diplomats who were smuggled out of Iran during the 1980 hostage crisis by disguising them as a Canadian film crew.

I remember this event so well.  When it happened, I was vacationing in Hawaii, and whenever anyone there found out that I was Canadian, they thanked me profusely, and a few even offered to buy me a drink.  We, Canadians, don't often get appreciation from our neighbours to the south.

Well, after talking about some movies that I haven't seen, it's time to talk about a film I did see, "ZORBA THE GREEK!"

The film revolves around British writer Basil (Alan Bates) who is on his way towards Crete, and in particular, to the beach house which his parents owned until their deaths so that he can re-launch an abandoned mine and gather his thoughts once more.

On the way, Basil meets Alexis Zorba ( Anthony Quinn) an eccentric if not crazy multi-labourer, and womanizer, who practically sells himself to Basil and pleads to go with him.   The young Anglo-Greek  (a little more than a smirking straight-man,) is slightly wary, easily pushed around, but reluctantly agrees, and they go off to Crete.

 Zorba introduces Basil to the highs and lows, and to the lust and the greed as well as the extremes of the Greek culture, as well as meeting a courtesan in Madame Hortense (Lila Kedrova, a wrinkled and tacky relic of a once successful coquette) whom Zorba flirts around with, and a widow (Irene Papas) whom Basil would later have an ill-fated fling.   The experience would change Basil forever at first for the worse, but ultimately for the better. 

IF ever the abundance of life force in man has been poured forth on the screen, and, goodness knows, many efforts to do so have been made over the years, it is done in the brilliant performance given by Anthony Quinn.  fellow who takes on Zorba (or is taken on by him) to help in restoring an old lignite mine, inherited from his father, on the island of Crete.

The film is simply a balls-out power surge of energy which is totally about living life to the fullest and accepting life regardless of its flaws and failures. Zorba seems to be that spokesman for that anthem, and it’s Zorba whom constitutes the main pillar in which this film stands.

 

There are certain parts of the film that suffer because of that, one of them being that the film is probably too long,and certain parts are pretty slow and there are several scenes, notably the relationship between Basil and the widow and the aftermath of their fling which may polarize some viewers.

There are also incidents when the meanness and ignorance of the people of Crete surge up like a flow of molten lava to confront Zorba's cheerfulness and strength. 

One incident is when the fierce and angry people rise up in vengeance to destroy a lonely widow who has dared bestow her favor on Zorba's timid friend.  The other occurs when the old women, the old ghouls, strip bare the room. and then the house in which Zorba's aged mistress has just died in his comforting arms.

These are sequences that the director has staged with such intense reality, as he has the whole of the picture, that they fairly paralyze the senses for brief spells. Zorba, too, staggers momentarily at such bestial displays.  But he quickly recovers from them, as he does from the ultimate collapse of the crazy cable railway he has constructed for bringing the logs down out of the hills. 

When the pressures pile up too much within him, either of joy or of sorrow, Zorba's solution is to go into his wild, defiant dance.  ZORBA, MUST DANCE!!

This is the weakness of the picture, as a dramatic exercise, that is.  It lacks a significant conflict to prove its dominant character.  Zorba is powerful and provocative, but nobody gets in his way.  Nothing provides competition, except mob rule for a moment, and the hand of death.

The message of the film is somewhat bloated and jumbled but there’s enough going so it can make its point. Thankfully the goods outweigh the bads here, and there are many of them.  The music by Mikis Theodorakis has immediately become one of my favorite scores of all time.

The cinematography by Walter Lassally is great, with several beautiful aerial shots as well as some noteworthy hand-held camerawork, notably in the hilarious ship scene where the ship in which Basil and Zorba are traveling in is being rocked by a storm.

Cacoyannis’s direction is also spot-on, and is effective on most parts in the movie, though his screenplay needed some polishing.

Irene Papas, wow, the dame from Greece, who was hot in her heydays for sure. and who played Electra in Mr. Nikkos Cacoyannis's memorable film of the "Euripides" play, is dark and intense as the widow, but she, too, is soon got out of the way.  Several other Greek actors are exciting but transient as people of Crete.

Alan Bates does well in the film too though he’s no match for Quinn although he gets quite a competition from Lila Kedrova whom matches Quinn’s steps almost every step of the way.

The main backbone in this film, however, is Anthony Quinn, whom gives an equally lusty, larger-than-life performance that should’ve won him the academy award but lost to Rex Harrison in "My Fair Lady."

Quinn's dance sequences are simply amazing, true, he isn’t exactly Fred Astaire, but just watch when he starts his dance by hitting the table three times, and the intensity in his eyes will give you a chill on your back for sure,  and he’s the one that carries the film’s weight on his shoulders and does a remarkable job with it.  Anthony Quinn's unforgettable portrait of colourfulness and vitality justifies the film!  

In the end, "ZORBA THE GREEK" is a very solid piece of work despite the fact its gathering a little bit of dust.  Regardless though, it’s a well made fable which gives out an interesting overview of life according to the Greek perspective. Who knows? Maybe in the end of the day, when our troubles have beaten us into deep do-da, sometimes it’s better to simply dance your troubles away and move on with your life.

In one huge and bold portrayal of a rugged and weather-worn old Greek of uncertain age and origin, indefinite station and career, but of unmistakable self-possession and human authority, Mr. Quinn presents us with a picture of man as he might be in the world were not so much with us and civilization had not forced us into molds.

Quinn's Zorba, in this tempestuous picture, possesses all the energies and urges of the great ones of history and myth.  He is Adam in the Garden of Eden, Odysseus on the windy plains of Troy.  He is a little bit of Nijinsky and a good bit of Tom Jones.

                                    UPCOMING MOVIES FOR REVIEW:

"Elmer Gantry." Both Burt Lancaster and Shirley Jones received academy award nominations for their work here. I want to see if they deserved them, you know how the Academy can be.

"Blow Dry." For no other reason that when I saw the title of this movie in the television guide, it intrigued me.

"Thief." This film stars James Caan and is reported to be one of Mr. Caan's personal favourites. Well, now it is time for us to decide if we want this movie to make our favourites list.

"The Maltese Falcon."  I've avoided seeing Humphrey Bogart and Peter Lorre in this story of murder and intrigue for far too long, (I'm supposed to be a film buff!)  Please note, that the time for me to see this movie has been changed to November to coincide with my salute to Mr. Humphrey Bogart.


"The Dark Knight."  I thought I should view a relatively-recent film. As a child of ten, I loved "Batman," and this film  offers, Heath Ledger, who won an academy award, posthumously, as the joker.  I'm really looking forward to this one!

"Big Night."  I have been frequently asked if I've seen this film which quite a lot of people seem to enjoy, I think it's time I'm able to tell people YES, I'VE SEEN IT!!!!!

"Gentlemen Prefer Blondes."  I am a huge Marilyn Monroe fan, and years ago I did see this film, I must have, but the fact that I can't remember it qualifies it to be seen by this viewer and sometimes critic.

FILMS COMING SOON:  Exodus, The Sand Pebbles, Giant, Monkey Business, The Slut At Four' O'clock, can't wait to see all of them!!

EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE

                                 JACK'S BACK and this time it's personal!

DATE AND STATUS:  Sunday, September 9th, 2012 and I'm stitch less!

AND I QUOTE SOPHOCLES:  "These are the best of words if they are honest."

HOORAY!  The remaining stitches that were in my left knee have been removed by Dr. George, and I can finally see that the end of this trauma will soon be over.  However, healing will not be complete, until I am able to get back on Cruella and row.

 The good doctor, (actually, he's the best doctor in the world)  says that my rowing will not be feasible for at least another two weeks, but at least, we are headed in the right direction.  But, thank goodness I no longer have to endure getting stitches out.

I know what you're thinking, having stitches removed is no big deal, and, ordinarily, I would agree with you.  But, MY SKIN has become so sensitized from all the medication and steroids I take for my asthma that the slightest touching of it, and this is no exaggeration,  sends me into excruciating pain and suffering.

I try not to take out my misery on Mac, (which is hard, when he is at the root of my pain,) he has only been treating my injury, at least when it was over, I thanked him properly, which was only good manners.

Sometimes, when someone has inflicted pain on me, I forget my manners!   I temporarily forget that they were not intentionally bringing me pain, it was just an unfortunate drawback of my treatment.  Anyway, onto happier things!

Once again we can rejoice, the clouds have lifted, the wind has blown yesterday's storm away; it is a perfectly gorgeous fall day, (except for the fact that it still is technically summer,)  and  one feels happy to be alive.

The sky is blue,  there's not a cloud in the sky, (well, there wasn't,) the air is crisp, and everything is fresher-God really has given us one of his most excellent days.   Lucky, lucky ALL OF US!

If you're getting today's post later than usual, that is completely my fault.  I slept in, and when I did finally awake at eight o'clock, I just laid there in bed, luxuriating in my comfort, and appreciating the amazing view of the lake from my bedroom window. 

Lake Nipissing really is beautiful, and I'm so blessed that for almost six months of the year, I get to live here on our little island, and keep the rest of the world at bay.

Our travel plans to New York City are coming along, we have hit a bump or two, but nothing so complicated that it can't be worked out.  Santosh Kalwar said "Every problem comes with a baggage of solutions."  How true, how very, very true.

It is great to be busy, again.  It makes me feel that I'm more in sync with the rest of the world who go off to work each day.  I'm back to work too, except I don't get paid for it.

There are rewards other than financial ones to make one's job worthwhile, and the joy I get from writing far supersedes my taking home a pay cheque.

Please do not misunderstand me, it would be nice to get paid for my writing, but, unfortunately, CROWN PUBLISHERS, KNOPF,  NOR THE GLOBE AND MAIL, realize what they're missing!

Whenever I think I have a way with words, and think I'm witty, I look to the literary works of some of my heroes, "Mark Twain," "Shakespeare" and "Cicero.",  who could really say something, and say it well!   

Perusing their quotes and readings, and others that range "from the sublime to the ridiculous," which in itself is a quote from Shakespeare!) never fails to keep me grounded!

Having to watch a new film every day,  and then get out my post which reviews that movie, cuts down on my tendency to "veg out."   I simply don't have time to procrastinate.!

Consequently, I've missed watching some really good movies that have been available for viewing on the Turner Classic Movie (TCM) channel.  However, there was one movie,  "EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE," I didn't miss, even though it wasn't featured on TCM.

"EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE"  begins with a body that seems to be falling from the sky, alluding to jumpers from the twin towers on September eleventh (9/11).

Oskar Schell (played convincingly well by Thomas Horn,) is introduced as the German American son of Thomas Schell (Tom Hanks) who died during the attack.

In a flashback sequence, Thomas and Oskar play a scavenger hunt to find objects throughout New York City. The game requires communication with other people and is not easy: "if things were easy to find, they wouldn't be worth finding".

Oskar is let out of school early on September 11th, and while his mother Linda, (Sandra Bullock) is at work, Oskar gets home, and finds five messages from his father on the answering machine saying he is in the World Trade Center.

When his father calls for the sixth time, Oskar hears the phone ringing, but is too scared to answer it. The machine is recording a message, that suddenly stops when the building collapses, and Oskar knows his father has been killed.   He replaces the answering machine so his mother will never find out

Later, and after a few weeks have passed  Oskar calls and confides in his German Grandmother (Zoe Caldwell,)  about "the worst day", and they become closer.  Oskar's relationship with his mother worsens when she cannot explain why the twin towers were attacked and why his father died.

Oskar tells his mother he wishes it had been her in the building, not his father, and she responds, "So do I!" Later, Oskar tries to take it back and says he did not mean it, but his mother tells him he did.

A year later, Oskar finds a vase in his father's closet with a key in an envelope with the word "Black" on it.  Oskar is determined to find what the key fits, and searches in the New York phone books to find 472 Blacks listed.   Oskar plans to meet each of the Blacks to see if they knew his father.


Woven through all the moments, Oskar's very specific journey unfolds, the memories of his past guiding an uncertain future, with Horn narrating much of what's running through his mind.

Oskar is a naturally anxious boy, with Asberger's syndrome.  Oskar is fearful in ways his father had tried to help mitigate with intricate explorations of the city, a search for the mysteriously missing sixth borough of New York City chief among them.

That search of the key becomes the engine that drives the rest of the film.  This also becomes the movie's treatise on healing as it takes Oskar into the homes of the traumatized nation of ordinary people, some coping, others not.

Oskar sets out on foot, because one of his peculiarities is that he won't use public transportation.  What do we learn during Oskar's quest? That more than 4,000 may have died in the 9/11 terrorism, but millions more still live? That those named Black form a cross-section of the metropolis? That life goes on?

That he is able to undertake this task while apparently keeping it a secret from his mother is a tribute to his intelligence. That he thinks it's safe for an 11-year-old to walk alone all over New York is not.

Abby Black (Viola Davis,) is the first Black, (no pun intended,) that Oskar meets.  Oskar's social skills don't extend to noticing that Abby is in the middle of a marital crisis with her husband (Jeffrey Wright.)  

Davis and Wright are so good here, in roles that work mostly by implication, that Oskar's quest starts off on the right foot emotionally.  Eventually, Abby tells Oskar she did not know his father. 

Oskar is not entirely alone.  He is seen off by his building's doorman, (John Goodman,) and soon he makes a new friend.  This very old man, known only as the renter (Max Von Sydow) has moved in with Oskar's grandmother.

The Renter cannot or will not speak, communicating only with written notes, but he is a tall and reassuring companion.  As they become friends and go together on the hunt to find what the key fits, Oskar learns facing his fears, such as those of public transport and bridges.  Oskar concludes that the stranger is his Grandfather.

Oskar plays the answering machine messages for the stranger.  Before playing the last message, the stranger cannot bear listening any longer, and stops Oskar.  Later on, the stranger moves out and tells Oskar not to search anymore.

When Oskar looks at a newspaper clipping his father gave him, he finds a circled phone number. He dials the number and reaches Abby, who wants to take Oskar to her ex-husband, William, who may know about the key.

William tells Oskar he has been looking for the key. William had sold the vase to Oskar's father who never knew the key was in the vase.  The key fits a safe deposit box where William's father left something for him.  Disappointed that the key does not belong to him, Oskar goes home.

Oskar's mother tells Oskar she knew he was contacting the Blacks.  She visited each Black in advance and informed them that Oskar was going to visit and why. Oskar makes a scrapbook of his scavenger hunt and all the people he met and titles it "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close."

At the end of the scrapbook there is an animation where the body is falling up instead of down.

Oskar's grandfather returns to live with Oskar's grandmother.

EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE began unsettling with scraps of paper fluttering like confetti from a skyscraper, smoke billowing out of its windows, a man falling, even more unsettling were the shots of the polyglot of humanity that is New York hurrying down the sidewalk, wearing fear, worry, confusion in every line of their suddenly lined faces.

Though there are many themes coursing through this movie, its primary concern is how anyone copes with a loss like this one. The filmmakers dive into the deep end as soon as we've gotten to know the boy who becomes the totem for our collective pain.

In Oskar's case it's the loss not only of a father, but his best friend.  In Hanks' hands, Thomas is kind, funny, clever and fascinated by his son.  He also becomes the film's primary source of comfort.  It seems a smart choice to put two quintessentially heartland stars in Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock at its center. It makes acceptance easier, offense harder. 

 If Thomas Horn is the film's diamond in the rough, channeling Oskar's sorrowing and searching, yearning and regretting, Max  Von Sydow is its buried treasure. He's the film's enigma with a past so shadowy and troubled, he has chosen not to speak, though his shrugs and sighs and outstretched palm "yes" tattooed on one, "no" on the other telegraph volumes.

 The boy and the old man, both damaged, both trying to make amends for past mistakes, become the film's point-counterpoint on coping.

Given its polarizing subject and this much raw emotion, the film is probably destined to be divisive. Some will be bothered by the sentiment, others won't believe it goes far enough or deep enough, still others will resent the movie for even trying to examine the wound.

There are certainly big, capital-letter themes explored here:  Death. Sorrow. Forgiveness. Reconciliation. Stephen Daldry does somewhat bring  it all down to a human level.  "EXTREMELY LOUD & INCREDIBLY CLOSE" won't be the last cinematic word on 9/11, but it proves to be a memorable one.

Ultimately, and sadly, the plot is contrivance and folderol. The mysterious key, the silent old man a magical tambourine are the stuff of fairy tales, and the notion of a boy, (no matter how intelligent,) walking all over New York is so preposterous we're constantly aware of it as a storytelling device.

It is really too bad that the film did not completely succeed, but there is enough good stuff here, that your viewing time will not be wasted, nor will your Kleenex!


                                                  UPCOMING MOVIES FOR REVIEW:

"Elmer Gantry." Both Burt Lancaster and Shirley Jones received academy award nominations for their work here. I want to see if they deserved them, you know how the Academy can be.

"Blow Dry." For no other reason that when I saw the title of this movie in the television guide, it intrigued me.

"Thief." This film stars James Caan and is reported to be one of Mr. Caan's personal favourites. Well, now it is time for us to decide if we want this movie to make our favourites list.

"The Maltese Falcon."  I've avoided seeing Humphrey Bogart and Peter Lorre in this story of murder and intrigue for far too long, (I'm supposed to be a film buff!)  Please note, that the time for me to see this movie has been changed to November to coincide with my salute to Mr. Humphrey Bogart.

"Zorba The Greek." This film stars Anthony Quinn as an amoral Greek peasant who teaches a British student the meaning of life.  I want to see if the movie can teach me anything.

"The Dark Knight."  I thought I should view a relatively-recent film. As a child of ten, I loved "Batman," and this film  offers, Heath Ledger, who won an academy award, posthumously, as the joker.  I'm really looking forward to this one!

"Big Night."  I have been frequently asked if I've seen this film which quite alot of people seem to enjoy, I think it's time I'm able to tell people YES, I'VE SEEN IT!!!!!

FILMS COMING SOON:  Exodus, The Sand Pebbles, Giant, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. The slut at four o'clock, can't wait to see all of them!!!!