A BREAK FROM THE USUAL ROUTINE

I was asked recently what my favourite films are and why.

The answer for me was simple. In Collateral, two men who on the surface, have nothing in common with each other briefly provide real meaning to each other’s life, even when one ends up terminating the other.

In Be Kind Rewind, a community realises its facing extinction if the small video shop closes down. In this day and age, where it’s very tempting to keep to oneself, it reminds us that no man is an island and shouldn’t seek to be one too.

In Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, well this one is simply my favourite of all the Star War films. I believe it was the strongest - script wise - and the one with most meaning; who can forget the moment when Luke Skywalker finds out Darth Vader is his dad?

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But I have two other films I’ve watched several times, simply because they helped, believe it or not, to change the world.

Blazing Saddles

After standing up for himself and just before he’s about to be executed, Bart, played by Cleavon Little, is saved by the State Attorney General, called Heady Lamarr - brilliantly portrayed by Harvey Korman - who makes him a sheriff that’s requested by the townsfolk of Rock Ridge.

The AT’s intentions aren't noble; he wants to use Bart to drive the local people away – especially since Lamarr's responsible for the current woes of Rock Ridge - or even better, have the townsfolk kill Bart and wash his hands clean of the town's eventual destruction (after all, he has done his bit of sending a law enforcer, so why should he send another one?) i.e. smart move!

That’s because construction of the railroad has to be changed, due to discovering quicksand on the original route - that's why Bart was due to be hanged, after striking the supervisor over the head for leaving him and a friend to drown - this means it has to go through the town of Rock Ridge.

Rather than let the residents have a fair slice of the profits gained, the AT wants to buy the land at a cheap price and keep the future gains of the railroad for himself – i.e. greed.

Blazing Saddles not only had a black man as the lead character (and was first released in 1974) it also cleverly shows how defeat can be turned into victory without having to play the race card.

In the Wild West, racial and sexual equality didn’t exist yet seeing how Sherriff Bart overcomes the original hatred of the townsfolk and defends them, which includes sticking to the principles of his job and defeating his enemies through humour, cunning, sensibility, hard work, honour and being downright clever, is something I aim for, which I hope is passed onto everyone I meet.

I also learned if there is one act of kindness I can do, whether it’s sweeping the floor before the disabled supporters arrive or helping a student achieve a demo or press cutting, we should always strive to be helpful; we all need friends and interaction with others, as Gene Wilder showed, when co-starting in this film as the ‘Waco Kid’ (which included his long-time comedy partner Richard Pryor, as one of the writers of this film).

I have another one but I’ll have to mention it another time.

Until then, be good.

Light and Peace

Andria

PS don’t forget to visit my other internet site: www.andriagreaves.com