My notes, if I’d been invited to edit the scripts for “The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh”

1. in "A Very, Very Large Animal," isn't it odd that Piglet brings a ham and sausages to a picnic? Seems rather cannibalistic to me.
2. In "No Rabbit's a Fortress," when Tigger is leading his friends through the obstacles (referred to as "booby traps") in Rabbit's garden, he says, "If there's one thing Tiggers are good at, it's trapping boobies." I am imaging the obvious double-entendre is unintended, but it should be changed.

Blame the French

I started watching The Battle of Algiers last night (admittedly, I've had it from Netflix for probably five weeks). I knew almost nothing about the Algerian War for Independence, or even the Casbah, other than the Clash rocking it. Despite its neo-realism (which feels stuck in 1966 but makes it a sterling example of the progressive films of the period … also, I have no idea what I just typed), it has a very current feel to it (in fact, the Pentegon hosted a showing of the film in 2003). The Muslims appear to have hated the French long before they hated the Americans. Now, they hate us both. Well, at least Dunkin' Donuts is taking a stand against jihad.

An idea way before its time

I wonder if I’ll be given a writer’s credit for Be Kind Rewind, which looks brilliant.

In 1989, a bunch of us rented Casablanca. I was pretentiously trying to appear cultured and snobbish, even at 18. But I was also a goofball so we ended up sort of commenting on the film throughout our viewing, and screwing around more than actually paying attention (I finally saw the film for real when I was 25 or so). Sort of a precursor to Mystery Science Theater 3000 (maybe I can get retroactive co-creator credit for that, too, because no one else ever did that). Amazing that no girls liked us then.

If I remember correctly, one of us inadvertently recorded over part of the film (which seems impossible, unless the Northborough video store was using a bootlegged copy, but I’ll continue with the story) so we theorized about how we could reconstruct the one bit using sock puppets.

It never got out of the rambling idea phase … and I never actually wrote the idea down or had it copyrighted … but I am still contacting my attorney.

Laboring Through Clams, Missed No Hitters, and Taunts Inspired by my Forbidden Love of Willie Nelson

  Woodman’s – 2 
  Originally uploaded by eharrison3

It was a good Labor Day weekend for food. With Lydia, Zachary and Stephanie in town, we decided to trek up to Essex and Ipswich for a fried-clam crawl. First stop, Woodman’s, for a taste (a large order of fried clams, a lobster roll and something else best described as a "clam donut" split amongst us all). Wow.

After a little walk around Essex, we meant to hit The Clam Box in Ipswich later that afternoon for Lunch Part Deux, but 1) the line was really long and 2) the boys were getting restless (someone should have also said 3) fried clams twice in a few hours are pretty bad for you, but no one did) so that will have to wait for a future trip. I can’t believe that, even though I have been a Masshole for more than 3 decades, I had never gone to Woodmans or the Clam Box (I always got my fried clam fix at Harry’s Restaurant in Westborough).

Today we had a BBQ to celebrate Dad’s birthday at Sean and Wei. On the menu were some outstanding slow-cooked ribs and sausages from DePasquale’s in Newton. Those sausages have changed my life.

Managed to watch a movie with Lydia and Stephanie on Saturday. Good part: it was Everything Is Illuminated, an excellent film from Liev Schreiber that managed to take a rather complex narrative from Jonanthan Safran Foer and make it into a visually stunning work. I really liked it. Bad part: we turned off Clay Buchholz’ historic no-hitter to watch it. Oh well.

Tomorrow night, I’ll be seeing Willie Nelson at the Harborlights. I have been taking some ribbing from my other fantasy football league, as I guess that was the only night everyone could do a draft. Hey, when the Red-Haired Stranger calls, you don’t say "no" because you have a fantasy football draft.

Simpsonize Me

OK, I realize I’m around a month behind the Simpsons movie hype, but I was finally able to get onto the Simpsonize Me site (shamelessly sponsored by Burger King, in a relatively entertaining way). Here’s me, in Simpsons form, based on the photo I input and some other questions. Not a great likeness (do I really look like Dave Matthews?) although it did a fine job of capturing my forehead and its increasing land-grab.

By the way, seeing The Simpsons movie earlier this summer broke my 14-year ban on Summer Blockbusters (starting with 1993′s Jurrasic Park; the one exception was when I was dragged against my will to 1996′s Mission Impossible). I define Summer Blockbusters the same way Justice Potter Stewart defined pornography: I know it when I see it (or in this case, don’t see it). Criteria includes:

Major tie-in with fast-food chain
Over-the-top ballad by Aerosmith on soundtrack
Loud
Crappy
Aliens and/or monsters of some sort

Volver

It was "date night" at 62 Curtis Street (well, I can only speak for #2, and even there, only for me and Juliet). We caught Volver, the Pedro Almodovar joint starring Penelope Cruz. It was excellent — just enough twists to keep you watching, and visually stunning — and I find subtitles keep my mind sharp and allow me to pay greater attention to a film, particularly on a weeknight when I might otherwise be drowsy. If you like Spanish language films that look at life, death, the complex relationships between parents and children, the power of forgiveness and — not one, but two! –  murders precipiated by incestuous activities, well, then, look no further than Volver.