My favourite music-related films

The Doors – I must preface this section by noting that I strongly dislike Val Kilmer. With that being said, his performance as Jim Morrison was fantastic in this biopic. Kilmer studied the singer/poet’s mannerisms and speech, and spent hours practicing his singing.

Apparently, Morrison’s loved ones were not pleased with the way the late musician was depicted in the film. Patricia Kennealy-Morrison – Jim’s supposed “high-priestess, pagan wife” – was also critical of how she was portrayed in the film, even though she actually makes a cameo appearance.

The Buddy Holly Story – When my fiancé told me that Gary Busey played Buddy Holly in a film, I had to see it for myself. Originally released in 1978, Busey was nominated for an Academy Award for his portrayal of the revolutionary musician. Beginning in Holly’s hometown of Lubbock, Texas, and ending during Holly’s final performance, the film takes viewers through the young musician’s life.

Tragically, Holly was killed in a plane crash when he was only 22 years old, and his pregnant wife miscarried their only child soon after.

The original movie poster for The Buddy Holly Story.*

Foo Fighters: Back and Forth – I am not too proud to admit that I have the biggest girl crush on Dave Grohl. When I saw him perform in Winnipeg a number of years ago, I thought I would melt each time he unleashed the “Grohl growl.” This documentary chronicles the history of the band from its beginnings – when Nirvana split after the suicide of Kurt Cobain – to present day. We learn more about each member of the band, as well as learn about past band members. If you’re a rock music fan, this documentary is definitely for you.

It Might Get Loud – Question: What do Jimmy Page, the Edge and Jack White have in common? Answer: They are all total shredders on guitar. The recently released documentary, It Might Get Loud, follows all three men and chronicles the evolution of their respective guitar styles. It includes both interviews with each musician and jam sessions where they teach each other new tunes. This is a documentary you’ll want to have in your movie collection forever, and you’ll watch it over and over again.

Queen Rock Montreal – This is the DVD version of the live album released by English rock band Queen. The original Montreal concert was help on November 24 – 25, 1981, which was exactly 10 years to the date before lead singer Freddie Mercury died of complications from AIDS. The DVD is complete with lights, intense sound and Mercury running around in ridiculously tight white pants. It’s an example of both the talent of Queen and the glorious times of the 80s.

Ray – This is probably the best biopic ever made about a musician. It chronicles the life of blind pianist Ray Charles as he struggles to become famous while battling both drug addiction and the difficulties of segregation. Jamie Foxx played the title character, and he took home the Academy Award for Best Actor as a result. Foxx was accompanied by an ensemble cast filled with strong performers, making Ray even more entertaining to watch.

Jamie Foxx as Ray Charles.*

Walk the Line – The performances of both Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon made this film come alive for me. Witherspoon took home the Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of June Carter Cash, someone whose performances she studied for hours prior to filming. Walk the Line is based on the tumultuous and troubled life of Johnny Cash, and if you’re a music lover, it is a must-see.

*Images taken from Google.

‘Sarah’s Key’ by Tatiana de Rosnay

Recently, I have started to spend my weekends hunting through the Bargain Books section at McNally Robinson.

Part of me is in search of unique holiday presents for family and friends, but a larger part of me is looking for myself. Regular-priced novels are something that I usually don’t purchase, due to the fact that I am a RIDICULOUSLY FAST READER. I’ll spend $35 on a hardcover, and I’m finished in an afternoon. For some people, spending the money is worth it. For me, it isn’t.

My McNally book hunts have taken me in a lot of different directions. About a month ago, I purchased Gonzo, a biography about Hunter S. Thompson. Then, I went on a Philippa Gregory splurge, and purchased four titles by the historical fiction author. Last weekend, I came across the novel Sarah’s Key by French author Tatiana de Rosnay, and it was fantastic.

The cover of Sarah's Key. It has recently been made into a movie as well...

The novel cycles back and forth between two different stories. The first is about a 10-year-old girl named Sarah. She is a French-born Jewish girl living in Paris during the Second World War. In the middle of the night, the French police bang on her door and demand the family leaves their home at once. Convinced she would only be gone for a short period of time, Sarah locks her four-year-old brother Michael in a hidden cupboard. Pocketing the key, she promises she will return soon to set him free.

The second story is about Julia, an American-born journalist living in Paris. Set in modern-day Europe, Julia prepares to move into a newly-renovated apartment with her French husband and teenage daughter. However, a story Julia has been chosen to write for a local newspaper unknowingly connects Julia’s new apartment with Sarah’s past 60 years prior.

The central event that both stories revolve around is the Vel' d'Hiv Roundup. It was a Nazi decreed raid and mass arrest in Paris by the French police on July 16-17, 1942. The aim of the roundup was to decrease the Jewish population in occupied France. Over 13,000 people – mostly women and children – were rounded up and given little time to collect personal belongings before being whisked away into the night.

Most of the arrested people were taken to the Vélodrome d'hiver. It was a large recreational facility primarily used for biking, and was located near the Eiffel Tower. The arrested Jews were held prisoner in the stifling-hot facility. They had no lavatories: of the 10 available, five were sealed because their windows offered a way out and the others were blocked. There was only one water tap, and food was infrequently available. Those who tried to escape were shot on the spot, and a number of people took their own lives.

French Jews held prisoner, circa 1942.*

After five days, the prisoners were hustled into city buses and transported out of Paris. They were first taken to internment camps on the outskirts of the city, and were later distributed to extermination camps. The majority ended up at Auschwitz.

The Vel' d'Hiv Roundup is an event that most people know little about. When I visited Paris in 2009, my hotel was located blocks from where the biking facility once stood. I had no idea such a tragedy occurred, and if I did, I would have made sure I took a moment to walk by the site where so many people suffered.

Sarah’s Key is a tribute to the families who were taken from their homes on July 16, 1942, never to return. It is a somber, graphic and heart wrenching story, and I guarantee you will feel haunted after reading it. With that being said, I believe it is a magnificent and important novel that sheds light on a less-known yet equally tragic event that took place during the Second World War.

Read it. McNally Robinson’s Bargain Books section is waiting for you…

*Images taken from Google.

Uncovering the secrets of ‘Foxy Lady’

A random Google search first introduced Winnipeg author Dave Kattenburg to Stuart Glass, a young B.C. adventurer killed by the Khmer Rouge on board his little yacht -- Foxy Lady -- in 1978.

“I thought – a Canadian had died… a Canadian yachtsman? That’s amazing,” said Kattenburg. “And all the stories were the same. There was just one tale about him. No information about who he was, or where he was from. Nothing…”

Kattenburg began researching Glass in an effort to uncover more information about the details surrounding the capture of Foxy Lady. Once he started, he couldn’t stop.

“I was intrigued,” he said. “It’s as simple as that. I wondered how it was possible that there was nothing known about him, and I saw it as a challenge.”

A photo of Foxy Lady, taken before disaster struck.

The easiest part of Kattenburg’s research was locating Glass’ family in Canada. He obtained a great deal of information from them, but realized much more would be needed to write a book.

Stuart Glass had met Englishwoman Susan Jessie Everard in 1972, the Glass family told Kattenburg, and she had been his best friend, partner and companion until 1977. It would be impossible to fill in the details of Glass’ life during that time without talking to Susan, and Kattenburg began a detailed quest to find the woman who would hold many of the answers.

He first found Susan’s sister, Margaret, an Anglican minister who agreed to put Kattenburg in contact with her younger sister. And then, finally, Susan called.

“I was so blown away when I found her,” Kattenburg said. “It was at that moment – when I heard her voice on the phone – that I realized this could actually become a book.”

Talking to family and friends was only one part of Kattenburg’s research. In addition to flipping through phone directories and poking through archives, he visited Cambodia – the home of Pol Pot and the feared Khmer Rouge regime – twice.

In Cambodia, over the course of nearly four years, between 1.7 and 2.2 million Cambodians were killed by the Khmer Rouge. Tuol Sleng – a prison, torture house and death camp – was responsible for at least 12,000 of those deaths.

Included in these were New Zealander Kerry Hamill and Englishman John Dewhirst, Stuart Glass’ two mates on board Foxy Lady when she was captured in 1978. While Glass was killed aboard the yacht – in a hail of Khmer Rouge gunfire – Hamill and Dewhirst would suffer a worse fate. They were dragged off to Tuol Sleng prison (nicknamed S-21) in Phnom Penh, charged with being CIA spies, tortured for a few months and then killed.

Foxy Lady: Truth, Memory and the Death of Western Yachtsmen in Democratic Kampuchea tells the story of yachtsmen killed by the Khmer Rouge (there were nine in total), and chronicles the rise and fall of the brutal Democratic Kampuchean regime. The story also focuses on the Khmer Rouge’s chief executioner, S-21 chief Kaing Guek Eav, aka “Duch.”

For a complete synopsis of Foxy Lady, click here.

When asked what advice he would give to anyone attempting to write a non-fiction novel, Kattenburg replied that it is important to be persistent, especially when writing a book that involves digging up undisclosed information.

A photo of journalist and author, Dave Kattenburg.

“If you’re patient and tenacious enough, eventually things reveal themselves,” Kattenburg explained. “And, I think you have to be a little crazy too…”

Did you know?

Recently, a film titled Brother Number One has been released in Australia and New Zealand. It examines the Foxy Lady story from a completely different perspective. It chronicles the journey of Rob Hamill – brother of murdered Foxy Lady skipper Kerry Hamill – as he travels to Cambodia to retrace the steps taken by his brother during his last months alive.

If you would like to watch the trailer, or learn more about the film, click here.

About the author…

Dave Kattenburg was born on Long Island in 1953. He holds bachelor and Ph.D. degrees in biology and health sciences, teaches university science courses and produces radio stories on global environment, development and social justice issues. Documentaries arising from his travels have appeared on CBC Radio, Radio Netherlands, Free Speech Radio and his own site www.greenplanetmonitor.net. David currently resides at the epicenter of North America, Winnipeg.

Visiting Chicago: Round Two

Almost exactly a year ago I spent three fantastic days in Chicago. I fell in love with the city and experienced so many new and exciting things. So when the opportunity arose to go to Chicago again this year, I knew immediately I was going back.

After the trip last year, I wrote two very detailed blog posts about my travels. I thought they might be interesting to those coming on the trip for the first time this year.

If you would like to read the first post, click here. And, if you would also like to read the second post, click here.

In just under a week I'll return to the Windy City, and I can't wait! Get ready Chicago. I'm baaack!

Today in history: "Iceberg, right ahead!"

I’m sure that most people are aware of the significance of April 14th. It was on this day – 99 years ago – that the world’s most famous ocean liner struck an iceberg.

I have been a Titanic-lover since I was a little girl. Even before the movie was released in 1997, I wanted to learn everything possible about the disaster. I would watch every single documentary I could get my hands on, and take notes as I learned new facts. By the time I moved away from my Titanic addiction, I had filled three binders with information.

Below, I have included a few Titanic facts that I find interesting. They are from the collection of information I accumulated over the years*, and I hope you find them interesting…

• The Titanic struck the iceberg at 11:40 p.m. on April 14, 1912.
• It took 2 hours and 40 minutes to completely sink.
• There were roughly 2,200 people on board the Titanic. Only 705 survived.
• One of the first boats to leave the Titanic carried only 28 people. They were designed to hold over 60.
• There were six iceberg warnings received by the Titanic on the day of the sinking.
• The ship could have stayed afloat if four of the watertight compartments flooded. Unfortunately, five flooded.
• The watertight compartments were actually not watertight at all. They were open at the top, which caused a wave to flood over each compartment as the ship sank.
• The cost to build the ship was $7.5 million and it took 3,000 men two years.

*The information included in the above statistics comes from many different sources.

"Pieces" Book Launch Video

Here is the video of footage from my book launch. It was edited by my friend and classmate - Jeff Ward - who also filmed the entire event. It's a small snapshot of what was definitely the most amazing evening of my life, so I hope you love it!

I will also be editing a longer video this summer that includes all of the speeches, the questions and the signing line at the end. Stay tuned!

Comfort movies

It's the last day of class. I just wrote my Canadian Literature exam, and I hope I never have to discuss postmodernism again (no offence, Dr. Petty). I'm tired, my brain is fried, and I can't seem to focus on anything substantial.

The perfect solution = mindless comfort movies.

Jeff and I recently signed up for the 30-day free trial of Netflix. We haven't seen much of each other the past few months, and want to use the free movie catalogue as an excuse to spend some well-needed time together.

I started the evening with Anastasia, an animated movie featuring the vocal talents of John Cusak, Christopher Lloyd and Meg Ryan. When I was young, I absolutely loved this movie. I knew every word of every song by heart, and I dreamed that I was the "lost" princess. Looking back, I wonder if this film helped fuel my obsession with history... Probably.

Remember this? Those were the days... Much simpler times...

Next, I moved on to Jetsons: The Movie. Again, this was a movie that I remembered fondly from my childhood. I had forgotten that teenage pop sensation Tiffany sang most of the musical numbers, and that the underground mining area scared the hell out of me.

It's not everyday that I can take an evening and watch mindless movies, and it was fantastic.

The Social Network

Last night, I finally saw The Social Network. I had been dying to watch it ever since I heard a movie was being made about the creation of Facebook, and I was not disappointed. Not only was the acting superb, but the story was fascinating. For those of you who have yet to see the movie, be advised, there might be spoilers in this post.

The real Mark Zuckerberg is currently a 26-year-old billionaire. He launched Facebook – initially called TheFacebook – in February of 2004. Today, there are over 500 million users spread over 26 countries. I use it. Nearly everyone I know uses it, and I don’t even want to think about the things I would miss without it. Facebook has become a part of everyday life for most people under the age of 40, and even people’s grandparents are wondering what all the fuss is about.

In The Social Network, Jesse Eisenberg plays Zuckerberg. I feel that he truly made the movie a success with his solid performance. Eisenberg kind of reminds me of an early Michael Cera, except he looks a bit older, a bit wiser, and a bit cuter. His off-kilter attitude and dry sense of humour are exactly what I love to watch, and he definitely played the part-good-guy part-bad-guy role well. Andrew Garfield plays Eduardo Saverin, Zuckerberg’s ex-best friend who initially financed Facebook, and I recognized him from his performance as Francis Weston in The Other Boleyn Girl. He did a great job as well, and I really felt bad for his character by the end of the movie.

The musical score for The Social Network was created by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (both from Nine Inch Nails), and seriously, it’s fantastic. They created dark, industrial-sounding music that will resonate through your body, and the movie wouldn’t have been the same without their contribution. I plan to purchase the soundtrack as soon as possible, and I can see myself listening to it while running, heading to school, or trying to find inspiration to write, read, or think. Buy it. Trust me.

Overall, the movie was one of the best I have seen this year. The story behind Facebook is interesting, the acting is great, and it’s definitely an entertaining movie. I recommend it to everyone – Facebook user or not – because it’s a great story about how anyone can come up with an idea that will make them rich, famous, hated, and loved all at the same time.

Roman Polanski from a PR perspective

I just finished watching The Ghost Writer with Ewan McGregor and Kim Cattrall. I hate to admit it, but as far as Polanski films go, it wasn’t his best work. The film did, however, get me thinking about Polanski the man. He has lived a fascinating and tumultuous life, and the historian in me has always wanted to write about him.

Roman Polanski. Image taken from Google.

Roman Polanski was born in Paris, France, in 1933. Two years before the Second World War broke out in 1945, Polanski’s parents relocated the family to their native Poland. This proved to be disastrous, and both of his parents were sent to concentration camps. Polanski’s mother later died in Auschwitz, but his father survived. Father and son were reunited after the war, which rarely happens and is incredibly lucky.

Polanski decided to become a director, and began studying at the Lodz Film School. He moved to Hollywood, and made his US debut with Rosemary’s Baby in 1968. The following year, in 1969, Polanski’s pregnant wife – Sharon Tate – was one of the victims murdered by infamous Mason Family. He fled to Europe to deal with his grief, and re-appeared with the release of Chinatown (starring Jack Nicholson) in 1974.

And here is where this fascinating account loses me...

On March 11, 1977, Polanski was arrested for the sexual assault of 13-year-old Samantha Geimer that occurred the day before at the residence of Jack Nicholson. On February 1, 1978, Polanski fled to France to avoid being sentenced. As a French citizen, he is protected from extradition treaties with the United States. Until recently, Polanski has been living and working as a director in countries that won’t extradite him.

On September 26, 2009, Polanski was taken into custody at the Zurich Airport in Switzerland. He was held under house arrest, until a California Superior Court Judge ruled he must return to the United States to be sentenced for his 1977 crime.

On January 22, 2010, it was reported that Samantha Geimer’s lawyer – Lawrence Silver – has asked a California appeals court to drop the case against Polanski. In April of 2010, a California appeals court denied Geimer's request to dismiss the charges. The court ruled that Geimer "has no right or authority to dictate the outcome of a criminal case."

Samantha Geimer, then and now.

So, what happened?

On July 12, 2010, Swiss authorities announced they WOULDN’T extradite Polanski to the United States. The reasoning was that U.S. officials didn’t provide them with necessary records (which were required to determine if a 42-day court-ordered psychiatric evaluation Polanski underwent back in 1977 constituted his entire sentence. This was apparently the understanding in Switzerland, and the judge who originally dealt with the case is now deceased).

In an interview in August, 2010, Samantha Geimer spoke on Larry King Live about how she has forgiven Polanski and wants the case to be dropped. She also talked about the fact that she is happy the Swiss authorities decided not to force him to return the United States. To read the article and watch the video clip, click here.

Currently, Polanski still can’t return to the United States. If he does, he will be convicted. The incident took place 32 years ago, but it is likely that Polanski won’t be allowed back ever again. He has won a number of Oscar’s – including Best Director for The Pianist in 2003 – but was unable to enter the United States to collect his prizes.

What do I think?

Polanski initially received horrible PR when the incident occurred. When his second wife – Sharon Tate – was murdered in 1969, sympathy was on his side. Then, when he was charged with sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl, the media turned on him. He was painted as a sleazy, Hollywood rapist, and many actors, directors, and producers were glad he took off for France.

Now, years later, I don’t know if I believe he should still be prosecuted. On the one hand, he did commit a crime. Polanski pled guilty to the charge of “unlawful sexual intercourse,” so had he stayed in the United States, he would have gone to jail. And, does it really matter how much time passes between the crime and the punishment?

But, on the other hand, his victim wants the charges to be dropped. Samantha Geimer has spoken about her desire to see Polanski left alone. It is the California appeals court who refuses to forget the matter. Shouldn’t the victim have the right to stop the proceedings? Especially over a decade later?

Geimer is definitely receiving positive PR in this situation. She is being gracious and understanding, and every news article I have read about her has only said good things. And, through his association with her, I believe Polanski is receiving positive PR as well. He can’t be such a bad guy if his victim wants to see him free. Can he?

I have been thinking about this issue ever since I heard Polanski was taken into custody in Switzerland in 2009. Now, over a year later, I still can’t make up my mind about how I really feel. The law is the law, and if someone commits a crime, they deserve to be prosecuted. The fact that Polanski fled instead of facing the music makes me angry. The fact that he went on to become an even more famous director than he already was is also frustrating. But, it has been a long time, and I think everyone is ready to move on.

Bonding with Band of Brothers

I don’t have cable, so my television intake consists of watching movies and renting seasons of televisions shows. A few weeks ago, Jeff and I rented Band of Brothers. We just finished watching it last night, and I want to talk a moment to rave about how good it was.

As both a history-lover and a “war-related specialist,” I was eager to watch this critically-acclaimed miniseries. When it came out in 2001, I was only about 14 years old, and was avidly watching other things. When I started taking history courses at university, my classmates couldn’t believe I hadn’t seen it. I promised I would, and now, three years later, I finally did.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with the miniseries, here’s a bit of background:

The 10 episodes take viewers through the WWII adventures of Easy Company, an American volunteer paratrooper unit. It outlines their activities from the time they first jumped behind enemy lines on D-Day, to the end of their tour at Berchtesgaden, Hitler’s mountain.

All of the actors played real men, many of whom were still alive while Band of Brothers was being filmed. At the beginning of each episode, the real-life soldiers shared memories and anecdotes. Real footage of Easy Company was followed and re-created, and many of the actors even resembled the real soldiers they portrayed.

Overall, it was one of the best depictions of events during the Second World War that I have ever seen.

What about the acting?

The cast included a variety of well-known and unknown actors. Donnie Wahlberg (Dreamcatcher), Ron Livingston (Sex and the City series, Office Space), and Damian Lewis (Dreamcatcher) had lead roles, and each man was fantastic.

I was initially sceptical about Livingston in a title role, and during the first few episodes all I could picture was Berger from Sex and the City. I also wasn’t sure about Wahlberg, but I had already seen his performance as Duddits in Dreamcatcher, and knew that he could act.

I must also admit that I have a huge crush on Damian Lewis. Not because he’s some sort of hunky sex symbol, but because the man can seriously act. He made Dreamcatcher. I was truly terrified of him when he became the creepy alien guy. I was especially scared of the alien’s voice. I did a bit of research, and Lewis is actually English. He was doing an American accent, and then falling back into his traditional voice for the alien. Good work.

Other outstanding actors who stood out for me included Scott Grimes (Robin Hood – 2010), Neal McDonough (88 Minutes), and Frank John Hughes (Catch Me If You Can).

Watch Band of Brothers. It’s worth it...

The special features at the end are also seriously worth a look. Included is the documentary of Easy Company that was produced in conjunction with the miniseries. It features commentary from all of the men still alive today. They share memories and anecdotes as we are taken, step by step, through their journey across Europe.

I will warn you, though, that the documentary is pretty serious stuff. I cried my way through the last thirty minutes. Not because it was horrible to experience, but because watching men remember the war is both saddening and inspiring. It`s important to talk about what happened, but that doesn't make it any easier.

Lest we forget.

Trying to understand Being John Malkovich

I watched Being John Malkovich a few nights ago, and I think I’ve finally figured out the overall meaning of the film. And, since I love to write everything down, I’m going to use my blog as a forum to analyze the complex story line.

A puppeteer named Craig Schwartz (John Cusack) gets a job working on the 7 ½ floor of an office building in Manhattan. While at work, he discovers a secret portal that literally leads inside John Malkovich’s (JM) mind. For 15 minutes, the person inside the portal sees, hears, and feels everything JM is doing. The adventure ends quite suddenly, and the inhabitant is unceremoniously dumped out of JM’s mind and onto the side of the New Jersey turnpike. Schwartz and his business partner, Maxine (Catherine Keener), decide to sell the “experience” for $200 a trip, and people are soon lining up to “Be John Malkovich.”

After about the first 30 minutes of the film, things start to get interesting. Schwartz’s wife, Lotte (Cameron Diaz), becomes obsessed with going through the portal because it allows her to act out her transgender desires. Both Schwartz and Lotte fall in love with Maxine, and the result is one of the weirdest 3 ½ way (JM being the half) clusters of ridiculousness I’ve ever encountered.

The plot becomes even more complex when it is realized that JM is supposed to be a host body for a group of people that jump from one portal to the next in an attempt to live forever. Their plans of taking over JM are disrupted when Schwartz realizes he can use his skills as a puppeteer to control Malkovich continuously. He refuses to leave the portal, and ends up spending eight months inside JM’s mind, where he is literally “Being John Malkovich.” He marries Maxine, she gets pregnant, and life progresses.

Moving on...

I’m not going to give away the ending, but this film takes the viewer on a roller coaster ride of enormous proportions. Just when you think you know what’s going to happen next, you’re thrown a curve ball and the entire plot goes in a different direction. My friends warned me that I would either love this film or hate it, and I’m still trying to decide which way to go.

What about the acting?

I want to stop for a moment and talk about the three main cast members. I have always loved John Cusack – because he’s so damn cute – but this role was definitely a favourite for me. He played an unhinged, socially defective, eager-to-be-loved puppeteer masterfully, and I think he was perfect for the role.

Cameron Diaz, on the other hand, has never been a favourite of mine. I have always lumped her in that “cute, blonde, but can’t act” category with a number of others that I won’t name. She has always flown under my radar, although I did think her performance was decent in My Best Friend’s Wedding. When I did a little more digging, I discovered that Diaz has been nominated for a number of Golden Globe awards for her performances in There’s Something About Mary, Being John Malkovich, Vanilla Sky, and Gangs of New York. I’ve also heard her performance in the newly-released Knight and Day was pretty good, but I haven’t seen it yet.

Basically, what I’m trying to say is that despite my reservations about Diaz as an actress, I thought she did a fantastic job in Being John Malkovich. She wasn’t made-up or perfectly dressed, and her appearance matched her strange character. Her acting was fantastic, especially when she began to deal with her sexuality.

Catherine Keener has been a favourite of mine for a long time. She has been nominated twice for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. The first nomination was for her role of Maxine in Being John Malkovich, and the second was for portraying Harper Lee in the 2005 film Capote (the same film that won Philip Seymour Hoffman the Academy Award for Best Actor). Her performances are always well-executed, and she was great at playing the slightly evil, sexually forward love interest in this film.

Being John Malkovich has become a cult classic, and rightly so. Overall, I believe it is asking us two very important questions. Who would you be if you could be someone else? And, are we all really who we say we are?

The epic nature of Saving Private Ryan

Every year, important blockbuster films hit theatres. These blockbusters have a profound effect on audiences, and many – like the recent Avatar – go down in history as being unique. But gradually, many blockbusters are forgotten when newer and more advanced films are released. This is a natural process, as people always want more, but I think some very important, epic films become lost in the shift.

Saving Private Ryan is a film that I haven’t watched since its release in 1998, and I hate to admit that I had forgotten about it. I dug it up yesterday when I needed to watch something about D-Day. After I was about 30 minutes in, and had just passed the Omaha Beach scene, I remembered why this film won the Academy Award for Best Director. It’s fantastic in every way. Even though it was filmed roughly 12 years ago, I still felt like I was there, on the beach, in France, witnessing everything along with Tom Hanks, Tom Sizemore, and Giovanni Ribisi.

The book I’m writing has taken me on a wild carpet ride, and I never imagined that I would be watching and blogging about films as part of the process. It’s incredible how something as simple as a film about war can change my whole attitude and get me in the mood to write. I was both sobered and moved after watching Saving Private Ryan. I sat down at my computer after shutting off the television and promptly wrote 5,000 words. There’s a big difference between reading about D-Day and watching a re-creation of it, and I don’t think the section I wrote would have been as effective if I hadn’t watched a film before writing it.

Steven Spielberg was meticulous with details, and I think he got pretty much everything right. There were a few details that bothered me (like the fact Tom Sizemore labelled his jars of earth with a Sharpie marker, which hadn’t been invented yet), and there were a few instances where equipment was visible and extras were noticeable. But hey, it was a hard film to make.

Spielberg also had the challenge of making a beach in Ireland look like Omaha Beach in Normandy, and I think the end result was very effective. There was absolutely no way that they could film at the actual location. Besides being sacrilegious, seeing hundreds of men dressed in U.S. Army gear jumping off ships and onto the site of what served as Omaha Beach would confuse the pants off of and probably scare the daylights out of any French citizen who happened to be walking by. Talk about post-traumatic stress disorder at its finest... Geez.

The acting in the film was solid from beginning to end. Tom Hanks did a fantastic job, although I initially had a hard time picturing him as a hardened army Captain. This is Tom Hanks. Forrest Gump. He’s a third cousin, four generations removed, of former U.S. President Abraham Lincoln. He seems too nice and too regal to be a bad ass military guy.

However, I did believe in his character by the end of the film. The rest of the cast was also phenomenal, and I was even impressed with Vin Diesel’s performance (which is saying a lot).

In total, Saving Private Ryan was nominated for eleven Academy Awards. It won five. Steven Spielberg won his second for Best Director (the first being Schindler’s List in 1993, a film I am watching next week). Other wins included Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Sound Editing, and Best Sound. Tom Hanks was nominated for Best Actor, but he lost to Roberto Benigni of Life is Beautiful. Edward Norton was also nominated for his performance in American History X. That must have been close, because each of those men delivered dynamite performances. The film was also nominated for Best Picture, but it lost to Shakespeare in Love.

Before I end this blog post, I believe it’s important that people understand why D-Day was so important. I do have a history degree, and I do love to talk, so I’m going to provide a 60 second lesson about the background...

D-Day, formally referred to as Operation Overlord, commenced on June 6, 1944, in the wee hours of morning. Roughly 195,000 personnel and 7,000 ships landed on five beaches along the Normandy coastline, which were codenamed Juno, Gold, Sword, Omaha, and Utah. Additional troops parachuted behind German lines, in an attempt to weaken their defences from the rear.

Of all five beaches, Omaha acquired the highest number of casualties. This was because their beach was the most difficult. It wasn’t flat, like Juno Beach (where we Canadians were sent to kick some ass). There was a high point opposite to the coastline, meaning that the Germans had high ground. They literally wiped out American troops with machine guns as they tried to get off the ships and dash for cover.

In total, on all of the beaches, there were roughly 9,000 casualties. 2,000 of those casualties were on Omaha Beach, and roughly 1,200 Canadians fell on Juno Beach (out of the 14,000 that landed).

Operation Overlord was overall a huge success, and gradually led to the fall of Hitler’s Nazi Regime. D-Day is referred to as “the beginning of the end of the Second World War,” which is exactly what it was. The Allies slowly made their way towards Berlin from the West, liberating citizens of occupied countries as they went. The Russians made headway and then defeated the Germans in the East. In the end, it was a race to Berlin from two directions, and Hitler knew all was lost.

Benito Mussolini, the dictator running Italy, was Hitler’s ally. On April 27, 1945, Mussolini was captured while trying to flee the country. He was executed the following day, and his body was hung along with six others at a gas station for the public to view. Hitler was terrified he would suffer the same fate. Therefore, on April 30, 1945, he married his mistress, Eva Braun, in his bunker in Berlin. Then, they both committed suicide. Germany began to surrender around the globe on May 1. Victory in Europe Day (V-E Day) was on May 8, 1945, when the news of Germany’s surrender became known across the globe.

So, that’s the long answer of why D-Day is important. Even though Saving Private Ryan wasn’t based on a true story that took place during the Second World War, it was realistic, heartfelt, and clearly portrayed the grisly environment the soldiers faced. I recommend everyone watches it again, because this film is a masterpiece.

Films take on new meaning

The main problem with writing a book that takes place in a time when I wasn’t alive is this: I don’t have firsthand experience about what life was really like.

I don’t know what people wore, how they spoke, or how they acted. The first story in my book takes place in 1919, the last in 1994, so I have been relying on second-hand accounts, articles, and photographs for information.

Last month, however, I discovered a different, much more efficient way to research the past.

Films.

It all started with The Untouchables. The story I was working on at the time took place primarily in Chicago in the 1930s. I had just visited Chicago, so I was familiar with many of the sights, but I wanted to ensure I had everything exactly right. I also wanted to ensure I wrote about the gangster attitudes and mannerisms properly. So, I rented The Untouchables and watched it 10 times while taking notes.

Next, I watched My Best Friend’s Wedding, to analyze the interior of Chicago’s Union Station. The station became a major setting in my story, so I wanted to describe it correctly. I will admit that the film wasn’t as good as I remembered it to be, but the fact that it was filmed in Chicago made it worth watching. The part when they were on the river cruise was especially helpful, because when I took the same cruise it was much too cold to pay attention to anything. I hid below-deck and drank Baileys and coffee.

I watched Goodfellas next, which provided additional gangster information. It was also quite entertaining, and I have to admit that I really like Ray Liotta. Did you know that Goodfellas won Joe Pesci an Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role? It was nominated for six, and is still known as one of the best films ever made. There were also over 300 f-bombs, in case you were curious.

I finished my gangster-research kick with Scarface, because Al Pacino modelled part of his character Tony Montana after Al Capone. And, one of Capone’s nicknames was "Scarface," so the film seemed fairly relevant and important to watch. Scarface is also known as one of the best films ever made, like Goodfellas (but, don’t even ask about the f-bombs in this one...)

I’ve really watched some important films lately! The things I do for research...

After exhausting my gangster resources and finishing the story, I started watching old romance films. Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Roman Holiday, and Sabrina completed my research on male and female dress in the fifties and sixties, and also provided insight about dating and relationships during that time. The Da Vinci Code and From Paris with Love provided some needed information about the layout of Paris, which is a huge part of my sixth story. I was there last summer, and know my way around fairly well, but I wasn’t exactly taking notes as I wandered the streets.

Now, I’m engrossed in my next story, and am already looking at what films I will watch to assist with its completion. The story will be the first one in my book, and takes place in 1919. I’ve already watched Titanic, because the characters came to Canada from England by boat, but I’m unsure of what to watch next.

It’s funny that watching films is actually helping my creative process. I take the content at face value and don’t put stock in the dialogue, but focus my efforts instead on the scenery, clothing, and filming locations. A lot of time, money, and energy are dedicated to ensuring that period films are historically accurate, so I’m confident that the notes I’m taking are mostly correct.
This system might not be for everyone, and it does have a tendency to distract on occasion, but I really believe that I am much further in my writing than I would have been if I hadn’t started using films as a form of research.

Try it out. See if it works for you.

NOTE: While I believe that watching films is great for research, it shouldn’t be the only method used. You should still go to the library and/or consult the local archives. Film-watching is one method, but I utilize many others on a daily basis. I just wanted to clear that up, in case anyone thinks that I’m spending my entire summer sitting on a couch watching television. :)