That’s Entertainment!

Dear Reader,

The title above is meant to be somewhat ironic. At the moment I am watching “Apocalypse Now-Redux.” I have seen the original movie in whole or in part a couple of times, but not this new cut, until now. I’m watching it on Bravo, so much of the hard-core cussing has been cut out, as I am sure many really juicy, bloody scenes have been, as well.

I’m watching it to be edified. I don’t normally do this. When I watch a movie, I want to be entertained. If I pay to go to a film, I want to come out feeling better than when I went in, not worse. I don’t want to come out of a movie questioning my existence, my intelligence, or wondering what the meaning of life is. I don’t want to regret having lost those two hours sitting through something that makes me dissatisfied or unhappy, then use my time talking or writing about it (see: http://zirconrough.blogspot.com/2006/11/faking-pledge.html). This doesn’t mean I am shallow; I just like to be amused. I am watching “Apoc.Now-Redux” so that I can say, at some point, that I did indeed see it, and had an opinion on it. So far, I’ve found the additional segments to be tedious and too long, and the new background music is so different as to make it obvious that these were later additions. Not being a cinema expert, my opinions are probably amateurish; so be it. I’m willing to watch this at home, late at night because, frankly, there is nothing else on and I’m not paying for it.

As I said above, if I am paying for entertainment, I want to be entertained. I want to come out of a movie or a show with a skip in my step, or at least a partial smile on my face. I get enough edification and updating from the newspapers, the radio, the internet and MSNBC or CNN Headline News. There’s enough bad news and crap to deal with in the world, the nation and this City, to warrant a little fun when one goes out. This is decidedly not an “intellectual” approach to the arts, I suppose.

I sometimes refer to people I find to be intellectually snobbish as “pseudo-intellectuals.” I recently realized that the comparison I was drawing between real intellectuals, i.e., people who are smart in a well-rounded way, and “pseudo-intellectuals,” i.e., people who like to demonstrate how “smart” they are, is essentially the same as the comparison between the established wealthy, and the nouveau-riche. The established wealthy generally have class, true style, and manners. The nouveau-riche just want to show how much stuff they have. I think the same principal applies to intellect, and the demonstrations and uses thereof.

Now, in the midst of this writing, I am watching Dennis Hopper in this film (Apocalypse Now-Redux), and he is "Fucking Brilliant." I have to say it that way. He is still Fucking Brilliant, even in the “retirement” ads he’s currently doing. And, Marlon Brando is brilliant, as are Martin Sheen and Robert Duvall. How did these four actors put in such unbelievable performances? Raw talent, I suppose, and maybe some directing by Coppola. But I digress, as I frequently do.

The point of this entry is not to defend my not having seen every film that has ever been released, or read every book published. In addition to the entertainment aspect, I also like to save my brain to try to remember who I meet, what I talk about with them, their names, etc. Sometimes I’m successful, sometimes not. Frequently, I remember discussions I’ve had with people before I remember their names. I also have to save some space in my mind for my work. Accounting/bookkeeping involves remembering minute details about a particular client’s business, details which the client is frequently conversant with, although sometimes not. And if they are not, I have to remember for them. In addition, because I work on-site many times, I have to remember where everything in each office is located: my work space, office supplies, how the copier works, that location's computer system, etc. Lots of memory required!

Damn, Brando was Amazing! Too bad he became such a parody of himself later.

I wish sometimes I could say I’d seen every movie, or read every book. I haven’t. But don’t insult me by asking me if I’ve ever seen anything (yes I have, just not all of the sad, serious stuff; ask me anything about Star Wars, Star Trek, Marx Brothers, Terminator, Lion King, sci-fi, Lord of the Rings, etc., and I can tell you all); don’t demean me by asking me if I like to read (yes, I do; the newspaper, gardening books, music and the occasional interesting novel or history book). I am not a pseudo-intellectual; I don’t need to demonstrate how smart I am by always citing stuff exterior to my own thoughts. My own mind is a good enough demonstration of my smarts.

Oh, and the Doors are totally unbelievable (another Apoc.Now.Redux reference). What would rock music be if Jim Morrison hadn’t died??

More to Come,
Catbird