All cried out!

So it just fizzled out, just like that. All it took was a carefully worded press statement on Facebook, how they, the organizers, stating their heartfelt empathy decided to call it a day. After days of speculation, they called the international level KL Marathon off!
Just as soon as the announcement was made, as if the Gods were cheekily laughing, all the skies cleared up like a scene from Jurassic Park with a computer-graphic generated prehistoric crystal clear skyline. Anyway, The Air Pollutant Index (API) was spiraling down since yesterday, much aided by the occasional showers seen all over the country. So, I do not see the great rush to postpone the meet by three months. To top it off, the Met Dept. predicted next days of continuous rain. Guess the decision has been made - no run, no go, no way! Anyway, the mad Met Dept. has always been the butt of any weather joke as they are known to have missed more remarkable things, like a hurricane, for example.
All those hours of scrutinizing the API like the Composite Index of the Stock Exchange have been futile.
There goes the hopes of the many FMVs who had laboriously and maniacally endured that early morning runs and sacrifices, put themselves at risk of being at the mercy of thieves on prancing motorbikes, have to start it all over again. With the fasting just around the corner, their plans have to be modified or have to set their priorities straight. All that building up and tapering seem wasted.
For the organizers, it was 'a hard decision' and 'health safety of the runners is of paramount concern'. Did they act unilaterally or did they succumb to the pressures of the naysayers of the dangers of acid rain caused by cloud seeding, the 10nm particles being more than the 2.5nm one which cannot be washed off so easily? Or are they afraid of the legal implications of the ever litigious minded society who find pleasure fault in others or find a scapegoat in the event of a mishap. I suppose, the organizers, rightfully may be morbidly fearful of that one joker who, without being fit or doing more exercise than pressing his TV remote from his favourite couch choking on his potato chip and sugary drink, would decide to join in the melee, get injured and put squarely the blame of his misery on the organizers' decision not to scrap the run. Whether, rightly or not, sometimes no publicity is better than one in which the quick conclusion jumping trial-by-media public crucifies the innocent. The aggrieved sounds more convincing than the big corpration. In the meantime, keep on running.... till we meet in Île Maurice! à bientôt!

Colourful noir

Niagara (1953)

Is another noir film but not so in the real sense as it is done in colour. To justify the use of colour, they highlighted the various dresses and the undressed form of America's favourite sex symbol, Marilyn Monroe. And of course, there is the picturesque full glory of the misty and rainbow filled Niagara Falls.

Marilyn Monroe takes the role of a conniving femme fatale wife who destroyed the life of her slightly older husband (Joseph Cotten, who had been seen in many Hitchcock and Wells' movies) to the brink of insanity.

A honeymooning couple (Mr and Mrs Cutler) lands in Niagara Falls just to find that the room that they booked is occupied by Mr and Mrs Loomis. Mr Loomis, who is apparently unwell, discharged from a mental hospital, was resting. Hence the Cutlers took another room instead.

The Cutlers noticed that Mrs Loomis was dressed to kill and was seen embraced in a passionate kiss with a younger man.

Mrs Loomis is actually planning to kill her husband with the help of her lover. She was painting the husband as a raving lunatic and make him appear like he had fallen off into Niagara Falls.

With a twist of events, the lover gets killed instead, and Mr Loomis goes on hiding. He returns to kill his estranged wife and create a lot of high tensions, excitement a speed boat, the strong currents and one of the seven wonders of the world in the background.

The story would not be classified under the same levels of classics like 'The Third Man' and 'Citizen Kane' but just another movie of a bygone era with fine actors who probably would not fade in the annals of time.  

Nothing sacred anymore?

Just the other day, my friend commented that during her midnight viewing of 'The Man of Steel', way too many toddlers were among the audience. Toddlers and midnight screening does not go hand in hand. Well, in Bolehland, everything goes 'hand in hand', 'hand in glove', 'ear to ear' and 'close one eye'!
Isn't midnight way past their bedtime?
Then you have a widescreen public announcement of putting the tone of the mobile phone in silent mode courtesy of Malaysia's favourite reason for obesity, KFC. Just five minutes into the movie, a joker would talking at the top of his voice about his whereabouts to his caller after an equally irritating ringtone of 'Gangnam Style'.
A typical scene in a philharmonic orchestra  performance of international stature in the heart of KL... As the audience are cradled into bliss of cultural immersion, somewhere in the hall, an earth shattering techno music ring tone would shatter the serenity and the owner of the phone would rush out of the hall as if he is out to defuse a time bomb!

Kumar@Qumar

This similar scenario was seen in a charity dinner that I attended over the weekend. It was a modest Chinese 10 course dinner held in a modest hall with loads of history attached to the building. It was a precolonial building which had been refurbished recently and was a novel site to hold such an event. The catering was given to a small restaurant out-of-town in keeping with their cost cutting agenda and the idea to promote SMEs. Many of the performers were doing their bit of community service by performing pro bono.
The entertainment was wholesome -performances by inmates of the charity home, famous singers and 2 stand-up comedians.
This is where the ugly side of Malaysian manifest. Perhaps, ugly is too strong a word. Ignorance, aloofness, lack of foresight or lackadaisical would be more appropriate. At the outset, the organizers had promoted Kumar as the main attraction of the event. Kumar, a well known stand-up drag queen comedienne, is famous for her X-rated below the belt jokes, was belting away with her 18+ lewd jokes. And you were wondering about in the empty space in the front of podium? Toddlers! So much so that the performer in her own jovial way told the crowd to lock up the kids!

Makes you wonder...

We, the leading a stable life, can sit within the comforts in the confines of our safe abodes or sanctuary discussing 'Euthyphro dilemma' - Is what is morally good commanded by God because it is morally good, or is it morally good because it is commanded by God? - but just what goes through the minds of the machete wielding bandits who terrorize the streets of KL, sometimes in broad daylight.
Is it that survival or frustrations of modern living is so stressful that it drives them to the brinks of insanity, brandishing their weapon ignoring the cries of a toddler and an old lady in the robbery of a quiet 'mom-and-pop' kind of shop selling liquor and other intoxicants? Of course, purists may haughtily preach that such a premise would not attract the best of characters. Tit-for-tat would say the others who would bring to memory the song 'House of Rising Sun' where such an avenue was 'a ruin of many a poor boy'!
Still....
Why do they have to resort to such barbaric acts? Are they out on a vendetta against mankind, society or humanity for their failures as if society owes them a living? Are they becoming increasingly frustrated unable to keep up with the demands of the material world? The pressure of being sucked into the need for luxury for themselves and their dependant is too great that the old dictum of hard work as leader to success is so passe, so yesterday and is incompatible with the times.
'Thou shalt not steal' is no longer the Testament of life any longer. 'Thou shalt steal' as long as thou shalt be able to hire shrewd lawyers who can get you out on technicalities! They also say 'Thou shalt not kill' but it is alright to kill in self defence or in defence of the second amendments to protect your your property.

Are our leaders setting a bad example of glorifying splendour and poshness? Is commercialism rearing its ugly effect on mankind?
Were their upbringing so traumatized that inflicting pain and frightening the living daylights of their fellow human being is second nature to them?
But...
Once they are apprehended and brutalized by the men in blue, all their crimes are forgotten and they become martyr. Suddenly, they will become the best son, the loving husband, the doting father who had been looking forward to the arrival of the latest offspring! Makes you wonder....
Just like the Euthyphro dilemma which may never be answered, (of course there is no no dilemma if you wear blinkers to shun any discussions on this subject as if this is a non-issue as God said so), this social dilemma can go on and on with everyone pointing fingers at each other!

More questions than answers

My Night at Maud's (Ma nuit chez Maud, French; 1969)
Director: Eric Rohmer

No, this is a description of mind boggling nocturnal tryst at Maud's place but rather on the intellectual discourse on life, religion, Pascal (French mathematician extraordinaire) and his mathematical equation of probability, occasional flings, guilt, original sin, grace, etcetera....
As in the other 'Moral Tales' series, (#3/6), this film does not preach or take sides on moral codes but rather discusses philosophy of life without being judgemental.
A glaring difference in Rohmer's films that I have seen so far is the absence of background music score. The only sounds coming from the movie is the dialogue and the incidental things in the story, e.g. moving of furniture or street cars honking!
After staying in Canada and Chile, Jean-Louis, an engineer with Michelin, a born again Catholic, is back in Paris. It is Christmas and he is attending a mass. He laid his eyes on a blonde and he liked what he saw. Something in him told him she is going to be his wife. He tries to catch up with her in his car, whilst she is on a bicycle but loses her in busy traffic.
Disappointed, he stops at a cafe but bumps into his schoolmate whom he had not met for 14 years. His friend, Vidal, is a professor of philosophy and an unapologetic Marxist. They talk about old times and about Pascal and his mathematical equation of probability. The scientist Pascal, in his lifetime had an enlightenment of sorts, and he did dwell into Jensenian,a sect of the Catholic church. The conversation also went into philosophy.
As Jean Louis was alone for Christmas, Vidal invited him to come to his girlfriend's house. Vidal and his girlfriend, Maud, a paediatrician and a divorcee, were having a weird relationship. They get together well but she refuses to marry. Vidal is quite happy with such an arrangement. She has a daughter of about 10.

Nocturnal tête-à-tête at Maud's with coffee

At Maud's flat, Jean Louis and Maud blend together well. Both with their fervent and steadfast belief (or disbelief) - Maud a freethinker, Jean a born again Catholic, engage in a heated but civilized rhetoric in subjects related to religion, atheism, love, morality and Pascal's life and writings on philosophy, faith and mathematics.
Maud had just gone through a rough divorce after her husband was to be cheating on her. Of course, Maud herself had a lover who also left her!
Jean Louis professes his love for the blonde girl that he met and puts forward his views on fidelity and 'the one' chosen for him. His stand is teased by a cheeky Maud to a bit carnal enjoyment but Jean stood his ground of celibacy as they continue their discussion late into the night in the comfort of a cosy bed and falling snow outside.
Vidal, Jean-Louis and Maud meet a few times after that. It looks like Maud and Jean-Louis may just fall for each other.
Then, the mysterious blonde girl, Françoise, is tracked down by chance. Jean-Louis picks up courage to talk to her. This 22 year devout Catholic is quite happy to meet his acquaintance. He send her home after she misses her bus. He ends up staying at her place after getting trapped in a blizzard.
Another discussion session starts. This apparently God fearing girl is a university student who had her own vices.
Fast forward... 5 years later.. Jean-Louis and Françoise are with a child. They are picnicking at a beach when they bump into Maud. Maud is single again after another bad marriage. We can kind of guess that the 'other woman' in Maud's life (who wrecked her earlier marriage) was none other than Françoise.
Jean sensed it too but decide to let bygones be bygones and continue enjoying time with his young family.....
FG says...Just maybe, the path most travel would the path of least resistance. Perhaps, the person who is forever is looking for the best, forever analyzing the pros, the cons, the shortcomings and rationale of choice would not move an inch from his place of departure?

Oh, those were the days!

Suzanne's Career (La carrière de Suzanne, French;1963)

This second of Eric Rohmer's offering of 'Moral Tales' deals with the friendship of Bertrand, a pharmacy student, a shy, passive guy who befriends a guy, Guillaume, who is a blue bearded lady killer who is only interested in short affairs without the emotional baggage. Bertrand is interested in a girl named Sophie but is too morbidly shy to progress anywhere. In the meantime, Bertrand is inadvertently dragged into Guillaume's game to bed  Suzanne and use all her money. The unashamed Suzanne just follows Guillaume's whim and fancies with no self pride. Sometimes, Bertrand feels pity for Suzanne, especially when she became broke and jobless. Along the way, Bertrand also loses some money that he left for safe keeping in his textbooks. Not knowing whether the culprit was Guillaume or Suzanne, he just keeps it to himself.

Bertrand tries to improve his relation with Sophie but it goes nowhere.

A few months later, he hears news that Suzanne is getting married to a rich guy.

Bertrand thinks to himself that Suzanne is not just a sorry victim of Guillaumme but was the winner of the race! (Whatever race that was).

Pushing the boundaries...

When you give a child a certain instruction to do or not to do something, you will see them try their luck to beyond what they are supposed to or not supposed to do. If a barricade is erected to limit their space, they would stand touching the barricade. If the barricade is a rope, they would stretch their luck as far the rope would stretch. If the barricade is solid, they would stand on the boundary and see whether if their action is remanded. If it is all quiet on the top brass, they may stretch their reach by stepping a foot out to test the waters.

This type of treading dangerous waters can also be seen in Hollywood and amongst teenage girls who are slowly getting comfortable with their body image and sexuality. In the 1940s, actresses were required to cover up till their necks without revealing the silhouette of their contours. Later, by pushing for changes, the filmmakers managed to get the censors to allow a little bit of cleavage. With creative thinking, they manage to bend the rules to show more and more as long the areolar was not visible. With liberal thinking of the society and demand of equality of the society, even a full Monty is no big deal anymore. 

Just like that in the music industry, when Elvis started gyrating his pelvis, the world thought that Armegeddon was nay. Looking at the present MVs especially those involving rap artistes, we seem to have come a long way.
And this is how undergarments have evolved to become formal attire.
But then... this type of thinking outside the box is the one that propels society forward. If we got stuck on to age old beliefs and traditions, Columbus would not discovered the New World, advances in ICT would not have materialized and A-bomb would not have been a reality.
Like in MGR's movie once, they was a comical sketch of India sending an astronaut to the moon. At the last moment, the planned launch was cancelled by an astrologer as it was the day of the new moon amavasay, hence it was not visible, so no where to go!