There's Still Time to Mend

Old movies... I'm reading about Charles Laughton and I realize that there are decades of movies that I haven't seen that I'd like to see. I may have to do some hunting at the video store in the 'classics' section and have a 'Laughton Festival.' I recently saw 'White Christmas,' and I enjoyed it immensely. What a strange artifact from another world.

Last night, I watched 'The Blues Brothers,' on AMC. I even endured the commercials. Not only is it a great musical-comedy featuring Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, James Brown and the famous Stax rythmn section (Duck Dunn on bass, Steve Cropper on guitar) but of course you have a bluesy version of Laurel and Hardy - Ackroyd and Belushi. They are funny, they have a great chemistry, their physicality is superb. Plus it's about two Catholic boys ('on a mission from god') growing up in the suburbs of Chicago. This movie is built into my DNA. Watching it is kind of like reviewing x-rays from my medical file. 'There's my funny bone, that's where the white man's blues comes from.'

The Blues Brothers smash up a lot of cars, there's a lot of pointless sound and fury, but when Belushi (he died so young) stands on stage belting out 'Jailhouse Rock,' in front of a sign that reads, 'There's still time to mend,' you can't help but want to whoop with joy!