Blork Blog and ni.vu.ni.connu offer each month 12 Monkeys.
This month I'm stepping up to the podium and confessing that I cry at movies.
We're not talking every now and then. I'm just a fountain of tears. I easily allow myself to join the reality of each film I watch.
I remember the week I went to see Philadelphia and Schindler's List. Tom Hanks explaining opera was channeling my mother. I'm sure of it.
At the time I was doing volunteer work in HIV Prevention Information. I didn't need the facts or to be convinced of the rightousness of the case. The movie characters I saw living and dying were familiar to me. The tears I wouldn't release at work or when talking to friends came pouring out during the film.
No one knew though. It was dark and I was quiet.
Later that week I sat in a crowded theatre watching Schnidler's List. I knew what was coming when we saw the small girl in red running through Warsaw Getto. I slid down in my seat as tears started to flow.
I saw her, but I also imagined my daughter. She was six then. For me it was her running looking for a place to hide. More than "She is like my daughter." At that moment she was my daughter.
Then I saw the body cart and lost it. I tried to control myself. I couldn't. I kept quiet, but my body was rocking with grief. I saw that movie through a film of tears. That is how I remember those images.
And, as I remember, I am crying again.
Wow. I remember being moved by Philadelphia too, although I don't remember the specifics. The Springsteen song that went with it still chokes me up though.
I'm the only person on Earth, I think, (besides the fictional version of Seinfeld) who hasn't seen Shindler's List. There's no specific reason why this is so -- not even because it's from Spielberg (although I hear it is his least Spielbergesque). It's just never happened. I hope to correct that at some point.
# Posted by: blork at April 29, 2004 11:57 AM
Blork: You're not alone. I myself have never seen Schindler's list. No special reason either. I was out of the country when it played in theaters and when I came back all of my friends had already seen it. After that it's been years of Blockbuster choices or cancelled dates.
I got the DVD last week, but, wouldn't you know it, I haven't seen it yet!
# Posted by: RoRRo at April 29, 2004 12:47 PM
I also bought the DVD, but I haven't the stamina to watch it right now. Maybe the next time I'm on vacation...
# Posted by: domoni at April 29, 2004 01:47 PM
I cried during "Cyrano De Bergerac", the 1990 Depardieu version. Nothing like unrequited love. And this may not count, but watching footage of MLK Jr. gets me every time. And yes, I give the same treatment to "Schindler's List".
Sometimes it feels good to be a pansy...
# Posted by: Rod E at April 29, 2004 06:48 PM
Blork & RoRRo, domoni will have to lend me his DVD, as I haven't seen Schindler's list either. My lifestyle doesn't lend itself to movie going the way it did when I was younger, and I rarely rent.
I can't count the movies I've cried during, too many. Not afraid to say so..... In fact, my tears have come from less serious fare, on occasion, like Field of Dreams.
YES domoni, baseball!
But, we know that movie's about family, connecting, & the emotional nature of the American male.
Or maybe it's just the smell of pine tar that brings a tear?! ;-)
# Posted by: Brad at April 30, 2004 04:53 PM
yep i am not ashamed to say i am a big crier tp at movies at times even out cry the wife. i even had tears flowing at christmas with the knanks. but that just me a big crybaby when something moves me,
# Posted by: steve at December 9, 2004 04:58 AM
