Woo
There are several interesting news items that need to be mentioned before I get to the main subject. First up, a surprising headline from nypost.com: “Diabetics make up 40% of COVID deaths in US.” That’s almost half! Geez!
What will they think of next? Headline from NYP: “Future Jeeps will be able to drive underwater, CEO says.”
From an NYP editorial: California’s “… Legislature has approved a plan to spend $100 million to bail out the legal-pot businesses, while illegal (often cartel-run) pot ‘entrepreneurs’ are booming, with more than 1000 outlaw weed plantations dotting the ecologically fragile Mojave Desert.” If this keeps up, would it be possible that ganja would again be made illegal? Usually, there’s no going back from this kind of stuff. Taxpayers will likely pick up the tab, just as they do for many failed government policies.
More from NYP, headline: “Soaring crime but the fewest people in prison since 1946.”
Given China’s actions on the world stage, it is difficult to send praise its way. I have lost respect for the businesses and stars who look the other way in regard to its abuses and kiss butt. I’m going to discuss a work of art. If that that’s wrong, so be it. John Woo gained international attention for his rousing crime flicks, particularly The Killer (1989) and Hard Boiled (1992), the first and last 20 minutes of the latter as entertaining as an action film gets. Hollywood took notice. Unfortunately, his work stateside was mediocre except for Face/Off (1997). Windtalkers (2002) was profoundly disappointing, wasting the great theme of Navajo WWII coding and turning it into a superhero movie only action fans would enjoy. I wondered if he’d shot his load, then last night I watched Red Cliff (2008), courtesy of Netflix by mail. It’s the story of an epic third century battle to unify China, small force vs huge. It starts as a beautifully shot, well-choreographed action flick, then elevates midway as interesting elements are introduced: bodies infected with typhoid used as a weapon; the “theft” of arrows in a unique way; the use of weather as a homecourt advantage; the brewing of tea as a tactic to gain time. I was enthralled even though the latter three strain credulity. They seem so unique, although I have no idea if they’ve ever before been put to celluloid. The final conflict is as good as any ever on the big screen. The use of fire is spectacular. I recognized a few faces in the cast, but didn’t recall their names. My only quibbles are that the dialogue doesn’t always ring true, perhaps muddled in translation, and things get a bit corny. A meditation is recited by the brutal warlord/poet Cao Cao, a historical figure, before the showdown. Here are the first eight lines:
“I lift my drink and sing a song
For who knows if life be short or long
Man’s life is but the morning dew
Past days many, future few
The melancholy my heart begets
Comes from cares I cannot forget
Who can unravel these woes of mine?
I know of but one man — the god of wine…”
When the closing credits begin, a haunting song, The River of No Return, is playing in the background. Here’s a sound clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lx_skqSGZyA
The title refers to where the events took place. So is Red Cliff a masterpiece? Despite its flaws, time may prove it is. 44,000+ users at Amazon have rated it, forging to a consensus of 7.4 on a scale of ten. While viewing, I wondered how much it cost to make such an epic these days: 80 million in U.S. dollars. I’d expected the figure to be much higher. It returned more than $129 million worldwide. There is a part two. I’m hesitant to add it for fear it will come up far short of the first. Anyone squeamish about violence should pass. Here’s a publicity still:
I’d recently made a few changes and additions to my novella, Class of ’67, and corrected a few errors. I ordered a copy from Amazon on 6/26 and didn’t receive it until 7/15. I wasn’t home when UPS attempted delivery. Unlike other services, they do not leave packages in the lobby. I picked it up at CVS. Anyway, I’m happy with the book, although, of course, I spotted one error, an unnecessary quotation mark, and thought of an amusing anecdote that would have fit perfectly. Oh well, c’est la vie.
My thanks to the kind folks who donated, swapped and bought books today. I’m a bit worn from the consecutive days of high humidity. Fortunately there was an occasional stiff breeze blowing along Bay Parkway that helped a lot. Here’s what sold: a testing primer, a large textbook on Phlebotomy; a Su Do Ku collection; a CD of Hanukkah songs bought by an Asian guy; The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman; DVDs of The Bridge to Terabithia (2007) and Jack and the Beanstalk (2010); and the first entry in the kids Biscuit series by Alyssa Satin Capucilli, illustrated by Pat Schories. It started pouring as I was driving home. I had a half-block walk to the co-op. Boy, the rain felt good.
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