Clean that Spot

An underlying theme of the film is rebellion as a form of self-actualization.  In an Existential universe, the only meaningful respsonse to the insanity is to howl.  Manny eptiomizes this response.  His rebellion seems to have no genesis.  He's just enraged.  The scene where he urges Buck to adopt an attitude of conformity is one of the high points of the film.  "If you can do that (conform) then you can be the President of corporations, -- Chase Manhattan -- if you could do that."  Buck rejects that idea and asks Manny if he can do it.  "I wish I could," is Manny's response.

As a chronic rebel myelf, this speaks to me.  I often think that I could have been happier, and certainly richer, had I only been able to wear a business suit, not raise my hand at meeting to point out how moronic the boss was, or just generally roll my eyes at important moments of public group-think.  Luckily,  I now work for a union, where my job is to sit at meetings and raise my hand to point out varioius absurdities. As we existentialists like to say, "if you can't be part of the solution, make sure you're part of the problem." 

Of course, on a larger level, the fact that I have been employed for 30 years, never arrested, unsullied by various scandals, lawsuits, fistfights, gunbattles, horsewhippings, and the like, does tend to argue that, in spite of any illusions about my outlaw status, I have always managed to "clean that spot."

The Blue Lagoon

I recall my very first experience in film analysis and explication. It occurred during the summer of 1969, or thereabouts, which means I was about nine years old. School was out and my brother Leo and I were hanging around the house watching the early morning movie. In those days, there wasn't a lot of programming on TV, so there was always a movie or two playing on most regular channels. Remember, youngsters, this was in the pre-cable era, so all the TV at our disposal was 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, and a few UHF channels, namely 31 and 47 that looked like a blizzard was raging on the screen and were mostly in Espanol.

The most popularly known of these regular movie presentations was "Million Dollar Movie" on Channel nine. It began with a cool introduction that showed some evocative scenes of New York set to the musical score from Gone with the Wind. In the late 70's, they updated the images and the song, much to my regret. You can see the newer version on YouTube, but the older version was really worth watching. The "4:30 Movie" on Channel 7 was also popular. It ran until 6pm, with loads of commericals, so every film was cut to ribbons. Ask one of your parents if they can hum the theme song to that one. Ten bucks says they can. In the background was a swirling abstract image of a guy in a camera crane turning round and round.

Anyway, back to my story. If you can believe how cheap the networks were back then, they showed the same movie every day from Monday to Friday at 10:00am. I forget which channel. On this particular week, the repeating feature was "The Blue Lagoon." It's the story of a two children who get stranded on a deserted island. They grow up and become romantically attached, have a child experience all sorts of inconveniences and are eventually rescued. The film was remade in the 70's with Brook Shield playing the girl. It is not what one would call a masterpiece of cinema. Anyway, my brother and i watched it five times. (I don't proclaim this with pride, mind you.)

Now, (finally) I get to the point. There is a scene where the boy, now aged around 15 or so, notices a scar or birthmark or something on the girl's arm (she's perhaps 13). She responds that she has always had it. He says that he hadn't noticed it before. Scene ends. Now, my brother and I could not figure out what the significance of that scene was. Being scientifically minded, we figured at first that she was developing some form of malignant melanoma, and a grim amputation scene was about to commence. Or, perhaps she had been bitten by a poisonous spider and a plague of insects was about to make their lives interesting. But, nothing of the kind happened. In fact, the birthmark was never mentioned again, either on that first day, or (obviously) on each succeeding re-viewing.

It was not until many years later that I recalled that episode and realized immediately what the scene signified. I won't give it away. You may comment below if you can figure out what it was.

Quotes from Citizen Kane

I have seen Citizen Kane so many times, that I have made it a habit to sprinkle my speech with phrases lifted from the film, always enunciated using the exact same cadence as that used by Kane, or whomever.  Most of my listeners are oblivious as to the reference, but my wife always knows.  Here are some of them, but you won't recognize most of them yet. 

1. A pack of money-mad pirates.
2. A wasted day.
3. My reasons satisfy me.
4. You're gonna need more than one lesson, and you're gonna get more than one
5. It’s an antique
6. To ... buy things.
7. We’re lucky. We live in a palace
8. Thanks for the use of the hall
9. That’s when you’ve gotta fight ‘em
10. Have the warden send me a letter
11. You can’t do this to me
12. Don't worry about me, Gettys.
13. And a happy new year
14. You’re awful funny aren’t ya?
15. Hmm… yes and no.
16. Impossible, Impossible