Christmas. It's one giant re-make really isn't it? We follow roughly the same pattern, year in, year out, with tweaks here and tweaks there to adjust our mistakes in former versions of the celebration. Eg: decide not to give auntie Sylivia so much sherry this year; leave the turkey roasting for an exta hour; make sure the tree is firmly anchored so as not to fall over - again; wear layers you can discard without appearing to attempt a seasonal striptease.....and do not, under any circumstances mention "you know what"!
I can often be heard complaining of movies and TV, "Why do they produce so many movie remakes?" A person wearing blindfold could go into any library, pick out four books at random and find four new plots for movies. Why are we subjected to remakes, sometimes even more than one remake? Just the other day I read of an upcoming remake of Dickens' Great Expectations (and, hellfire! They've changed the ending!)
Here on Earth, living creatures, trees, plants, climate, and the old spinning rock itself could be said to be the product of cycles and re-makes. Everything is a cycle, many things are re-makes. I ought not to be surprised about movie and TV remakes. They are as inevitable a part of life on Earth as the turning of the hands of a clock or the run of seasons, Christmas - and the Moon's waxing and waning. Hollywood moguls probably don't realise this, of course, all they care about are the $$$$$$$.
Planetary cycles, especially those of Saturn, Uranus and Pluto, often bring along a remake of one's own life story, and - back to the current season - the kind of Christmas each year brings. Hoping that passing readers experience a good re-make this time around. If, for any reason Christmas turns out to be less than magical this year, we always know that there'll be another re-make along in 12 short months.
I can often be heard complaining of movies and TV, "Why do they produce so many movie remakes?" A person wearing blindfold could go into any library, pick out four books at random and find four new plots for movies. Why are we subjected to remakes, sometimes even more than one remake? Just the other day I read of an upcoming remake of Dickens' Great Expectations (and, hellfire! They've changed the ending!)
Here on Earth, living creatures, trees, plants, climate, and the old spinning rock itself could be said to be the product of cycles and re-makes. Everything is a cycle, many things are re-makes. I ought not to be surprised about movie and TV remakes. They are as inevitable a part of life on Earth as the turning of the hands of a clock or the run of seasons, Christmas - and the Moon's waxing and waning. Hollywood moguls probably don't realise this, of course, all they care about are the $$$$$$$.Planetary cycles, especially those of Saturn, Uranus and Pluto, often bring along a remake of one's own life story, and - back to the current season - the kind of Christmas each year brings. Hoping that passing readers experience a good re-make this time around. If, for any reason Christmas turns out to be less than magical this year, we always know that there'll be another re-make along in 12 short months.
16 comments:
GP: Mery X-Mas to all! What counts, remake or not, is to have a good time. It's even possible if the tree falls over or with some other minor mishap. Or then just hope for next year, as you say...
The problem (for who knows about astrological clocks/transits/epochs) is that religion (and it's celebrations) tend to lag. Always. First the "spark" (Christ, Buddha, Moses, Mohamed), then the followers. Once they get orgnized to "organize their sheep", it's already all over, getting stale. If commerce was not blowing up the fire, things would be different. But earthlings like remaking over and over again - be it their own memories or creating such for their children. All part of the "cosy cubicle" we think we need to survive.
Backatcha with the wishes, T, and sensory overload is happening to me too, I don't believe I'm cynical but it is all getting so tiresome at this stage, 2 solid months and more of red and bells and rampant consumerism. I light my one candle and reflect and craft a bit and read in front of the fire and count all the ways my life is content.
Love to you and Himself!!
XO
WWW
I have been saying for the last month or three that I feel like I'm stuck in the movie Groundhog Day. But this time is different - we're at the last scene where he wakes up to Sonny and Cher for the last time.
Anonymous/Gian Paul ~~
Merry Christmas to you too GP - it'll be a different kind of Christmas there in the Brazilian jungle, I guess?
Yes, I agree on the religion front.
Inspiration, then organisation, obsession, commercialisation...all means of eventual control - not intended by the originators of the inspiration though - I think.
Wisewebwoman ~~ It takes a little more effort to comply with the requirements as each re-make comes along - yes, it surely does.
I hope your season is peaceful and free of health and weather problems.
We'll attend the traditional local family get together on Christmas Eve, then, if weather holds take our new tradition for Christmas Day - a drive up Mount Scott, with some cheese sandwiches, then around the wildlife refuge in the Wichita Mountains (about a 40 minute drive from home).
Love and hugs, WWW :-)
Mandy ~~~ Oh! I get the Groundhog Day reference - good one! Why is it the last such experience though?
I'd love to have been a fly on the wall at the original.
James Higham ~~ Perhaps you were, James, perhaps you were. Or at least some of your molecules.
(Twilight zone y'know).
Happy Christmas!
I guess having to have TV shows 24/7 on so many channels means that remakes and repeats are necessary to fill the schedules.
We have a 'remake' in the New Year of the Titanic story in a 10 episode TV mini series by Julian Fellowes of Downton Abbey fame (probably not shown in the US yet). You might know him if you've seen Gosford Park as he won an Oscar for his screenplay. Married to a niece of the late Lord Kitchener so knows all about the 'Upstairs, Downstirs' scenario though not from that background himself.
Still there are a few original ;-) pieces around. Delights for this Xmas include the Dr Who Special, A Strictly Come Dancing Special....you can see where this is going, can't you. And there's always the Carols from Kings.
Oh and more 'modern remakes', Sherlock Holmes (not the recent movie), The Borrowers (based on the children's books) and no doubt more Dickens, Bronte or Austen remakes to come in 2012.
Enjoy the holiday season as much as you can. Very quiet here. First Xmas without my Dad, so no family get together this time. His widow prefers to be with her own family this year, understandably.
R xx
Yes, but this one has Gillian Anderson in it. Surely we can forgive she who was Agent Scully?
It does all seem rather cyclical and time always seems to run away at this time of year.
Merry Christmas to you :-)
I have grown oh, so weary of all the pressures of the ever-lengthening holiday season. However, I will never tire of the family gathering. I would rather have Christmas and all it's trappings happen less frequently -- every other year? twice a decade? -- and celebrate a joyful collection of my family more often.
Rossa ~~ Hi~ We have had Season 1 of Downton Abbey here in the USA - being repeated at present. Not my cup of tea though. ;-) I think I did a blog about it and Fellowes back when it first aired here.
First Christmas after loss of a loved one is hard - I know that so very well. Each Christmas forever after is changed, and brings some pain, however much one tries to avoid it. All my own losses (everyone close from the past) have become one big ball of pain at this time of year. I roll it around and try to keep it from the front of my mind and from affecting others, but it's still hard.
I hope your Christmas is peaceful, healthy and warmed with lovely memories of your Dad.
Vanilla Rose ~~ Didn't know that - Googled - yes - I see she's to be Miss Havisham. Alright then. I shall go see it, eventually. Dickens was genius - it'd take more than a few meddling movie producers to spoil his stories.
:-)
Cherry Pie ~ It can be a royal pain in the backside, and always seems a wee bit anti-climactic when the Day actually arrives.
Hope your Day goes well - Happy Christmas CP! :-)
Kaleymorris ~~ Yes, I understand how you feel, K. The core of Christmas is good, it's the peripherals that make it such a hassle.
Post a Comment