Tossing It Out

Showing posts with label Alfred Hitchcock. Show all posts

Monday, November 10, 2014

Give Me Liberty or I'll Just Take It!

Statue of Liberty National Monument, Ellis Island and Liberty Island, Manhattan, in New York County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
― Emma Lazarus

Do you recognize these lines? They come from the poem "The New Colossus" by Emma Lazarus. The sonnet was engraved on a plaque that was placed on a wall inside the pedestal upon which rests the Statue of Liberty. Those of us who live in the United States have undoubtedly heard the lines recited sometime in our lives or might have even seen the plaque itself.

I was reminded of this quote recently while watching Alfred Hitchcock's World War II era suspense film Saboteur. This fine film is filled with patriotic monologues and concepts regarding loyalty and justice. After a trek across America, the action culminates in a thrilling sequence in the upper reaches of the Statue of Liberty. If you've never seen this, it's a film I would highly recommend. Besides, it's Hitchcock and that's enough for me.

Do the lines quoted above seem as sensible in our age as they did in the late 19th century when they were written? How accepting should we be of sojourners to the U.S. who do not follow our laws and have a desire to change our culture to adapt to theirs? Are there a good many peoples from other lands who want to take advantage of America's idealistic generosity and at the same time bring us down? How would you define "immigration reform"?

I've got some posts lined up on this topic, but I'm not sure when I'll get to them. They're in my queue waiting. The immigration reform issue has never left the news, but it's coming to the forefront now that elections are behind us.

Friday, January 31, 2014

What Is the Scariest Kind of Storyline?

The Hitcher (1986 film) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There are plenty of storylines that can give us the creeps. Monsters, zombies, and creatures of the night can give us chills and may make us a bit jumpy in the dark after having seen one of these kinds of films. Stories about hauntings and demonic possessions have provided some very edgy plots. Dark crimes or stories that delve into the essence of evil might make us want to leave the lights on before going to sleep. It's kind of fun to be scared by a well told horror story or a movie that makes us a bit jittery. That's probably why scary stories are so popular.

Truth often being stranger--and scarier--than fiction, one of the genres I find to be the creepiest of all is the good old stalker stories. Out of control obsession can drive humans to do some truly bizarre things. We've seen the stories in the news. There have also been many fine films with the obsession theme. I'm sure you can name many favorite.

Alfred Hitchcock was a master of films about obsessions. He could tap into the darker or curious side of human emotions that may make us obsess upon an idea. There have also been the films such as Cape Fear, Fatal Attraction, The Fan, or One Hour Photo. Then what about the over the top films like The Hitcher or Jeepers Creepers. Those will make you grip your seat.

When it's a story that can really happen to any of us, it's a story that can be pretty scary and make you double check who's behind you or why that creepy fellow across the street always seems to be looking at your house all the time. What's in that guy's (or gal's) bedroom anyway? Pictures of you on the walls?

What story genre frightens you the most? Have you ever been stalked? Does online visibility ever make you a bit wary about your vulnerability to obsessive creeps?

Tomorrow Saturday February 1st will be a special Battle of the Bands post. The above post is a clue to the song I've chosen. Can you guess the song? It's a somewhat obscure one that was covered by a group at least of few of you are fans of.