Black Balloon

Another film that I saw coming attractions for (from the DVD of Captain Abu Raed), and interloaned. A family moves to a new neighborhood; the father is in the armed forces, his wife is heavily pregnant, and they have two grown sons: Charlie, who is autistic, and Thomas, 15, who is charged with caring for his older brother. There is some excellent acting, especially, I thought, by Luke Ford, who plays Charlie. Autism is shown is its different parts: Charlie's behavior, its effects in his family, the ignorance of others. Quite well done, though the ending was a bit weak.

Roosevelt's secret war

After reading Jack 1939, I picked this one up: interesting, detailed. Stopped at p. 360

An unfinished life

Dallek, Robert. (2003). An unfinished life: John F. Kennedy, 1917-1963 Boston, Mass.: Little, Brown and Co.

After reading Jack 1939, I picked this one up: I know the name of Robert Dallek, a historian. I realized that I have, perhaps, probably, never read a biography of JFK. Read to p.222, the mid-1950s. My overall impressions are that the Kennedys were dirty, rotten scoundrels; that JFK was an opportunist, a right-winger out of convenience and some conviction; that he could never have gotten away with all the lying about his health that he engaged in; that he reluctantly embraced liberal ideas; and that he was one very lucky man, to have become the idol and liberal icon that he did become. Well written book, though a little too favorable, I thought.

Captain Abu Raed

I saw coming attractions for this film when I watched Hedgehog, and took it out. I did not know quite what to expect, and I was impressed by the film. It's a great little story: a janitor in  Queen Alia International Airport in Amman finds a captain's hat, takes it home, is seen wearing it by a kid who, in turn, asks him to tell him stories about his travels; at first he refuses, but is worn down by a gaggle of kids who insist on hearing his stories; he fabricates them from pieces of knowledge he has, and in the process fascinates them and himself; one other kid, Murad, is a skeptic, and deliberately breaks the spell the Captain has woven by showing three of his admirers that he is not an airliner pilot but a janitor; that boy is abused by his drunken father, who also physically abuses his wife; the Captain liberates the family form the drunkard's abuse with the help of Nour, a thirtyish female pilot who is being pressured by her father to marry, who befriends him, and, in turn, looks to him for company and guidance.

One technique that I liked was that, in scenes that build to an apotheosis, the actual act is not shown, but implied. Such a scene is when the drunkard father is going to teach his son Murad a lesson by burning his hand, the actual burning is not shown; the scene builds up with such tension that it is unnecessary to show the act itself. Hollywood does not do that; it would have shown the burning in excruciating detail.

Excellent film.

Norman Granz

Hershorn, Tad. (2011). Norman Granz : the man who used jazz for justice. Berkeley : University of California Press.

 When I saw it, I had to take, even though, at the time, I had four or five other books. A couple of years ago I saw a CUNY grant available for writers of biography. Daydreaming, I wondered whom I might write about, and Granz came around: I could not fin done bio written about him. Interesting man, interesting book. After starting to write La Roja en verde, and the arrival of Hurricane Sandy, things changed. Worth going back to; stopped at p.122

Mentioned in book: Nat King Cole

Sleepy Lagoon case - connected to Zoot suit riots

 David Stone Martin - influenced by the line art of Ben Shahn;drew covers for Granz


 Joe Turner sang in Duke Ellington's Jump for Joy in LA, 1941 (34)

Marie Bryant: sang with Duke; had relationship with Granz

p.46: Prez's only recordings without drums, first in a trio 

T-Bone Walker (51)

Gjon Mili (65) - Jammin' the Blues

 

Flight

NY Times review- NYT Critics' Pick

Interview: John Gatins on wrestling his demons to write 'Flight'

How Does Denzel Washington Take Off?

Robert Zemeckis Returns to Live Action Movies With ‘Flight’