People are always talking about the good old days. I know that they weren’t really any better, but sometimes they seem like it. Personally, I’ve always been a big fan of the simple tale of adventure: the epic battle of good versus evil that also inevitably involves a girl.
Who said stories have to be ridiculously contrived to be enjoyable? So many recent films have become ludicrous vehicles for the bloated egos of superstars and/or excessive special effects budgets. Most are simply launch pads for lucrative franchises of sequels and merchandise. Give me a black-and-white that actually has a point!
Call me strange, but I prefer my entertainment to be more old school. All I want is a decent plotline, witty dialogue, actors with real talent instead of just looks, and a good soundtrack. People may think I’m weird for loving Casablanca, but it kicks Avatar’s butt any day without even breaking a sweat.
Nowadays you never hear of a movie coming out unless it’s all CGI and 3D. Jimmy Stewart, Cary Grant, and Audrey Hepburn did not need special effects to move an audience. I’m not saying that I don’t appreciate thought-provoking or visually awesome cinematography. I do, however, miss when movies were all about telling a story.
Showing posts with label casablanca. Show all posts
Showing posts with label casablanca. Show all posts
Friday, July 16, 2010
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Home Sweet House
Earlier today, someone said to me, "you are where you live." I have already been recently contemplating the concept of Home and what it means to a person. To some, their dwelling is merely where they keep most of their stuff and occassionally sleep—these people would probably find their true home to be elsewhere, such as an office.
Where you live really does say a lot about you and where you are in your life. For instance, it would be unlikely for a family with several children to live in an apartment. Similarly, a socially active extrovert would not likely live in a cabin in the woods. If you live with roommates or alone instead of with relatives, that also says a lot. (Most generalities do not apply to New York City or other such evil metropolises.)
A few years ago there was a tv show called "Get Packing" which was quite short-lived and with good reason. The two contestants each had a few minutes inside someone's house to learn as much about them as possible and pack a suitcase for a weekend getaway... the person then chose his/her date based on the contents of the suitcase and how well the contestants had guessed his/her personality based on his/her house. The interesting thing about the show was how exactly precise or widely inaccurate the contestants could be.
If you look around my current apartment, I'm sure it would tell you a lot. A poster from my favorite film is framed and hanging in my living room. Most of my furniture is second-hand. I have two separate organizers for my shoes (one for dress shoes and the other for street shoes). There is usually a pile of dishes in the sink. Currently, there is only one toothbrush in the holder on the bathroom counter.
When I was growing up, my family moved around a lot. A lot. I hated it. Now that I'm out on my own, I would like to put down roots somewhere. Not necessarily here, where I am at this moment, but I do not enjoy a transient lifestyle of only a year or two in a town. I think that my generation has had it with the gypsy ways of our youth—parents moving around, parents moving out, parents provided by the foster-care system...
We young people have multiple, significant obstacles in our way, but we'll make it. We have to. I would want my kids to go to the same school for their whole education and not have to constantly make new friends. I want to be able to actually buy a house, instead of just renting. I want to invest in that house and make it a home for myself and for the family I hope to have someday.
Where you live really does say a lot about you and where you are in your life. For instance, it would be unlikely for a family with several children to live in an apartment. Similarly, a socially active extrovert would not likely live in a cabin in the woods. If you live with roommates or alone instead of with relatives, that also says a lot. (Most generalities do not apply to New York City or other such evil metropolises.)
A few years ago there was a tv show called "Get Packing" which was quite short-lived and with good reason. The two contestants each had a few minutes inside someone's house to learn as much about them as possible and pack a suitcase for a weekend getaway... the person then chose his/her date based on the contents of the suitcase and how well the contestants had guessed his/her personality based on his/her house. The interesting thing about the show was how exactly precise or widely inaccurate the contestants could be.
If you look around my current apartment, I'm sure it would tell you a lot. A poster from my favorite film is framed and hanging in my living room. Most of my furniture is second-hand. I have two separate organizers for my shoes (one for dress shoes and the other for street shoes). There is usually a pile of dishes in the sink. Currently, there is only one toothbrush in the holder on the bathroom counter.
When I was growing up, my family moved around a lot. A lot. I hated it. Now that I'm out on my own, I would like to put down roots somewhere. Not necessarily here, where I am at this moment, but I do not enjoy a transient lifestyle of only a year or two in a town. I think that my generation has had it with the gypsy ways of our youth—parents moving around, parents moving out, parents provided by the foster-care system...
We young people have multiple, significant obstacles in our way, but we'll make it. We have to. I would want my kids to go to the same school for their whole education and not have to constantly make new friends. I want to be able to actually buy a house, instead of just renting. I want to invest in that house and make it a home for myself and for the family I hope to have someday.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Tragedy Tomorrow, Comedy Tonight
The easiest way to know whether one of Shakespeare’s plays is a comedy or a tragedy is to skip to the end. Supposedly, tragedies always end with a death… comedies, with a wedding. Have you ever noticed how many contemporary “romantic comedies” end with the happy couple getting together? Lingering kiss and sentimental song included, of course.
Too many profound, realistic films are cast aside by modern audiences simply because they do not have a “happy ending.” Just the other day, a friend was expressing her disdain for Casablanca, because the hero doesn’t get the girl at the end. That, however, should not be the definition of a satisfying conclusion to a story. I love the end of Casablanca because Rick lets Ilsa go! He actually does the right thing and then moves on. After all, “the problems of three little people don’t amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world.”
Our culture has become too Disney-fied for its own good. Sometimes, there really is no Prince Charming and the bad guys really do win. The Little Mermaid is a perfect example of this. In the original tale (transcribed by Hans Christian Andersen in 1836) the prince marries another princess and then the mermaid sacrifices her own life to save his anyway. Today, however, children grow up believing that they’ll live happily ever after and have everything they ever wanted—just as soon as they can get a credit card.
Life is neither a comedy nor a tragedy. Sure, you can dream of a magical kingdom, but do not compromise yourself to attain it. At the end of the day, it’s better to be alone and know that you did the right thing, than to have all your dreams come true and not be able to look at yourself in the mirror. That’s not a dream, that’s a nightmare that too many people live every day.
Too many profound, realistic films are cast aside by modern audiences simply because they do not have a “happy ending.” Just the other day, a friend was expressing her disdain for Casablanca, because the hero doesn’t get the girl at the end. That, however, should not be the definition of a satisfying conclusion to a story. I love the end of Casablanca because Rick lets Ilsa go! He actually does the right thing and then moves on. After all, “the problems of three little people don’t amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world.”
Our culture has become too Disney-fied for its own good. Sometimes, there really is no Prince Charming and the bad guys really do win. The Little Mermaid is a perfect example of this. In the original tale (transcribed by Hans Christian Andersen in 1836) the prince marries another princess and then the mermaid sacrifices her own life to save his anyway. Today, however, children grow up believing that they’ll live happily ever after and have everything they ever wanted—just as soon as they can get a credit card.
Life is neither a comedy nor a tragedy. Sure, you can dream of a magical kingdom, but do not compromise yourself to attain it. At the end of the day, it’s better to be alone and know that you did the right thing, than to have all your dreams come true and not be able to look at yourself in the mirror. That’s not a dream, that’s a nightmare that too many people live every day.
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