MAGIC

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaqRwFyoGgQ

 

I love magic.

I have viewed a couple of great films; mostly lost since there has been no cable replay or at least basic replay.

The first film I shall review requires some context.

I kind of grew up watching Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner doing the 2,000 year old man.

It was lame by today’s standard or really any standard when one reviews the history of man.

But it was schtick as they say.

I suppose similar riffs were presented in ancient Vaudville.

And one should not forget the Highlander!

This movie had such promise and then the sequels and the tv series just destroyed it!

And one should never ignore My_Dinner_with_Andre when looking at the film that is the subject of my thesis.

You see I believe in magic.

And My Dinner With Andre has magic.

Two fellows arm-chairing philosophy and the arts whilst dining in an expensive bistro.

To me that is magic.

Nothing but dialogue.

No killings.

No explosions.

No shoot outs.

No obscenity.

Just two people talking. Ha

One person cannot ever really prove anything.

You might prove that Mitt said this in 1999 or that Newt said this in 2002 but who cares really?

But two people communicating; well this is magic (sometimes, unless you are discussing the principles of life with a mother-in-law).

The_Man_From_Earth

Well the film involves a small number of professors (as well as one non-Platonic student) who simply wish to say goodbye to a professor who is leaving their community.

Well the lead character would tell you that he would like to tell a story.

What if?

And it goes downhill from there and uphill from there and…

What if a man survived over the last 14,000 years?

What if this man struggled to find a home?

Well his colleagues confront him.

Why should he leave their group for no ostensible reason?

A few of them had already remarked that Professor John Oldman had not aged over the last ten years.

And Professor John Oldman felt the need to disclose his affect? His secret? His being?

Well our hero was not just 14,000 years old, understanding that all humans he had ever met, ever resided with, ever loved were dead within a very short period of time in his universe.

This professor had been a student of THE BUDDHA. Now there were several Buddha’s of course. But our hero was speaking of THE BUDDHA.

And then he wandered for 600 years or so and found himself in the Middle East.

He began tutoring folks and found himself to be the Christ!

It started out, oh so simply our lead character suggests.

He notes that there were never any real Apostles so to speak; just friends attempting to get through the day with him. He also maintains that Peter, for instance, just became a better fisherman after their discussions. And he further notes that he presented no magic; he simply tutored that one should love his neighbor as himself.

You will note that there are real actors here. No fill-ins. No Academy Award recipients. But you have watched all of these actors in a number of contexts.

$200,000 was the budget according to Wiki.

So basically these actors worked for free.

Independent Award organizations were intrigued by this film.

And yet, I never saw this film and I never saw the film mentioned anywhere.

My second film relates to a woman whom I have loved for decades.

Ellen Burstyn shall always be remembered for the Exorcist.

But she was something. And she is something although hitting the big 80 this year.

RESURRECTION

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resurrection_%281980_film%29

It is a simple film really filled with magic.

And if you would like to see Adonis, check out Sam Shepherd who is about 37 when this film is made; he looks like he is 18. hahahhaha

In The_Metamorphosis, Kafka takes us into the mind of this poor middle class German who awakes to find himself turned into a bug and cannot figure out how the hell he is ever going to handle this!

Ellen’s character awakes from a car accident to discover that she is healer.

The LAYING ON OF HANDS becomes the plot mover.

The action takes place in a small agrarian community and she actually ends up in tents like revival meetings although she never claims she has received her gift from God.

There is first some fear and loathing following her laying of hands upon a tot who is a bleeder.

But slowly and surely the community comes to her, seeking relief from their ailments.

Empathy; true empathy for the sick sore and disabled causes her great pain and suffering.

And she ends up almost alone, separated from the rest of humanity unless someone passes by for a fill up at her gas station.

Quite touching and Ellen was even nominated for an Academy Award.

At any rate, in my waning years, magic is something I look for in films.

Not just in motif’s; but in style.

Oh for real magic; take a gander at this gander!

FLYING DUTCHMAN

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/21/jarno-smeets-flying-dutchman-video_n_1370275.html