I remember once when I was a kid, one of my best friends & I decided to spend the night sleeping on my giant trampoline. As I lay there, I think it was the first time in my life I realized how many stars their were in the sky. So many of them & as learned by paying attention in Mrs. Morris's science class, some much bigger than the sun. Some stars even bigger than those stars & some stars even bigger than those. We have no idea how large space is. No idea how many stars their are. No idea how many planets their are. We're one planet & in the scheme of things rather small. We're not even the largest planet in our own solar system. We're right dab in the middle. I thought then as a 10 year old fourth grader that it was as naive as it was arrogant to believe that Earth is the only planet to produce life. I mean it is a possibility that Earth is the only planet with life, but the laws of probability alone suggest that somewhere life in someway exist somewhere else.
What is that life exactly? I have no idea. Maybe it's nothing more than single celled organisms like amoebas. Maybe life far beyond our intelligence & far more civilized. Maybe life that is now where we were when we first appeared as homosapiens. The possibilities are endless so might as well imagine them all. I watched a film once when I was a kid where it was suggested that somehow or another after you got to a certain point you'd come around again. Suggesting that the entirety itself is also round. How far is that I wonder? How much is truly out there?
I like to imagine alien lifeforms similar to that of E.T. Ones that are interested in making contact & learning from us. Making friendships. Yet as imperialistic & tribal as we are as a species, I suppose I have to entertain the idea of a hostile species. Ones out to conquer & rule. To either destroy us or to exploit & enslave us. I think it's more realistic to imagine us doing it to them, than it is to imagine them doing it to us.
I often think that extraterrestrial life has already been discovered. I'm not a conspiracy theorist or anything like that but I do think it makes sense as to why we're not informed as a society. I think their are many legitimate reason for keeping this information from us. That it is justifiable to keep it hidden from the masses.
I've already touched upon it a bit. It pains me to say it, but we as human being can be rather cruel. Throughout history their are countless examples of our cruelty. The way Europeans treated the Natives of the Americas. Slavery, not only here in the United States for hundreds of years but all over the world. The holocaust. The Japanese atrocities committed against China & other Asian countries. We're not a peaceful species. It's fun to imagine a relationship between human & alien being one of harmony & of peace, but history suggest otherwise. We'd want to eradicate them from their ways & assimilate them into our own & most likely react with forceful violence upon any resistance.
I believe strongly that religion would strongly reject the idea of extraterrestrial life. Within the Bible, Torah, Koran & other religious text, their is no mention of life on other planets. I think alien life within itself would be a huge threat to the foundation of those beliefs. At least enough to question if not enough to crumble. I think discovering life on other planets would reshape Christianity, Judaism & Islam. To what level or extent, I do not know but I can't see them remaining as they are. Therefore I can't help but feel one of the main reasons information on extra-terrestrial life would be kept classified would be because of the threat it posses to religion.
I don't want to politicize my thoughts on such an interesting topic but it's difficult not to. It's more fun to think of making friends with creatures & the adventure that could ensue. To observe them & see their civility. How they handle such things on a social level. What do they eat? How do they function? How do they entertain themselves? I'm sure we'd be as fascinating to them as they are to us.
Laurence Kraus says that our reality is only of what in which we can experience. So we know living organisms to be ones that need energy in order to sustain life. I guess it just occurred to me that I always think of alien life form as being something in comparison to that of the Animal Kingdom. Something that needs oxygen & food in order to survive. That has cognitive reaction, feelings, a brain, a heart & blood. It could as easily be comparable to plant life, which also needs oxygen & food to survive, but I think without further explaining myself you get the difference. Perhaps the first life form we'll discover (publicly anyway) will be more comparable to a tree than it will be to a dog or a cat.
I hope this suffices as an answer. Yes I do believe that life in some capacity exist somewhere other than the Earth. That doesn't mean that I don't entertain the possibility that Earth is the only planet with life, because I do. When I don't know something & I have nothing other than suggestion, imagination & possibility, I entertain all outcomes. However, I don't entertain all outcomes equally. I think there is a greater chance that there is something out there, than there is not.
Thursday, July 30, 2020
Monday, July 27, 2020
Jeremiah Jarvis
It was the day of the Oskaloosa Duals. Not all that great of a day for me. I went 2-3 that day in five dual matches. I pinned a kid on the Oskaloosa JV squad & then I lost 20-11 to Nate Nicholson of Ottumwa. Chris Dunkin of Knoxville pinned me in the third period with only a few seconds left to go on the clock. I was beating Brett Allison of Tri County 9-4, when he headlocked me & pinned me late in the second period. I went & got dressed and came back out in my street clothes. I told my head coach that I wasn't going to wrestle in the last dual. He didn't say anything to me as my assistant coach grabbed me by the arm & took me into the locker room. I'll never forget that moment as long as I live.
He picked up a trashcan & threw it across the floor. He then told me that I had to go out and do something for him that I've never done in my entire career. He said to me, "You gotta go out there and wrestle." It confused me because I was a senior, nearing the end of my career. I'd been on the wrestling team since I was a freshman. I told him that wrestling was what I did. He said back to me, "no you don't. What you do is you go out there scared to death. You go out there not to lose." When he said that I realized he was right. That is how I wrestled most of my matches. He then said back to me, "not this next match. Not this time. This time you're gonna go out there & you're just gonna wrestle. You're not gonna worry about me, or Coach Kirby or your Dad. You're just gonna wrestle. Just wrestle. No thinking. Just wrestle."
The last match of the day I wrestled Troy Smith of Pella. It ended up being the best match I ever wrestled in my entire high school career. I beat him 9-6 & found out after my win that he was currently ranked by The Predicament. He marked the one & only time in my high school career where I defeated a ranked kid.
Looking back all these years later I realize that it wasn't nearly as bad of a day as I made it out to be. Nate Nicholson went on to qualify for state & he won the Greco-Roman that year. Chris Dunkin ended up taking fifth at State. Brett Allison had 100 career wins & was a sectional champion. I wrestled all three of them tough. I threw Nicholson in a headlock & got 2 back points. If it wasn't for a stupid move towards the end that cost me 5 points, he wouldn't have beaten me by such a large margin. The score was 4-2 at the time Dunkin pinned me. If I'd have avoided that headlock, I only would've lost by two points. I took Allison down three times that match. He was a very tough kid. I don't think he got taken down many times his senior year. And of course, I beat the #10 kid in the state.
But at the time, I was down & depressed about it. Of course when I got home I listened to an ass chewing from my Dad. I got headlocked three times that day. Nicholson, Dunkin & Allison all headlocked me. Nothing like being told how much of an idiot you are & that you might as well turn in your singlet & tell Kirby you're gonna join basketball. You obviously aren't tough enough to be a wrestler. That's fun to listen to for hours on end after you come home from a grueling wrestling tournament. "How can you get headlocked three times in the same day? It's obvious you're wasting your time at practice." God, I can picture him in the kitchen throwing laundry into the washing machine saying that exact phrase.
I went into the basement & laid down on the couch. It was early but I was exhausted. The doorbell rang but I didn't figure it was for me, so I didn't get up. Next thing I knew Dad came walking down the stairs. He flipped the light switch on & said to me, "There's someone here to see you."
I went up stairs wondering who in the Hell was there to see me. When I came to the door it was Gerad Clingan. A sophomore on the wrestling team. I didn't even realize that he knew where I lived.
"What are you doing here?" I asked him.
"I'm having a party out at my place tonight." He said to me. "You're coming. Come on. Get in."
"I don't know if my Dad will let me."
I looked back at my Dad.
"You do what you want." A response meaning that since I wrestled like shit that day (at least in his opinion) I could pack my bags & go live in Mexico the rest of my life for all he cared.
I got into Gerard's truck & away we went.
"I thought you said your Dad was really against partying and stuff." He said to me as we headed down the road.
"He is." I said back. "But he knows me. He knows I'm not gonna drink or do drugs. He knows I'm not like that."
"Good" Gerard said back to me. "Cause this is a sex only party."
It made me laugh. It was the first time I had laughed all day. It was the first time I had felt good all day. Upsetting the #10 ranked kid in the state should've made me feel good, but I've always had trouble focusing on the positive. All I could think of was my three losses.
"Who's all coming?" I asked him.
He rattled off some names. Laci Patterson, Dustin Vermillion & a few others. He then said he was gonna call Monica Conger to see if she wanted to come out. He called her on his phone & put her on speaker. When I talked, she was like, "Who is that?" I began to joke around & say some really weird shit in a weird accent. She kept asking who is this?
I don't know why but the first name that popped into my head was a UC Davis wrestler by the name of Jeremiah Jarvis & I told her my name was Jeremiah Jarvis.
When we got to her house to pick her up I'll never forget what he said to her.
She asked him, "Whose all gonna be there?"
Gerad gave her the same answer that he gave me.
"Is your mom gonna be there?" She asked
"No." Gerad answered. "That way we can get naked."
I laughed again for the second time that night. It felt good to laugh.
When we got to Gerard's house, Monica walked in ahead of us & I can remember Gerard saying to me that he wanted me to have a good time tonight. To enjoy myself & not be afraid to smile. Not be afraid to laugh.
And I did. I had a really, really good time that night. Got to know Bobbi Burdock a bit that night. Hung out with Dustin Vermillion, Monica & Gerad. Can't say Laci ever thought much of me or me much of her, but hey, can't win em all.
Looking back it is one of my favorite memories of high school.
I remember Gerard giving me & Monica a ride home. He dropped her off first & then me. He said to me something I don't think many would have had the courage to say. He told me that I wasn't near as weird & strange of a kid as some made me out to be. That I really was a cool kid & that he was glad he knew me. He looked up to me on the wrestling team & said he thought I took my role as captain very seriously.
I went out to Gerard's house probably a half a dozen more times after that. His Grandpa owned a farm with deer & a large pond. He had a dock that we'd jump off of.
Gerard was a good friend to me during that time in my life. I think he saw that a lot of the seriousness about me, the label some gave me of being "a 40 year old man trapped in a 18 year old's body" had a lot to do with the pressure & judgement of trying to please an unpleasable father.
In this life you get to know a lot of people. Some aren't worth it. Some are. Gerard Clingan was worth it.
He picked up a trashcan & threw it across the floor. He then told me that I had to go out and do something for him that I've never done in my entire career. He said to me, "You gotta go out there and wrestle." It confused me because I was a senior, nearing the end of my career. I'd been on the wrestling team since I was a freshman. I told him that wrestling was what I did. He said back to me, "no you don't. What you do is you go out there scared to death. You go out there not to lose." When he said that I realized he was right. That is how I wrestled most of my matches. He then said back to me, "not this next match. Not this time. This time you're gonna go out there & you're just gonna wrestle. You're not gonna worry about me, or Coach Kirby or your Dad. You're just gonna wrestle. Just wrestle. No thinking. Just wrestle."
The last match of the day I wrestled Troy Smith of Pella. It ended up being the best match I ever wrestled in my entire high school career. I beat him 9-6 & found out after my win that he was currently ranked by The Predicament. He marked the one & only time in my high school career where I defeated a ranked kid.
Looking back all these years later I realize that it wasn't nearly as bad of a day as I made it out to be. Nate Nicholson went on to qualify for state & he won the Greco-Roman that year. Chris Dunkin ended up taking fifth at State. Brett Allison had 100 career wins & was a sectional champion. I wrestled all three of them tough. I threw Nicholson in a headlock & got 2 back points. If it wasn't for a stupid move towards the end that cost me 5 points, he wouldn't have beaten me by such a large margin. The score was 4-2 at the time Dunkin pinned me. If I'd have avoided that headlock, I only would've lost by two points. I took Allison down three times that match. He was a very tough kid. I don't think he got taken down many times his senior year. And of course, I beat the #10 kid in the state.
But at the time, I was down & depressed about it. Of course when I got home I listened to an ass chewing from my Dad. I got headlocked three times that day. Nicholson, Dunkin & Allison all headlocked me. Nothing like being told how much of an idiot you are & that you might as well turn in your singlet & tell Kirby you're gonna join basketball. You obviously aren't tough enough to be a wrestler. That's fun to listen to for hours on end after you come home from a grueling wrestling tournament. "How can you get headlocked three times in the same day? It's obvious you're wasting your time at practice." God, I can picture him in the kitchen throwing laundry into the washing machine saying that exact phrase.
I went into the basement & laid down on the couch. It was early but I was exhausted. The doorbell rang but I didn't figure it was for me, so I didn't get up. Next thing I knew Dad came walking down the stairs. He flipped the light switch on & said to me, "There's someone here to see you."
I went up stairs wondering who in the Hell was there to see me. When I came to the door it was Gerad Clingan. A sophomore on the wrestling team. I didn't even realize that he knew where I lived.
"What are you doing here?" I asked him.
"I'm having a party out at my place tonight." He said to me. "You're coming. Come on. Get in."
"I don't know if my Dad will let me."
I looked back at my Dad.
"You do what you want." A response meaning that since I wrestled like shit that day (at least in his opinion) I could pack my bags & go live in Mexico the rest of my life for all he cared.
I got into Gerard's truck & away we went.
"I thought you said your Dad was really against partying and stuff." He said to me as we headed down the road.
"He is." I said back. "But he knows me. He knows I'm not gonna drink or do drugs. He knows I'm not like that."
"Good" Gerard said back to me. "Cause this is a sex only party."
It made me laugh. It was the first time I had laughed all day. It was the first time I had felt good all day. Upsetting the #10 ranked kid in the state should've made me feel good, but I've always had trouble focusing on the positive. All I could think of was my three losses.
"Who's all coming?" I asked him.
He rattled off some names. Laci Patterson, Dustin Vermillion & a few others. He then said he was gonna call Monica Conger to see if she wanted to come out. He called her on his phone & put her on speaker. When I talked, she was like, "Who is that?" I began to joke around & say some really weird shit in a weird accent. She kept asking who is this?
I don't know why but the first name that popped into my head was a UC Davis wrestler by the name of Jeremiah Jarvis & I told her my name was Jeremiah Jarvis.
When we got to her house to pick her up I'll never forget what he said to her.
She asked him, "Whose all gonna be there?"
Gerad gave her the same answer that he gave me.
"Is your mom gonna be there?" She asked
"No." Gerad answered. "That way we can get naked."
I laughed again for the second time that night. It felt good to laugh.
When we got to Gerard's house, Monica walked in ahead of us & I can remember Gerard saying to me that he wanted me to have a good time tonight. To enjoy myself & not be afraid to smile. Not be afraid to laugh.
And I did. I had a really, really good time that night. Got to know Bobbi Burdock a bit that night. Hung out with Dustin Vermillion, Monica & Gerad. Can't say Laci ever thought much of me or me much of her, but hey, can't win em all.
Looking back it is one of my favorite memories of high school.
I remember Gerard giving me & Monica a ride home. He dropped her off first & then me. He said to me something I don't think many would have had the courage to say. He told me that I wasn't near as weird & strange of a kid as some made me out to be. That I really was a cool kid & that he was glad he knew me. He looked up to me on the wrestling team & said he thought I took my role as captain very seriously.
I went out to Gerard's house probably a half a dozen more times after that. His Grandpa owned a farm with deer & a large pond. He had a dock that we'd jump off of.
Gerard was a good friend to me during that time in my life. I think he saw that a lot of the seriousness about me, the label some gave me of being "a 40 year old man trapped in a 18 year old's body" had a lot to do with the pressure & judgement of trying to please an unpleasable father.
In this life you get to know a lot of people. Some aren't worth it. Some are. Gerard Clingan was worth it.
A Day With The Dead
If Miracles were possible & I could spend a week with someone who has died, I'd spend that week with Marie Danels my Great-Grandma. I'm going to assume that even though she's been gone for the past 27 years that she would have knowledge of what has gone on. That she wouldn't be oblivious to the past nearly three decades. Then again maybe she would be. Maybe I'd have to catch her up on everything that has happened.
I often wonder what she'd be like if she were still around. I like to imagine her as I remember her. Yet I sometimes wonder if perhaps I over romanticize. The pondering makes me think of my late Aunt Shirley. A woman who I always felt was on my side. One who encouraged me & showed me support. Her death a few months ago & more so her battle with dementia over the past few years felt like being robbed. She was taken from us way too soon & I know that I'm not the only one who feels that way.
I think of my cousin Marsha a lot when I think of these types of things. Marsha's never gotten a break in her life. She was a young kid, harshly judged & put down most of her teenage years. She was a 16 year old kid, only a junior in high school when her Grandma Norma passed away. Then she was barely 21 when Grandma Danels passed away. Two of the most important people in her life. Two of the only women she had in life that encouraged her now gone. I think sometimes in life we get so wrapped up in our own lives & within our our problems we don't take the time to see the trials & tribulations that others go through. I hate knowing all of the horrific things my cousin has had to endure in her life. I hate knowing that for the longest time she hasn't had much of anyone to turn to. My cousin Stacey is an open ear. An open heart but she lives far away & isn't nearby. She still has my Grandpa Harry. He's the one remaining whose response is more than harsh judgment, ridicule & criticism. His time is wearing thin though. He'll be 90 soon.
My life the past 6 months has been challenging. As a result of a tragedy I shut myself completely off from the world for a while. At the time it included everyone. It included Marsha. I simply needed some alone time. I think it made Marsha angry with me & I can understand that. I've since gone & seen Grandpa Harry four times. Time permitting I plan to see him again soon. Trying to make a habit of once a month if possible. Or at least once every other month. I realize that once he's gone, it's done. It's over. I don't know who Marsha turns to after that. People mentally & emotionally beat up on her all the time for turning towards people who exploit her & take advantage of her all the time. They don't have encouragement or inspiration to give. Just judgment & criticism.
I'd hope Grandma Danels would have some advice but even if not, at least she'd be there to listen. My aunt Shirley as well as My Uncle Greg's death both hit me really hard this past year. Had a best friend of 11 years steal a substantial amount of money & a dream from me. I haven't had the ability to talk to anyone about it. Really let it out how I feel.
I suppose that'd be day one with Grandma Danels.
I'd want approval. I'd want her to be proud of who I am. To be encouraging of me & to make me feel that even though I'm not rich & I didn't find that $90,000 a year job that maybe I'm still worth something. Maybe I can still amount to something. I'd want that, but in the end regardless of what her response was, I'd want her to know me.
Day two through Day Five would be me learning as much about her as I could. Quizzing her all about her life & the lives of those she knew that I never knew. I remember her telling me how she played the violin in school. Of how on one of their first dates Grandpa Danels took her to see a professional wrestling match. We're talking pro wrestling back in the late 20's/early 30's. How I'd love to know the details of that. I recall her telling me about going to the circus when she was a little girl around the time of World War I.
Of course being the greatest cook the world has ever known, I'd selfishly ask that she treated me to at least one meal per day. Her love of cooking, I know I'd get all three.
Day six would be me reminding her of all of the great memories I have of her & how special of a woman she was to me as a kid. How her influence all these years later is still a huge part of who I am, how I think & how I look at life. I think she knew how important of a Grandma she was to me upon her passing but I'd remind her of it anyway.
Day seven would be me letting her know that I think about her often. I wonder what life would have been like & what it'd be like if she was still around. I'd tell her that I've never been one to hate Mondays, but in this particular case this would be a Monday that I hated. It'd be day 8 & she'd have to go back, my week would be up.
Grandma Danels never drove. Her entire life she had others give her rides. I always told her that when I got older that I'd teach her how to drive. Maybe we could do that. If not, I like to drive.
I often wonder what she'd be like if she were still around. I like to imagine her as I remember her. Yet I sometimes wonder if perhaps I over romanticize. The pondering makes me think of my late Aunt Shirley. A woman who I always felt was on my side. One who encouraged me & showed me support. Her death a few months ago & more so her battle with dementia over the past few years felt like being robbed. She was taken from us way too soon & I know that I'm not the only one who feels that way.
I think of my cousin Marsha a lot when I think of these types of things. Marsha's never gotten a break in her life. She was a young kid, harshly judged & put down most of her teenage years. She was a 16 year old kid, only a junior in high school when her Grandma Norma passed away. Then she was barely 21 when Grandma Danels passed away. Two of the most important people in her life. Two of the only women she had in life that encouraged her now gone. I think sometimes in life we get so wrapped up in our own lives & within our our problems we don't take the time to see the trials & tribulations that others go through. I hate knowing all of the horrific things my cousin has had to endure in her life. I hate knowing that for the longest time she hasn't had much of anyone to turn to. My cousin Stacey is an open ear. An open heart but she lives far away & isn't nearby. She still has my Grandpa Harry. He's the one remaining whose response is more than harsh judgment, ridicule & criticism. His time is wearing thin though. He'll be 90 soon.
My life the past 6 months has been challenging. As a result of a tragedy I shut myself completely off from the world for a while. At the time it included everyone. It included Marsha. I simply needed some alone time. I think it made Marsha angry with me & I can understand that. I've since gone & seen Grandpa Harry four times. Time permitting I plan to see him again soon. Trying to make a habit of once a month if possible. Or at least once every other month. I realize that once he's gone, it's done. It's over. I don't know who Marsha turns to after that. People mentally & emotionally beat up on her all the time for turning towards people who exploit her & take advantage of her all the time. They don't have encouragement or inspiration to give. Just judgment & criticism.
I'd hope Grandma Danels would have some advice but even if not, at least she'd be there to listen. My aunt Shirley as well as My Uncle Greg's death both hit me really hard this past year. Had a best friend of 11 years steal a substantial amount of money & a dream from me. I haven't had the ability to talk to anyone about it. Really let it out how I feel.
I suppose that'd be day one with Grandma Danels.
I'd want approval. I'd want her to be proud of who I am. To be encouraging of me & to make me feel that even though I'm not rich & I didn't find that $90,000 a year job that maybe I'm still worth something. Maybe I can still amount to something. I'd want that, but in the end regardless of what her response was, I'd want her to know me.
Day two through Day Five would be me learning as much about her as I could. Quizzing her all about her life & the lives of those she knew that I never knew. I remember her telling me how she played the violin in school. Of how on one of their first dates Grandpa Danels took her to see a professional wrestling match. We're talking pro wrestling back in the late 20's/early 30's. How I'd love to know the details of that. I recall her telling me about going to the circus when she was a little girl around the time of World War I.
Of course being the greatest cook the world has ever known, I'd selfishly ask that she treated me to at least one meal per day. Her love of cooking, I know I'd get all three.
Day six would be me reminding her of all of the great memories I have of her & how special of a woman she was to me as a kid. How her influence all these years later is still a huge part of who I am, how I think & how I look at life. I think she knew how important of a Grandma she was to me upon her passing but I'd remind her of it anyway.
Day seven would be me letting her know that I think about her often. I wonder what life would have been like & what it'd be like if she was still around. I'd tell her that I've never been one to hate Mondays, but in this particular case this would be a Monday that I hated. It'd be day 8 & she'd have to go back, my week would be up.
Grandma Danels never drove. Her entire life she had others give her rides. I always told her that when I got older that I'd teach her how to drive. Maybe we could do that. If not, I like to drive.
Remakes/Reimaginings That I Feel Should Be Done
Two things before I get started. First off...rules? There are no rules. Not in Hollywood, not anymore. Anything & everything is up for grabs. "You can't do that" doesn't exist. They have redone, remade, redone again, remade again, damn near everything. In the world of sequels, you have various timelines, where one completely ignores the other. Storylines of past films, being completely obliterated. THERE ARE NO RULES. None!! Zero!! So I will not entertain the idea of "they'd never do that" or "that idea would never work." Restrictions do not exist here. Characters no longer have origin stories because they've been changed countless number of times. What is your character? Straight, homosexual, bi? Yes. What is your character white? Black? Asian? From outspace? Yes. From New York with a Bostonian accent or From Minnesota with a thick Norwegian slang? Yes. No doesn't exist anymore. One minute Bruce Wayne is a millionaire that dresses up like a Bat from Gotham City. The next he's a woman taking testosterone pills who went to a Ozzy Osbourne concert & believes biting the heads off bats will eventually grow extra body parts.
The other thing is, I don't believe in redoing what was already done right. I don't get that. I mean I do. I'm not ignorant as to why it's being done. It's a cash cow. It made money before, it'll make money again. Yet in my opinion, I don't wanna see something that is already great redone. I want to see something that had potential to be great & turned out like shit redone. That's the film I want to see reimagined. My whole life I've wanted to be a screenplay writer. I've wanted to be in the world of making films. At this point it's nothing more than a dream. Nothing more than a my imagination.
You want 10 films I'd remake? Here you go.
I first watched this film on USA Network back in the early 1990's. I felt then & I feel now that the film had a lot going for it. It has a strong central story. Meredith Baxter was great. David Ogden Stiers was phenomenal. It starts off so strong but then it falls apart. I'd love to know the back story on this film. Did they run out of time? Run out of ideas? Run out of money? About half way through the film seems to get lazy. Seems to give up. The premise here is strong.
A young boy during class one day is watching photo slides of a city that he's never been to. Yet a couple of the photos stir up memories. As if he's seen them before. He begins to have nightmares that he's not really who he thinks he is. That the people he calls mom & dad, aren't really his parents. As the film progresses the mystery begins to unravel & the intensity heightens. Then suddenly it takes a dive off into the deep end & it never returns.
I could take this film & rewrite it into something good. It's already there. Really its a simple matter of revision. That's all it is. This could be a great film if done right.
I came across this film one day when looking through the collection of films that my High School English teacher Cheree Mann (Nee Murtaugh) had in her class. It fascinated me because I immediately recognized actor Robert McNaughton on the cover. I was under the impression at the time that the only film McNaughton had ever done was E.T. I didn't realize that he had ever been in any other film. When I looked him up, I discovered that he had done two films. I Am The Cheese being his other. I asked Ms. Mann if I could borrow it. She allowed me.
It was a deep, confusing & complicated film. Very difficult to follow. Hard to know what was going on. What was reality? What was imagination? I liked it, but left in complete wonder as to what I had just watched.
Years later, I read the book. It was more clear. Still a bit of ambiguity but not to the level frustration that the film was. I think I could do better. I think I could make a film that reflected the novel in a better way than the original film did.
First off to Hell with the Rob Zombie pieces of rubbish that somehow still get categorized as films. Take those movies & shove em. I want nothing to do with them other than to be present when they're buried in a land fill, burned in a huge bonfire or shipped to the moon. Be rid that pollution of the Earth & hope no alien life form ever endures the torture of coming across it. Now I love Malcom McDowell & I love Danielle Harris & I love Brad Douriff. I'll pain myself to even admit that the film had excellent lighting but my praise ends there. My criticism starts & it never ends. I hate the story. I hate what Zombie did with the characters. I hate it. Cool? Sweet. So it's not getting mentioned again.
Secondly, with what I would want to do the new Halloween films aren't gonna be a part of this either. Sorry Jamie Lee Curtis, it's not all about you. You're PART OF the focus, you aren't THE focus. Laurie Strode is a character. A central one & one of the most important ones. However, she's not the only one. If you can make a shrine that ignores over half of the series to yourself & then turn around and make a newer shrine that ignores your original shrine....Then I can completely ignore what I want to too.
What I want to do here is take all eight of the original Halloween films & interconnect them in a episodic series. I think I could do it in 22 one hour segments. I wouldn't use everything. Their would be storylines & ideas, as well as some characters omitted from the series. I of course would come up with some new ideas as well. Each film would contribute something.
I know many hated Halloween Resurrection. I wasn't too fond of it myself but it did provide something that I feel was useful. I mean what the Hell does Michael do in between coming back on Halloween night every so often? Where is he at? I think Resurrection provided what could be a satisfying answer to the question. I also LOVE the alternate opening to the film as well. I think that could be very useful.
Do I really think I could tie in Halloween III: The Season of the Witch? Yes, I do.
I've given this a lot of thought. I think I'd need a bunch of room to stretch my creative arms to their full potential but I could make a twenty-two episodic series out of them. Everything would come together. God, how I'd love to be given that chance.
First off, I LOVE the original Child's Play. I also love Child's Play 2 & Child's Play 3. I accept Bride of Chucky for what it is. I try & pretend like Seed of Chucky didn't happen. I rather enjoyed Curse of Chucky & I liked even more Cult of Chucky. I really didn't have a problem with the recent remake either. It's a joke compared to the original but overall it's not a bad film.
So what do I want to do here?
I want a sequel that concentrates on Andy Barclay & the feud between him & Chucky. Alex Vincent as an adult, & we dive into just how screwed up his life is on account of Chucky. If you've ever seen Darkness Falls I'm begging, borrowing & stealing heavily from the formula of that film. Have a lot of ideas for what I'd like to see here. I know I want a final confrontation between the two of them & I have this idea for what I feel is a perfect ending.
Not a fan of anything that has been done with the Hulk in recent years. Didn't care for the Eric Banna film. Didn't care for the Edward Norton film. Didn't care for him as Mark Ruffalo. It's nothing agains the actors. I love all of them. Great actors. Really it isn't anything against the writing either. It's simply that I selfishly have who & what the Hulk is in my mind. That's the Hulk I want to see. I want Dr. David Banner in the spirit of Bill Bixby. I don't want computer animation or CGI. Not interested. I want a huge muscular bodybuilder painted green.
The Incredible Hulk television series is one of my favorite of all time. It'll always bug me that the show didn't have a more definitive ending. It needed one. There needed to be closure for David. Closure for Jack McGee. A resolution that we never received.
That's what I'd do here. I hate that both Bill Bixby & Jack Colvin are no longer with us. I do hate that they'd have to be replaced but I'd like to do this film anyway in their honor.
It's not that I didn't like PET SEMATARY (1989) or PET SEMATARY (2019) but I do feel that I could have done better with both. Too much is omitted in the first film & way too many liberties were taken with the second. First off, I'd keep the death with Gage. The real horror of this film is in regret & mourning. The true terror is within. I've given this a lot of thought & I even have some problems with the book that I would tackle. Have a pretty clear vision of where I would want to go with this.
I think they did what they could have with the film back when it was made. Yet, I think it could be redone to be a better film today. I'd want the focus to be on the dog & to tell at least a portion of the story from his perspective. Cujo wasn't a bad dog. He wasn't a mean dog. He wasn't an evil dog. He was a good, loving dog that turned the way he did because of the neglect of his owners. I don't feel the film got that across as well as it could have. I think there's a way to where instead of a mean monster, Cujo could come across as a tragedy. Almost an anti-villain in a way. I'm not saying it'd be easy, but I do think it'd be possible. I don't want people leaving the theatre suddenly terrified of Saint Bernards. I want people leaving the theatre suddenly critical of neglectful & abusive pet owners.
Yes, I'm a Stephen King fan. Can you tell? I want to redo this film for two reasons. First & foremost because I think with today's technology it could turn out really good. Secondly because you know what I love dogs, but I love cats too!! There are so many films about hero dogs. We need one about a hero cat! This could be our chance!
That Was Then This is Now is my all time favorite novel. When I read it in ninth grade, that's when I knew what I wanted to do with my life. That I wanted to be a writer. I was not happy with how the film turned out & I do not blame that on Emillio Estevez. He wanted to take the film in the direction that I would take it, but the executives wouldn't let him. This could be a great film & I've love to see it. Of course, I'd love to write it.
The other thing is, I don't believe in redoing what was already done right. I don't get that. I mean I do. I'm not ignorant as to why it's being done. It's a cash cow. It made money before, it'll make money again. Yet in my opinion, I don't wanna see something that is already great redone. I want to see something that had potential to be great & turned out like shit redone. That's the film I want to see reimagined. My whole life I've wanted to be a screenplay writer. I've wanted to be in the world of making films. At this point it's nothing more than a dream. Nothing more than a my imagination.
You want 10 films I'd remake? Here you go.
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| THE KISSING PLACE |
I first watched this film on USA Network back in the early 1990's. I felt then & I feel now that the film had a lot going for it. It has a strong central story. Meredith Baxter was great. David Ogden Stiers was phenomenal. It starts off so strong but then it falls apart. I'd love to know the back story on this film. Did they run out of time? Run out of ideas? Run out of money? About half way through the film seems to get lazy. Seems to give up. The premise here is strong.
A young boy during class one day is watching photo slides of a city that he's never been to. Yet a couple of the photos stir up memories. As if he's seen them before. He begins to have nightmares that he's not really who he thinks he is. That the people he calls mom & dad, aren't really his parents. As the film progresses the mystery begins to unravel & the intensity heightens. Then suddenly it takes a dive off into the deep end & it never returns.
I could take this film & rewrite it into something good. It's already there. Really its a simple matter of revision. That's all it is. This could be a great film if done right.
 |
| I AM THE CHEESE |
I came across this film one day when looking through the collection of films that my High School English teacher Cheree Mann (Nee Murtaugh) had in her class. It fascinated me because I immediately recognized actor Robert McNaughton on the cover. I was under the impression at the time that the only film McNaughton had ever done was E.T. I didn't realize that he had ever been in any other film. When I looked him up, I discovered that he had done two films. I Am The Cheese being his other. I asked Ms. Mann if I could borrow it. She allowed me.
It was a deep, confusing & complicated film. Very difficult to follow. Hard to know what was going on. What was reality? What was imagination? I liked it, but left in complete wonder as to what I had just watched.
Years later, I read the book. It was more clear. Still a bit of ambiguity but not to the level frustration that the film was. I think I could do better. I think I could make a film that reflected the novel in a better way than the original film did.
 |
| HALLOWEEN FRANCHISE |
First off to Hell with the Rob Zombie pieces of rubbish that somehow still get categorized as films. Take those movies & shove em. I want nothing to do with them other than to be present when they're buried in a land fill, burned in a huge bonfire or shipped to the moon. Be rid that pollution of the Earth & hope no alien life form ever endures the torture of coming across it. Now I love Malcom McDowell & I love Danielle Harris & I love Brad Douriff. I'll pain myself to even admit that the film had excellent lighting but my praise ends there. My criticism starts & it never ends. I hate the story. I hate what Zombie did with the characters. I hate it. Cool? Sweet. So it's not getting mentioned again.
Secondly, with what I would want to do the new Halloween films aren't gonna be a part of this either. Sorry Jamie Lee Curtis, it's not all about you. You're PART OF the focus, you aren't THE focus. Laurie Strode is a character. A central one & one of the most important ones. However, she's not the only one. If you can make a shrine that ignores over half of the series to yourself & then turn around and make a newer shrine that ignores your original shrine....Then I can completely ignore what I want to too.
What I want to do here is take all eight of the original Halloween films & interconnect them in a episodic series. I think I could do it in 22 one hour segments. I wouldn't use everything. Their would be storylines & ideas, as well as some characters omitted from the series. I of course would come up with some new ideas as well. Each film would contribute something.
I know many hated Halloween Resurrection. I wasn't too fond of it myself but it did provide something that I feel was useful. I mean what the Hell does Michael do in between coming back on Halloween night every so often? Where is he at? I think Resurrection provided what could be a satisfying answer to the question. I also LOVE the alternate opening to the film as well. I think that could be very useful.
Do I really think I could tie in Halloween III: The Season of the Witch? Yes, I do.
I've given this a lot of thought. I think I'd need a bunch of room to stretch my creative arms to their full potential but I could make a twenty-two episodic series out of them. Everything would come together. God, how I'd love to be given that chance.
 |
| CHILD'S PLAY |
First off, I LOVE the original Child's Play. I also love Child's Play 2 & Child's Play 3. I accept Bride of Chucky for what it is. I try & pretend like Seed of Chucky didn't happen. I rather enjoyed Curse of Chucky & I liked even more Cult of Chucky. I really didn't have a problem with the recent remake either. It's a joke compared to the original but overall it's not a bad film.
So what do I want to do here?
I want a sequel that concentrates on Andy Barclay & the feud between him & Chucky. Alex Vincent as an adult, & we dive into just how screwed up his life is on account of Chucky. If you've ever seen Darkness Falls I'm begging, borrowing & stealing heavily from the formula of that film. Have a lot of ideas for what I'd like to see here. I know I want a final confrontation between the two of them & I have this idea for what I feel is a perfect ending.
 |
| THE INCREDIBLE HULK |
Not a fan of anything that has been done with the Hulk in recent years. Didn't care for the Eric Banna film. Didn't care for the Edward Norton film. Didn't care for him as Mark Ruffalo. It's nothing agains the actors. I love all of them. Great actors. Really it isn't anything against the writing either. It's simply that I selfishly have who & what the Hulk is in my mind. That's the Hulk I want to see. I want Dr. David Banner in the spirit of Bill Bixby. I don't want computer animation or CGI. Not interested. I want a huge muscular bodybuilder painted green.
The Incredible Hulk television series is one of my favorite of all time. It'll always bug me that the show didn't have a more definitive ending. It needed one. There needed to be closure for David. Closure for Jack McGee. A resolution that we never received.
That's what I'd do here. I hate that both Bill Bixby & Jack Colvin are no longer with us. I do hate that they'd have to be replaced but I'd like to do this film anyway in their honor.
 |
| PET SEMATARY |
It's not that I didn't like PET SEMATARY (1989) or PET SEMATARY (2019) but I do feel that I could have done better with both. Too much is omitted in the first film & way too many liberties were taken with the second. First off, I'd keep the death with Gage. The real horror of this film is in regret & mourning. The true terror is within. I've given this a lot of thought & I even have some problems with the book that I would tackle. Have a pretty clear vision of where I would want to go with this.
 |
| CUJO |
I think they did what they could have with the film back when it was made. Yet, I think it could be redone to be a better film today. I'd want the focus to be on the dog & to tell at least a portion of the story from his perspective. Cujo wasn't a bad dog. He wasn't a mean dog. He wasn't an evil dog. He was a good, loving dog that turned the way he did because of the neglect of his owners. I don't feel the film got that across as well as it could have. I think there's a way to where instead of a mean monster, Cujo could come across as a tragedy. Almost an anti-villain in a way. I'm not saying it'd be easy, but I do think it'd be possible. I don't want people leaving the theatre suddenly terrified of Saint Bernards. I want people leaving the theatre suddenly critical of neglectful & abusive pet owners.
 |
| CAT'S EYE |
Yes, I'm a Stephen King fan. Can you tell? I want to redo this film for two reasons. First & foremost because I think with today's technology it could turn out really good. Secondly because you know what I love dogs, but I love cats too!! There are so many films about hero dogs. We need one about a hero cat! This could be our chance!
 |
| THAT WAS THEN THIS IS NOW |
That Was Then This is Now is my all time favorite novel. When I read it in ninth grade, that's when I knew what I wanted to do with my life. That I wanted to be a writer. I was not happy with how the film turned out & I do not blame that on Emillio Estevez. He wanted to take the film in the direction that I would take it, but the executives wouldn't let him. This could be a great film & I've love to see it. Of course, I'd love to write it.
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