Friday 28 February 2014

Her - A Steve Rant



‘Have you seen the advert for that new film called Her?’ Steve asked. 
‘I can't say I have,’ said Johnny, who was not much of a cinema goer. 
‘Well’ said Steve. Otoh thought Johnny, there was no mistaking that that well signalled the start of a thought that had been fermenting in Steve's mind for a few days and was ready to be released to the world. 
‘Her is all about a guy who falls in love with his computer. With the operating system’s artificial intelligence voice, you know like Siri on the iPhone, it helps him organise his life.’ explained Steve. 
‘Sounds lame,’ said Johnny.
‘Looks lame,’ said Steve but even worse, it’s a complete rip off. Do you remember Mannequin? 
‘Mannequin?’ repeated Johnny searching his database but coming up blank.
 
‘Well the guy in that falls in love with a mannequin, a showroom dummy. The films are exactly the same - showing how love blossoms between a lonely man and an inanimate object while the world looks on thinking theyre cuckoo. ‘
Johnny smiled at the use of the word cuckoo. ‘And your point is?’
‘Well theyre insulting our intelligence arent they? Just regurgitating the same old shit hoping people won't notice. It wouldn
t be so bad if they were saying it was a remake but to pass it off as something new is just an affront.’
‘The thing I don't understand about you Steve, is that you always seem to expect so much from things! You know the film industry is dross! Why do you expect any different?  Werent you the one ranting about false expectations just a while back?'
‘I can't help it if I am naturally optimistic can I?’ Steve said without a hint of irony. 
Johnny nearly spat his beer out, ‘Yeah that's the one word I associate with you Steve.’
Steve looked mildly hurt at his friend's sarcastic tone. 
‘Mind you, what can you expect from the director of Being John Malkovich.’ Steve said regardless of his mates teasing. 
‘Not a fan?’ Johnny asked instantly regretting it. 
‘No!’ said Steve, he was just about to launch into his views on that film when Johnny interrupted him. 
‘One more?’ he said holding out his empty glass. Steve nodded and Johnny made his move. 
‘Kim Cattrall’ he said as he stood up. 
‘What?’ said Steve.
‘That's the woman who played the mannequin. Kim Cattrall’


If you enjoyed that why not buy my new novel

Maggie’s Milkman is now available on Kindle at 
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00IO5K7HO
and on other ebook readers at - 
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/412845

and if you don’t know what they are talking about check out these two trailers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzV6mXIOVl4&feature=share

and

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6gpndlepiM

9 comments:

  1. No wonder the man falls in love with a mannequin if it is played by Kim Cattrall:)

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  2. Steve, definitely you have been under pressure. You've ranted twice this week .. I think you have to give yourself a break. come to my house. come to see "2046" :)

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  3. ... and "Her" has just won an Oscar for the Best Original Screenplay:)

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  4. check this one out:) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQi-5IAKm2A&feature=share

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  5. maybe the film directors are just regurgitating the same old myth about Pygmalion.. some well known motifs are constatntly recurring in arts. Just read this myth I have long forgotten: http://www.greekmyths-greekmythology.com/myth-of-pygmalion-and-galatea/

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    Replies
    1. or indeed the stories from Welsh Myths of men marrying mermaids or their fairy beauties.

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    2. these Welsh stories are very nice, especially modern adaptations:-) but in this particular case men fall in love with inanimate objects while mermaids are alive creatures, maybe a bit weird and different, but alive. I wonder whether there is a Welsh story about falling in love with an object or image (either your own or someone else's)

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