Death Proof has changed my life.
From almost the minute I left the theater after watching Grindhouse I told myself "I'm going to watch Vanishing Point." It was a pretty innocent goal, watch the movie that Death Proof takes the most after and enjoy it all the more.
But I couldn't stop. The car fascination hasn't gone away. It was sparked by something as innocent as a "watch this cool Top Gear video" and expanded into a love of cars and what they symbolize. Freedom, grit, "badass", guts. Call it what you will. I'm hooked on it and film has been the way that I've embraced it.
I was on the crosstown arterial the other night and had the urge to just floor it. I barely topped 150kph but it made me feel energetic and alive. It was a taste of guts. I've been missing a lot of things these past several months. Things I dream about but that always elude me. I feel like I've run dry of inspiration and that nothing drives me anymore. I felt that driving force last night. Even tonight I went for a walk and it hit me that I need action to keep me normal. I like attitude and speed and noise and taking control of what's given to you. I think this has been my roadblock all these months. Doing things that I think are really just what people expect.
Anyway, I've been awakening my inner drive for adventure with movies these days. Here's the list I've made:
Death Race 2000
The Cannonball Run
Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry
Blues Brothers
Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill!
8 1/2
North By Northwest
The Big Sleep
Gone in 60 Seconds
Thunder Road
The Italian Job
Brazil
City of God
The Day the Earth Stood Still
Modern Times
The Night of the Hunter
Touch of Evil
The Shining
Rear Window
Pan's Labyrinth
Oldboy
Annie Hall
The Driver
The French Connection
Ronin
The Gumball Rally
Lady Snowblood
Thriller - A Cruel Picture
Master of the Flying Guillotine
I FUCKING LOVE IT!
Watched Thunder Road and Lady Snowblood tonight. Thunder Road was alright but nothing to write home about but Lady Snowblood was INTENSE! So many scenes that redefined badass, one of the most hardboiled main characters ever and so much style you almost choke on it. I won't call it one of my favorite movies yet but I just might have to rewatch Samurai Spy and think about it.
Philosophic musings? Check. Recent media influence? Check.
It feels good to write again.
