First of all, for all the readers out there, happy holidays. 

For all you Christmas celebrators, your time is now. As much as I want to direct this post to you all, I am too lazy to do so, considering you have 12 days and all. 

With that said, in the spirit of my choice of celebratory holiday Hanukkah, and being the baseball writer for the Philly Phour, here a list that all you sports, and especially baseball fans should take very, very seriously.

Here is a perfect compilation of baseball movies you should ask for or have bought for you for each of the eight days of Hanukkah.

1. Rookie of the Year:  The storyline of a 12 year-old kid pitching for his hometown baseball team is a dream that I’m pretty sure every baseball fan has at some point of their childhood. That’s not the point.  When you see this movie, you will see why the name “Rowengardner” lives on and witness the man, the myth, and the legend that they call Gary Busey.

2. Major League Trilogy: Made a trilogy for a reason. While the third one was subpar in its own right (like almost every third movie in a trilogy), this is a must have for a three reasons. One, it has an element of foreshadowing, as Charlie Sheen plays ex-convict pitcher almost a decade before he actually became a convict in real life. Second of all, it started a trend, as Wesley Snipes was able to act in other sports movies such as White Men Can’t Jump and The Fan due to his portrayal as an athletic specimen in his character Willie Mays Hayes. Lastly, the soundtrack can be simplified into two words: WILD THING.

3. The Sandlot: If you want proof on why baseball is, and will always be, America’s pastime, watch this movie. Not only does it teach people the importance of baseball, it also shows us alpha males how to get the attention of the woman you love, in which pretending to drown in order to get CPR and mouth-to-mouth is your best bet. Also, lost between the famous fictional characters such as “The Beast”, Benny “The Jet” Rodriguez and Wendy Peffercorn, those who watch this movie sometimes forget that some surprise REAL actors such James Earl Jones and Denis Leary make cameo’s in this movie. 

4. Bull Durham:  Before I wrote my list, I told myself that I could only choose one Kevin Costner baseball movie. Field of Dreams and For Love Of The Game were also in close consideration, but ultimately you can’t go against choosing a baseball movie who’s two central characters are named “Nuke” and “Crash”.

5. A League of Their Own:  Some people think Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks’s best performance was in Philadelphia, Forrest Gump or Cast Away. However, after you witness him say the inspirational line of “There’s no crying in baseball” in this film, you may think otherwise.  The concept of women playing baseball in skirts also adds appealing element to this movie compilation. 

6. Bad News Bears: Instead of a triliogy, this director went a bit further, and made a handful of these movies. The ladder four are mediocre, but after you see the first, you will always wonder what your life would be like if your had a raging alcoholic as your coach. 

7. The Rookie: A story of a family man living his dream as a baseball player later in life. Doesn’t seem realistic, but yet it based on a true story. All I know is that because of this movie, my goal is to go out on the mound in my 40’s, 20 years removed from playing competitive baseball, and throw 96 mph. Hey, if Dennis Quaid can do it in this movie, than so can I. 

8. The Natural: While this is rated as the #1 baseball movie of all-time on some lists, I put this last because I’m personally not a huge fan of this movie. However, when you are putting together a compilation of movies, at least one classic is a must. A classic can be defined as an older, or aged movie, with a distinct characteristic or scene of the movie that enables it to withstand the test of time. This movie, from a baseball standpoint, is a classic.

Honorable Mention (movies that should be considered if doing this for the 12 Days of Christmas): For Love Of The Game, Field of Dreams, Little Big League, Angels in the Outfield, Hardball, The Rookie, 61, Eight Men Out

Happy Holidays.

It was such a good movie. It made me happy while watching it. I admire his simple-mindedness and positive attitude towards his life no matter how he’s called stupid and being told he “[doesn't] know what love is” by his girl. He is not afraid of saying and doing what he wants to do.

Okay, just 3 more hours before my flight back home! Adieu Swat of 2009!

“Something for the Weekend Sir?”

Well it’s a little late but here’s the Soundtrack Of The Weekend – Forrest Gump (ManCry review here). So as always, close the door and treat yourself to a little bit of background music to enjoy your day. Have a great weekend. If any of you have suggestions for future Soundtracks Of The Weekend please of course share them here.

*Bonus*  I found the running scene, I couldn’t resist adding it! Enjoy!

The semester is over. I’m going home tomorrow. Tonight, however, I watched The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Let me say I really enjoyed the movie.

Since my short term memory rapidly deteriorates let’s start with the film first. First off, it’s epic. It’s 2 hours and 40 minutes long and I guess I can sort of put into words why epicness is so good now. Even if you can disagree, be antagonistic for a few moments with a film, it tends to melt away when it lasts so long. That’s pretty much the essence of why I liked this movie. But for details there’s a ton of things. There’s the beautifully designed sets, costumes, and scenes themselves. The acting was terrific and dialogue was stuff dreams are made of (aren’t all movies?). Can anyone imagine being as smooth as Benjamin? A relationship as pleasant and nice as his with Elizabeth and Daisy? It’s hard to fathom and simply impossible in our world. But that’s not really the point of the movie in my opinion. It’s in the aesthetic that you learn whatever lessons it holds or so my theory goes. I’ll be honest, I don’t have the attention span for the entire movie. There were definitely parts where I was looking up info on the film and even solving a Rubik’s cube. But I don’t think it detracted much from the movie experience since in the end I thought it was a fantastic film. I may never watch the entire movie again or even specific moments (there were very funny or very amazing scenes, but I think the movie has to be watched in its entirety for real effect).

But now let’s say some things that aren’t nonsense produced from the very reason that this film is good (how pretty it is). First things first, a drama like this with a lot of narration and clever dialogue, when does it ever not critically acclaimed? I most definitely haven’t seen enough films to ask that question. Also, it totally reminded me of Forrest Gump in the sense that there’s some fucked up main protagonist guy and an iffy girl. Except the relationship was, of course, much more drawn out and interesting in this film. Lastly, it blew when I learned that her husband’s name was Robert. There’s been like two Robert’s I’ve heard of that aren’t blowhards. Paraphrase: “Robert is nice, caring, bright… he’s adventurous. He’s been a great father.” Oh my god I don’t think I can fathom something less interesting than that other than a description of myself (the same but without the adventurous, nice, or caring part. What? You don’t think I’m bright OR a good father? Well screw you then).

And now some ramblings on the end of the semester. Well, the 18-240 exam. It was hard, but very reasonable. It covered a lot of material that we were just expected to know. But in the end I think I was beaten pretty badly and so were a lot of people. The last lab we were required to do involved modifying a processor to fit some sort of new instruction (in lab the ADD32 instruction). On the exam it was an “interrupts”. Even post-exam and having heard of what someone else did I am still baffled by this problem. I honestly don’t know what the INT was even supposed to do. I implemented a JSR basically… which is already in existence. And then I added a mux and state bit that don’t do anything. I’m not sure if I should get any points for that. But yeah, I guess in the practical context I just hope I get an A for the course (I’m assuming curves are generous… but maybe this will be the first course where it’s not). But really it always bothers me when I fail. I know a lot of other people failed, but it’s just the mystery of not only how to solve the question, but what about it that baffled me. But chances are I’ll forget about it by tomorrow and then never worry about it again unless I go into digital system design.

On the topic of movies I have to say that I feel like I invest too much of myself in them. I get the impression a lot of people feel the same, and I’m sure some people get that feeling even more so than me. But I can’t help thinking that movies have too much of an impact if only on me. My brain is just dead afterwards as though it can’t transfer back into the real world. If I literally sat here without video games for the next several hours I’d probably act as though I were still in that fantasy world. It’s video games that sort of distract me for long enough to convert back to whatever this existence is. It’s quite an odd feeling and I’m not sure if it’s good or bad. I think it feels good though, it’s hard to tell. In fact, I think I will relax a bit. Maybe do some packing before I play video games and sleep. This probably also has to do with the fact that I fell asleep around 6AM last night and woke up at 7:30AM for the exam. Took a nap for some uncountable number of hours and it’s now 2:21AM the next day.

Anyways, Happy Holidays, though I’m sure I’ll post again before any of the holidays occur.

If you find yourself lost in that throng of angry pedestrians taking pictures of themselves in front of the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. and electronic billboards, I recommend walking on the south side of W 43rd between 9th and 10th Avenues.  It will provide respite from the chaos, and it will remind you of one of the simplest pleasures in life–smelling stuff that smells good.  Specifically, the good-smelling scents of these two things:

Pi Pie! (Not necessarily available at this particular pie shop.)

Trees! (Beer can ornaments probably sold separately.)

You may also get a whiff of urine.

Remember that time in Forest Gump when Forrest hangs out with Lt. Dan on New Year’s Eve?  And they end up back in some room with those women they picked up at the bar?  Then Lt. Dan falls over in his wheelchair and the women laugh and leave?  I hope your New Year’s is JUST LIKE THAT.

Or, you know.  I hope it’s awesome.

Kubrick hizo Full Metal Jacket

Coppola hizo Apocalypse Now

Stone hizo Platoon y Born On The Fourth Of July

Zemeckis hizo Forrest Gump…oh, esperen…

Quizá me tachen como un pendejo (y quizá lo sea), pero he visto demasiadas películas de Vietnam, y he llegado a la conclusión de que quizá faltan muchas más por hacerse. Es una fuente infinita de drama y acción, aunque es devastador saber que es también una categoría muy lucrativa, basándose en el morbo y la destrucción de la época contemporánea. El recuerdo sigue allí, fresco como una huella en el lodo, y mantiene insomne a toda una generación todavía.

Lo mismo pasa con las películas de la SGM: incontables, aunque cada una aportando un “nuevo” aspecto al suceso histórico. Y todas dejando un buen rastro de Franklins y Washingtons en las taquillas. Los Nezahualcóyotles tampoco se escapan.

Lo más probable es que se siguen haciendo porque tanto los directores, como el cast, como los expectadores, tenemos unas ganas repulsivas, aunque frenéticas de saber qué pasó. Tenemos deseos efímeros de ponernos el casco y dar el grito, con una M1 Garand en nuestras manos, claro, bajo la bandera de los aliados (no quieres matar sacos gringos en Normandía como en Saving Private Ryan, o sí?), o de oler el victorioso aroma del Napalm en la mañana tras ver como las cosas vietnamitas se encienden como árboles de navidad. Estamos emulando a través de los ojos de éstos chelovecos un atípico enfrentamiento bélico contra la muerte. But we have no fuckin’ idea.

Nunca lo sabremos (la naturaleza del estrés postraumático de la guerra es bloquear y olvidar situaciones que no dan cabida a la imaginación), y cada temporada de cine sólo estamos más cerca de saber tan sólo una millonésima de lo que se siente.

Algunas veces las war films se manifiestan de formas hermosas y atractivas para ayudar a comprender que las batallas son una desgracia para la humanidad, como Waltz with Bashir o Letters from Iwo Jima, pero siempre habrá que hacer contacto con un nervio militar, llevando otra vez a las memorias al campo de batalla. Es algo inevitable para algunas cintas, aunque están en un sentido mucho más bienintencionado.

Oh sí, la película bélica tiene mucha cola que le pisen. Y seguirá mutando en maneras más violentas y elaboradas hacia la nada; como correr en una caminadora. Las seguiremos viendo, de todos modos.

Jarhead salió hace un par de años, y no se necesita ser un vidente para saber que vienen versiones de la Guerra del Golfo Pérsico en 24 cuadros por segundo.

“…smells like…victory!”

“My momma always said life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.”

Tom Hanks’s famous line from Forrest Gump sheds some light on what life is really like. Sure, the phrase might be cliche, but when was the last time you thought about its meaning? Life is random. None of us know what’s coming next. We can use horoscopes or make predictions, but we can’t be positive. Sure, we have a part in our lives through our decisions and actions at home, school, and work. What we do and say affects what situations we’re in or where we end up.

But when you make a decision, when you pull a chocolate out of the box, you don’t know what it’ll taste like. No one can be certain that their actions will lead to outcomes they desire. Will it be your favorite caramel nut? Or will you bite into the ever feared French nougat? Chances are its going to be a big surprise.

Some people are hesitant about their decisions. I, for one, can be completely indecisive at times, and over the most trivial of choices. But sometimes I just have to suck it up and eat the chocolate. Because once I choose one, I won’t be able to put it back. Life is the same way. You can’t take back a decision after you make it. As much as we’d like it to, technology that allows us to go back in time to change our actions doesn’t exist yet. So we have to make the best of what we have, and take what comes to us.

Rather than thinking of that as a downer, I’d like to think that it makes life just one big adventure. That’s the suspense of life- you don’t know what’s about to happen. Part of that is because other people’s decisions really affect our lives. We have control over our own actions, but definitely cannot control those of others. What other people do often changes our own plans. But even if things don’t turn out the way we want them to, there’s always the next chocolate. Once you pick a less than tasty chocolate, you never have to pick that kind again because you know what it looks like.

In the end, though, everything happens for a reason. The outcomes we like the least can sometimes lead to something better than we expected in the first place. Maybe that’s why our lives are so mysterious. If we knew what was coming, life wouldn’t be so meaningful. So reach out and grab a chocolate without fear. It could bring you something great, and probably will. Besides, there’s gotta be more caramel nuts than French nougats in one box, right?

“And that’s all I have to say about that.”

“Deep thoughts”…

I kayak to reconnect with what I lose by being apart of the rat race.  Work dulls my senses.  I quickly travel isolated in a “box” to work.  I work in a different box.  I exist at work by seconds marked out on a clock.  To paddle is to leave the rat race, my car, my cubical at work, and my watch at home.  I am always amazed by some of the professional paddlers I have met and read about that actually turn an expedition into a rat race.  Paddling is all about reconnecting to nature.  And my wife always remarks at how relaxed I am when I get home.

(Guys…there are logical steps to keeping your wife happy and supportive of your adventures…I will elaborate on the things I have learned from wiser men in a future post)

This paddle for me is about reveling in the interesting landscapes along the historical Suwannee River.  I will be exploring every nook and cranny with the eyes of a toddler.  Sean and I are not planning on traveling fast.  Nor will we have a moment of boredom. To paraphrase “Forrest Gump” (1994) “when we get tired, we’ ll sleep, when we get hungry, we’ ll eat,  [when the water beckons] we’ ll go.”  We will be like the feather dancing with the wind.

Maybe I am odd in thinking like a “Soul Surfer” that riding the water is a gift that we are lucky to catch at that moment in time. But I am not alone in thinking that.  I have had the pleasure of meeting some professional paddlers that agree that “riding the water is a gift that we are lucky to catch at that moment in time”.  Moreover, they acknowledge how lucky they are to be able to make a modest living being a professional paddler.  It is easy to get into the trap of making a past-time into a rat race of a job.

I feel sorry for those people who turn paddling into a fast pace job.  And need a vacation to relax after they have finished paddling.

Thinking deeply – Jeff

What a brilliant movie!  I was driving tonight listening to my ipod and the theme song came on, so I came home and turned it on.  I love this movie, I have sort of an odd attachment to the movie.  I think melancholy is a good word to describe how it makes me feel.  I think this is why I’m attracted to the movie: it reminds me of my dad.

The story is saturated with major historical events.  Forrest is interleaved with historical figures like Elvis, John Lennon, JFK, Lyndon Johnson and Nixon and events like the Vietnam War, Watergate and was a charter owner of Apple computers.  My dad seemed to have this other extraordinary life that I only started to learn about the last 10 years or so.  He was part of the Army Air Corps before it was the Air Force, he worked in the shoe business and was in the office when the idea of roller blades was first pitched, he had another marriage with 2 kids, he was Mayor of a town in Indiana!

Even with all of this extraordinary things going on, there’s a great deal of sadness and loss.  He becomes friends with Bubba who’s later killed in the Vietnam War, he loses his mom to cancer, jenny is in and out of his life and eventually he loses her too.  There’s something so real about it.  There are all sorts of things in my life that I struggle with and that make me sad and/or cause pain.  I miss my dad a lot.  I’m thankful for the time I had with him, and I’m sad that that time is over and it never will be again.  It makes me sad to think of how big of a whole it’s left in my mom’s life.  I would take my dad back in a heartbeat, but since he has to be gone, I enjoy the times of sadness in a weird way.  Sometimes ya just need to experience the bluer shade of human emotions.

I’m in Los Angeles, working, but it’s peaceful on this Tuesday night at 9:45pm

As a friend and I dined at a restaurant on the 17^th floor, at the top of my hotel, we could see Downtown LA as it sparkled in the distance, and 17 floors below, the ongoing, never-ending traffic on “the 405,” one of the busier interstates in LA.  Though to be honest, I think they’re all busy.

There were the endless headlights coming North in our direction, and the glowing red tail lights heading South.  In LA, you would think it’s just the usual traffic pattern of thousands of cars all going to places unknown.   But tonight, with the dark atmosphere of the restaurant, the colored lights illuminating the romantic bar across the room, and the headlights and tail lights far below, there was a special, even magical feel to this night.

Of course I was with a special friend where conversation is usually serious, sometimes intense, but always helpful. Tonight it was more of the same, with her teaching me things about myself that I already knew, but which make a huge difference when you hear them from a friend who cares.

After coffee, cheesecake and chocolate espresso cake and ice cream, we decided to go for a drive.

“Let’s go to the beach” she said, and I agreed, anxious to get out the hotel and experience more of LA than work, hotel food, or room service.

As we neared the shore, we unexpectedly found ourselves at the Santa Monica Pier. She hadn’t meant to take us there, and we weren’t sure if anything was open at ten o’clock at night.  But the pier was open, while most of the stores and tourist attractions were closed.  It was perfect, and she said,

“I’ve lived in this part of California most of my life, and this is one of the things I’ve always wanted to experience, but never have.”  And I was glad to be there with her, as it was the first time for both of us.

At this time of night, everything seemed very special.  While the Ferris wheel, roller coaster and other rides and attractions were closed, we and a handful of people strolled slowly among this historic landmark, enjoying this unique part of the city, when most people had gone home, or back to their hotels, the day over and time for them to eat and rest.

So we slowly walked down the long pier toward the ocean, talking at times, being quiet at others, listening to the rolling sound of the ocean’s waves, and simply enjoying this special experience,  like the residents of New York  City who see the Empire State Building almost every day of their lives, but have never gone to the top.

Part of the pier on which we walked was covered in concrete.  But much of this famous landmark was constructed with wooden planking, with small spaces between each board laid down side by side like the rafters of an old barn, where the dust of hay seeps through and covers the ground below.

She took my arm to steady herself as she was wearing open-toed, black, four-inch heels (or were they 5?) and stepped carefully so they wouldn’t catch in the plank flooring and twist an ankle.    It felt good to have my friend slide her arm in mine because things always seem better when two people can not only experience life, but can make  physical contact simply as one human being with another, communicating with a touch, how everything in life feels better when intimacy is involved.

As we walked down the pier, we turned and watched the light show of the Ferris wheel that constantly flashed the colors of red, green, blue, yellow and gold lights, programmed like a fireworks display on the 4^th of July.  I brought out my little Flip video camera and captured the performance.  But mainly we just  stood and watched, as the static white lights of the empty roller coaster curved around and in front of the Ferris wheel, adding to this spectacular view.

We continued our walk to the end of the pier where millions of people had walked before us over the decades, where movies and been shot, and where lovers had kissed, as they were doing now in the silent darkness on secluded benches.

Three men on a lower level fished, a neon green lure floating in the water.  We wanted to sit, to enjoy the fragrance and the sound of the ocean, but the benches at the end of this famous place were taken by boys and girls, men and women, each holding each other in loving embraces and tasting the tender feel of soft passionate kisses.

I wished I could have been one of them, but at the same time I didn’t feel alone, because I was with a special friend.  We didn’t come here to kiss, but to simply experience the pier, listen to the waves of the Pacific Ocean,  and let the rolling tides pull the tension from our bodies, causing us to relax and reflect.  And that’s exactly what happened as we stood there watching the occasional blinking lights of boats or freighters dotting the ocean’s surface from far away.

As it seems to happen on every special night, it had gotten late and we finally started a slow and casual walk back to the entrance of the pier where we’d parked our car.  Again she took my arm and we looked at every store, open or closed and wondered what this place must be like during the frenzy of the day.

Of course we stopped at the open tourist stands and stores.  There was the hat stand where I tried on a very cool cowboy hat (and looked fabulous I must admit) but didn’t buy it.  I thought about how it would look on me as I walked down 5^th Avenue in New York City where I worked, and put it back in its place.   She tried on the fairy tale crowns of Miss America and one from the Statue of Liberty as we smiled and laughed as she raised her arm as if holding the torch of the lady in the harbor that I have seen hundreds of times in my life.

There were boys and young men, moving from one attraction to another in the old-time game room of “shoot the basketball, “skeeball” and “knock over the bowling pins with one mighty throw.”  There wasn’t a video screen or simulator ride in sight, and in some peaceful way that was refreshing and hopeful.

We stopped into “Bubba Gump’s Shrimp Palace” where there was no shrimp, only souvenirs of t-shirts, hats, DVDs,  bumper stickers, fake license plates and trinkets, all covered with remembrances of the movie Forrest Gump.

I looked for chocolate, because “Life is like box of chocolate.  You never know what you’re going to get.” But they were sold out, and we simply took a few free peppermints and continued our walk.

As you can imagine, those four or five-inch heels began to hurt a little as we walked the old pier, and so we stopped and sat on one of the benches, noticing the grey painted pipe railing in front of us, to keep lovers and tourists from falling 50 feet into the ocean.

Again, sitting arm in arm, we watched the Ferris wheel light show that never duplicated its intricate patterns, and seemed to be showing off for two friends who appreciated its beauty during the final moments of the night.  We watched and listened as the surf washed up against wooden posts that held up another part of the pier, not pounding against them, but letting them know that their power could crash against them with a mighty force any time it chose to do so.

As we sat there in the quiet of the night,  I looked up into the sky and saw a plane take off from LAX, Los Angeles’ main airport miles away, then lifted my head higher to see the image that always moves my heart.

A full moon.  And it was then that I realized why this night was special.  Why I had learned things about myself that finally made a difference, and the reason we had ended up in this special place that my friend had always wanted to see.  It was the full moon that led us to all of these things.  And I watched it with respect and love.

As we got up to leave we saw circus tents near the entrance to the pier.  Cirque de Soleil, performing there for a short run.  We admired the thousands of colored lights and the dark stores, that tomorrow would draw the tourists back, bringing smiles to their faces and emptying their wallets.    But mostly we enjoyed being on this special pier, looking at each other and knowing that we were experiencing a very special night.

Two friends.  One from New York City, the other from Los Angeles, brought together tonight, walking arm in arm, on this incredible one- night journey.

When we got back to the hotel and I helped her into her car, we gave each other a friendly kiss goodbye as the hotel concierge and the valet who had brought her car smiled.  It had been a good night, and I looked her in the eyes with a serious look, then smiled and said,

“Great heels.”

Knowing they were, she smiled back at me,  and then drove away, as I thought to myself,

“It’s these intimate, once-in-a-lifetime nights that make life special and like a box of chocolate.

Because in life…

….you never know what you’re going to get.

Brian Van't Hul. photo by Kelly Gorham

Carol Schmidt – MSU News Service

Brian Van’t Hul is an Oscar-winning master at crafting some of the movie’s most fantastical illusions, but he says the formula for success in filmmaking involves little magic.

“It’s really just an ability to network, think creatively to solve problems and have an exceptional work ethic,” said Van’t Hul while in Bozeman to visit family and speak to students in the Montana State University School of Film and Photography. He talked about his work as the visual effects supervisor on the recent film “Coraline,” which is on the long list for 2009 Academy Award nominations for animation.

“Between walking out of the door here (at MSU) and the ‘glam,’ there is a lot of hard work, long hours and not that much recognition,” said the 1987 graduate of MSU who won an Oscar in 2005 for his work on the visual effects of Peter Jackson’s “King Kong.”

During his 20-year career, Van’t Hul has helped put magic in some of the silver screen’s most inventive films. He was the visual effects supervisor for “Coraline,” the first major stop-motion animated feature to be shot in stereoscopic 3-D. In addition, Van’t Hul was part of the WETA Digital team responsible for the classic “Lord of the Rings” trilogy. He has also worked on “Nightmare Before Christmas,” “Forrest Gump,” “Master and Commander,” “I, Robot,” among others.

Van’t Hul’s journey began on the streets of Bozeman. Even as a kid he had a passion for movies, which he watched in Bozeman’s Ellen Theater. He was particularly fond of those with monsters and mythical creatures that were the work of the pioneering film special effects guru Ray Harryhausen.

“I loved movies and television and I think I was 8 years old when I realized that there were people behind those creatures,” said Van’t Hul during a recent visit to his hometown of Bozeman. “I knew then that was what I wanted to do with my life.”

Van’t Hul said he’d try to create the scenes in the basement of his Bozeman home with small plastic figures and a Super 8 camera. The basic stop-motion techniques he used to create those childhood films were, ironically, at the root of the dazzling “Coraline.” Except, on that film Van’t Hul supervised a crew of 20 that combined sophisticated stop-motion film work with computerized special effects for eye-popping effect.

Van’t Hul said he considered himself lucky to grow up in a town where there was a film school, which he began tapping while he was still in junior high. The Bozeman Daily Chronicle ran a movie trivia contest and in order to win free movie tickets (Van’t Hul was one of several winners), he called up the MSU film program and talked to a helpful Bill Neff, who is still an MSU film professor. Neff invited Van’t Hul to see the MSU film program.

“That was before the (VCB) building so the program was scattered all over campus,” Van’t Hul recalled. When it was time to go to college, Van’t Hul said he stayed home to go to MSU rather than go to the famed film school at the University of Southern California.

“It was a very hands-on program,” Van’t Hul said. “And that was important.”

In five years, Van’t Hul was trained and received degrees in both film and television (“You could do that then,” he said.) He was working at KUSM when a friend of his from MSU phoned him and told him to get down to Los Angeles because he knew of a job that was opening. The job was driving a truck for a film equipment rental company. Despite the humble beginning, Van’t Hul said it was a huge break for him. “I spent my first years learning the nuts and bolts of cameras and in the process met people who knew people who knew about visual effects.”

“One thing that experience really did was to give me training how to solve problems,” Van’t Hul said. “You can’t believe how important that is on a set that’s stalled. It’s important to know just how to get stuff done. That can give you an opportunity to step forward and say, ‘Ok. This is how we’ll do it.’” Van’t Hul said he believes a film school such as MSU’s fosters that sort of ingenuity. “Often, making a film is like a puzzle and you have to figure it out.”

Van’t Hul said networking is essential in Hollywood. “It really comes down to walking around to people on the set and asking them if they know anyone who can take that spot,” Van’t Hul.

Van’t Hul’s networking ability led to work on Peter Jackson’s horror flick “The Frighteners.” Van’t Hul hooked up with Jackson again when work began on “The Lord of the Rings.” It was considered something of a risk at that point to follow Jackson to New Zealand. It turned out well for Van’t Hul. While in New Zealand with the trilogy he met his wife, who is a special effects compositor. The two were married in the Ellen Theater, still one of Van’t Hul’s favorite places. The two now live in Portland, Ore. where Van’t Hul moved to work with LAIKA, an animation studio owned by Phil Knight, co-founder and chairman of Nike. LAIKA was the maker of “Coraline.”

Van’t Hul said he and his wife fell in love with the lifestyle in Portland, and he enjoys its proximity to his parents in Bozeman, but his career may require another move soon. He’s weighing offers for both stop-motion and computer-generated features.

In the meantime, he’s lecturing about “Coraline.” His stop in Bozeman came after a talk at the Bradford Animation Festival in England’s National Museum about visual effects. “We’ve been so happy that it’s been so well received,” Van’t Hul said.

Van’t Hul said he enjoyed the stop at MSU, where the film students “ask many of the questions that I had when I was here,” he said. Bob Arnold, director of MSU’s School of Film and Photography, said Van’t Hul’s appearance had a special effect on the students.

“For Brian, visual effects represent the integration of technology and art,” Arnold said. “It is a great opportunity for our students to meet and learn from someone who has reached the level that Brian has reached and understand that the most important thing is his passion for and dedication to the craft. It isn’t about fame or money; it is about doing what you love to do, and how that passion can take you far.”

Amazon Specials!

Her Highness Abigail prompted this article. At post #751 she commented: “…your writing makes me feel like women have a very bad deal. Surely men aren’t all as selfish as you make them sound!”

Of course men are not. WhatWomenNeverHear describes the potential that men have for making women happy or miserable, and how women can prevent, avoid, or cure it. How I describe men generally has little connection to specific traits of an individual. Across an array of characteristics, every man appears differently.

However, I point out these realities about selfish/unselfish:  

• Selfishness emerges naturally. Learned behavior suppresses it as disadvantageous to one’s self-interest.
• Women promote unselfishness, because it helps bond relationships. Men have much less interest, because they are more individualistic.
• Women see unselfishness as critical to relationship harmony, and so they teach children to adopt it. They also measure the offensiveness of male selfishness by relationship standards.
• Men see far less practical use for stabilizing relationships, so they differ from females about selfish/unselfish issues. Not saying it’s fair, or that selfishness is justified. It’s just human nature in action with different sexes involved.
• We’re all born selfish. Mothers are the primary instrument by which selfishness is ‘untaught’ in childhood. Girls grasp and more easily embed it in their subconscious. Boys require more diligent programming to become generally unselfish as part of their consciousness.
• Whether a man has conquered a female or not plays a major part within a couple’s relationship. After their first sex together, he may show a level of selfishness that surprises her.
• After puberty, boys’ selfish/unselfish behavior relates to whoever else is involved. Consequently, chaste girls have considerable influence in conveying the merits of unselfishness to teen boys. Chaste single women have similar influence with men.
• Players prey on females that don’t pay much attention to masculine self-centeredness about sex.  Consequently, players learn that selfishness pays off. When they marry, it’s tough for wife to accept it and tough for him to change.

Paraphrasing Forrest Gump, Selfish is as selfish does. In the end, everyone has something about which they are selfish. Adult men and women tend to be as selfish/unselfish as their self-interest guides them.

Describe the typical male “Jock” for me. If you were to recreate a jock archetype, what exactly would he consist of? Regardless of any individual preference for—or dislike—of sports, I’d be willing to bet that athletic enthusiasts and the “athletically uninterested” would produce a similar “Jock” model. The descriptions used would be different, but oddly synonymous.

For instance, our guinea pig Jock would most likely be boisterous (quite obnoxious), well-built (a hulking mass), athletically gifted (pointlessly fast), and so on. Notice, however, how intelligence is excluded from the list. For some reason, the jock in the 21^st century is considered a blockheaded ignoramus. Somewhere in the past few decades, and for whatever reason, the jock became dumb. We see him everywhere: the comedic, bumbling male jock. And while NFL, NBA, and MLB players are laughing all the way to the bank, for us jocks who fell short of the big leagues, the outlook is a little more bleak.

For me, the Dumb Jock label became a reality after my first viewing of Robert Zemeckis’ adaption of Winston Groom’s novel, Forrest Gump. The novel and movie both follow the narration of the titular character as he influences major political, cultural, and economic events throughout the 1960s and 70s. He is a jock. An All American football star in college, Forrest graduates only to become a celebrated war veteran and a self-made millionaire. He achieves all of this despite his borderline mental retardation. Obviously, I was feeling good for Forrest as the movie’s end credits rolled. Thinking that this was just another story about how anyone can attain the American Dream, my brother shared his own, unique interpretation, “This just goes to show…there’s still hope out there for guys like you”.

Being able to laugh at myself, I thought the joke was pretty funny. But why is it a popular belief that being athletically gifted makes one academically challenged?

I think the stereotype is a product of our culture. The Dumb Jock is a creation of our media, our literature, our cinema, our television. He is a very captivating character, after all. His illiteracy is hilarious, his ignorance, also hilarious, his stereotypical male mannerisms (burps, farts, grunts, etc.) are in some odd way endearing…and also hilarious. He is needed in entertainment. His appeal crosses gender lines. To us males, his over the top masculinity makes us wanna thump our chest and drink too much beer with the guys. To female audiences the jock is an absurd, comical character who laughs at the very nature of such overt masculinity. He is, however, in his purest form, a product. He is a product created by and for the culture that loves him.

In H.G Bissinger’s non-fiction account of high school football in small town Texas, the Dumb Jock is presented more as a tragic case than as a comedic element. In Friday Night Lights, the athletes in the small town of Odessa, Texas seemingly fizzle out after their last high school football season—their athletic achievements not enough to lift them out of their one horse town. In this story, the Jock is not so much endeared as he is pitied. To make matters worse, it is a true retelling of the Permian Panthers 1988 football season. It is not the typical Dumb Jock gig, which finds  him in a mocking parody or light hearted story. Friday Night Lights is tragic, sad, unfortunate. It was also a bestseller, and like Forrest Gump, adapted for the widescreen.

Seemingly every rendition of the Dumb Jock, fictional or not, is a commercial success. The public cannot get enough of the illiterate athlete. Our culture created a beast, so to speak, that now plagues every high school and college athlete like a stigma.

For us jocks who fancy ourselves somewhat intelligent, it is a burden we must carry. Surely, not every football, basketball, and baseball player is an idiot. Although I do know plenty of them, not all of the less intelligent people I’m familiar with strap on the pads and helmets. Instead, there’s a whole variety of boneheads that I know. After all, playing football isn’t the only thing that kills brain cells in college. It is arguable that of all of the separate demographics represented by our culture’s idiots, the Dumb Jock was the most captivating—and that is why he caught on.

I don’t think the Dumb Jock will disappear with time. His appeal has evolved from the pages of our books and the performances on our screens, and he has saturated our reality—making the Dumb Jock an actual label in our schools and society. He really has become a social phenomenon, and one that sells, sells, sells! For any jock, dumb or not, that stereotype is an unwelcomed weight. And until someone writes a book about the Smart Jock we’ll just have to grit our teeth and bear capitalism’s greed.

TRUCAJ – “Forrest Gump” (1994) – întâlnirea cu… John Lennon (decedat în… 1980)

ORIGINAL – John Lennon & Yoko Ono în Tony Cox’s Show

TRUCAJ – “Forrest Gump” (1994) – întâlnirea cu… John F. Kennedy (decedat în… 1963)

***

© Alexandru Dan Mitache • 2009

]]> http://kellylowenstein.wordpress.com/2009/11/27/sept-11-terror-attacks-prompt-economic-hit-man-john-perkins-decision-to-complete-his-confessions/ Fri, 27 Nov 2009 20:17:21 +0000 jeffkellylowenstein3 http://kellylowenstein.wordpress.com/2009/11/27/sept-11-terror-attacks-prompt-economic-hit-man-john-perkins-decision-to-complete-his-confessions/

John Perkins decided to finish Confessions of an Economic Hit Man after the September 11 terrorist attacks.

According to some, the September 11 terror attacks “changed everything.”

While the subsequent eight years have proven that initial assessment to be a bit overarching, there is no denying the attacks’ real impact on people throughout the world.

For the families of the victims, the death of their loved ones created a gaping and irreplaceable hole in the center of their lives.

For many in the United States, an illusion of security and invulnerability was permanently ruptured.

For other people, the attacks sparked actions that they had long considered, but not yet taken.

Childhood friend and award-winning photographer Andrew Lichtenstein married his then-longtime girlfriend Linda, for instance.  The couple has since had two children.

And for self-described Economic Hit Man John Perkins, the planes flying into the World Trade Center towers prompted him to complete Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, the book he had begun nearly 20 years before, but deferred for several reasons.

The book’s title is apt.

Perkins’ work interweaves two related narrative strands.

The first is the role of hit men like him working for a few key companies-in addition to MAIN, the company for which he worked, he also writes extensively about Bechtel and Halliburton-to perpetuate the simultaneous economic and political domination of elites and environmental degradation and exploitation of the masses in the countries throughout the world.

The second is his personal journey, starting in a small and politically conservative New Hampshire town, going through prep school at Tilton and an unsuccessful stint at Middlebury College, serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ecuador with his first wife, and then, through her uncle, entering the far-flung world of the hit men that takes him to, among other countries, Ecuador, Panama, Saudi Arabia, Iran and Iraq.

Perkins is a skillful writer who knows how to turn a phrase and keep the action moving briskly forward.  He has plenty of material to work with, too.  At times, Confessions reads like a James Bond yarn, with the difference being that he is working to develop models of long-term economic growth that he and others use to convince government officials to accept.  Padded with hefty profits for the contracting companies like Bechtel, the contracts also tend to ensure the country’s dim financial prospect and nearly permanent indebtedness to financial institutions like the World Bank.

Confessions also effectively provides brief historical background on the countries on which Perkins focuses before launching into his experiences in that country.

The chapter on Saudi Arabia, which takes places in 1974, shortly after the OPEC oil embargo staggered the American economy, sheds much light not only on a massive money-laundering scheme, but on many of the relationships and forces in Saudi society that received so much attention in the aftermath of September 11.

At times, Perkins reminds the reader of a economically savvy Forrest Gump, zipping from country to country, forging relationships with novelist Graham Greene and General Omar Torrijos in Panama, reconnecting with a college friend in Iran who tells him in the late 70s to leave the country, and returning in the early 2000s to the Ecuador where he had served in the Peace Corps 35 years earlier.

Perkins does not spare himself either from noting his own seduction, immersion into, and dulling of his critical faculties about, the world he enters.   At different points in the book, he says that he helped to continue a system of slavery and was himself enslaved by the material goods and lifestyle to which he had access-the second claim is less convincing than the former.

He credits a number of people, including a Colombian woman named Paula, who nudge him to consider the moral consequences of his actions.  Looking at his inflated resume is one choice of many that moves Perkins eventually to quit the agency in 1980.

The path to the book was far from a linear one, though.

Perkins started working on it after his second marriage and birth of his daughter Jessica, but decides instead to accept what amounts to a bribe to keep the project unfinished and unpublished.

He works in the energy field for a time in the 80s, deciding eventually that advocating for nuclear energy may not be the best way to go, and picks up the story after the two planes flew into the towers.

Confessions contains an epilogue, some recommendations for action, and a timeline of key personal and professional events in his life.  He closes the work by citing both Tom Paine in Common Sense and Thomas Jefferson’s fabled words to begin the Declaration of Independence.

In the end, Confessions does pull back the veil on the workings of the global economic system from the late 60s to the 80s, with a reminder in the epilogue that Bechtel and Halliburton’s strong connections to the Reagan and Bush White Houses that the ties still run deep.  This is the book’s most distinctive and sobering aspect.  The confessional dimension works less well, but still brings the reader along to the end.

While Perkins’ words may not be enough to undo his actions, but we should be glad that the terror attacks moved him to finish the project he had begun shortly after his daughter’s birth.

As we’ve previously reported 24 returns for it’s 8th season on January 24th with a 2-night 4-hour event.  We knew that the show was moving to New York City this season, and we knew that there were going to be new cast members, but we didn’t know much else aside from that.  Here is the official promo cast shot for season 8 of 24.  The photo features new cast members Katee Sackhoff, Freddie Prinze, Jr, Anil Kapoor, Chris Diamantopoulos, Mykelti Williamson, and John Boyd.

Mykelti Williams, who is most well known for playing Bubba Blue in Forrest Gump will be the head of the newly reorganized CTU.  Sounds good. I feel like shrimp for lunch.

Since this college semester is coming to a close in a few weeks, I’ve decided to post my current Top 10 films list for a two part blog, giving reasons and a video showing a clip from each film.  Now, I won’t go and call myself the best film critic by any stretch of word and there are still plenty of movies I have yet to see.  But I figure there’s no harm in constantly updating your list and for a good while, this has been what the top has looked like.  So here it is, part one:

10. Forrest Gump

This is definitely a clear contender for a most popular film list; and with good reason.  Many scenes, characters and lines have been mentioned, quoted and spoofed countless times, but this is all the more reason it’s such a great movie.  Sure, we’ve all seen it only a billion and a half times already, but it never loses its charm.  Although Forrest might not be the brightest apple on the tree, he’s one of the most naturally good at-heart.  A big part of what makes this such an easy film to follow is how Forrest’s adventures and, at times, struggles are a fair representation of what many common Americans go through.  The film has recently been criticized for having a constrained view on some of these moments but this is more a misconception than anything.  What Forrest deals with and notices are intended to be passed off from his view, which is as neutral and unbiased as you can possibly get.  Some might think the film struggles with its message(s), which it doesn’t but this is only more reason the film relates so easily to us (multiple messages and some not being so clear at first).

“What’s my destiny, Mama?”

“You’re gonna have to figure that out yourself.  Life is a box of chocolates, Forrest.  You never know what you’re gonna get.”

9. Stand By Me

I’ve become a fairly big fan of Stephen King in the past couple years.  I feel that he’s (mostly) offered some of the best stories out there, whether they detail strong characters or have striking scenarios, he’s almost never left me underwhelmed.  And despite how much I might praise his other works; I think the story that hits home the most for me is the film adaptation of Stand By Me.  The plot is very basic and gives us little more than the little journey that our four main characters go through.  But this simplicity gives the film a lot of room to detail the characters and we definitely get a strong dose of that, namely from Gordie and Chris.  The relationship between all four characters feels natural and realistic, with great agreements and sometimes bitter arguments sprouting out.  Anyone who’s seen the film unedited knows that it doesn’t try to sugarcoat anything but you’re not getting morbid or depressing images either.  It’s a kind of film that can easily to speak to anyone because of it cleverly maintaining a mid-ground mood.

“**** writing, I don’t want to be a writer.  It’s stupid.  It’s a stupid waste of time.”

“That’s your dad talking.”

“Bull****”

“Bull true.  I know how your dad feels about you.  He doesn’t give a **** about you, Denny was the one he cared about and don’t try to tell me different.  You’re just a kid, Gordie.”

“Oh, gee!  Thanks, Dad!”

“Wish the hell I was your Dad.  You wouldn’t be goin’ around talkin’ about takin’ these stupid shop courses if I was.  It’s like God gave you something, man, all those stories you can make up.  And He said, ‘This is what I got for ya, kid.  Try not to lose it.’  Kids lose everything unless there’s someone there to look out for them.  And if your parents are too ****ed up to do it, then maybe I should.”

8. Letters from Iwo Jima

This might sound blasphemous to some, but I’m pretty late to the Clint Eastwood party.  In fact, this and Flags of Our Fathers were my introduction to his work.  But as we all know Mr. Eastwood has seldom missed the mark and he definitely did a great job with Flags of Our Fathers.  Then there’s Letters from Iwo Jima, which trumps its American sibling in every conceivable way.  Despite telling the tale from the Japanese point of view, this film actually hits home harder than Flags of Our Fathers.  Giving us an idea of what the conditions were (probably) like for the Japanese soldiers who worked, fought and died on Iwo Jima is one of the film’s strongest aspects.  And it’s carried out throughout the entire runtime with pure excellence, giving us strong performances from the entire cast (especially Ken Watanabe) and dramatic moments matched by a solemnly peaceful score.  War has taken many forms and become the inspiration for a wide variety of films-this is one that gets my utmost recommendation for even the remotely curious.

“If our children can live safely for one more day it would be worth the one more day we defend this island.”

7. The War

Don’t be confused, this isn’t that forgettable film featuring Jason Statham and Jet Li.  Instead, this is a picture from 1994 staring Kevin Costner and a young Elijah Wood playing part of a dirt poor family in 1970.  I will say I’m definitely biased towards this film mostly because it hasn’t gotten much recognition and has thus become more of a cult favorite.  The synopsis doesn’t sound terribly interesting on paper and the happy-happy-joy-joy DVD cover indicates a very bland film.  However, this is a movie that, like most of the films on my Top 10 list, hit close to him simply for its characters.  The relationships are mostly believable and the acting is solid all around.  This leads to a real shame about the film: only two (three if you count Lucas Black) of the actors made it.  Many of the supporting characters were filled by people who looked like they had plenty of potential yet only Wood and Costner hit it big.  A number of messages are told throughout the film and although they aren’t emphasized quite to the extent of, say, Forrest Gump, it helps keep the film from feeling like it’s preaching.  I’m sure most who are reading this haven’t seen the film and likely won’t find it at their local video store.  But I highly urge even buying it since it can very easily grow on you and a number of scenes contribute to give it plenty of re-watch value.

“I hope you know them’s the kids who just beat me up.”

“I know who they are, son.”

“Then why’d you give them Ma and Lidia’s cotton candy?”

6. Schindler’s List

Of all the films on my Top 10 list, this is the one that I can never bring myself to watching multiple times.  I’ve only seen the movie one time, but that single viewing alone leaves such a mark on you that it’s almost impossible to forget the details.  This is a very different film for Spielberg which turns out to be a wonderful shift and only makes me wonder why he hasn’t done more dramas.  On the flip side, part of what helps Schindler’s List work so well is that we haven’t gotten very many films that even come close to hitting the serious mark it has.  Those who haven’t seen it should be aware that this is a very unapologetic viewing which, given the subject matter, is very important.  What’s best is that we get this inspired tale of a single setting in the Holocaust and it never loses the tight grip in the three hour runtime.  Schindler’s List very clearly deserved its Best Picture win at the Oscars for a number of reasons, including how unrelenting, convincing and absorbing it is.

“I could have got more out.  I could have got more.  I don’t know.  If I’d just…I could have got more.”

“Oskar, there are eleven hundred people who are alive because of you.  Look at them.”

“If I’d made more money…I threw away so much money.  You have no idea.  If I’d just…”

“There will be generations because of what you did.”

“I didn’t do enough!”

“You did so much.”

“This car.  Goeth would have bought this car.  Why did I keep the car?  Ten people right there.  Ten people.  Ten more people.”

“This pin.  Two people.  This is gold.  Two more people.  He would have given me two for it, at least one.  One more person.  A person, Stern.  For this.  I could have got one more person…and I didn’t!  And I…I didn’t!”

15…

1. El gabinete del doctor Caligari (Robert Wiene, 1920)

Sinopsis: Francis (Friedrich Feher) cuenta a un amigo lo que le pasó hace algún tiempo, cuando una feria ambulante llegó a Holstenwall (Alemania) y, con ella, el Doctor Caligari (Werner Krauss) y su espectáculo del sonámbulo Césare (Conrad Veidt). Curiosamente, nada más llegar la feria, empiezan  a suceder una serie de extraños asesinatos y nadie sabe a quien culpar.

Trastorno: Trastorno de Identidad Disociativo (TID). Es la presencia de dos o más personalidades dentro de la misma persona. El afectado adquiere una personalidad u otra de forma recurrente. Además, no recuerda información personal importante.

2. Psicosis (Alfred Hitchcock, 1960)

Sinopsis: Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) es una secretaria que se ve obligada a huir de la ciudad porque comete un robo. Se detiene para descansar en un motel de carretera, donde la atiende Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins), que lleva el hotel y vive con su madre en la casa de al lado. Más tarde, mientras se da una ducha, Marion es brutalmente asesinada.

Trastorno: trastorno psicótico no especificado. Realmente, el trastorno de Norman Bates no se ha podido especificar aún, pero si hay uno que se le acerca, es este. El trastorno psicótico se caracteriza por ideas delirantes, alucinaciones, comportamiento catatónico durante los episodios y dificultad en el lenguaje.

3. El resplandor (Stanley Kubrick, 1980)

Sinopsis: Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) se traslada con su familia al hotel Overlook, en Colorado, para ocuparse del mantenimiento del mismo durante el invierno, ya que en esta temporada el hotel permanece cerrado. Al principio todo parece tranquilo, pero a medida que pasa el tiempo Jack va desarrollando un comportamiento extraño e inquietante. Además, se suceden algunos hechos paranormales, ya que hace algún tiempo en el hotel hubo un asesinato.

Trastorno: esquizofrenia. La esquizofrenia es una distorsión del pensamiento. Los que la padecen tienen frecuentemente el sentimiento de estar controlados por fuerzas extrañas. Poseen ideas delirantes que pueden ser extravagantes, con alteración de la percepción, afecto anormal sin relación con la situación y autismo entendido como aislamiento.

4. Rain Man (Barry Levinson, 1988)

Sinopsis: Charlie Babbitt (Tom Cruise) es un joven egoísta e inaccesible, que descubre que tiene un hermano autista cuando muere su padre. Al principio, Charlie intentará conseguir la mitad del dinero que su hermano ha heredado (ya que su padre sólo le dejó un coche y sus rosales), pero terminarán conectando.

Trastorno: autismo. Según el Manual Diagnóstico y Estadístico de los Trastornos Mentales (DSM IV), los síntomas del autismo son: alteración cualitativa de la interacción social, incapacidad para desarrollar relaciones con los compañeros, alteración cualitativa de la comunicación, ausencia de juego realista o espontáneo, endurecimiento de un patrón de comportamiento, preocupación absorbente por uno o más patrones estereotipados y adhesión inflexible a rutinas no funcionales.

5. Forrest Gump (Robert Zemeckis, 1994)

Sinopsis: la película narra la vida de Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks), un niño con deficiencia mental. Esto nunca supuso un impedimento en su vida, ya que le llegaron a nombrar héroe de guerra por participar en la Guerra del Vietnam. Además, fue pescador, ganó una fortuna y se hizo famoso por recorrerse los Estados Unidos corriendo. Pero, a pesar de todo, se podría decir que el mayor objetivo de su vida era estar con Jenny, la chica de la que llevaba enamorado desde pequeño.

Trastorno: retraso mental. Funcionamiento intelectual menor que el de la mayoría de la gente. Afecta al 1% de la población y cualquier raza puede padecerlo. Los efectos de esta patología en la vida diaria dependen de la gravedad del retraso. El de Forrest, por ejemplo, era leve.

6. Seven (1995)

Sinopsis: dos detectives (Morgan Freeman y Brad Pitt) se enfrentan a un nuevo caso en el que un asesino se dedica a matar a sus víctimas basándose en los siete pecados capitales.

Trastorno: Psicopatía. El psicópata es aquel que tiene unas necesidades concretas y las resuelve de una forma atípica. Puede ser cualquier persona, ya que el psicópata no siempre actúa de esa manera, sólo se le pude identificar cuando comete un acto psicopático. Las características de un psicópata son: sortear las normas (no todas), encanto superficial, egocentrismo, incapacidad de amar, poca reacción afectiva, vida sexual impersonal, amenaza de suicidio, mentiras, consumo de sustancias nocivas, inteligencia, comportamiento fantasioso, manipulación y no toleran el fracaso.

7. Las dos caras de la verdad (Gregory Hoblit, 1996)

Sinopsis: Martin Vail (Richard Gere) es un ambicioso abogado que defiende a un chico (Edward Norton) acusado de asesinar al arzobispo de Chicago.

Trastorno: Trastorno de Identidad Disociativo (TID). Es la presencia de dos o más personalidades dentro de la misma persona. El afectado adquiere una personalidad u otra de forma recurrente. Además, no recuerda información personal importante.

8. Mejor… Imposible (James L. Brooks 1997)

Sinopsis: Melvin Udall (Jack Nicholson) es un escritor maniático, cascarrabias y desagradable, que un buen día se ve obligado a cuidar del perro de un vecino. El animal hará que Melvin se ablande y se humanice.

Trastorno: Trastorno Obsesivo Compulsivo (TOC). Se caracteriza por presentar obsesiones y compulsiones  que son reconocidas por las personas como excesivas e irracionales provocando un malestar clínicamente significativo e interfiriendo con la rutina del individuo y en sus relaciones (tanto laborales como sociales). Hay poca consciencia del trastorno.

9. Mercury Rising (Al rojo vivo) (Harold Becker, 1998)

Sinopsis: Art Jeffries (Bruce Willis) es un policía al que le asignan el caso de Simon (Miko Hughes), un niño que es autista y cuyos padres han sido asesinados. Simon resulta tener la increíble habilidad de poder descifrar códigos que ningún especialista ha podido descifrar.

Trastorno: autismo. Según el Manual Diagnóstico y Estadístico de los Trastornos Mentales (DSM IV), los síntomas del autismo son: alteración cualitativa de la interacción social, incapacidad para desarrollar relaciones con los compañeros, alteración cualitativa de la comunicación, ausencia de juego realista o espontáneo, endurecimiento de un patrón de comportamiento, preocupación absorbente por uno o más patrones estereotipados y adhesión inflexible a rutinas no funcionales.

10. El club de la lucha (David Fincher, 1999)

Sinopsis: Jack (Edward Norton) lleva una vida aburrida e insulsa. En un viaje en avión conoce a Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt), un vendedor de jabones que representa lo contrario a Jack. Es guapo, carismático y su filosofía se basa en que la autodestrucción es la clave de la vida. Juntos forman un club de lucha secreto que se extiende por todo Estados Unidos.

Trastorno: Trastorno de Identidad Disociativo (TID). Es la presencia de dos o más personalidades dentro de la misma persona. El afectado adquiere una personalidad u otra de forma recurrente. Además, no recuerda información personal importante.

11. Memento (Christopher Nolan, 2000)

Sinopsis: Leonard (Guy Pearce) sufre amnesia desde que, en un robo en su casa, recibió un fuerte golpe en la cabeza. Como consecuencia, pierde su memoria a largo plazo. La noche del robo asesinaron a su mujer y desde entonces el objetivo de Leonard es vengar su muerte. Para recordarlo cada día cubre su cuerpo de tatuajes y deja notas por todos lados.

Trastorno: trastorno amnésico debido a enfermedad médica. Es un deterioro de la memoria por el cual el afectado no es capaz de construir nuevos recuerdos o de recordar lo que le ha ocurrido previamente. En este caso, la amnesia la produce un traumatismo craneoencefálico.

12. Una mente maravillosa (Ron Howard, 2001)

Sinopsis: John Nash (Russel Crowe) es un matemático que al principio de su carrera descubrió una fórmula que revolucionó varios campos de la ciencia. Este descubrimiento catapultó a Nash al éxito y la fama, pero su cerebro le juega malas pasadas, ya que padece esquizofrenia. Logró superar la enfermedad gracias a la ayuda de su esposa Alicia (Jennifer Connely).

Trastorno: esquizofrenia. La esquizofrenia es una distorsión del pensamiento. Los que la padecen tienen frecuentemente el sentimiento de estar controlados por fuerzas extrañas. Poseen ideas delirantes que pueden ser extravagantes, con alteración de la percepción, afecto anormal sin relación con la situación y autismo entendido como aislamiento.

13. Yo soy Sam (2001)

Sinopsis: Sam Dawson es un padre con retraso mental al que los servicios sociales declaran incapaz de cuidar de su hija (Dakota Fanning). Sam intentará con la ayuda de su abogada (Michelle Pfeiffer) que no se lleven a su hija.

Trastorno: retraso mental. Funcionamiento intelectual menor que el de la mayoría de la gente. Afecta al 1% de la población y cualquier raza puede padecerlo. Los efectos de esta patología en la vida diaria dependen de la gravedad del retraso.

14. Los impostores (Ridley Scott, 2003)

Sinopsis: Roy (Nicholas Cage) tiene un socio llamado Frank (Sam Rockwell), con el que se dedica a timar a la gente vendiendo depuradoras de agua a un precio desorbitado. Roy tiene serios trastornos (presenta los dos especificados más abajo), lo cual le causa problemas en su trabajo cuando un día, sin querer, tira las pastillas por el sumidero. Debido a esto, Roy acude al psiquiatra, que le receta de nuevo unas pastillas y que además saca a la luz el escabroso tema de la vida sentimental de Roy, el cual tiene una hija (Alison Lohman)  que no conoce. Decide contactar con ella y, sorprendentemente, se empiezan a llevar tan bien que ella cambiará la vida de su padre.

Trastorno: agorafobia y Trastorno Obsesivo Compulsivo (TOC). El primero se caracteriza por el miedo a los espacios abiertos. Aunque, en la actualidad, la definición de agorafobia es más amplia, incluye el miedo a salir de casa, a cruzar la calle, a viajar en cualquier medio de transporte, a situaciones de las que no puedas escapar fácilmente, a lugares donde no puedan ayudarte o a encontrarse en medio de una multitud de la que sea difícil salir. Y el segundo, Se caracteriza por presentar obsesiones y compulsiones  que son reconocidas por las personas como excesivas e irracionales provocando un malestar clínicamente significativo e interfiriendo con la rutina del individuo y en sus relaciones (tanto laborales como sociales). Hay poca consciencia del trastorno.

15. El aviador (Martin Scorsese, 2004)

Sinopsis: Biopic del magnate Howard Hughes (Leonardo DiCaprio), que llegó a Hollywood con dinero heredado de la fábrica de su padre y logró hacerse una fortuna gracias a la producción cinematográfica y a la radio. Fue dueño de la RKO Radio Pictures y lanzó la carrera de Jean Harlow.

Trastorno: Trastorno Obsesivo Compulsivo (TOC). Se caracteriza por presentar obsesiones y compulsiones  que son reconocidas por las personas como excesivas e irracionales provocando un malestar clínicamente significativo e interfiriendo con la rutina del individuo y en sus relaciones (tanto laborales como sociales). Hay poca consciencia del trastorno.

… +1

Alguien voló sobre el nido del cuco (Milos Forman, 1975)

Sinopsis: Randle McMurphy (Jack Nicholson) es un preso que está cumpliendo condena en la cárcel, pero que se las ingenia para que le saquen de allí y le lleven a un psiquiátrico. Una vez allí, se gana el cariño de sus compañeros, ya que no los trata con tiranía ni como si no pudieran entender nada. La mujer que los trata así es la enfermera Mildred Ratched (Louis Fletcher), que impone unos castigos excesivamente severos cada vez que no se cumplen las normas. Randle le declara la guerra a la enfermera, que decide castigarle dándole un fuerte tratamiento de electroshock.

Trastorno: esta película la he querido situar la última por distintos motivos. Uno de ellos es, por supuesto, que al ser la película que le da el nombre al blog le quería dar un lugar especial, y el segundo motivo es que esta película no trata los trastornos mentales como las anteriores. En las 15 previas, el protagonista es el que tiene el trastorno, en mayor o menor medida, pero siempre es él. Además suele estar claramente representado. Sin embargo, lo que se trata en Alguien voló sobre el nido del cuco es más el papel del psiquiatra, que coarta la libertad de aquel que quiere pensar libremente y que nos siembra la duda de si los trastornados son realmente los enfermos o lo son los enfermeros. Podéis encontrar una amplia explicación de esto aquí.

Ieri sera a casa di amici ho rivisto per l’ennesima volta il film Forrest Gump , io lo considero talmente speciale da meritare una rivisitazione . Faccio prima una premessa : io credo che  la filmografia statunitense ( Hollywood) è una filmografia di stato , controllata fin nei minimi dettagli dalla United States Information Agency (USIA) , un agenzia federale pubblica nell’esistenza ma segreta nell’operatività ( come la CIA) istituita nel 1953 allo scopo di creare nel pubblico internazionale una precisa ancorché falsa immagine degli USA. L’agenzia non si occupa solo di Hollywood ora conta sui 30.000 dipendenti e ha sede al 301 IV South West Street di Washington. Ma veniamo al nostro Forrest Gump. È un film inquietante e pericoloso , perchè non solo oltremodo carico di propaganda politica e culturale , ma anche costruito con tecniche subliminali sopraffine e atte ad arrecare danni significativi. Racconta la singolare vita di un americano di Nome forrest Gump ,semiritardato e , da bambino poliomielitico, cui capita di avere contatti sia pure fugaci con molti grandi personaggi e di partecipare ad eventi storici nodali del suo tempo. In pratica una carrellata di 30 anni di storia americana , diciamo dal 1955 al 1985, dandone senza farci accorgere una valutazione precisa. Il film è del 1994 lo conoscono tutti per cui evito di dilungarmi nella trama. Ecco allora gli elementi di propaganda intenzionale che sono presenti nel film.

1)Forrest è descritto come gli USA vorrebbero che il mondo credesse l’americano tipico : forse poco intelligente ma onesto e ben intenzionato , candido sino all’ingenuità ; uno che se fa del male lo fa per stupidità o per eccesso di zelo ( tipo i bombardamenti”intelligenti” o le due bombe atomiche sul Giappone o le oltre cento guerre dichiarate ai vari paesi di tutte le latitudini, da quando questo paese e nato……..loro sono cosi per nulla cattivi solo un po’ bamboccioni) E’ propaganda culturale , perché l’americano tipico è l’opposto : astuto , cinico e malintenzionato , e quando fa il male — pur ridendo , come in genere — sa di farlo. Serve perché gli americani amano fare gli sprovveduti per non “pagare il dazio” . Dopo aver compiuto una delle nefandezze varie, mettiamo un colpo di stato o una strage di civili ( esempi ce ne sarebbero a iosa) sono dispostissimi a d attribuirli al loro “zelo anticomunista” forse eccessivo; a “informazioni sbagliate o incomplete” ; a “bombe intelligenti” delle quali con falsa ritrosia ammettono qualche volta i difetti: ma anche a pura e semplice dabbenaggine . Tutto pur di non dire “ABBIAMO SOVVERTITO , UCCISO perché COSI AVEVAMO PROGRAMMATO. Non dico che non esistono americani come Forrest del film. Esistono in verità , e si possono prendere a modello per un film. Frank Capra lo ha fatto molte volte . Ma averne inserito uno come protagonista di un film come questo non può non che essere una scelta precisa e maliziosa.

2)Attraverso l’abile montaggio di filmati d’epoca vediamo Forrest in contatto con i presidenti Kennedy,Johnson e Nixon . Ci sono più strati di falsità. Questi episodi sono presentati come incontri di un uomo comune con il potere incarnato , e cosi si dice implicitamente che i presidenti americani comandano.

3) I presidenti americani invece non contano proprio niente. Il potere negli USA è detenuto dall’establishment imprenditoriale , in particolare dalle multinazionali , e il presidente, è solo un impiegato incaricato di fare i loro precisi interessi nel mondo, il che è la definizione di sempre della politica estera americana. Gli USA in effetti sono UNA DITTATURA IMPRENDITORIALE . Dire o suggerire che i presidenti americani comandano è pura propaganda. Quindi si presentano i tre presidenti secondo i soliti cliché ; Kennedy idealista, democratico,benintenzionato;Jhonson populista , democratico ,benintenzionato;Nixon disonesto ,poco democratico male intenzionato ( e perciò sarebbe stato allontanato dalla carica,e cioè licenziato). Tutto falso erano dei presidenti americani e perciò erano tutti uguali , tutti dediti a fare gli interessi all’estero dell’establishment , con i soliti metodi spietati .kennedy fece uccidere Ngo Din Diem ; tentò di fare altrettanto con Castro ( per venti volte secondo quest’ultimo) ; diede impulso alla sovversione in Indocina ; fece preparare l’orrendo programma –quadro di manipolazione pscicologica di massa che fu chiamato in suo onore Camelot ( come i media americani chiamavano Kennedy, perché era nobile e senza macchia come un cavaliere della tavola rotonda ; il programma per chi non lo sapesse , THE QUARTER MAN che fu usato dalla CIA per il colpo di stato in Cile del 1973 faceva parte di Camelot) Johnson fece mettere in scena l’incidente del golfo del Tonchino e poi iniziò i bombardamenti di civili in indocina che alla fine tirate le somme , avrebbero provocato 6 milioni di morti . Nixon era come loro , appena un po’ meno simpatico , e fu licenziato solo perché aveva sancito la sconfitta nella guerra del Vietnam.

4) La sensazione della democraticità del sistema americano pervade tutto il film. Lo fa in maniera indiretta , dandola per talmente scontata da non meritare evidenziazioni . Come si è detto , gli USA non sono affatto una democrazia . Sono un sistema totalitario , che si regge sull’esclusione del voto di più della meta della popolazione e sulla repressione del dissenso . Sopra l’ho chiamata una dittatura dell’imprenditoriato , e questo è. Dire o suggerire che sono una democrazia è propaganda

5) Durante una manifestazione hippies e di neri a Washington un uomo un po’ anziano e in divisa stacca goffamente la spina del megafono dell’oratore di turno. E’ una inserzione di propaganda sublimale: suggerisce che gli eventuali boicottaggi alle manifestazioni progressiste degli anni 60 –dei pacifisti , dei figli dei fiori ,dei neri-furono dovute ad iniziative estemporanee e personali di singoli benpensanti , sia pure magari appartenenti a qualche corpo statale o federale. Abbiamo invece avuto modo di vedere a proposito del movimento dei diritti civili dei neri che si trattò di ben altro, che si trattò di una repressione ufficiale , e violentissima benché surrettizia , ordinata dal Congresso.

5) Nel film i movimenti degli hippies pacifisti o dei neri per i diritti civili sono potentemente diffamati . I loro happenings sono tutti disordine , ubriacatezza, droga e intemperanze sessuali. Non è certo la parte “buona” dell’america. La parte buona è evidenziata da Forrest , che casualmente capita in una di queste manifestazioni vestito in alta uniforme (è in licenza dal Vietnam , dove faceva il suo dovere ;mantiene la divisa perché — ci suggerisce la regia –ne è orgoglioso) . Viene proposto un party delle pantere nere ,cui partecipa Jenny l’amata di Forrest : alcol, droga e tutto il resto .Un giovane presentato come comunista , segretario di cellula ,picchia Jenny senza apparente motivo: si sa come sono i comunisti .La salva Forrest , nella sua divisa . Non sono opinioni del regista o dei produttori ; è propaganda dell’USIA.

6) Nel 1978 l’USIA ha stabilito con molta precisione come Hollywood deve rappresentare la guerra del Vietnam , sia dal punto di vista politico che tecnico-militare. Politicamente va detto , o dato per sottointeso , ch egli Usa intervennero per difendere il sud dalla minaccia comunista. Dal punto di vista militare non andavano assolutamente mostrati i bombardamenti di civili e tutta la guerra andava ridotta a una guerriglia nella foresta , con piccole pattuglie americane che si difendevano dai da proditori attacchi di elementi non in divisa .Panzane naturalmente, propaganda. Gli usa intervennero per assicurare a tutte le loro multinazionali le risorse del paese e dell’Indocina tutta ; interessavano particolarmente le foreste di alberi della gomma buoni per fare i pneumatici . I bombardamenti di civili erano quotidiani , e cosi fu per anni . E la guerra fu una classica guerra moderna, risolta non dai guerrieri Vietcong ma dalle artiglierie , e dalle divisioni corazzate, meccanizzate e di fanteria dell’esercito regolare del Vietnam del nord . E’ importante invece far credere che si sia trattato unicamente di guerriglia : si giustifica in qualche modo l’esito del conflitto .Invece ammettere una guerra regolare rivelerebbe una verità che gli usa vogliono tenere nascosta , la congenita e stupefacente debolezza delle loro forze di terra , che non sono in grado di battere nessun avversario , praticamente( nel 1968 , l’anno dell’offensiva del Tet , quando i carri armati del Vietnam del nord giunsero a Saigon , 540,000 equipaggiattissimi soldati americani appartenenti a 51 divisioni,appoggiati da una potentissima aviazione e serviti da 850.000 ascari Sudvietnamiti , avevano a che fare con il seguente avversario : 87400 regolari nord-vietnamiti ripartiti in 10 divisioni , 56000 Vietcong , altri 69000 guerriglieri sciolti , e 50800 elementi non combattenti addetti ai trasporti ,sanità propaganda e cosi via) Forrest va alla guerra in Vietnam e le sue vicende concordano con la versione USIA , COME è PER TUTTI GLI ALTRI FILM di Hollywood ,è ovvio . Non si parla dei motivi della guerra, ma se ci fosse stato qualcosa di losco l’intelligente e democratico tenete Dan lo avrebbe detto no? Quindi il combattimento a cui partecipa Forrest e tipico di quanto prescritto dall’Usia : la sua pattuglia cade in un’imboscata .Di carri armati Nordvietnamiti che avanzano in file serrate e di carri armati americani abbandonati dagli equipaggi in fuga non c’è traccia.

7)A parte come un cammeo va trattata una scena di Forrest in Vietnam. In una sequenza di pochi secondi si vede la pattuglia di F avanzare in perlustrazione col fucili spianato in una risaia , fra i contadini sud vietnamiti che rimangono chini a lavorare tranquilli sulle loro piantine , come se niente fosse .E’ una scena subliminale. Trasmette un messaggio preciso: che i contadini sud vietnamiti in generale –si fidavano degli americani , li consideravano amici e alleati. Una falsità; i sud vietnamiti , e i contadini in particolare , erano terrorizzati dai soldati usa . Basti ricordare l’episodio di May Lai , dove nel novembre 1968 la compagnia Charlie sterminò tutti gli abitanti perché nei pressi erano attivi guerrieri ; le vittime furono 500 , ed erano donne e bambini perché gli uomini erano a pesca. Esiste un filmato di tale operazione , girato da uno dei soldati .Da notare che Hollywood non ha mai tratto un film da tale episodio , che pur si presterebbe.

Analoga la scena in cui il reduce tenente Dan presenta la nuova moglie a F: nel doppiaggio italiano è definita una latino americana, ma ha i tratti somatici indocinesi , addirittura vietnamiti ( messaggio subliminale: i vietnamiti non ci tengono rancore , perchè non gli abbiamo fatto nulla di male) Nell’originale inglese la donna è definita “vietnamita”e cosi è il doppiaggio nei paesi meno evoluti.

9)Una sottile propaganda culturale è propinata da F podista .F corre a piedi per gli States senza mai dire nulla .La gente pensa che abbia qualche messaggio da comunicare e diversi giovani cominciano a trotterellargli dietro in attesa . Dopo tre anni e due mesi F si ferma ed i giovani pendono dalle sue labbra, ma lui dice “sono un pò stanchino”. penso che tornerò a casa . E’ una irrisione per coloro che attendono qualcosa dai pensatori , dagli ideologi , da tutti quelli che non ritengono soddisfacente il sistema americano e continuano a cercare. Per l’ USIA il sistema usa è perfetto e chi spera di trovare alternative è un illuso.

10) Nel film c’è un chiaro elogio al capitalismo americano . Dopo il Vietnam Forrest e il tenente Dan, uno semiritardato e l’altro senza gambe, diventano miliardari con la Budda Shrimp Company .Messaggio subliminale : sono due meritevoli e il sistema — che è giusto —- immancabilmente li premia , sia pure dopo averli fatti penare un po’. Si fa di più .Si suggerisce infatti — sempre per via sublimale – che è Dio stesso a guidare tale sistema : provoca una tempesta che elimina la flotta peschereccia della concorrenza. E’ l’dea fondamentale del Calvinismo , la religione americana : Dio fa arricchire i meritevoli , o gli insondabili prediletti , e manda a ramengo gli altri. Segue un po’ di propaganda subliminale della Apple Computers :Forrest e Dan si arricchiscono ulteriormente investendo in azioni di questa multinazionale , che diventa veicolo di positività e quindi positiva essa stessa. Diventati capitalisti consolidati i due fanno beneficenza : elargiscono donazioni alla parrocchia protestante locale, soccorrono finanziariamente la madre dell’amico nero Budda morto in Vietnam , e fondono un ospedale a Bayoula , il paesino dei pescatori di gamberetti rovinati dalla tempesta divina. .Nella vicenda è contenuta ( in via subliminale) una diffamazione dei neri : i pescatori di Bayoula ( paesino della Luisiana sul delta del Missisippi) sono tutti neri e sempre stati in miseria, ma ecco , arrivano due bianchi a fare il loro mestiere e diventano miliardari.

11) Forrest ha una vita punteggiata da contatti personali, benché fugaci con grandi personaggi pubblici : conosce Elvis Presley (cui addirittura ispira le tipiche movenze) ; incontra i presidenti J.F.K,L Jhonson e R.Nixon ( e ne innesca la caduta) partecipa casualmente ad una intervista televisiva di J. Lennon ; assiste all’attentato del governatore Wallace. Occorre in qualche modo rendere verosimile tale sequela di eventi pubblici e si ricorre ad altri strumenti sotterranei , che riguardano accettabili concatenazioni di eventi sul piano privato e predispongono ad accettare anche quello a livello pubblico . Il filo conduttore sono gli arti inferiori del corpo umano .Forrest bambino guarisce dalla poliomielite e diventa valido maratoneta .In Vietnam il tenente Dan lo ammonisce come prima cosa a tenere i piedi asciutti ( le risaie) Lo stesso tenente perde proprio le gambe .Il collegamento con la sfera pubblica avviene con il governatore Wallace , rimasto paralizzato nell’attentato , e su una sedia a rotelle , come il tenente Dan. Il tenete alla fine cammina con delle protesi che richiamano gli apparecchi portati da Forrest bambino.

12) Ma questa la lascio trovare a voi………vi do giusto un suggerimento. Andate a vedere la biografia di una certa Jean Seberg ( attrice assai nota negli usa ma anche in Europa ) e confrontatela con la figura di Jenny Curran l’amata di Forrest e vi stupirete delle analogie tra le due……………………

Molti lettori Italiani potranno obiettare di non aver mai sentito parlare della Seberg.Può darsi, ma altri si

Ci sono paesi poi dove la vicenda ebbe un eco maggiore che in Italia , inducendo strascichi più lunghi nella memoria .In Francia ad esempio e senz’altro negli USA. Non tutti i critici cinematografici europei inoltre sono come quelli italiani , o come Paolo Limiti odoratore di Hollywood e delle sue bionde star del passato ben si guarda dal citare anche minimamente la vicenda “ Seberg” .Povera Jean Seberg .Le diffamazioni dell’FBI la uccisero .Ora anche le diffamazioni di Hollywood pesano sulla sua tomba.

Giusto per solleticare la vostra curiosità fate qualche ricerca sul programma : COINTELPRO, oppure su qualche nome del tipo Huey Newton, Abbie Hoffaman, Bobby Seale, Holly Maddox o sul quel “ buon uomo” di Robert Maheu e della sua passione per certi filmetti pornografici ( ne sa qualcosa , sua malgrado il compianto M.L.King) e se non bastasse il “buon uomo” si ripete anche nei confronti del presidente dell’indonesia Sukarno e della cantante Eartha Kitt. Ma si sa …è tutto roba fatta in buonafede e che diamine !!

The Bad Girl by Mario Vargas Llosa

Ricardo Somocurcio is the protagonist, the soft-hearted man who has no ambition in life other than living in Paris. He meets the girl of his dreams at the tender age of 16 in his hometown of Miraflores in Peru, and falls under the spell of her “mischievous laugh” and the “mocking glance of her eyes the color of dark honey.” From then on, they follow a crazy cycle where she betrays him time and again, only to return back and be forgiven.

The story moves from Peru to London, Paris, Tokyo, and Madrid where the two encounter each other. He calls her “the bad girl”, and she calls him the “good boy”.

For the rest of the book, they pretty much play according to these good boy/bad girl stereotypes, until the final end to their love story.

My thoughts on this book:

While the love story itself is nothing much to write home about, I loved his descriptions of the places and the actual events that occurred at the time period they lived in.

I loved the peek into Parisian cafe life in the 1960s; the idealism of those times that prompted well-established young men to chuck their lives in the cause of bringing communism to their countries; of a time when Fidel Castro was considered a hero among the leftists; when terms like Maoism were not just words that were bandied about, but actually an ideology that was taken seriously and which promised to change the world.

I loved 70s swinging London when AIDS first makes its scary appearance, and his descriptions of Peru and the political turbulence of that time.

In many ways, this book mirrors the movie “Forrest Gump” – both are based on simple people who unconditionally love one woman. Both make a lot of references to important world events that occurred during the course of the story. Both the stories also have a pretty much similar ending (there I have given the ending away, but then it is something easily guessed!). The only difference is that this book is lacking in the schmaltz factor and the one-liners that evoke the tears.

What I mean to say is that I enjoyed this book, loved it even, but read it with a feeling of slight detachment. Not for one moment did I truly care whether the two would have a happy ending or not. This book did not evoke any kind of stronger emotion in me – rage at the bad girl, or sadness when she betrays him, nothing, de nada.

I don’t know why is that. Usually, I really get sucked into such type of stories.

Finally, before I conclude this strangely unsatisfying review (I feel I have so much to say about this book, but the words are not coming to me), I must say that I did enjoy it better than Love in the Time of Cholera. Two similar books, but the writing styles are very different. I must say that I much prefer Mario Vargas Llosa’s modernism compared to Marquez’s magical realism.

Before writing this review, I did some research on Llosa, and it appears that “The Bad Girl” is one of his lesser books. I quite liked this one, so I definitely do plan to read more.

What about you? Have you read any of his other books? Which one would you recommend for me to read next?

Non, je ne parle pas du dernier clip de Diam’s, mais bien de Nicolas Sarkozy. A moins de vivre sous une pierre comme Patrick, vous êtes forcément au courant des déclarations de notre Président, qui a affirmé sur son Facebook avoir participé à la destruction du Mur Berlin il y a 20 ans.

Et comme toujours lorsqu’une info aussi énorme débarque sur Internet, des équipes d’acharnés ont mené l’enquête, et retrouvé la date exacte à laquelle ont été prises les photos du Président en train de gratter du crépi en Allemagne, recoupé toutes les déclarations et finalement établi que Nicolas avait la mémoire qui flanchait un peu et avait tendance à mélanger les dates.

Etant donné que je suis légèrement débordé en ce moment (croyez pas, c’est un vrai taf de chercher des photos de tatouage Homer Simpson ou de regarder la télé), je n’ai pas eu le courage de faire un Yellow Carpet “Spécial Nicolas Sarkozy”, avec tous les évènements majeurs de l’Histoire dont a été témoin le Chef de l’Etat ou auxquels il a participé activement. Heureusement qu’il y a des gens plus conscienceux que moi, et qu’ils ont créé l’excellent site Nicolas y était (ou presque). Incontournable.

Cliquez ici pour visiter le site