Thursday, October 05, 2006

With Subtitles


The first movie I ever saw in a theater was Windwalker, an odd choice, given that it was as far from a children's movie as a movie could be -- the tagline read, He walked the winds of love and death -- and now he must walk for all eternity! My parents never subjected me to Disney movies, a regular staple for all the children I know, thanks to the miracle of DVD players. Given what little I know of the plots now, I'm thankful for this void in my youth -- The Little Mermaid in particular upsets me to no end -- give up your voice and your prince will come?! Give me the heartbreak of any Peanut's special (one caveat -- do not watch Come Home, Snoopy when you are depressed; it can tip you over to suicidally depressed) over that crap any day. But, back to the man who roams. Windwalker, a dead Native American medicine man, had to return to the earth to save his tribe. The film contained only a few voice-overs in English; the movie is entirely in the Cheyenne and Crow Native American languages with subtitles.

It's hard to imagine my attention span at nine was all that smoking hot, but I loved the atmosphere of the movies, even the dinky theater in Mineral Wells, the size of a really big postage stamp, one of the pretty ones that the postal clerk has to dig out of the bottom of the drawer, embittering the rest of the long line that wishes you would just buy the flag stamps and be done with it. Don't remember much about the plot except that it involved a lot of walking around bitterly in cold weather, good preparation for Detroit, now that I think about it. I love that my first theater movie contained subtitles -- it makes me sound a whole lot smarter than I am, a myth that could be punctured quickly by the telling of my first rated-R movie that I snuck into -- Zapped, starring that acting genius Scott Baio. This all happened in the same theater. For a couple of hours, the outside world could be kept at bay, and it didn't matter if you could understand what was happening all the time or not.


Michelle's Spell of the Day

"Everything in this story is true." William J. Cobb, "Marathon"

Cocktail Hour

Drinking music suggestion: James Brown, Say It Loud and Live, Live in Dallas

Benedictions and Maledictions

Halloween recipe book -- Avon's Best Halloween Recipes (yes, leave it to me to suggest a make-up company's cookbook, but the recipes are very cute and mostly dessert recipes)

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dear Michelle,
Today's post is a wonderful blend of childhood memories, film critiques and adult perceptions. Well done. It is bitterly cold in Detroit sometimes, but I hope all the films you choose to watch warm you up inside and out.
With warm regards,
Native Filmgoer

Anonymous said...

"It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!"

Anonymous said...

I hate the way the Native Americans got screwed.

ZZZZZZZ said...

I have never seen this movie you are talking about... however I love the Little Mermaid but I do see your point. Giving up the voice and all. I guess men like women who don't talk. Well then they are so screwed when they meet me cuz I love to talk. I was centered around disney movies growing up and I think it's affected me. I was centered around all the prince/princess happy ever after junk. Now I am a hopeless romantic (in my head) dreaming of the kind of relationship I think I should have. Damn Disney....

Anonymous said...

Speaking of bad movies, given the way Dick Devious treats the elderly in his old folks homes, imagine what he'll do to the people of Michigan if he becomes governor. That really would be a bad horror movie.

Anonymous said...

I don't remember my first movie in a theatre. I do remember being told to go back to sleep when I was young, when I woke up during the double feature at a drive-in.

Anonymous said...

Today's "Quote of the Day":If your heart is in your dream/No request is too extreme/When you wish upon a star/As dreamers do.--Disney

Anonymous said...

What movie not to see: Bertolucci's "The Dreamers." Too much gratuitous nudity of the incest kind. (Side note: the female star plays Viper in the latest Bond flick with the latest James Bomb Shawn Connery guy.)

Anonymous said...

Correction: That should be "Vesper," not "Viper" in the previous post. Sorry. Michelle always has me in a snake mode. It's all her fault.

Anonymous said...

Cajun Q, Mighty Isis thats a shiny outfit there I'm digging it. Havent gotten to the words yet but Foxy Shazammm! R2 C2!

Anonymous said...

Dear Michelle,
Very charming photo(locale, jewelry and subject). But, as you know, Je prefere colour, mon cheri.
Yours, AP

Anonymous said...

Je prefere l'amour

Anonymous said...

Hey, "Zapped" was my first R-rated movie, too! My cousin got hold of the tape and I remember watching the film over and over again at his house. My cousin was in love with Heather Thomas; I couldn't get enough of Scott Baio! HaHa!

Loving your blog! Keep at it! c",)

Anonymous said...

Hey, "Zapped" was my first R-rated movie, too! My cousin got hold of the tape and I remember watching the film over and over again at his house. My cousin was in love with Heather Thomas; I couldn't get enough of Scott Baio! HaHa!

Loving your blog! Keep at it! c",)

Reel Fanatic said...

You're definitely right about Disney ... Although I didn't see them as a youth, I now the anime movies of Hayao Miyqzaki, especially Kiki's Delivery Service and Porco Rosso

John Ricci said...

Dear Michelle, another charming view and post. That's some interesting outfit. I most definitely enjoy your subtitles and to that, bravo!