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-- Just Another Day in Suburbia... Hollywood-Style -- |
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| Each week our Boomer-In-Charge, Hershel Chicowitz, has something to say about life, society, or what's going on... from the perspective of a baby boomer. This is what's on his mind the week of March 6: |
I don't go to many movies these days. I suppose there are several reasons. But I keep telling myself it is because I want to see only the best of them. "Titanic" was absolutely fabulous... worthy of all its acclaim. Ditto and more so for "Saving Pvt. Ryan." Wow!
But last weekend I went to see another movie. I donno... it featured a couple of big stars... got some good reviews. I paid $12 for two tickets. (We won't even talk about the price of a tub of popcorn!) Now, I understand you folks in New York and Los Angeles pay more, but 12 bucks is a pretty hefty chunk of change for this struggling writer. Nonetheless, if that is the price, that is the price.
The plot, such as it was, centered on the struggles of two families in modern suburbia. We should show this film to any Cubans who might be contemplating that 90-mile journey to Miami. Once they see this movie, they'll never want to come to America!
There were three teenagers in the movie. They seemed depressed, confused and without hope or direction. They all smoked pot and used the most horrid, vicious language... often in front of their parents. Of course, their parents spoke the same way to them, so it's not hard to see where the kids got their values.
The only "good guy" image came from a gay couple... two guys who, stereotypically, brought a fruit basket to the newcomers in the neighborhood. It was no coincidence that everyone else in the movie was as looney as Bugs Bunny. The short-haired colonel traumatized his wife and savagely and repeatedly beat his son in a perverted attempt to instill discipline and structure. Think about it; this is Hollywood delivering a message.
But the boy temporarily won back his father's respect by pleading, "Yes, sir," and "Please don't give up on me, sir." He also had the best line in the film. When he was not dealing drugs, smoking pot, or spying on his neighbors with his video camera, he explained his father's change of heart: "Never underestimate the power of denial."
Next door, the active soccer mom clearly wore the pants in her family. She drove her daughter to school (a BMW SUV), drove her husband to work, and then had a torrid affair with a colleague. No doubt she had earned it. The man of the house screwed up his job, got fired, bought the car of his dreams (a 1970 Firebird), went to work flipping hamburgers at the Big Top.... and, by the way, tried to have an affair with his teenage daughter's best friend, who was more than a willing participant. Just another day in suburbia.
I'm not giving away anything here when I tell you that the film ends with the camera aiming at the white tile wall in the kitchen just before, during, and after the brains of the main character are splattered all over it. Just another day in suburbia.
There was not one social redeeming thing in this movie, not one positive, uplifting moment... except perhaps for the fruit basket. This is clearly what Hollywood thinks of suburbia.... the people who come to see their movies.
So, if this would project a horrible image of America to would-be Cuban refugees, what impact do you suppose it has on your typical, impressionable 15 year-old out for a night at the movies? I know... you're thinking, "Come on Hershel; surely this is an R-rated movie. My kids won't be seeing that. They saw 'Toy Story 2' last weekend."
Yep; he's right. Never underestimate the power of denial.
Oh, I can hear ya' now: "But it's just a mooooooovie!"
Never underestimate the power of denial.
Oh, and... one other thing. This picture won the Academy Award for best picture of the year.
Now, the bad way of looking at this is that I wasted 90 minutes of my life and 12 bucks on this trash. The positive way of looking at it is that if this is the best Hollywood has to offer these days, I have saved 12 bucks many times over since "Saving Pvt. Ryan."
Several readers have written to ask for the name of the movie. If you ask, we'll tell you. But, as is often the case, Hershel's message lies beneath the surface. Hershel says, "If you think this essay is about a specific movie.... think again."
An angry visitor to BBHQ offers a reasoned, passionate and cultured response:
| "Your reviews are absolutely terrible. I cannot begin to understand why anyone would read one full paragraph of this trash. You obviously are a struggling writer because you suck at it. Get a life and quit writing about this stuff... no one agrees with you!!!!! You have no culture!" |
Ouch! Hershel is wounded!
We're open to offerings from other boomers. If you have something to say of interest to boomers, write it as well as you can in 800-1,000 words, and send it to us. We can't guarantee we'll publish it, but we'll surely consider it.
For more of Hershel's essays, check the BBHQ Archives or the Boomer Essays.
If you like what we're doing here at BBHQ, please help us by buying stuff through our link to Amazon.com:
| The BBHQ Album of the Month is "Old Friends Live on Stage (Deluxe Edition) (2 CD/1 DVD)," by Simon & Garfunkel. If you were fortunate enough to see them in concert last year, I do not have to sell you. The concert was terrific! This album collection includes 55 songs, plus their new recording, "Citizen of the Planet," and one of the songs sung by the Everly Brothers during the concert. The DVD was recorded during their concert in Madison Square Garden in 2003. For any S&G fan, this is a must have! But then, you knew that already, didn't you? |
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The BBHQ Book of the Month is
"Vinyl Highway," by
Dee Dee Phelps. You remember her as Dee Dee, of Dick and Dee Dee.
Together, they took a decade long ride on the rock and roll roller
coaster. It was a heck of a ride! Dick Clark, Quincy Jones, the Beach
Boys, Glenn Campbell, Dionne Warwick, Bobby Vinton... Dick and Dee Dee
rubbed shoulders with all of them. This is her "behind the scenes" story.
It's pretty cool.
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