Bring On The Dancing Horses

Good Monday to you all. I think I am going to get some what personal today. Let you, my reader's know something about me.


It is no secret that I like films. I allways have. I have also like using my imagination to create stories. I find it fascinating and at the same time helpful if you are dealing with issues that might cause stress.


I have had a couple storys in my mind about various topics and one day I just decided,'ok, here is this story you have. Write it down. Doesnt really matter how far you might get with it, the point is you have done something you have allways wanted to do and that is write a script."

Enter "Bring On The Dancing Horses." I can't give you the whole story nor can I give you lines from it. What I can tell you is how I thought of it.

First of all the title. Yeah, I know It sounds like a fantasy 'Lord Of The Rings' perhaps or in that stile, but I assure you it is not. I got the title from an '80's band that I like called Echo And The Bunnymen. Took me a long time to think of it as well. How I came up with it was I en visioned the song playing at the closing end of the movie and every other title I had thought of was either too long or just didnt fit for a film title.

The story is loosely based on my high school experiance. I say looesly because not everything in the script happened when I was in school. Some did, some didn't. But that is the magic of writing. You can add true stuff if you choose and you can just make things up as you go along. I did that as well.

For example. Five of the main character's, freshmen in their first year of high school are cross country/ track and feild runners. I ran both when I was a freshmen. Enjoyed it.

the not so true, 'just made it up as I went along' is a story line that deals with a character in a band he doesnt like being in. I once knew (and still know) of a drummer who did play in a few bands, but I wasn't really one of his closet friends so I dont know whether he liked it or not.

I think I have the basis for a good story. I have been told by people that have read the script that they loved it.

I guess that will be the opinion of the theather audience that sees it. All I can say is thank you in advance for seeing it.

drm

Just One Thing.......Just One Thing

Happy Sunday, readers. Lets get to today's blog.

In 1991 there was a movie called 'City Slicker's', very funny comedy with Billy Christal and the late Jack Palance, who won an Oscar for his role. There are alot of quotable lines from the film but probably the one that stands out the most happens right when Palance & Christal are just about to get along and the conversation turns to Billys character going through a mid life crisis, or so he thinks. The line is this: "Do you know what the secret to life is? (Christal says no) Its one thing. Just one thing. You stick to that, the rest of the world doesnt mean too much" I'm parapharsing a bit. Palance's language waasn't clean. Christal responds back by saying "ok, than what's the 'One Thing'" Palance " Thats what you've got to figure out"

I think thats true to a degree. Maybe its not the secret to life, but it motivates you. Could be your job. Could be your family. It could very well be your relationship with Jesus Christ as your saviour. If its all the above, I would say 2 things. One is thats great. the second would be to narrow it down. It is just one thing.

question is, have you figured it out? Have we as a human race figured it out? Can We?

Its a tough question for anybody because we all, I think have things we want to put in that catagory we might even feel bad if we don't add something we probably should have.

About a month ago, I was having a really bad day and started talking to one of sisters about it. If I have never mentioned it, I am the oldest of 6 children. Anyway so I am talking to my sister and we get on the conversation of life and I had told her that I thought her and my younger siblings had their lives all figured out. She assured me she didnt. I think that is the moral to the " One Thing" bit. and I'll say it again: Do we have it figured out? Do you in your own personal life?

I'll be real honest and say for my self, I don't know what my 'One Thing' is. I dont feel it is a bad thing to say that.


I will suggest "City Slicker's" to you. It is a funny movie that at the same time makes you think and take to consideration what the character deal with. I would say either rent it or buy it. Its a great film. One of my fave lines in the film comes in the middle of the picture when Billy Christal, Daniel Stern (Kevin's voice for the "Wonder Years") and the late Bruno Kirby. two of them are talking about a VCR. Classic.




David R. Meier

The World's Got Talent....Or Does It?

Happy Saturday to all of my reader's. Hope it is going well for you. I am now back in Arizona after a long drive last night. Think I arrived a little after 3 in the morning.My plan was to stay for the three day holiday weekend, but at the last moment decided to come home. Got alot to do before I move. I will explain more at a later date.

Today I want to talk about talent. First off let me say that I am not going name names and tell you who I think has talent as opposed to people I do not think has talent. Everyone has their faveorites. If you have a talent, and I think in the grand scheme of things everyone does. You may not consider it talent, but it is something you are good at doing. I dont't think it matters too much what it is.

Its obvious when you hear a certain musician or see an actor or an actress playing a role that they do have talent. The talent is making you the viewer or listener believe what their doing. Good song writing. The way they sing the song. The percise musicianship of the person playing an instrument. That is what I think gets people.


For an actor its making you believe that he or she is that character. They are living the life of their character and the way they present it is what leaves the audience in awe. It also wins them acclaim from other actors or critics.

Filmakers have alot of talent. You can see that in the movies that they make. Not too long ago I made reference to a film called 'Citizen Kane' and how alot of people call it the best film ever made. They dont say that for nothing. The reason's are this:The screen play. Orsen Welles has great character structure when he wrote this. The plot gets to you. To this day lines from the film are still being recited.

The directing. Once again, Welles kept his focus on presenting an even camera, good dialog fromt his actors and a background set that keeps the audience rivited.

There are alot of talented filmmakers. Too many to mention, but once you see their films, you quickly understand where they get their talent from.

Last Sunday I went to a good friend of mines church for a music recital. It was mostly just kids and younger teens, but when I heard them play their guiters not only did I but everyone in the church that afternoon we heard how dedicated they were to their craft. Some of them just beginners learning difficult pieces of music in just 9 weeks. My friend,Andy had made mention of why he wanted to do this and why he wanted to teach Kids music. You can find out more if you go on to his website:http://www.capamusic.org. He has a passion for the arts and is attemtping to bring it back in the school system where he lives.

Good luck, Andrew. You have my support and alot of others who Im sure are behind the arts program and un leashing the talent these youths pocess.

d...out. (I probably owe my actor friend a mint by now!)

FPTF IF's (from paper to films Interactive fridays)

Hi reader. (if I still have any left.)Busy week this week. As all of you know, I was in California. Awesome. Only word to describe it. Looked into a business possibility, saw some old friends. It was a blast. If you have never been to San Diego, California, I highly recommend visiting.

Now, on to my blog.

I had a ground rule for this blog, a couple actually, but one ground rule that I think I have is I do not want to get too political and come off sounding like some right or left wing nut job.


But, what this oil spill is doing in the gulf of Mexico is not helping this planet. Its damaging it. I remember hearing about an oil spill in the 1980's called the exxon Valdez, and the damage it cost and is probably still doing some 20 years later.


I dont want to sound like an envoirnmentalist either. I dont think that I am. I mean I care for the planet, but am I doing my share to make it beter? Probably not.

The amount of money this is costing tax payers is astonishing. The clean up alone is going to be expensive. If they can ever clean it all up.And the ocean life. All of the fishes and other water creatures. Its a waiste.

So todays IF is: What is your take on this oil spill in the gulf of Mexico and what do you think can be done?


David.

How Can You Not Love This Place!!

Hello, my readers. I have been busy. sorry about no blogs for about 2 days.

I am in San Diego, California and , well, I love it! Hoping to be moving here before the end of the year. So, All I have to say is......(read the title)

D....out.

Dreams

Hello, all my reader's!! I hope you enjoyed interactive friday yesterday. I am looking forward to next fridays, but as I write this I have no topic at the moment.

Today I would like to talk about dreams. Not so much your hopes on what you would like to do or what you think should be done to make things better, but the dreams you have when you're sleeping. They can be very interesting and very scary at the same time.

About 30 years ago I was living in what was called than a boys home, now its called a group home. I think I was about 9 at the time. I won't bore you with why I was sent there or the circumstances surrounding it, but i went and lived there for about a year in a half. I consider it to have been one of the greatest memorys of my childhood. I only bring it up because there have been times that I have a recurring dream about it.

The dream usally goes like this: I am there at this home as an adult. Not as an employee keeping watch on the children that are there but as a resident. Here's the catch. I know I am an adult, but the other kids do not. They think I am one of them.

I can't explain it, but then again, I really dont have to. Its a dream. Very rarely in my life has any one went up to me and said " I know what you dreamt about last night would you mind telling me why you had that kind of a dream?"

Once again, you can't explain it. Perhaps you feel bad if it was , well, excuse the language but a little wet, even then you have nothing to worry about because you wake the next morning and you realise you're fine.


Alot of films have started out from dreams, so I have heard. I am only going to go on record as to say I read somewhere that James Cameron's 'Avatar' came from a dream he had once.

I personally think that if you can dream about something then wake up the following morning and start writing a story from what you remember is quite impressive.

That happened to me once.

I had a dream one night about 2 actors acting in what I believe was a short film. I had wrote it and I was on set at a camp where it was set. Like a youth camp. Set amongst teens and preteens. What I remember of it and what I wrote down was one of the main characters was this nerdish type of teen who was always getting picked on. What no one was aware of is that even though he had glasses and was a smart kid, you didnt want to mess with him because he could make you regret it. The end of the dream was this kid defending another younger boy against, if you will, the camp bully. I thought it was interesting. I have my actor friend in mind if it ever goes anywhere.


In closing I would say this: If you are a Christian and want to have God control your dreams than I would suggest praying to Him and asking to do just that. I'll say it again, we all wake up in the morning sometimes questioning our selves asking 'why did I dream that?' if you feel guilty in anyway, give it to God and He will protect your dreams the next time you should have one. He has for me.

David.

Interactive Friday...Let's Begin.

Allright, my readers. Here it is. Interactive Fridays. The very first of (hopefully)many.

So... what should we start off with? Sports? Politics? or wait. I have one. How about movies? Oh, yeah right! Now theres a complete shocker. You're asking your self "gee, what ever made him think of that?!"

But, I digress.

Pretty Woman. Great film. I think this was Julia Roberts's star making role. She had done some other small movies up to that point, but nothing that really stood out. I remember watching some of the movie reviews on televison like 'Siskel and Ebert' and etc and how they were raving not just about the movie, but also about Roberts and how some did'nt think she could pull it off. I think it was also the film that brought Richard Gere back. He had did 'An Officer And a Gentleman' in the '80's and some other not so rememorible fims, but 'Pretty Woman' broght him back to the acting presence and power that he still has to this day.

On a technical level, its a great film. Great screenplay, Directing. Supporting cast (Jason Alexander, pre seinfeld) Reallly good film.


Gladiator. Russell Crowe. Best Picture winner as well. Some people might have felt that it wasn't deserving for best picture oscar, but I dont know. All films have a flaw or two. even the best of them. Still doesn't stop them from winning prestegise awards.

The high light for me about this film were two things, one the acting talents of both Jaoquin Phoenix and the late Oliver Reed. His last role I think. Reed made it obvious to the theather public that he was still a good actor and could be just as great or if not better than some of the other actors in the film or acting in general. I wouldnt doubt for a second that Phoenix, Crowe, etc didnt over look Reeds talent and were happy to say that they had the chance to work with such a respected actor.

Techically, Gladiator stuck to its formila of a great script. Keeping it has much to the period as they could. The costumes. The CGI's. All of it. Worthy, I think of best picture acclaim.


"Oliver!" 1968 winner for best picture. High quality film making. Very good dance numbers and the music as well. If anybody had doubts about a musical version of 'Oliver Twist' Lionel Bart proved it could be done. I had heard about the film about 23 maybe 24 years ago while watching a television show and learning about the actors that were in it. It was a 1960's comedy called The Monkees. What I had found out was that Davy Jones once played the Artful Dodger in England and so when I had heard their was a film version, I looked into it. The cast alone was the shoo in. Once again Oliver Reed in one of his very first films. Ron Moody. And the late Jack Wild. Being a little bit of Wild fan having remembered seeing him in a now classic saturday morning children's television show called "H.R. Pufnstuf"
I couldnt resist. Glad I didnt, because this has become one of my all time faveorite movies if not my faveorite one.

Technically, a film doesn't get much better than 'Oliver!" The dance numbers alone makes the film stand out. I would love to see this film in a theather just to watch the dance sequences alone.Great.


I would strongly recommend all of these fims. They are worth having a look over or if some one reading this has never seen these three films, once you do, you might find out why people have said they are their faves.

Untill Tomorrow.....

David R. Meier