I spent part of my last birthday locked in the bathroom of my old house sobbing. The second part was spent in a cheerier manner, watching The Last King of Scotland with my lovely son Mac. I have always loved downer movies because they made me feel like my life wasn’t so bad and what was I complaining about. Kind of like when your parent hits you in the head to get your mind off of a stubbed toe. Oh, your parent’s didn’t do that? Hmmm. The parallel of watching this movie is interesting because I remember being obsessed with the Entebbe hostage situation and subsequent invasion when I was my son’s age. I thought there was nothing sexier on the planet than Israeli soldiers back then. He became somewhat fascinated with Idi Amin after the movie, but avoided the fatal crush on Israeli men for obvious reasons.
Why is there such a market for movies probing the darkest corners of our collective hearts? Why do we love to see others suffer? After all these years is it just as Aristotle said that drama should arouse pity and fear in its’ audience? What are we looking for and why can’t we find catharsis some other way? Mac told me of a funny Onion article in which a man shot James Gandolfini of Sopranos fame stating that “now that he’s dead, I finally have closure.”
This year there is no one to drive me to the bathroom in a fit of tears but this year my son and I will go to an equally miserable movie on my birthday – In the Country of Old Men. If bad times make us need difficult movies then by god, bring on your worst, Cohn Brothers, I could use the distraction.
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2 comments:
Hello Carla, Don't know if you remember me but I was one of your students for a short time at LMC. I think it was your comedy class. Gosh I think that was close to 13 or 14 years ago! I work at LMC now as the web administrator and somehow I ended up on your email list. I thought it was Mikes lists mostly for his performances and honestly I basically ignored the email. Today I clicked and then saw your blog and wondered what you were up to. Instantly I was sucked in. I remember your son barely able to walk across the floor after a performance and now you say he is 15! Then I continued to read and I was still stunned. A story was unfolding before my eyes of people that I only barely knew in a certain way. Anyway I have always admired you as an actress and other things you can ad to your list is a wonderful writer. Your ability to share and express your feeling in such a way that I think we can all feel a little of those emotions with you. You are never truly alone in this world. This I believe. Here is my website just in case you are still blank and wondered who this nutty former student was who was writing you! http://eloine.com/
My thoughts are with you,
Eloine
HI Eloine,
THe minute I read LMC student I went back and looked at the name and a visual image came up for me of a remarkably beautiful young woman who looked a bit like a chestnut haired Ann Archer and who had an intelligent and quirky sense of humor. I went to the site - not to confirm my suspicions because though I don't remember much about the class, I completely remember your face and your intelligence - but to see who you are now. Your photography is stunning. YOu even make LMC look intriguing. WHat a wonderful eye you have! While I'm very sorry about the IPHONE in the toilet, I'm delighted to see you live a life of creativity and verve. I believe Terrence Brewer was in that same class, wasn't he? He has a great career as a guitarist now. It's wonderful to see how people grow, change evolve and yet stay the same.
Hope this email finds you and thank you so much for your great note and for sharing your art with me.
Carla
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