frenchmills's Blog

It doesn't follow Jules Verne's novel, for sure.  It is set in the early 21st Century, with technology playing a large part in it.

Of course, the technology of note is the REAL-D 3-d of the movie itself, using polarized glasses instead of the usual red/blue.  The movie is only slightly fuzzy without the glasses.  With them on, the 3-D effects do stand out (sic).  Especially smaller items, such as chunks of matter flying across the screen and seeming almost out into the audience, or tentacles or voracious big-teethed, sharp-teethed fish mouths.  With a few sound effects to accompany a particular object jumping out at you, it can cause you to jump.

The story hinges on Jules Verne's novel, but of course doesn't follow the original story line.  Brendan Fraser stars as Trevor, a professor of plate tectonics, and Josh Hutcherson as his nephew, who reluctantly stays over at Fraser's (messy) home.

The university is about to close down the project that Fraser's brother (Hutcherson's father) started because he disappeared 10 years ago and they see no use to the project.

It's just a returning to operative mode of a sensor in Iceland (hints of Verne's novel) and notations in Verne's novel that was left in a box of other belongings given to the nephew that spurs Fraser to explore the Iceland sensor.

From there, it's a series of accidents that propels these two, plus Anita Briem, as Hanna, the daughter of the head of the institute that the brother visited, into the Center of the Earth.

The story there moves from crisis to crisis, much like a  classic cliff-hanging movie, where the heroes almost face disaster and yet are rescued.  It is a fun, roller-coaster ride (a ride in a mine train is added for such effect) throughout the movie from one danger to the next.

I am sure critics will have a problem with this movie, because it has a simple, linear story-line, with not too many surprises.  It would seem that it hingeson the special effects.  But it is what you'd call a fun movie, and one that you can feel comfortable taking children to -- in fact, activity books and such are aimed at young people, with education in mind. 

My only problem is that the movie took a little too long in the setup, and not enough time was spent in the actual adventure in the Center of the Earth.  I feel we could have had more fun with more dangers had more time been spent underground.

But overall it's a good movie.

I was first introduced to Genghis Khan by my high school English teacher Mr. Gundlach. He would stand in front of the class and recount the ways of the Mongols, saying, "He would ride across the steppes of Mongolia and, when he got thirsty, he would get down off his horse, cut the jugular and drink the blood, then get back on his horse and yell, 'CHARGE!'" He recomended the Genghis Khan biography, THE EARTH IS THE LORD'S. I read it with enthusiasm and was fascinated by this man who roise from a slave to become the greatest single ruler the world has ever known.

The Mongol Empire has been a fascination to the entire world -- barbarians, to many standards, that, had it not been for the death of one of Genghis' successors, might have conquered Europe, who, in the person of Kublai Khan, prompted trade with the Far East and spurred Columbus' discovery of the New World. All this from this young child, Temudgin.

The movie, MONGOL, per the movie description, "Recounts the early life of Genghis Khan who was a slave, born as Temudgin in 1162, before going on to conquer half the world, including Russia, in 1206."

Possibly we could call it, an "Eastern Western".

It's hard figuring where to start here in ascribing excellence in this movie: whether with Odnyam Odsuren as the stoic young Temudgin and the plain brown paper scenes against the harsh environment, or with Tadanobu Asano as the equally stoic adult Temudgin against the equally harsh environment, natural and human.  

Or with the story itself, which is no more than basic journalism, no opinion, no embellishing, no favoritism, just telling a story. The sparseness fits. The use of I guess native language, with English subtitles, also adds to the sparseness of the story. The impression is of a rugged people in a rugged landscape, against the equally unforgiving forces of nature and other humans, attempting to survive, maybe thrive and, on the remote chance that a great leader arises, conquer. This sparse telling of the story of a simple, plain individual among a simple plain people, finding simple plain solutions to problems echoes the stories of indigenous Americans, relatives, whose lives were quite similar.

It's easy to understand how a harsh environment and warfare among neighboring tribes shaped the personality that became the feared Genghis Khan.

Excellence marks this movie, from the story-line to the directing to the cinemetography, both close up and landscape, to the acting. In particular, we should note Temudgin's bloodbrother, who brought a contrasting presence in this stoic landscape.

I highly recommend this movie to anyone.

I've been itching to mention this.

I was a student volunteer librarian at Central High School in 1959, and on Library Day, the Library Club donned the costume of their favorite literary character.

I was the Count of Monte Cristo. Always enjoyed certain genres of literature where the solution was pretty simple -- like gardening -- have to address that later this week.

I remember the one girl who was Peter Pan.

Anyway, Central's Library Club was invited to appear on Channel 2's COFFEE BREAK -- I think that was the name. So our librarian explained things and we all, one by one, stepped up on the raised platform in front of the TV camera and announced our name and the character we came as. Awkward me, I stated my name and said "The Count of Monte Cristo, from the book of the same name." I thought I was awkward at least.


That was my first attempt at stardom.

If you have read the previous post about driving down to the neighborhood where the event occurred that inspired the book, then the movie, THE EXORCIST, then you would come away with the feeling that the actual location is known to a very few.

However, if you read the comments, you will find out that the location is somewhat well known.  It is Alexian Brothers Hospital, which still functions a few block south on Broadway.  The buildings, you will notice, are somewhat new, about late 70's - early 80's construction.

The actual room, however, would not be revealed to you by any of the staff, most of whom weren't born then, many of whom probably don't realize that such an event took place.

Of course, it wasn't in those actual halls.  Those structures were torn down, of course, to make way for the new.  What is admirable about Alexian Brothers is that the hospital chose to remain in South City when St. Anthony's chose to relocate to the far suburbs and Lutheran changed its services.

They also left the hospital group they were with and changed their name to St. Alexius when the for-profit aspect provided fewer services.  Now, though, they are part of the Tenet Organization.  I would hope that they have been able to maintain higher quality services.

With Halloween coming up, we’re all fascinated with haunted houses – whether the tours that you pay to go through, or those legends that actually might be haunted, like the Lemp Mansion.  But, do you know that there is an entire neighborhood that might be haunted?

Where is it?  What makes this neighborhood haunted?  Well, in this neighborhood is where the actual event took place that inspired the movie, THE EXORCIST, with Linda Blair spewing out green pea soup all over the place. I am sure that several times I have been within breathing distance of the site of the incident, but I never knew exactly where the actual house is located -- I think it is intentionally kept obscure for good reason.

Just at the entrance to the Neighborhood, Broadway comes from the northeast, Jefferson Avenue from sort of the northwest, and Chippewa intersects there running east and west; then Jefferson ends and Broadway becomes the one north-south artery From above, this resembles an upside down 5-pointed star, or an upside down pentagram associated with the darker side of things.

In getting there, you will encounter several “ghosts”.  Come along I-70 or I-55, you want to be on I-55 South of downtown St. Louis -- you take the Gasconade Avenue exit; turn away from the river; at the Broadway traffic signal with a Walgreen's is on the left.  This is the site of a ghost, for there once was an American Legion hall with a WWII cannon pointed north along Broadway, a landmark for decades. Turn right.  You are now within a half mile.  Chippewa, Broadway and Jefferson intersect at the bottom of the hill. A fork in the road.  Ominous? You take the right fork, and at the traffic signal turn right. You are now in the Neighborhood. Cruise at your (shivering) leisure.

Coming along U.S. 40 (I-64), it can be more difficult. It's best to exit at Jefferson. You can take that all the way south to the above described intersection (what was on the left would be on the right), or you can take I-44 east and veer off to I-55 south and follow the directions above.

But the best route is along Watson Road from I-44 coming into town. Right about where the Chrysler Plant is, you will want to watch for exit signs.  You will be heading back in time and encountering several “ghosts”.

The first ghost is the road you’re on, for this was the original Route 66 -- the "Mother Highway”, traveling as so many others have traveled before you. You will pass Lindbergh Blvd., named after the famous aviator, and once the main ring highway of the area, Crestwood Plaza, across from which is a ghost where once was Ronnie's 66 Drive in, one of the last in the St. Louis area, then past Laclede Station, the village of Marlborough where resides another ghost, another famous site now replaced by more modern construction, the Coral Courts Motel, a fantastic 50's quiche architecture that was on lists of historic places and had a notoriety that was reflected in gag motel key rings sold at local gift shops -- the room number was 69 and the motto was "hot springs". You get the picture.

Another ghost of sorts comes just past Coral Courts, the Kenrick 8 Theater and the Kenrick Shopping Center and Mackenzie Point Shopping Center. The Catholic Kenrick Seminary sold much of their land to the developers of these. Imagine the ghosts of seminarians walking the sidewalks of these strip malls.

Another Ghost just past Mackenzie Point -- a Value City -- this once was one of about 20 Grandpa’s -- once St. Louis' original discount store – first store at Rock Road and Natural Bridge as Grandpa Pidgeon's. The heir sold out to Value City and now you can hardly find a good sporting goods department anywhere in the area.

On your right, you pass the to St. Louis city limits.  It's right along here that the street you are on takes on a dual personality (sort of schizophrenic, don't you think?). It is named both Watson Road and Chippewa, confusing.

At the top of the hill, past the traffic signal, we find a landmark that still exists -- one that has resided along Route 66 almost since the highway's inception, and which still gladdens the hearts of those that stop there”: the famous Ted Drewes' Frozen Custard.

Not far, a fork in the road: Watson to the left and Chippewa straight ahead, still Route 66. Go straight. You should have noticed that the street has been narrowing and traffic is not so abundant. You are now on a level straightaway, two lanes in each direction, then the street curves downhill and you come to the traffic signal at Kingshighway, with a new shopping center on the left, where resides another ghost.  Exactly on that corner for decades was the landmark Southtown Famous with its marble entrance in a 50's deco style.

At the top of the hill, at Morganford, is the ghost of a Steak'n'Shake, where curb carhops came and took your order and brought it out on trays that hung on the windows of your car.  We are moving inexorably toward the Neighborhood now.

At the next light Chippewa crosses Gravois, and heads straight past this light.  You have left Highway 66, for it heads downtown along Gravois. 50's Style apartments line the avenue now, and at the Grand Avenue intersection, where Nettie’s Flower Garden is, you can look to the left and see an empty lot, another ghost. This was the site of the Southtown Sears, once full of activity, and just about the last Ben Franklin in the area.

Past Grand, with the Neighborhood imminent, the street narrows to two lanes and the houses are turn of the Century (20th).  You will find, about two or three blocks along, on either side of the street, two buildings that form virtual mirror images of each other, with gothic style architecture: mansard slate roofs and distinctive turret-like structures above the doorways and wrought iron decoration.  You could say this forms a gate and, if your imagination runs amok, you can imagine that the gate just closed as you passed.

This is a ghost of a neighborhood, for you can halfway imagine the busy and affluent past where stores once prospered and a neighborhood theater (The Melvin) was well-attended (very probably showed THE EXORCIST).

You head straight now, along the steadily descending stretch of the street. You will then come to the intersection with Jefferson and Broadway.  Across and to the left, where Jefferson and Broadway form a sort of wedge, is another ghost -- fitting into that wedge once was an architecturally significant structure of white decorative limestone and terra cotta.  Another ghost lies left along Broadway -- what once was the Lemp Brewery.

Once past the intersection, you are in the Neighborhood.  The street narrows once more, to become just another narrow street in the Neighborhood.  You will find homes from eras past, each containing multitudinous ghosts and stories. Painted brick, decorative, white painted porches, ornate cornice work and brick designs adorning the capitols of the buildings attest to a time when the design was also in the details and uniqueness was very important.

You put this total gothic appearance together with the narrow streets and you can see how this area might be haunted, why it is highly appropriate for the event that inspired the movie.

Getting out of your car, you can almost feel it. It’s quiet here, even in the daytime.

 Take a walk along the narrow streets; try to determine which house, among all of these, and along the grid of streets, would be The House. It would be difficult to pinpoint because all the houses take on the same aura.

As you walk, daytime or nighttime, maybe even on Halloween, if you happen to notice strange movement out of the corner of your eye, don’t pay attention to it; it’s nothing.

In the previous post, flaglady brought up the subject of how later generations'idea of fun, etc. are so much different than ours. My folks went hunting and fishing and camping.   I inherited that.

we went as a family.  went with my mother's sister and her family.  my cousin and i would build a rock dam in a creek to make a wading pool while our folks went down to the river to fish.

and talk about cooking -- we'd go visit relatives in the country.  my grandmother, or aunt or such would fire up the wood cookstove some time around 4 or 5 in the morning and however many women there were would get together and cook a big breakfast -- eggs and biscuits (from scratch), with homemade jelly, butter churned from milk taken from a cow in the nearby field.

nowadays, microwave a meal.  --

and for an outing -- pay $40 per person to go to Six Flags and throw up.  Instead of going out to a river and swimming together, take the kids to a water park..

there's more -- i just don't have time right now.

as comments come along i will add a few of my own.