The Right Stuff

Mr. Mousie and I just finished watching The Right Stuff, a 1980s movie adaptation of one of my favorite books, Tom Wolfe's non-fiction account of the first Americans in space and the start of the space program.

I loved the movie, but I think it was more, much more, than because it was a well-made movie. It just touched so many very personal things for me: my love of science fiction and the way I believed when I was a kid in the 80s that when I was grown-up there would be people living in space and space travel. My childhood, childish dream to be a cosmonaut (if Valentina Tereshkova could do it, why not me?), even my near-certainty, when a child, that I would be a sicentist, or lead a life full of hair-raising adventure. But above all, of all these enormous spaceman-type possibilities out there, entirely within reach. The movie made me feel a wide-eyed kid again - it had that sense of excitement. It brought my childhood back to me.

I have no idea how well the movie would work for other people. As I said, its effect on me was tied with so many personal things. But I did love it and recommend it.

Oh, and on a more shallow note, I have such a crush on Sam Shepard's Chuck Yeager - who the movie (and the book) portrayed as the truest test pilot of them all, in a sense - someone who did not go for the space program which did not involve much test piloting even if it involved a lot of glamor, but who stuck to doing what he loved and did best - flying.

And now I need to go read some scifi. Probably Stanislaw Lem.

The Right Stuff

Mr. Mousie and I just finished watching The Right Stuff, a 1980s movie adaptation of one of my favorite books, Tom Wolfe's non-fiction account of the first Americans in space and the start of the space program.

I loved the movie, but I think it was more, much more, than because it was a well-made movie. It just touched so many very personal things for me: my love of science fiction and the way I believed when I was a kid in the 80s that when I was grown-up there would be people living in space and space travel. My childhood, childish dream to be a cosmonaut (if Valentina Tereshkova could do it, why not me?), even my near-certainty, when a child, that I would be a sicentist, or lead a life full of hair-raising adventure. But above all, of all these enormous spaceman-type possibilities out there, entirely within reach. The movie made me feel a wide-eyed kid again - it had that sense of excitement. It brought my childhood back to me.

I have no idea how well the movie would work for other people. As I said, its effect on me was tied with so many personal things. But I did love it and recommend it.

Oh, and on a more shallow note, I have such a crush on Sam Shepard's Chuck Yeager - who the movie (and the book) portrayed as the truest test pilot of them all, in a sense - someone who did not go for the space program which did not involve much test piloting even if it involved a lot of glamor, but who stuck to doing what he loved and did best - flying.

And now I need to go read some scifi. Probably Stanislaw Lem.

The Right Stuff

Mr. Mousie and I just finished watching The Right Stuff, a 1980s movie adaptation of one of my favorite books, Tom Wolfe's non-fiction account of the first Americans in space and the start of the space program.

I loved the movie, but I think it was more, much more, than because it was a well-made movie. It just touched so many very personal things for me: my love of science fiction and the way I believed when I was a kid in the 80s that when I was grown-up there would be people living in space and space travel. My childhood, childish dream to be a cosmonaut (if Valentina Tereshkova could do it, why not me?), even my near-certainty, when a child, that I would be a sicentist, or lead a life full of hair-raising adventure. But above all, of all these enormous spaceman-type possibilities out there, entirely within reach. The movie made me feel a wide-eyed kid again - it had that sense of excitement. It brought my childhood back to me.

I have no idea how well the movie would work for other people. As I said, its effect on me was tied with so many personal things. But I did love it and recommend it.

Oh, and on a more shallow note, I have such a crush on Sam Shepard's Chuck Yeager - who the movie (and the book) portrayed as the truest test pilot of them all, in a sense - someone who did not go for the space program which did not involve much test piloting even if it involved a lot of glamor, but who stuck to doing what he loved and did best - flying.

And now I need to go read some scifi. Probably Stanislaw Lem.

Talk about a boyfriend with an undesirable career...

In-between doing things like reading a book on Mughal Empire, going for a walk with Mr. and Baby Mousie etc etc, I watched a couple more episodes of kdrama Robbers, 2006's drama with dangermousie favorites Jung Hyuk and Lee Da Hae. Robbers is a drama I enjoy but watch very slowly, because the protagonists do have rather miserable lives and it can be gritty and desperate and sordid kind of miserable as opposed to prettily-lit.

Oh Joon (Jang Hyuk) is a gigolo conman who seduces his marks and then tricks them out of their money. His latest target is eccentric, fragile Dal Rae (Lee Da Hae), a widow with a five-year-old daughter. He needs the money to repay loan sharks who are after him and Dal Rae just happens to have the sum that he needs saved up...

Normally what would happen next is a destitute woman, a court case, and a nice jail sentence for the guy in question. However seeing that Oh Joon is played by Jang Hyuk, who specializes in playing bastards with a (rather hidden) heart and Dal Rae is played by Lee Da Hae, surely one of the most adorable kdrama actresses, you can tell the story is going to go rather differently.

The reason I really like this drama, even if it does seem like quite an angstfest?

The protagonists are grown-ups. Dal Rae acts like a woman with a child, not some sort of an overgrown teenager. She is somewhat sheltered and unworldly but quite strong and adult in her approach to emotions. And the drama never minces its approach that Oh Joon is a bastard who knows he is one. He might be salvageable, he might be pushed into his path by a bad situation but the fact remains he is almost unredeemable. Oh, and I adore Dal Rae's little daughter - she is not a sweet idealized child, but a real five-year-old who can be bratty or throw tantrums...

Plus, happy ending!

Cute MV

Talk about a boyfriend with an undesirable career...

In-between doing things like reading a book on Mughal Empire, going for a walk with Mr. and Baby Mousie etc etc, I watched a couple more episodes of kdrama Robbers, 2006's drama with dangermousie favorites Jung Hyuk and Lee Da Hae. Robbers is a drama I enjoy but watch very slowly, because the protagonists do have rather miserable lives and it can be gritty and desperate and sordid kind of miserable as opposed to prettily-lit.

Oh Joon (Jang Hyuk) is a gigolo conman who seduces his marks and then tricks them out of their money. His latest target is eccentric, fragile Dal Rae (Lee Da Hae), a widow with a five-year-old daughter. He needs the money to repay loan sharks who are after him and Dal Rae just happens to have the sum that he needs saved up...

Normally what would happen next is a destitute woman, a court case, and a nice jail sentence for the guy in question. However seeing that Oh Joon is played by Jang Hyuk, who specializes in playing bastards with a (rather hidden) heart and Dal Rae is played by Lee Da Hae, surely one of the most adorable kdrama actresses, you can tell the story is going to go rather differently.

The reason I really like this drama, even if it does seem like quite an angstfest?

The protagonists are grown-ups. Dal Rae acts like a woman with a child, not some sort of an overgrown teenager. She is somewhat sheltered and unworldly but quite strong and adult in her approach to emotions. And the drama never minces its approach that Oh Joon is a bastard who knows he is one. He might be salvageable, he might be pushed into his path by a bad situation but the fact remains he is almost unredeemable. Oh, and I adore Dal Rae's little daughter - she is not a sweet idealized child, but a real five-year-old who can be bratty or throw tantrums...

Plus, happy ending!

Cute MV

Talk about a boyfriend with an undesirable career...

In-between doing things like reading a book on Mughal Empire, going for a walk with Mr. and Baby Mousie etc etc, I watched a couple more episodes of kdrama Robbers, 2006's drama with dangermousie favorites Jung Hyuk and Lee Da Hae. Robbers is a drama I enjoy but watch very slowly, because the protagonists do have rather miserable lives and it can be gritty and desperate and sordid kind of miserable as opposed to prettily-lit.

Oh Joon (Jang Hyuk) is a gigolo conman who seduces his marks and then tricks them out of their money. His latest target is eccentric, fragile Dal Rae (Lee Da Hae), a widow with a five-year-old daughter. He needs the money to repay loan sharks who are after him and Dal Rae just happens to have the sum that he needs saved up...

Normally what would happen next is a destitute woman, a court case, and a nice jail sentence for the guy in question. However seeing that Oh Joon is played by Jang Hyuk, who specializes in playing bastards with a (rather hidden) heart and Dal Rae is played by Lee Da Hae, surely one of the most adorable kdrama actresses, you can tell the story is going to go rather differently.

The reason I really like this drama, even if it does seem like quite an angstfest?

The protagonists are grown-ups. Dal Rae acts like a woman with a child, not some sort of an overgrown teenager. She is somewhat sheltered and unworldly but quite strong and adult in her approach to emotions. And the drama never minces its approach that Oh Joon is a bastard who knows he is one. He might be salvageable, he might be pushed into his path by a bad situation but the fact remains he is almost unredeemable. Oh, and I adore Dal Rae's little daughter - she is not a sweet idealized child, but a real five-year-old who can be bratty or throw tantrums...

Plus, happy ending!

Cute MV

Ahahahahaha - Oh, Hrithik!

Bwahahaha. A scene from the upcoming Kites with Hrithik and Barbara Mori. It's like a cheesy romance novel come to life. I am going to LOVE it!!!

(Also, is it just me or does his sixpack have a sixpack?)

I repeat - bwaaaaaaaa.

ETA: Found a trailer. It's even better!

Seriously Hrithik, never change pls!

Ahahahahaha - Oh, Hrithik!

Bwahahaha. A scene from the upcoming Kites with Hrithik and Barbara Mori. It's like a cheesy romance novel come to life. I am going to LOVE it!!!

(Also, is it just me or does his sixpack have a sixpack?)

I repeat - bwaaaaaaaa.

ETA: Found a trailer. It's even better!

Seriously Hrithik, never change pls!

Ahahahahaha - Oh, Hrithik!

Bwahahaha. A scene from the upcoming Kites with Hrithik and Barbara Mori. It's like a cheesy romance novel come to life. I am going to LOVE it!!!

(Also, is it just me or does his sixpack have a sixpack?)

I repeat - bwaaaaaaaa.

ETA: Found a trailer. It's even better!

Seriously Hrithik, never change pls!