Excellent A Movie Review about a Movie for all FanStorians A Very Special Movie by RaymondJohn

Category:  Essay Non-Fiction   Posted:  August 30, 2008      Views: 441

RAYMONDJOHN  IN PRINT   ABOUT RAYMONDJOHN  Raymond John is a hopeless FanStory addict who has at times spent as many as twelve hours in a single day reading, reviewing and writing for the site. His three purposes are based on three "Es" which are Explain, Enlighten and Entertain. His greatest fear is to take himself too seriously. He may not always smile, but he always has a twinkle in his eye. Knock his socks off with a fantastic write and he'll be your best cheerleader and give you a banner award, to boot. He has written two novels and numerous short works. His first book, The Cellini Masterpiece, has sold nearly 3,000 copies and received an Honorable Mention in the 2006 IPPY awards. It is now available in a Kindle edition from Amazon.com. An audio version (ISBN 9780615268125) is now available read by the renown actor, James Cada. MP3 edition, downloadable for IPOD, is 14.95. Order at www.raymondjohnbooks.com. His second mystery, Mix and Match Murder, which was originally scheduled for release in September of 2008 is now in print and available from Amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com and North Star Press. A scholar born in the golden age of radio, Raymond always appreciates hearing a well-told story, especially one with action and believable dialogue in a historical setting. I have written and received many reviews. I have a thick skin, so if constructive criticism is forthcoming, bring it on. He has won several contests. The contest submission Mousie, Kittie and Booger was the first place winner in the contest Tales of the Weird.. Gold In Them Thar Words was the first place winner in the contest Tales of the Weird.. Lot 386 was the first place winner in the contest Tales of the Weird.. He is a top ranked author and is currently holding the #22 position. Portfolio | Become A Fan The following is a quote from one of the most underrated and underappreciated movies of all times. What's the name of the movie? ...if God is dead he laughed himself to death. Because, you see, we live in Eden. Genesis has got it all wrong. We never left the Garden. Look about you. This is paradise. It's hard to find, I'll grant you, but it is here. Under our feet, beneath the surface, all around us is everything we want. The earth is shining under the soot. We are all fools. Ha ha. Moriarty has made fools of all of us. Are you stumped? Then I'll give you the name of the characters. One is Justin Playfair. The other is Dr. Mildred Watson. Here's another clue. Dr. Mildred Watson: You're just like Don Quixote. You think that everything is always something else. Justin Playfair: Well, he had a point. 'Course he carried it a bit too far. He thought that every windmill WAS a giant. That's insane. But, thinking that they might be, well... All the best minds used to think the world was flat. But what if it isn't? It might be round. And bread mold might be medicine. If we never looked at things and thought of what might be, why we'd all still be out there in the tall grass with the apes. Your answer? The quotes come from They Might Be Giants. Many of you have never even heard of it. It came out in 1971 and starred George C. Scott and Joanne Woodward. Scott is a former judge who went around the bend after the death of his wife. He assumes the role of Sherlock Holmes and vows to end the rule of the evil Dr. Moriarty. His brother, who owes a great deal of money to the mob and will inherit Justin Playfair's money once he is gone, wants to get him committed. Joanne Woodward is the doctor, Dr. Watson, of course, who is called upon to sign the commitment papers. She wants to observe him first. Dr. Moriarty says there is a much simpler solution to the problem. Justin Playfair is genial and brilliant, Watson is professional and lonely. Other characters include a librarian, (Jack Gilford), who wishes he was the Scarlet Pimpernel, a topiarist and his wife who have been hiding out for more than forty years, a harried information operator who can't give out needed information over the phone, and a patient who won't speak because no one has ever asked him a question worth answering. The storyline may seem silly, except for Playfair's deep conviction that everything is connected. Though at first convinced he is crazy, Watson quickly becomes his ally and ultimately his love. Near the end of the movie, all the loonies join with him as he marches off to do battle with Moriarty. The quixotic ending takes place with Playfair and Watson waiting for him to show up in a deserted Central Park. Who can resist a movie that asks the question, what's reality, who really is crazy, and how can we know? One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest asks the same question, and it won Jack Nicholson an academy award. I consider it to be one of the most important movies ever made. Giants is too, but it never got the recognition it deserves. Like Christmas Story, it got no press when it came out. Unfortunately, it never reached cult classic status afterwards. There are lessons for us in two different ways. As writers, we constantly test and stretch the boundaries of reality. There really might be vampires. It's possible that rats can think and talk. There could be dragons hiding somewhere. Justin Playfair shows us that anything might be possible. The movie's lamentable fate shows that no matter how obscure our work may be, there are those who admire it, and that it deserves much better. What better lessons can a mere movie provide? Find a copy and watch it. You'll love every minute of it. Recognized Share your own writing! - Information on our membership for writers. Pays one point and 2 member cents.

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