When it comes to movies, I’m a man of discriminating taste. I don’t watch scary movies. That was a resolve I made early in childhood. I didn’t want to be afraid of the dark. During young adulthood, I watched the film “Wait Until Dark” and I was both shocked and horrified by the ending of the movie. Incidentally, several years ago I opted to watch the movie again online and it had the same impact on me.
I don’t remember how old I was when I saw the film, Jaws. It too was unforgettable. I was in New Orleans for a weeklong workshop at the time and Bourbon Street had no appeal to me. You can only ride a streetcar through the city so many times before it becomes boring. I thought I’d try a movie instead.
The movie Jaws will forever be tied to what his referred to as shark music. All I have to do is hear the sound and the hair on the back of my neck stands up. During the movie when a head appeared in the bottom of a boat, I screamed loudly enough to be hear blocks away. By the way, I haven’t opted to watch that movie for a second time.
My younger brother once telephoned me to recommend that I see the movie Indian Runner. Perhaps because he lives in Oklahoma, he saw something in the film that I did not. He said the movie was about two brothers and the film reminded him of us.
The movie was beyond awful! There was also a childbirth scene in the movie. Throughout the film, I attempted to ascertain what about the movie reminded him of us. I was very confused and actually watched the film twice before I thought he needed to have his head examined.
It turns out that he thought the movie was awful as well. He assumed that misery loves company and knew I’d concur with his response to the movie. I should have known that Larry can’t be trusted as a movie critic.
Shortly before we moved to Austin in the 1970s, I was in Austin with a group of colleagues from work. Someone suggested that we all go to a movie. My brother Larry had recommended the movie Taxi to me. He said it was thought provoking and had social connotations.
There is something about seeing someone getting their head bashed in with a crowbar that didn’t set well with me. That scene appeared early in the movie. I walked out and spent the remainder of the time in the lobby of the theatre waiting for my friends. They too, were all social workers. Whether than found the film thought provoking with social connotations I don’t know.
I sat through the movie Saving Private Ryan mostly with my eyes shut. A couple of friends who accompanied me were therapists and they thought the movie would be therapeutically beneficial for me to watch it. They were wrong. I don’t watch war movies.
Last night the General wanted to watch a movie. Normally, I make the selection. She always wants to read the script that describes the movie. I don’t usually have time for that, but she saw Narrow Escape and said, “That may be good.”
My instinct told me that it would not be good. It looked like a war movie to me. I was smart enough to select the movie since the General had added her two cents. You can find the movie on Amazon Prime or just search for it on Google.
The movie is based on a true story and it is definitely worth the watch.
All My Best!
Don
Carpe Diem 