Movie of the Week

This week,

JAWS (1975)

Starring- Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss, Robert Shaw

As people start to head to the beach for the start of summer, I am here to make sure they are afraid to go into the water with a review of Steven Spielberg's classic shark tale. Based on the bestselling novel by Peter Benchley, Jaws is the story of a hungry little great white shark that chooses to make breakfast out of the residents of Amity Island. It is then up to an unlikely trio of heroes to hunt down the beast and make sure that it cannot return for many, many sequels.

Sheriff Brody (Scheider) is afraid of water, and that's even before a nubile coed gets gnawed by the shark, but after her death, he takes on the tough task of figuring out what to do to protect the beach goers of Amity. Despite little help from city officials, Brody does his best to be vigilant, especially after a little boy falls prey to the shark. Help arrives from Brody in the form of Matt Hooper (Dreyfuss), a marine biologist, who specializes in great white sharks. The two men finally determine that it is indeed a great white they are hunting, and go to kill it. It is then that they enlist the help of Quint (Shaw), the eccentric shark hunter, to help them find and destroy the shark in his boat the Orca.

So much of Jaws is now iconic, the score, the opening scene, the fact that we don't see the shark until more than halfway into the movie. Even though this film was incredibly difficult to film, and the mechanical sharks were very uncooperative, it stands out as one of the all time greats. The main characters of Brody, Hooper and Quint are now iconic as well, with their fabulous interactions on the boat as they track the shark. I think this film ranks among Spielberg's best, and it has appeal beyond just being a thriller. Jaws is an adventure story that makes you want to go along with Hooper, Quint and Brody. It also has some great comedic moments as well that are expertly balanced with the ever present tension.

Don't let Jaws ruin a summer trip to the beach for you, but do be careful if you are a sexy teenager or a little boy because to sharks you are like filet mignon.

Things to watch for-

Fingernails on the blackboard
Quint's shark monologue
John Williams' score
The mayor's anchor blazer
The Amity Billboard

"Here's to swimming with bow-legged women."

Vietnam Thesis- Part V

Here is part five of my ongoing series on the Vietnam War.

As missions intensified and more men came home in flag draped coffins, the U.S. Government continued to support its troops and the war as protests against the war became more prevalent. Many times it was the troops themselves who reassured the public about the reasons for the war, and even with the horrors of Vietnam mounting, they still were able to see the silver lining. As Lieutenant Marion Lee Kempner put it, “We were given no choice and we must fight where the confrontation is, despite its cost, infeasibility, and possible illegality and physical and mental toll upon the participants...” Just as so many others had said in similar ways, Kempner saw just cause for the war not because he wanted to, but because he had to in order to give his military service meaning. Unfortunately, Kempner died in Vietnam, for a war he did not wish for, but fought anyway. 

The attitude of doing a job that was potentially meaningless and very harmful, merely out of obligation, is the way a great many soldiers fought the Vietnam War up to and including 1967. Most of the letters from soldiers, and their reflections after the war illustrate that while Vietnam was not the right war for America, it nevertheless had to be fought, despite all the signs that it was not going exactly as planned by the government.

By the end of 1967, it was clear to President Johnson and his staff that General Westmoreland’s new strategy of offensive campaigns were relatively successful, despite costing 15,000 American lives in 1967 alone. The enemy, however, had lost considerably more. In a bloody battle at Dak To in November, 287 American soldiers were killed, but the U.S. military deemed it a victory. Victories like the one at Dak To were becoming routine, and in this war of attrition the U.S. appeared to be winning. What the U.S. did not realize was that battles like Dak To were strengthening the enemy’s resolve, and weakening the determination of their own men. 

Whether this was known to Westmoreland, he did not show it, and said of 1967, “I have never been more encouraged in my four years in Vietnam...We have reached an important point when the end begins to come into view.” 1968 would blur the end from the American view, granting new life to the enemy, and the anti-war movement.

A feeling of foreboding began to creep into the American psyche in January of 1968 as word of a North Vietnamese buildup at Khe Sanh came to General Westmoreland’s attention. Northern troops were creating a stronghold in the Northern part of South Vietnam, presumably to mount a large offensive against U.S. forces. Westmoreland became convinced that during the impending North Vietnamese offensive, Khe Sanh would need to be a primary target for the Americans. Unfortunately for Westmoreland and the Americans, the build up at Khe Sanh was a diversion created by the Viet Cong to draw U.S. troops away from the cities and other areas in the South.

This elaborate ruse on the part of the North Vietnamese would haunt the rest of the United States’ involvement in Vietnam. The plan was for Viet Cong agents and North Vietnamese soldiers to infiltrate major Southern cities and attack without warning while the major part of the U.S. force was busy surrounding the base at Khe Sanh. The attack came during the Vietnamese holiday of Tet on January 31st. The complete and utter surprise that the Tet Offensive had on American troops once again showed the soldiers and government how unprepared they were to fight this war, and how little they understood their enemy. The attack on the American Embassy in Saigon was not ultimately seen as a North Vietnamese victory, but the destruction of the outer part of the building left a lasting impression on U.S. soldiers who saw that nothing was safe from attack.

Things I Think- Summertime Edition

Summer is a great time of year. Despite the heat, I really enjoy much of what summertime brings- golf, staying light until 10 P.M., fireworks, baseball, popsicles, etc. This Summer is special because I have several awesome things planned like going to the Paul McCartney concert in July, and taking a much needed vacation with my wife to Napa in August. Here now are some of my thoughts on Summer.

I think nothing says Summer quite like the smell of freshly cut grass.

I think the Beach Boys are a must for any Summer iPod or CD mix. I think 'I Get Around' and 'California Girls' are two of the best songs for said mix.

I think I'm actually excited for the World Cup this Summer. Go Portugal and Cameroon!

I think you can't be too careful when it comes to preventing sunburns. Wear sunscreen and hats, people! This is dedicated to Mary Anne and Jessica Gleim.

I think the best made up holiday comes in Summer- Pie and Beer Day on the 24th of July. This is a pun on Pioneer Day which occurs on July 24th in Utah. Funny huh?

I think Wimbledon is another great Summer sporting tradition, in addition to the U.S. and British Opens for golf, and the NBA Finals. Go Celtics!

I think I love the fact that we have central air conditioning at my house.

I think the best popsicles are the ones with two sticks that come in the big plastic bag, and the best flavors are cherry, blue and root beer. Get away from me with that banana flavored one, that is some nasty crap. Otter Pops are good too.

I think the Utah Arts Festival is a great way to spend a June evening. I also think that the Neil Diamond Experience is being super weak by not playing the festival this year.

I think I need to go get ready for the Paul McCartney concert by practicing my Wings lyrics.

Book of the Month

In order to class up this blog a little bit, I am now going to start reviewing a Book of the Month. I read books, in addition to Sports Illustrated and the odd issue of Cracked Magazine, and as such, I will tell you about some of them. One a month to be exact. It's like my movie of the week only with words instead of moving pictures.

This month,

OUTLIERS by Malcolm Gladwell

This book flat out blew my mind. If you have read anything by Gladwell before, you know that his books take some idea, and through vignettes and studies he takes something that should have been obvious to you seem like the greatest innovation since fire. I can't stop telling people about the stuff in this book because it is so interesting, and also very telling about those who have achieved success and the reasons behind their success.

The subtitle of the book, not surprisingly, is The Story of Success, and that is exactly correct. Gladwell takes the reader through many stories of success, and shows through these examples what factors contribute to a person's relative success in life. What was a great discovery to me was the fact that so much of why people are successful is out of their control. Rather than spoil the great revelation for everyone, I will simply say that some of the factors that are out of our control as humans have to do with cultural, socioeconomic and even chronological elements that are sometimes very obvious, but not always. This is especially apparent in the chapter "The Ethnic Theory of Plane Crashes" where I was thoroughly amazed.

While Gladwell makes it clear that success is not always up to us in every way, there is one area that is an integral ingredient in the super-successful person- work. Those who he sites as the most successful- Bill Gates, The Beatles, et. al. were not only talented, but put in the time necessary to be truly great in their given area. The 10,000 hour rule is key to being truly successful. Look at Gates and The Beatles- they put in 10,000 hours, at least, practicing and honing their skills so that by the time opportunity knocked they were ready. LeBron James, Peyton Manning, Tiger Woods- all gifted, but all have put in the time they needed to become the greatest successes in their sports. Read Outliers because it will not disappoint, and it will show you the true meaning of success in a way you never thought possible.

Movie of the Week

This week,

LICENCE TO KILL (1989)

Starring- Timothy Dalton, Carey Lowell, Robert Davi, Anthony Zerbe

Here is part two of my series on each James Bond movie. Licence to Kill was the most violent and hard edged Bond film of the series until Daniel Craig stepped into the role in 2006. In his first outing as 007, Timothy Dalton had done his best to make Bond more dangerous and realistic, but it wasn't until 1989 that he went all the way. At the time, Licence to Kill was a bit too dark for audiences, but by today's standards it is pretty tame. Either way, it is a very good entry in the series and Dalton's best film as James Bond.

Even though the writers and producers had run out of Ian Fleming plots and titles, the script for Licence to Kill boasts great scenes and characters that were unused in previous films- namely the main thrust of the plot which comes from the Live and Let Die novel. That main thrust is the near fatal wounding of James Bond's close friend and ally Felix Leiter at the hands of the villain. The villain is cold, calculating drug dealer Franz Sanchez (Davi) who feeds Leiter to his shark as a purely "business" move to get the American feds off his trail. Bond discovers Leiter's maimed body and sets out on a revenge mission, but is forced to give up his licence to kill to do it.

What follows is a great story of 007 working outside his usual channels to get close to Sanchez and his operation in order to bring it down from the inside. I call it the old "Yojimbo" treatment. Without his Secret Service support, he must rely on his wits more than ever. He does have some support from leggy CIA agent/pilot- Pam Bovier (Lowell) and Sanchez's smoldering lady friend Lupe (Talisa Soto). Also, Q turns up to dole out some gadgets in the field and to add a welcome bit of humor to this sometimes weighty adventure. Eventually Bond is outed as an enemy, but not before he has made Sanchez destroy much of his cocaine operation and kill many of his own men.

Licence to Kill suffers a bit from looking a bit too late '80's, but other than being a bit dated as far as fashion, it holds up quite well. The action scenes are great, especially considering Dalton does much of his own stunt work. Of particular note are the underwater/airplane waterskiing scene, and the climactic battle aboard several cocaine laden tanker trucks. Robert Davi stands out as a great Bond villain who exudes charm and treacherousness at the same time, as do the slimy Anthony Zerbe and a young Benicio Del Toro as his henchmen. Dalton's Bond this time around is a loose cannon, capable of anything at any time, and he looks as if he is just barely maintaining control throughout the whole movie.  It is a solid performance that harkens back to Fleming's original creation. A rather poor ad campaign hurt this film's box office appeal, but Licence to Kill had enough success that the producers decided to keep on making Bond movies and for that I am eternally grateful.

Things to watch for-

"He disagreed with something that ate him"
Wayne Newton as Professor Joe
The haunted stretch of Mexican road they used for the tanker chase
Dentonite Toothpaste
Ernest Hemingway's house

"Your licence to kill is revoked."

100th Post Extravaganza

I made a mistake the other day, dear readers, when I incorrectly said that I had reached my 100th post on this blog. I was wrong- please disregard my premature celebration and enjoy this actual 100th post special.

To celebrate this milestone I have invited several guests to the V.I.P. lounge to help me celebrate.

Wilford Brimley

Paula Poundstone

Jimmy Caan

Steve Guttenberg

And the musical stylings of Hall and Oates

Please enjoy the party and don't forget that we will be playing Twister later. Help yourself to some Yoohoo cocktails and some lovely Chips and Dip that Hall and Oates brought. I told you this party was gonna be off the hook.

Vietnam Thesis- Part IV

Here is part four in my series about the Vietnam War.

Despite the inability to make major gains in the war, 1966 saw no real dip in support of the war even as the body count grew. By early 1967, 400,000 men were stationed in Vietnam with the flow of soldiers and equipment continuing to grow. General Westmoreland’s tactics changed in 1967 in order to give everyone the victory that America sought. Instead of using limited operations and South Vietnamese troops, Westmoreland began his “Search and Destroy” policy which involved major offensives by U.S. troops. 

The change in method altered the course of the war, and began a downhill slide for the U.S. military. Public support and troop morale would never again be the same. Letters home reflected the change in America’s views on Vietnam. “The spirit of the men in Vietnam is overwhelming, for most every man believes he is doing an important job...they are your countrymen, and, believe it or not they have been fighting for you.” Rodney Baldra of 5th Battalion, 60th Infantry wrote this to his hometown newspaper in Berkeley, California, hoping to rally public support for what he was fighting for. His sentiments reflect the growing public skepticism that men in Vietnam began to get wind of in 1967. Public opinion was growing less supportive of the war, and many soldiers like Baldra saw that as a slap in the face. The reasons for fighting in Vietnam seemed very plain to some, and unclear to others. The latter group continued to grow as 1967 wore on.

Many soldiers stationed in Vietnam in 1967 viewed themselves as better than the Viet Cong forces, and this attitude got them through tough times. As Captain Robert F. Radcliffe observed in 1967, the men were, “Armed...with the knowledge that they were members of the most powerful and best prepared army in the world, they were psychologically prepared to meet the enemy.” Radcliffe and men like him saw the U.S. Army’s will and power as greater than the enemy, and that there was no logical reason a small band of communists could defeat them.

While that line of thinking was not theoretically incorrect, the war in Vietnam made the U.S. begin to doubt its military might for the first time. Simply adding troops and equipment to the battle did not guarantee victory as in previous wars. In his final letter home PFC Stephen Pickett talks about the beginnings of anti-war sentiment back in the U.S. “We were well informed here about the demonstrations on both sides...I realize...that an immediate pullout is out of the question...it would mean going back on everything that we have done.”  Like Radcliffe, Pickett saw while he was in Vietnam in 1967 that too many men had died to just give up, and that the U.S. was still doing the right thing, even if not everyone understood that. By doing the right thing Pickett lost his life in December of 1967 on a Search and Destroy mission.