From: "Ted White" <twhite8 at cox.net>
To: "WSFA members" <WSFAlist at keithlynch.net>
Subject: [WSFA] Re: Re: Anyone want to raise a little Hellboy before WSFA Meeting?
Date: Thu, 1 Apr 2004 00:45:17 -0500
Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at keithlynch.net>

----- Original Message -----
From: "Keith F. Lynch" <kfl at KeithLynch.net>
To: "WSFA members" <WSFAlist at KeithLynch.net>
Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 2004 11:37 PM
Subject: [WSFA] Re: Anyone want to raise a little Hellboy before WSFA
Meeting?

> Ted White wrote:
>
> > I seem to recall a recent WSFA outing to see THE ETERNAL SUNSHINE
> > OF THE SPOTLESS MIND.  But thus far I've seen not one reaction or
> > review on this list.
>
> Very few WSFAns went.  Besides myself, I only saw Dick and Nicki, the
> Scheiners, and one other person whose name I don't remember.  I was
> surprised Sam Lubell wasn't there, since he works right next door to
> the theater.  Perhaps one of them will review it.  I'm not much of a
> movie reviewer.
>
> I can't imagine volunteering for, much less paying for, a treatment to
> wipe part of my memory, which was the premise of the movie.
>
> The movie had some interesting visuals.  It didn't really overcome my
> suspension of disbelief, however.  It was worth what I paid for it,
> i.e. Metro fare to Rosslyn and back.

What struck me as interesting is this notion that human memory can be
"viewed," edited or expunged, and that the necessary techniques exist
*right now*.   ETERNAL SUNSHINE is centered on Valentine's Day 2004 (the
year is specified).  PAYCHECK, which uses a similar premise (and is based
on an early Phil Dick story) is also set in the present and near (a year or
two) future.

Of the two, I found ETERNAL SUNSHINE the more believable, simply because it
was so much more subjective (and had no action scenes).   And I thought it
was a worthy successor to BEING JOHN MALKOVICH, and just a whole lot better
than the overrated copout ADAPTATION (all being written by Charlie
Kaufman).   It struck me as a better "Phil Dick movie" than PAYCHECK was
(let alone MINORITY REPORT) -- even if it wasn't based on a Phil Dick
story.   It was an *interior* story and that for me is truer to the spirit
of Phil's better work.
>
> I don't plan to go to the Hellboy outing.  I almost never pay full
> price for a movie.  Even the weekend matinee price is more than I care
> to pay except for the most exceptional films.  Possibly if it gets
> excellent reviews, and several WSFAns insist that I must see it, I
> will pay $5.75 to see it some afternoon.  Not this weekend though,
> since the used book sale at Stone Ridge School is this weekend.

There are some advantages to being over 65:  I can get the senior rate
(usually the same as the matinee rate) for any show.  My preference is for
the last show on Sunday night.  No crowds; sometimes I have a "theatre" to
myself.

--Ted White