Movies, by Will Stanton

My taste in movies is somewhat eclectic, yet I do insist upon good quality in order for me to thoroughly enjoy them, rather than merely tolerate them. To me, good quality means intelligent thoughtfulness and experienced creativity in all aspects of film-making.  Among other criteria, the movie should have a theme that is worth watching and considering.  That usually means adult topics.  I will clarify what I mean with a few just a few movie examples.

Already, that leaves out so many Hollywood movies of today that are based upon comic books and their almost endless sequels, impossible action-adventures with superheroes and villains. Apparently, the scripts are written by Southern-California twenty-year-olds with little formal education and virtually no cultural upbringing.  They are not interested in making good quality movies; they just want to make lots of money, catering to easily satisfied audiences.

I also have developed over the years a concerned sense that such “100% good guys versus 100% bad guys” themes indoctrinate Americans, e.g., adolescent boys with limited rational capabilities, into believing that all challenges in life are threatening and physical, as opposed to cerebral and spiritual, and that we must attack and kill the enemy to solve all of our problems.  The degree of gratuitous violence in so many movies worries me.  It stands to reason that this general behavior now is reflected throughout our society, ranging from pervasive lack of civility, pervasive crime, mass-shootings, unwarranted wars, and bad votes.

I also find even the dialogue and acting often distasteful.  So many young American actors regularly are supplied lines that are supposed to sound clever and cool, reflecting affected self-assuredness, hubris, and arrogance.  Also, their facial expressions and body-language are so affected, portraying arrogance or even physical threat to others.  I cringe each time I hear and see such behavior.  I prefer natural, unaffected portrayals.

In contrast to banal films, there have been many movies and television series that I have admired and, consequently, often have watched more than once.  Some are from independent film-makers.  A good number of these have been British or other foreign film-companies, writers, directors, and actors, who demonstrate a high degree of maturity and professionalism.

For example, the superlative 1979 BBC series “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy” is one of the all-around best-quality productions I ever have seen.  To begin with, the superb writer of the book, David Cornwell (pen-name “John le Carré”), has worked for both British MI5 and MI6, most likely has continued his contacts, and obviously knows what he was talking about.  Secondly, this well-informed, highly intelligent man writes honestly, reflecting the good, bad, and often mediocre behavior and character of governments and human beings.  Then, the screenplay-writer also was excellent, as well as the director and all of the crew.  For the leading role, they chose the consummate actor Sir Alec Guinness as George Smiley.

Once word of that selection got about, the casting-director had his choice of the very best actors in all of Britain.  In addition to their great experience and professionalism, their appearances, voices, and mannerisms fit the roles like a glove.  Unfortunately, a discerning viewer must obtain the uncut, British Region-2 DVDs for the best experience and clearest plot-development, for some crucial scenes were cut for U.S. audiences in order to force the episodes into one-hour time-slots; and the idiots used those shortened episodes for the American DVDs.  Also, don't bother to watch the more recent movie-version.  I gave it a C- rating in my review on Amazon.

For theater-movies, I admire many aspects of New Zealand director Peter Jackson's “Lord of the Rings.”  For the thousands of people involved over several years in this major project, this effort was a labor of love.  So much care went into making these films that, for example, the set for Hobbiton was constructed and planted way in advance of filming so that the flora would have a chance to develop.  Professional sword-smiths were hired to create masterpieces for the major characters.  Fine-tuning the script continued to the very last minute, requiring the London Symphony Orchestra to also  fine-tune their  sound-track recordings.  Even after Jackson won the Oscar with the final episode, “Return of the King,” he had his crews continue filming to make improvements for the DVD sets to come.  I know of no other film-project that has done this.

American independent film-makers and foreign film-makers have made many films over the years that explore human nature and realistic situations, such as docudramas like the acclaimed, German film “The Bridge.”  Based upon a true, 1945 event in the last days of the war, schoolboys were forced into uniforms and ordered to guard a small bridge in their own village, the very route American tanks were approaching.  One boy was severely wounded.  All the others perished.  The western allies required Germans to view the film to further emphasize the terrible consequences of their too easily having let themselves be led in to a catastrophic war.  “The Bridge” is considered to be one of the two best anti-war films made.

I also appreciate serious fiction, such as the British “Remains of the Day” that explored the unnecessary self-denial and repressed emotions of an all-too-traditional butler.  I realize, as much as I appreciate these films, that many people who are used to hyperkinetic, childish adventure-films, don't care for mature, cerebral films because these are regarded as “too slow, too boring.”  As a matter of fact, just such a person gave me his copy of the “Remains” DVD because he was disappointed that it didn't have more action and wartime violence.

One of my all-time favorite films is Italian director Luchino Visconti's prize-winning “Death in Venice” based upon, what many literary critics declare to be, “the best novella of the twentieth century” and written by “the best novelist of the twentieth century” Thomas Mann.  The Cannes Film Festival awards once held a retrospective contest covering films from a quarter of a century.  “Venice” won the grand prize and was declared “a masterpiece.”  The cinematography alone is a masterpiece with many scenes resembling tableau-artwork.   The lead actor Dirk Bogarde deserved  “best-actor”  awards from all such contests.  Most of the sublime accompanying music is by the great composer Gustav Mahler.

Because of my interest in the remarkable voices and music of the European Baroque era, I like the unique, Golden-Globe-winning film “Farinelli,” loosely based upon the reputation of the acknowledged greatest singer in history, Carlo Broschi, stage-name “Farinelli.”

As entertaining as the film is, anyone who has bothered to learn history knows that the screenplay accurately reflects only about 10% of the real person, 20% based upon the reputation of other contemporary singers, 20% based upon the Baroque culture and opera of the time, and 50% simply made up to entertain the audience.  Even so, I enjoy the film.  There is no other like it.  I recommend the music CD.

I do admit, however, that not all the films which I enjoy are worthy of winning Cannes' Palme d'Or, perhaps the most prestigious film award.  Even my most sober friends and I have enjoyed the “Harry Potter” movies.  In addition to their being very imaginative, they seem to succeed as an antidote to the banality of the real world, even despite the scripts' frequent egregious errors in diction, grammar, and style.  And, I have to admit also that I often have watched some good quality films and DVDs simply because I am inclined to identify with attractive characters whose attributes and lives appear more interesting and satisfying than, too often, my own life.  I'm not sure that the practice of watching such films is of any practical purpose, but they are a captivating distraction.  Still, some are included in my DVD collection.

And, last of all, if I suddenly became a billionaire, I would like to produce to perfection several films based upon topics dear to my heart.  Of course, that is a real fantasy.

© 31 May 2016 

About the Author 

I have had a life-long fascination with people and their life stories.  I also realize that, although my own life has not brought me particular fame or fortune, I too have had some noteworthy experiences and, at times, unusual ones.  Since I joined this Story Time group, I have derived pleasure and satisfaction participating in the group.  I do put some thought and effort into my stories, and I hope that you find them interesting.

Cow-Town, by Will Stanton

“Cow-Town” generally has two definitions. The first, obvious one connotes a city or town that is noted for being involved in the cattle-trade. This is an old, traditional definition. The second meaning implies that a city or town, along with its inhabitants, is to some degree uninformed, uncultured, and unsophisticated. I remember while I was growing up in Ohio, Columbus was regarded as a “cow-town” for those reasons. I haven't been back there for a generation, so probably it has changed some. I have heard that it has. For some time, Denver, too, was considered to be a “cow-town,” although it still is connected with the cattle trade and life-style.

While considering this topic “cow-town,” I began to ponder just how many cities, towns, and villages in the U.S. would fit that second definition. That reputation would have little or nothing to do with cows, nor the dazzle of modern infrastructure or sky-scrapers. It would have more to do with people, the inhabitants of those places.

I have been a long-term observer of human behavior, society, culture, and politics, particularly politics over the last thirty years and culminating with this Presidential election. I know that this conclusion may sound cynical, but I'm beginning to think that many municipalities might be considered to be “cow-towns,” regardless of size, based upon so many people being ill-informed, unsophisticated, uncultured, along with, too often, morally bankrupt.

For example, I've witnessed millions of Americans enthusiastically supporting politicians who spew fear, hate, anger, and who promote programs that are profoundly harmful, rather than beneficial. I have been forced to conclude that this reality of today defies all reason. I am unable to comprehend how so many Americans can be so delusional and apparently without moral-compass, failing to think and behave according to the “better angels of their natures.”

Whereas as the Democratic party, whatever its mistakes, weaknesses, or disliked candidates, does try to create policies and programs designed to improve society and the nation, the other does not. Increasingly over the last thirty years, it appears that those radicals who have taken over the Republican have focused only upon attempts to garner and to maintain power; and they have succeeded dramatically. Democrats have allowed themselves to be blind-sided and have been very slow in reacting. For example, Republican operatives cleverly figured out years ago that all they had to do was to grab power in state-houses, then gerrymander voting districts to disenfranchise Democratic voters. Records show that, in several states, Democrats have won discernible majorities of the votes; however, they have been given in those states only twenty-some percent of the seats in Congress. So much for democracy. The voting public was so unsophisticated that it allowed this to happen.

Today's so-called “Republicans” appear to have to resort to stealing elections (sometimes with seriously felonious machinations, which I could go into detail covering the last sixty years), rather than presenting to the American public viable programs that could help the nation and its citizens. They seem to vote so consistently against good measures and, instead, vote for greedy, harmful ones. I'm not religious, but I wonder whether these nefarious power-brokers have consciously chosen to be in league with Beelzebub.

Why are so many Americans so unsophisticated that they allow themselves to be manipulated into feelings of fear, hate, anger, deep delusions, and to voting even against their own best interests and that of the nation? Could we consider ignorance and irrationality part of being unsophisticated? I certainly think so, regardless of how sophisticated some believe they are.

In addition to egocentric manipulators' unbridled grab for power, there also is the sad emphasis upon greed. Why do a few feel entitled to billions of dollars while the majority of the population struggle? Where is the logic? Where is the empathy and care for others?

I suppose the word “culture” may be defined in two ways, also. One may use it in general terms to denote a wide spectrum of a nation's society. It legitimately also may be used to connote the highest quality of humankind's creative efforts in art, music, architecture, and societal interactions. In this nation, however, culture, in that second sense, no longer appears to be of any importance to the majority of the American population, especially in contrast to some other nations, where the people and their governments care for, and support, culture. During World War II, the British Chancellor of the Exchequer suggested to Prime Minister Winston Churchill that financial support should be cut off from all British cultural programs of art and music and, instead, be added to the war-effort. Churchill's reply was, “No. Why else are we fighting?” Churchill obviously understood the importance of creating and maintaining a high level of culture in a civilized country.

In just the last eighteen years, the United States has lost 1,083 symphony orchestras, in addition to numerous opera companies, ballet companies, and school programs in art and music. Hours of operation for libraries and museums have been shortened. Apparently, most Americans just do not seem to care. They would much rather be entertained by far less sophisticated diversions. At the same time that America has been rapidly losing its culture, the American taxpayer has shelled out 5.4 billion dollars to build twenty-two new football stadiums just since 1997. Then there is pro-wrestling, cage-fighting, monster-truck contests, and rap. No, it is not “just a matter of taste,” as some claim. Medical/psychological research has documented that much of the nation's population prefers humanly toxic exposures rather than beneficial, uplifting experiences. Of course, as today's Republicans constantly remind us, “Science should not be believed, nor does it matter. Culture does not matter, either.”

And, this is where I get back to “cow-towns.” If “cow-towns” are made up of people who are ignorant, uncultured, and unsophisticated, then there must be many, many such places in America. My concerns bring to mind some thought-provoking words from one of the most brilliant authors of the 20-21st-century, David Cornwell (pen-name John le Carré), from his superlative book “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.” I often quote these words. With one of the major characters, Carré had him speak feelings of dismay and sense of betrayal: “Do you know what is killing western democracy? Greed - - and constipation - - moral, political, aesthetic, - - - the economic repression of the masses, institutionalized.” Those words of condemnation were written forty-two years ago. Now look at us. Welcome to a nation of “cow-towns.”

© 20 July 2016

About the Author

I have had a life-long fascination with people and their life stories. I also realize that, although my own life has not brought me particular fame or fortune, I too have had some noteworthy experiences and, at times, unusual ones. Since I joined this Story Time group, I have derived pleasure and satisfaction participating in the group. I do put some thought and effort into my stories, and I hope that you find them interesting.