Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Gregory Peck, Censorship, and A Sample of My Writing...

So i lost my internet connection for like 3 days and that was pretty bad...but now its back and its okay.
Those nights where i didnt have internet were rather nice because i got to watch a lot of television and movies. From my Gregory Peck collection that I got on my birthday I watched Cape Fear, Arabesque, and Mirage.

Sam Bowden portrayed by Gregory Peck
Robert Mitchum as Max Cady
Wife portrayed by Polly Bergen and daughter by Lori Martin
So let's start with my favorite, Cape Fear. Made in 1962, a suspense movie if i ever saw one! Well okay it wasnt THAT suspenseful...but it was good...I was kinda paranoid after I watched it though. So its the story of this guy, Max Cady, played by the perfectly creepy Robert Mitchum, who gets out of jail after 8 years looking for revenge from the man who testified at his trial and put him there...enter Mr. Gregory Peck, playing lawyer Sam Bowden. Cady threatens to hurt (really he's aiming to rape Bowden's daughter but it is only insinuated as this is a film from the 60's and the censors would not accept that in this picture) Bowden's wife and daughter. This film really keeps you entranced, even if it isnt as violent, suspenseful, or just plain scary as the 1991 remake with Robert DeNiro and Nick Nolte. I enjoyed it and i even watched the bonus feature about the making of the film and something the director said got me thinking. He said he hated censorship and i realize i do as well...Now let me explain. I believe that a film should be made as the director envisions it...however gory, violent, sexual, etc. it may turn out to be. I just think there should be a rating system. (I know there is one today, but i'm referring to the movies of back then) I think the viewer should know beforehand what he or she is going to watch. I don't think it should be left up to a person or a group of people to decide what the public ought to be able to watch. That's why i totally agree with today's rating system. (G, PG, PG-13, R) What do you think?
Gregory Peck with Sophia Loren
Not exactly the couple I'd imagine, but it worked...


The next movie I watched was Arabesque, with Gregory Peck and Sophia Loren. A spy caper of 1966 just a charming little film that I enjoyed and it was really rather hilarious. I'd recommend it!

And then I also watched Mirage (1965). This one was a doozy. Well okay so i started watching it and it just seemed slow to me. Interesting...but slow. The love story in it was cute...Walter Matthau was pretty good as well... but I dont know...i'll probably try watching it again in a while....

Okay so as promised in the title of this post... here's a little bit of the novel...Oh god "novel" sounds so serious....well here's a little bit of the story i'm working on...


Darkness. Everything important seemed to happen to him in the darkness. He was born at night, he lost his father at night all those years ago, he found out he was moving at night, and he would get lost in his music at night. 
"Hey" he felt himself shaking. Shaking. Why was he shaking? He wasn't in California yet. "Bobby wake up." He groaned hoping it would go away. "Robert Michael Kelly do not groan at me! You get up this isntant young man, we're leaving soon!" 
He heard a distinct clicking sound of a switch and felt the light pour into the room, slowly stripping him from the shelter of sleep. In all of his 16 years of life, he never wanted to stay in bed more than he wanted to now. They we're moving.

So... *crawls into a small ball and peeks out* what do you think?

and because I've been in a Gregory Peck mood all week and just to spite my friend who said i was going to do Desi or Larry first...Gregory Peck will be my first Stars That Will Never Fade (do you think that's too cheesy? because I'm gonna go with that right now unless i think of something better...) so here goes:

Stars That Will Never Fade
Why  I Chose the Picture: To Kill a Mockingbird is my favorite
Gregory Peck film that I've seen so far.
Name: Gregory Peck
Real Name: Eldred Gregory Peck 
Occupation: Actor
DOB/DOD: April 5th, 1916-June 12, 2003
Fun Fact: Marched with Martin Luther King Jr.
Quote: They say the bad guys are more interesting to play but there is more to it than that - playing the good guy is more challenging because it's harder to make them interesting.
Academy Awards: Nominated for five Academy Awards, won for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Atticus Finch in 1962's To Kill a Mockingbird

How'd I do with that? Any suggestions? Any requests on who you'd like me to do next? Just comment on this post and I'll take in all the suggestions.

2 comments:

  1. I like the Stars That Will Never Fade. I don't think it's cheesy at all. Alright, so you didn't Desi or Larry first, but you would've if you hadn't been in the Gregory Peck mood. Admit it! ;)

    I like the little snippet of your story. I hope you continue with it. And keep posted with it!

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  2. I think we should take your interrupted internet connection as a blessing in disguise. See, you were able to appreciate the beauty of old classic movies once again. I also like to To Kill a Mockingbird. Oh wow!

    Ruby Badcoe

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