​You just got the good news and find out you will be spending the next couple of months, doing what you do for eight excruciating hours/5 days a week in an office. Now you get the opportunity to transfer all of that fun and excitement to the privacy of your own home. Replacing your boss, will be your wife and replacing your constantly annoying co-workers, will be your needy children and pets. Well, don’t panic. I have some surefire ways to keep you sane in these problematic and challenging times. Let’s just say you’re welcome.
 
We haven’t got much time and I really need to get your started before you ditch me and replace your time with cross-referencing humorous memes on Facebook.

​#1 - Work from the privacy of your bathroom. It has everything you need (usually has a tub, shower and toilet) and, most importantly, it has a lock on the door. Granted, this may not be practical if you only have one bathroom in the house, but you can always have the wife and kids use the backyard. If it is good enough for the pets, it’s certainly good enough for the kiddos. BTW, the sink counter makes an excellent standing desk which is very important for good posture and a healthy lifestyle. Again, no thanks necessary.

​#2 - Dress successful, but only from the waste up. Thanks to web conferencing, no one needs to be up in your business. Screw them. What they don’t see below the belt, won’t hurt them. I recommend only a nice long turtleneck. It’s always stylish and in the privacy of your office toilet, very convenient. 

#3 - Speaking of video conferencing, you’re going to need plenty of bandwidth, Unfortunately, so will your neighbors. Streaming 15 seasons of Grey’s Anatomy may just rob you of precious resources you’ll need to be heard and seen in vital work conversations.  Do yourself a favor and learn your neighbor’s WIFI passwords. This can be achieved by one of those required good neighbor “check-in” phone calls you’ve been hearing a lot about. Take plenty of notes, you’ll need them to hack into their accounts. 

​#4 - Stay Curious and Distractible. It’s gotten you this far in life, why not use this unique talent to your advantage. Make a list of what needs to get done during the day and then take an hour or two off to go find something to eat. If you’re like me, most of your food is now laying around in the garage waiting to be disinfected. If you do it right, this little chore can take at least full two hours. Nothing helps settle the mind better than eating bread out of the bag while playing with your Beebe gun.
 
#6 - Remember, the end of your workday and respect it. My workday happens to end 15 minutes after I get started. Taking the required time off for lunch and breaks happens to put me in a one-and-a-half-hour deficit each day. This can be extra stressful if you are not sure how to deal with it. And this will be a problem later on when you happen to be filling out your timecard. I keep mine next to the roll of toilet paper in my office, so I always know where to find it.
 

​#7 - And finally, get yourself a hobby. Mine is three underground tunnels affectionately named Tom, Dick and Harry. They all go 10 feel down directly beneath the bathtub, veering off in separate directions. Tom leads to the nearest Popeye’s Chicken. Dick proceeds due North towards the Oregon border and Harry leads to the nearest Emergency Room at the new Sutter Hospital. I figure if I never use them, I can always lease then to El Chapo.
 
Well, that’s about it for this week.  Just remember. It’s not hoarding if nobody recognizes you at Costco. 
 

Okay, a very special announcement: We have a special guest next week!  Angela McKennie has been making people laugh for years. She’s a Director/Producer, a writer and playwright. Her observations are always hilarious, and I know that you will enjoy her guest blog as much I will.  Tell everyone to log on and make her feel welcome. 
 
​Until Next week!

​As a public service, I have created a list of extra fun activities to keep you and your family occupied during this pandemic.

#1 Celebrity Corona Virus Bingo - Create cards with pictures of your favorite celebrities five down and five across. Have someone follow Facebook or Twitter, announcing hourly celebrities that have come down with the virus. When you get five in a row in any direction, (Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, Idris Elba, Olga Kurylenko and the dude from Game of Thrones), yell out at the top of your lungs, “Celebrity Corona Virus Bingo!” 

#2 An Ol’ Fashioned Family Cold and Flu Medicine Spody-Ody. Fill up any quart sized container with a liquid cold and flu medicines along with a generous portion of ice. Turn on Fox news and take a chug every time a news host or hostess informs you that this will all be over by the end of March.

#3 Porn. This ‘ol standby has been keeping people inside their houses and locked in their rooms for years. If Pee-Wee Herman and Fred Willard had a room, a computer and access to the internet, they would not have the reputations they share today (Joke courtesy of Albert Brooks).

#4. Give your cat a shower. This old standby is always good for a few laughs and stiches. No kitty burrito here. This is where we separate the men from the pussies. If you don’t have a cat, any possum, raccoon or rat will do in pinch. 

#3. Troll Vanessa Hudgens "Til July sounds like a bunch of bulls**t. I'm sorry. But like, it's a virus. I get it. Like, I respect it, but at the same time, like, even if everybody gets it... like, yea, people are going to die, which is terrible, but like inevitable." We all know what she meant, right? Wrong! She meant what she said. And you can just as easily mean what you say when you address her on her official Twitter account @VanessaHudgens

#2. Attempt to get a refund from American Airlines. This challenge is not for the squeamish. It will take, will, determination and the heart of a champion. Remember, no vouchers allowed. You’re playing for cold, hard cash. If you like losing in Vegas, you’ll love this game. As they say in Vegas, “Good luck.”
 
#1. Stream Anything and Everything. From Friends to all seasons of Columbo you can fuck up everyone working from home in five-mile radius. And the best part, they will never know it is you. I mean, God forbid you should ever have to pick up a book. That’s right, you can relive the historic break up of Ross and Rachel and screw your neighbor at the same time. What better way to say to the world, fuck off I am catching up on Outlander. Or you can just continue to watch the Dow slide. It’s like watching tourists go over the final plunge on Splash Mountain at Disneyland. And the excited screams of the panicked patrons is actually the sound of your suddenly devalued 401 K and retirement.  It’s entirely up to you.
 
Well, that’s my post from the new America. Keep your friends close and your toilet paper closer. Until next week. Oh, and be sure and wave to the soldiers as they rumble past your house in the dead of the night. Remember, Guardsmen need love too.

Wash your goddamn hands. It doesn’t take a genius to know that we are in a damn shitty situation that is going to get a hell of a lot worse. And, there are things you can do to protect yourselves and loved ones. Besides washing your hands, not touching your face and standing at least an arms-length from the person you are talking to, you can also do this: You can stay at home and hunker the hell down for a few weeks. You will flatten the rise of the virus and you can catch up on your reading. Today we look at:
 
The Holographic Detective Agency. 
 
Soloman Fisk is a brilliant recluse who has made a name for himself among the middle-aged male ultra-wealthy…by coercing home their philandering trophy wives.  His secret?  A holographic stable of deceased celebrity icons and imposing historical figures that are so utterly real, the Missus can’t wait to go home.
 
When mysterious ninja-like wraiths snatch software giant Aaron Gaines at a Las Vegas trade show, the quirky detective is called in.  But Gaines is no stranger to Soloman:  the two were once business partners before falling out.  Now the FBI regards Soloman as chief suspect; a 300-pound cross-dressing mob enforcer wants him whacked; and his only clue is the wife of the victim – a long-lost love he’s not entirely sure he can trust.  
 
What the hell? You can order this on Amazon and never leave the house? Damn straight! You can even order it on your Kindle and save yourself a trip the louse-infected world that we live in. If you are a fan of John Wayne, Dino, Mark Twain, J. Edgar Hoover, Howard Hughes, Bugsy Siegel or comedian J.P. Linde than this is the book for you.
 
Happy reading, stay safe and we will see you next week!
 

NEWS FLASH: The coming Apocalypse has been rescheduled for April 21st, 2020. Please do not panic. While toilet paper, rubber gloves, face masks and Purel will be in short supply, there will still be plenty of Hostess pastry products available for people who wish to take a slower approach to the end of the world. Remember, wash your hands for at least 20 seconds, please do not touch your face, cough into your elbows and whenever possible keep a copy Son of Ravage by J.P. Linde (available at Amazon, all independent bookstores and at Walmart.com) 

​We’ll start off this week's odds and ends with books and a little gem that has been on the bestseller lists for a while. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern is nothing short of enchanting. This adult Harry Potter is that rare read that manages to achieve magical without having to try to hard. The characters are believable and whole, and the plot is mesmeringly entertaining. A book that make you forget the time and place that we find ourselves in, is rare indeed. I heartily recommend it. On the Hollywood front, a screenplay has been written and Geremy Jasper (Patti Cake$, ShortBus) will be directing for the Lionsgate production.
 

​There is a a lot of good television out there right now and I’m not quite sure where to start. But what the hell, right? As Sir Edmund Hillary’s loyal Sherpa, Tenzing Norgay, was fond of saying: “A mother fucker has got to start somewhere.”
 

​Narcos (Season 5/Mexico, Season 2) promises to be another wild ride. As Diego Lunas character becomes more isolated, smokes more cigarettes and drinks more, you just know that something really bad is just around the corner. I am only a few episodes in and already know that I am in for one hell of a ride. 




​
Despite what the critics might have said, The Crown, season 2, is as memorable as the first. Stand-out performances are plentiful, particularly Oliva Coleman (Elizabeth), Helena Bonham Carter (Margaret), Tobias Menzies, (Phillip) and the perpetually uncomfortable, hands in pockets Josh O’ Connor as Bilbo Baggins. Sorry, of course I meant Frodo Baggins. Whoopsie, can’t help myself. He’s really Charles.   
 
Parasite. Finally saw it and now fully understand what all the buzz is about. This, my friends, is filmmaking at its finest. Fully fleshed characters and a fascinating plot with plenty of twists and turns that will constantly keep you guessing. Suburb pacing by director Bong Joon-Ho and a cast that seems very rooted in the emerging class struggle taking place in South Korea.   

Gripe of the week: The CGI dog from the trailer of Call of the Wild. Did they ever fix this or does this poor mutt suffer the same fate as Taylor Swift in Cats? I don’t know what looks worse, Harrison Ford or the computer-generated dog with the eerily creepy eyes. Were the boys in the special effects lab, so obsessed with making the dog character identifiable that they decided to give it human eyeballs? And why not use a real dog? Not sure what happened here, but I will not be seeing this cartoon version of one of my favorite classics. Comedy may be hard, but adapting Jack London is harder. 

Pictured: Harrison Ford and CGI dog from Call of the Wild.

Finally, the Broadway adaption of John Carney’s Sing Street is set to open March 26. And here’s a clip for all of those who were hoping they would not mess this up.
​

​And now your little hint for next week’s blog.
 
“I’m your huckleberry.”

​As a public service, I have created a show business and literary lexicon for a better understanding of the language and meanings of those who may be considering your work of literary fiction or screenplay. So, without further ado, I present this helpful aid and inviteyou to refer it as often as you need. The language of show business is like most complex foreign tongues, and it is important that we start simple and work our way up.
 
The Basics:
 
Pass – We don’t want it.
Interesting – A passive aggressive way of saying we don’t want it.
We may hear something next week – We are going to wait a week and then tell you we don’t want it.
Something should shake loose in a couple of weeks – Nothing will shake loose, and we never wanted it in the first place. It was a mistake to even take your phone cal.l
 
Good luck with your future endeavors – fuck off.
Are you in the union? Please tell me you are not in the union.
We’re meeting with someone very important next week – I’m lying to you about this and I don’t know why.
We have some notes – This is going to require a lot of work.
We have just a few notes – This will require quite a lot of work. Honestly, I don’t know why I bother
It’s Perfect – I haven’t read it yet. I will have plenty of notes for you later.
 
Digging Deeper:
 
We love this character – Can you make this character completely different?
I was a little unclear regarding this character – Get rid of this character.
I am a little unclear of what happens here – I never read the script. It was explained to me and I later fired that person.
I love your story - I did not throw up.
The script has some potential – Right now I can’t find anything better.
Everyone is really excited about your story - I desperately need to pitch something at next Friday’s meeting.
Your through in this business – You were never in this business.
Let’s take a meeting - I’m hungry. Do you like sushi?
There are two speeds in Hollywood, slow or blazing fast – Quit calling me. Jesus.
Can we have a quick chat? -  I’d fire you if you actually worked for me.
 
Screenwriting Service Ads
 
Thousands use our service everyday – We are going to rip you off for at least one hundred dollars.
 
Come pitch your script to industry professionals – We are going to rip you off for at least three hundred dollars and you’re going to have to get a room.
Industry Professionals – Proud men and women who work in our mailroom.
Our Success stories – Pure fiction.
Photos of our success stories – Pulp fiction.
 
And there you have it. Navigating always requires a map and a compass. Hopefully the above guidance will serve you as well as it has served me, And, think of it this way, it didn’t cost you anything.

​It has been a while since we’ve tackled a subject with any intellectual heft to it, (the last being a serious discussion of the James Bond gun barrel sequences). Ever since, I’ve had the nagging feeling that my blog is wasting away. But that time is over, friends. Today, we roar back with a subject that should go down as one of the most powerful blog posts of all time. Today I give you, the top seven Magnificent Seven movies.
 
I’ve been in love with the original 1960 original The Magnificent Seven since the 70’s when notorious college drug dealers hijacked my small black and white television and made me watch it (if you’re lucky, I may relate this story further someday). Long story short, unlike the experience, the movie starring Steve McQueen, Yul Brynner and Eli Wallach and directed by John Sturges, stuck with me. So, with this introduction out of the way, let’s proceed.

​Dishonorable Mentions: #6 and #7
 
The Guns of the Magnificent Seven and The Magnificent Seven Ride. Uh, well they make the list only because Magnificent Seven is somewhere in the title. Yul Brynner’s iconic Chris was long gone, touring in a road show production of King and I most likely. He had been replaced by George Kennedy and Lee Van Cleef respectively. While both are fine actors in their own right, their magnificent crews had been whittled down to the likes, of Ed Lauter, Micheal Callan, Ralph Waite, Gary Busey. James Whitmore, Joe Don Baker, Bernie Casey and Monte Markham as Keno. Let’s just be polite and pass both of these films off as, No thank you.
 

​The Return of the Seven. (1966) Yul Brynner returned to the iconic role of Chris with two stipulations, give me a batshit crazy script and no Steve McQueen. The producers relented to the temperamental actor’s requests and, along with Robert Fuller (from television’s Emergency) we got this mess. Filmed in Spain, as shooting in Mexico had become problematic (the entire country had read the script), this low-level entry into the canon at least has Yul and at the very end a lot of shit blows up…blows up real good.

#4 The Magnificent Seven (Television Show and subsequent Christmas Specials). Okay, I am kidding about the holiday specials, but it would have been fun, watching all of Chris’s friends get shot down before the star is placed at the top of the tree. Michael Biehn portrays Chris and Eric Close is Vin as seven gunfighters attempt to defend a town. Robert Vaughn joined mid-season to add some needed umph to the series but alas, was too late. Interesting, but all in all, a miss.

#3 The Magnificent Seven directed by Antoine Fuquo is a much needed to return to what made the original great. The casting, from Denzel Washington to Vincent D’ Onofrio is brilliant and the entire story breathes fresh life into a series that I had remained convinced could not be brought back to life. Fuquo reports that he was a fan of western films since he was a kid and it shows in everything he does. Chris Pratt is so much fun to watch and his final scene should go in the western shoot-out hall of fame. 

 #2 The Magnificent Seven (1960) and directed by John Sturges. It’s a no-brainer as to why this film continues to resonate. First, it catapulted Steven McQueen, James Colburn and Charles Bronson to stardom and broke open an entire genre of heroes with jaded pasts seeking redemption. It also introduced us to Eli Wallach, in the first of his Mexican Bandido trilogy of roles that concluded in an epic performance as Tuco from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. This film is only rated #2 on our list because of the film that preceded it and the casting of the German actor Horst Buchholz as Chico. Still, this film stands up very well to multiple, nay hundreds, of repeated viewings.


And, the #1 Magnificent Seven movie of all time?

“Those who forget history are doomed to forget it.”
 
If we ever get through this dark period of politics, our future reveals only a few options. Given our lack of education, society’s unshakable belief in conspiracies and total lack of respect for the sciences or the arts, our future maybe already written for us. So, as we careen through the annals of history, wantedly ignoring all warning signs, I humbly present a little gem of a film by Mike Judge called Idiocracy.
 
“Shit. I know shit's bad right now. With all that starving bullshit. And the dust storms. And we're running out of French Fries and burrito coverings. But I got a solution.” President Camacho.
 
Mike Judge is the award-winning creator of Beavis and Butthead, King of the Hill, the sleeper hit Office Space and HBO’s brilliant Silicon Valley. His humor and social commentary is consistently spot-on, but in Idiocracy, he has transcended humorous political commentary and touched upon the real pulse of a modern, truth ignoring society. While visiting Disneyland, Judge witnessed a cursing match between two mothers with infants in strollers. The verbal joust between the foul-mouthed Madonna’s stuck with him and the idea for this modern classic was born.

​“But the English language had deteriorated into a hybrid of hillbilly, valley girl, inner city slang, and various grunts”.  – Narrator
 
To say that the film is funny is an understatement. It is hilarious. It’s a shame that the main critics of the film happened to be the studio that financed it. Tired of the film’s harsh critiques of corporations, the overall politics and themes, weary executives at 20th Century Fox hoped for a quick transition to video shelves and sat on the finished film for over a year. Eventually, it was released to a very limited run, making little or no of its money back.
 
Despite the negative vibes, critics responded favorably to the film. L.A. Times reviewer Carina Chocano described Idiocracy as "spot on" satire and a "pitch-black, bleakly hilarious vision of an American future."
 
“Hey, at least it’s not another superhero movie.”
 
“Today, the film’s title doubles as a term used in news cycles as a kind of shortcut to describe the world we live in.” When Pixar’s beloved classic “WALL-E” came out in 2008, Roger Ebert pointed to “Idiocracy” as an unconscious influence on the film’s vision of a dumbed-down, consumer-driven future.

Perhaps it’s too late for a lone movie to save civilization. But as we sprint full speed deeper into the land of the ludicrous, Idiocracy by Mike Judge may just predict how this whole human race turns out. You may not like what you see, but at least the laughter may deaden the pain.
 

Next Week: Top 7 Magnificent Seven Films!

​One cannot look back at the career of Scottish director Bill Forsyth without celebrating his influence on other independent filmmakers across the pond. The ripples from his success have been felt across Great Britain and in 2007 crested upon the shores of Ireland. 
 
Ladies and gentlemen, we salute John Carney. This Irish filmmaker, and former rock bassist, has a healthy dose of Bill Forsyth’s independent streak but substitutes the Scot’s magical with a healthy dose of realism. 

​Carney first hit, Once (2007), starred newcomers Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova. This musical film, made on a shoestring budget of less than 100,000 Euros, was photographed with two borrowed camcorders and quite successfully put this filmmaker on the map. Taking a page directly from the playbook of Forsyth, there is no antagonist that drives this picture but the slow revealing of the characters that keeps us entertained and in our seats. The backdrop of Dublin serves the story well as if it is daring the characters to try and get out.
 
Once again, Hollywood studios are shown that a “little film” can have heart and still do boffo business.
 
“I like 'Guys and Dolls,' 'Singin' in the Rain' and 'A Star Is Born.' When it works, a musical is an amazing thing. But it rarely works.”
 
Already in a relatively young career, Carney has over 19 nominations here and abroad and 13 wins.

​In 2013 and Carney comes back with a film shot in New York. Carney sucks it up and decides to used established talent. His stars for Begin Again are Mark Ruffalo and Kiera Knightly and his choice for the latter was not without controversy.
 
“I don’t want to rubbish Keira, but you know it’s hard being a film actor and it requires a certain level of honesty and self-analysis that I don’t think she’s ready for yet and I certainly don’t think she was ready for on that film,”
 
Carney later apologized. The fact is, he was wrong about Knightly. She is quite good as the heartbroken songwriter and plays off Ruffalo’s down and out music producer quite nicely. Despite some dark backstory, Begin Again has a lighter and audiences immediately responded to the story above, love, loss and most importantly music. The opening introductions of the two major characters are both original and the follow-through is nothing short of brilliant. Plus, it had some pretty decent music by none other than Adam Levine. Not bad for a guy who only a few years back was playing bass in a band called The Frames.

​“It's very hard to tell an actor, 'Stop acting.' It's easy to tell a non-actor, because they're embarrassed when they act. They get ashamed when they do something cliche, whereas an actor is happy.”
 
The jewel in this trifecta of independent filmmaking is Sing Street. With a cast of mostly unknowns and original tunes, Carney returns to Dublin with a little film is the perfect blend of both heart and wit. The evolution of this little ragtag band of 80’s musician wannabes is truly something to behold. The music is more than memorable, and the homemade videos of the band are hilarious. The dialogue is natural and never forced and the entire film carries on the legacy of heart inspired by all of the films before it. 
 
I cannot recommend this series of films by John Carney enough. 

​Oh, yeah, I almost forgot. As far movies into musicals, Carney has Forsyth beat. Once has already received the full Broadway treatment and Sing Street is already playing on Off Broadway.

 Great response to my salute to Local Hero. It is very much appreciated. Now, if only I could find more films like the above to talk about this site may just get popular. Unfortunately, this week, we will have to make-due with the hodgepodge below. As always, differing opinions on topics are always welcome.

​Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. This was the first Star Wars film that I felt I didn’t have to rush off immediately and see. I didn’t and it turns out my instincts were correct. Verdict? While not exactly a total waste of time, I think it’s a bit of a hot mess. Too many plot points crammed into an excrutiating slow-moving story. For the most part, all of the performances are good with special kudos going to Billy Dee Williams, for still be able to get around and flash that winning smile, and Richard E. Grant for being villainous while at the same time totally underused. I really think it is time that the whole production team go back and think this whole Star Wars thing through. In my humble opinion, the best films of the series have been Rogue One and…

​The Mandalorian. This Disney Plus addition is a must see. A perfect blend of the best of Star Wars, Italian Westerns and, yes, even Kurosawa. Baby Yoda is the breakout star of the limited series and Werner Herzog’s villainous turn is worth coming back for. Great guest stars and cameos throughout and, all in all, a much-needed boost to the Star Wars universe. It’s nothing short of brilliant and another feather in the creative cap of director/producer/writer Jon Favreau.

​Paramount’s Jack Ryan and Paramount’s Star Trek: Discovery (both Season 2) are hit and miss. The performances and production values remain high, the major story setting in Jack Ryan not up to the standards set in the premier season. Star Trek Discovery starts out slow, but by episode 6 takes off with a homage to the original that is worth the price of the entire Blu-Ray set. Both shows are still worth watching, in order to be all caught up for the upcoming seasons. Star Trek Discovery is already finishing up its 3rd season and, as yet, Jack Ryan’s fate is yet to be announced.
​
The Outsider on HBO is crazy creepy and super great It is based on the novel by Stephen King and all of the performances by everyone in the cast, are topnotch. If this mini-series does not give you a sense of overall dread, I don’t know what will. Jason Bateman, fresh off his hit series Ozark, directs the hell out of the first two episodes and is doing a brilliant job.  The show is not without flaws, one in fact leads to this week’s gripe:
 
With the all the benefits of shooting in high resolution video, we have decided as an entire community to shoot with available light whenever possible. When used sparingly, this can cause anticipation, angst and an overall sense of dread to your project. When used all the time, it can also cause the overwhelming sensation of what the hell am I supposed to be looking at? I am hoping this is actually a trend and not that I am losing my vision. It could also be god’s way of saying I need a new 5 or even 6 k television. Until I find out for sure, can we at least shoot a few shots during the day? Thank you.
 
Okay, now that I have had my, “you kids stay off my yard” moment, we can all get on with our lives. Have a great week and I will see you all next week.

The highlight of my week was two viewings of the Criterion Blu-Ray edition of Bill Forsyth’s bittersweet comedy Local Hero. I decided a revisit of this classic was in order after a too-long absence of three years and found it even more charming, poignant, and engaging than I remembered. It’s on the list of one of my top movies of all time and I’m not alone. There are legions of fans out there who love this sleeper hit. We may not have our own fan convention, but this is a special little film that is always worth celebrating.
 
“What makes this material really work is the low-key approach of the writer-director, Bill Forsyth, who also made the charming Gregory's Girl and has the patience to let his characters gradually reveal themselves to the camera. He never hurries, and as a result, Local Hero never drags: Nothing is more absorbing than human personalities, developed with love and humor.” 
 
Roger Ebert
​

​The film boasts a perfect 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and is counted as one of the best films of the last century. It even made the list of top 100 films to see before you die. There is a reason for all of this love, and it’s definitely worth exploring.  
 
Local Hero could never be made today, at least not by Hollywood. There is no major antagonist (unless of course you count the scoundrel who killed and cooked Trudy), and the pace is best described as leisurely. The characters discover themselves and others in a way that never seems overblown, forced or, god forbid, dramatic. Most of the credit goes to the Scottish Director, Bill Forsyth. Forsyth’s direction is spot on and his screenplay never misses an opportunity to exploit its strengths. Perfect length, perfect build, damn near perfect movie.
 
Producer David Puttnam, now sitting on the Labor Benches in the House of Lords and the Academy Award winning producer for Chariots of Fire, came up with the idea and approached Forsyth. Forsyth ran with it and, in my humble opinion, cinematic history was made. It’s worth noting that Puttnam was hired to run Columbian Studios shortly after Local Hero. The results were a disaster, Puttnam making no friends in Hollywood by announcing that film budgets and star salaries had gotten out of hand. Considering the product coming out now, his thinking was way ahead of his time.

​This jewel of a film also features one of my favorite movie scores. Almost as sweet and poignant as the movie itself, Mark Knopfler’s first soundtrack won a BAFTA Award nomination for best score and amazingly became almost more popular than the movie itself. The title track, Going Home, is played before every Newcastle United FC home game and is the last song played at every Dire Straits concert to signal the night is over and it’s time for the audience to bugger off.  

​There are some top notch performances in this film from everyone involved. Peiter Riegert (Boon from Animal House) is amazing and Burt Lancaster, as Happer, is nothing short of pure joy. This film may have been made with very little conflict but it more than makes up for it with a hell of a lot of heart. Watch it and it may just make you feel a wee bit better of about yourself and for the whole of mankind.

​Sadly, a musical stage production of the film is on its way to London. Originally, both Knopfler and Forsyth were involved. It debuted in Scotland last year and is now being prepared for the West End. However, at this writing, Forsyth has been released from the production and will only be involved as a creative consultant.