Science fiction, fantasy, mystery and what-not
Today’s theme music is lifted from a movie, Beverly Hills Cop, which starred Eddie Murphy. No reason to select this except it entered this morning’s stream, and I enjoy the man’s music and this song. Despite being a popular rocker, this song is his only number one hit in the U.S., and he didn’t even write the music.
From 1987, enjoy Bob Seger with “Shakedown”.
While sitting on the commode, doing their business, has anyone heard their body making noises like the predator from the original Predator movie with Arnold Schwarzenegger is hunting them?
Asking for a friend. Should he be worried?
I’d just received word in this dream that I’d been selected for a movie role. I was going to be a star!
That was exciting news. Details flooded me. The movie was a remake of a classic. I don’t know what movie, but I was going to be in the role John Wayne played.
I roared with laughter. John Wayne was a big fellow. I am not. How could I possibly play that role? Then, I thought CGI. Magic. What the hell, whateer. Not my concern. I’d been selected. Go with it.
I wanted to share my news and went to my friend, who was also going to be in the movie. I found him in a dorm where he was in the old woodlands camouflaged battle dress uniform. I found out that I was, too. Then, the dorm wasn’t a dorm as first expected, but a tight, tight space crammed with bookcases. The bookcases created a labyrinth.
He came up to me. I said, “I understand we’re going to be in a movie together.”
“I hadn’t heard that.”
That bothered me. Other soldiers in woodland BDUs came out around him and I. I said, “I’m going to play the role that John Wayne had.”
I awaited a reaction but got nothing. I said, “It’s a starring role.”
“Yep.”
“Um…filming is supposed to start in two weeks.”
“Right.”
I cleared my throat. “But first, we have to get through this.” I gestured.
“I know.”
“I wanted to let you know, though. There’s going to other roles to fill. They might come around and ask you if any of your troops are interested in a minor role.”
He nodded.
“It might be an opportunity for them.”
Sniffing, he nodded. “Right.” He turned away. I left.
End of dream.
Was walking and streaming to myself (of course, but who else could I be streaming to?), “No more speed, I’m almost there. Gotta keep cool now, gotta take care. Last car to pass, here I gooo. And the line of cars go down real slow, whoa. Radio’s playing that forgotten song. Brenda Lee’s coming on strong. And the newsman sang his theme song.”
Yes, it’s Golden Earring’s 1973 hit, “Radar Love”, at least how I remember it. I was pushing myself to get to nine miles for the day and reflecting on it all. Blueberry pickin’ at 6:30, the writing day at 9:30 (with forlorn results), drinks with a friend at three, then the final walking to reach nine miles. Mixed bag, you know?
The blueberries weren’t as fine and ripe this year. We came home with an ounce over eight pounds, which cost us $18.25. Long drop from those heady days of eighteen pounds for $36.
Meeting with FX was fun. He’s an established actor, most recently seen as a judge in On the Basis of Sex. After talking life and politics for a bit, we shifted to books and writing, and then movies we’d not like to seen remade, like Doctor Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb. I also don’t want to see The African Queen remade, Twelve Angry Men, or Bridge On the River Kwai. I don’t think they can touch the Godfather series, but who knows what lurks in the minds of Hollywood producers?
A stream popped into my mind. It began with Reese Witherspoon. I’d read some article on her. I remembered her as Tracy Flick in Election. Then I struggled with, who was the male lead in that movie?
First to pop into my thinking was that guy from Fidelity, you know, the one who starred in Grosse Pointe Blank? He has that sister, Joan.
Yes, John Cusack, that’s right. No, that wasn’t him in Election. Whoever was in Election had been in WarGames, Biloxi Blues, and The Freshman. A Matthew. Clean-cut, kind of a boyish look. Matthew… Ward? What? No. Matthew. Matt…LeBlanc. No. Matthew Perry. Shut up. Matthew McConaughey. No, fool. Matthew…Matthew…
Damn.
Go back. Ally Sheedy was in WarGames. That doesn’t help. Matthew was in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, remember? Yes, what’s his last name? What’s his last name? Married to Sarah Jessica Parker. Remember her in L.A. Story as Steve Martin’s character’s young girlfriend?
At last: Broderick. Matthew Broderick.
Thank you.
Now who played the scientist in WarGames? Was in 9 to 5, Tootsie, Cloak and Dagger… Starts with a D. Daryl?
What?
Just thinking about recent news and politics and remembered the song, “This Is Not America”. The song was a collaboration between David Bowie and the Pat Metheny Group, with Bowie providing the vocals. The song was used in the movie, The Falcon and the Snowman.
The movie is based on the true story of two young American men who become Soviet spies, selling classified information. One is motivated by disillusionment while the other needs money for drugs and partying. Released in 1985, the movie starred Sean Penn and Timothy Hutton.
I was in the military when the movie and song came out, working in a mob unit in South Carolina. Then I headed to Germany and a highly classified unit. While on that assignment, our unit was involved in a couple trials of former members who sold classified information, and several other spies exposed in the U.S. It was all very spy-vs.-spy, but it ended up with more heat on us. Although I was only a functionary, I was glad to put all that behind me after the collapse of the U.S.S.R.
We saw Amazing Grace, the documentary about Aretha Franklin and the two sessions used to record the live gospel album, Amazing Grace (1968). Watching her sing up-close was a powerful experience. Her talent still moves us, and technology allows us to experience it again and again. Besides her, Rev. James Cleveland, and the Southern California Community Choir, with Alexander Hamilton directing, gave mesmerizing performances.
After seeing the documentary, many Aretha Franklin sangs joined my mental music stream this week. Eventually I became stuck on “Think” from The Blues Brothers (1980).
Today’s song, “Happy” by Pharrell Williams, is a repeat. “Happy” was a theme song back in 2016 on the final Friday before our national elections. D.J.T.’s bizarre campaign was about to end, alleviating us of the lies and B.S. he constantly spouted.
Oh, if we only knew.
I don’t know why I’m streaming it today. It’s just in my head. I was surprised when it didn’t win an Academy Award. I shouldn’t have been surprised, as I’m not good at such predictions.
Anyway, once again, a song must be shared to purge it from my stream. As songs go, a worst one could be found.
I was in bed, in the overlap between being awake and asleep. Still hazy with fever, I felt a cat land on the bed. Quick, light steps followed.
If it’d been Tucker coming, the steps would have been slower and plodding. Boo’s bed approach is light but slow. No, this had to be Papi.
Feeling the steps stop by my head, I opened my eyes and looked left. The sweet ginger boy was studying my face. I put a hand out toward him. He began purring and rubbing his head against my fingertips.
In response, I sang in a soft whisper, “Consider yourself at home. Consider yourself one of the family.”
Yes, it was “Consider Yourself” from Oliver!, the film, because I’ve never seen the live stage production, from 1968.
I don’t know why my stream pulled it up yesterday. Like a few other people — the movie took best picture and other awards — several scenes and songs remain memorable to me, like “Pick A Pocket or Two” and “Food, Glorious Food”,which sometimes is sung as, “Floof, glorious floof. Long tails and whiskers.”
So, consider yourself to have a theme music suggestion.
Fixing the cats and mumbling to the coffee this morning, I streamed remembered dreams and pondered forgotten songs. The morass cleared after I ate some kibble and gave the cats some coffee. Losing its turbidity (a word of which I’m quite fond), the stream drew down into Joe Walsh with “All Night Long”, from Urban Cowboy, 1980.
Michael Seidel, writer 