homepage Forums Air Combat & Civil Aviation Battle of Britain + Battle of Britain II Here's what happened (Continued)

Folks,

Friend Stickman:

Aloha and a sincere thank you for remembering JayDee. He was a cherished part of the very innermost fabric of our everyday lives. What a treat it was to know him for over five years.

Friend Old Dux:

Sincere thanks to you and to Lady "J" for your kind words of condolence. Having lost one who was dear to you yourself you certainly know how we are feeling right now. This miserable cold is not helping any either. Spring must be tough on critters. It was but a year ago this past April that we lost our son's coon hound Dan. We still miss him too.

We have not seen Pitt's "Troy" yet. Based upon your endorsement we may brave the unwashed multitudes ebbing and flowing at the local multiplex and treading upon at least an inch of popcorn encrusted sticky gum we will grope about in the dark to find two seats reasonably close to one another. We're an unpretencious lot who don't mind a sticky step or two so we'll probably see it fairly soon. If not at one of the local multiplexs then sooner or later on DVD.

Frankly, in spite of the "four walling" adverts I've seen for a solid month on every TV channel I expected it to be just another one of those summertime Hollywood blockbuster historical spectacles. Short on history but long on spectacle.

Perhaps the huge battle scenes and special effects will make it worthwhile? From what I've seen in the trailers Achilles and Hektor seem to have found a more realistic method of movie sword fighting. Their bronze swords do not seem to be somehow magnetized as most cinematic blades have always been.

Pardon me if I'm wrong Mr. Flynn but in the past it has always seemed to me that the swords were doing all the fighting. Have you noticed this too? It always looked as if the thrusting and parrying fellows were far more intent in hitting each other's sword for 99% of the fight than actually striking any vital part of their equally striving enemy's anatomy. Ahhh, well they do call them sword fights don't they? The fight in this "Troy" film seems far more realistic to me. From what little I've seen every blow seems to be a killing attempt.

Nevertheless I bet poor Homer is rolling in his grave either laughing or crying ...perhaps both.

Undeniably handsome (so says my wife) Brad Pitt has never been a favorite actor of mine although on talk shows (like Charlie Rose) he comes off as both intelligent and articulate. Sean Bean however has been a favorite actor of mine for many years. Ever since he (as Sharpe in "Sharpe's Rifles)took those sparkly Eagles from a much aggravated Napoleon. Every performance I have seen Bean give has been masterfully done. Too bad if he was unable or unwilling to master the clearly spoken word for this film.

Speaking of that vaccination scar you noticed on Mr. Pitt, it just goes to prove what Hollywood and I have suspected all along, the ancients had far more scientific knowledge than the true historians ever give them credit for.

According to my friend who was actually in the Ted Turner film "Gettysburg", that "historical" film is filled with such minor flaws as ghosts of removed wrist watches on period wrists, modern telephone lines, a sprinkle of rooftop TV antennas in the background and many others. How do we know the lines aren't telegraph lines?

Still I enjoyed the un-Civil war film. I think Robert Duval whom I've actually met was a far better R.E. Lee (portrayed in another film) than the very good actor Martin Sheen managed to be in "Gettysburg". I have not met Mr. Sheen but admire much of his work. IMHO he does a fine job as the POTUS in the TV series "West Wing".

Ted Turner whom I have also met had a cameo appearance in his own film. I am told (and it shows up in my VHS version of the movie) that when Turner is hit by a Yankee mini ball the Squibb goes off on one breast and our consummate actor Ted immediately grabs the wrong side as he falls out of frame and into the abyss of non-OSCAR contention and cinematic oblivion.

Since reading your opinoin I've been meaning too but I have yet to see "Master and Commander". That film I do look forward to. I plan to see that next week.

Mr. Cruise's "Last Samurai" will be next on our CD viewing list. Please tell me I'm wrong about this one but I don't expect it to be nearly as good as the TV series "Shogun" was. Anyone seen it?