What kept me wide awake, however, was the film Phenomenon. So I'd like to chat about that movie in a round about way since its hardly fair to say too much about the plot. Indeed, the very charm of the movie lies in its unexpectedness. But here goes!
John Travolta continues to be flavour of the month in Hollywood with yet another character departure type. From Sweat hog to Dancer to Hit man, Travolta seems to be really enjoying life. In Phenomenon we don't really see anything new from him. He has a stock set of facial expressions and body gestures, which he reworks to suit any occasion. Not that I'm complaining, his rubbery face is appealing enough and expresses the human condition in such a way that most of us can identify with him.
Similarly Forrest Whitaker is somewhat predictable in his supporting role. But his predictability has a nice comfortable ring to it, like candles on a birthday cake. You know its coming but you still feel warm and content when it arrives.
However, the most appealing aspect of this movie, is not what it does, but rather what it does not do. The movie is preceded by three previews that blast the audience out of their seats and probably cause permanent hearing loss. So it comes as a refreshing hiatus that the only moment in Phenomenon that can be construed as employing special effects is when a bright light hits Travolta on his 37th birthday.
Since Coca Cola continually remind us that the arrival of the Olympics is imminent, my mind is lured to matters physical. I'm an avid fan of weight lifting, since I love the theatricality of it all, and I don't mind looking at rippling muscles either. But I've been pondering the real spirit of the Olympics, and the nature of the competition.
Olympic athletes are chosen because they are at the peak of their physical abilities. They are gifted and NATURAL human beings who have achieved a great degree of fitness or ability in some area of human endeavor. Drugs, or special enhancements are not allowed in this hallowed arena of excellence.
Wouldn't it be fun to see an Olympic event created especially for film makers. The sport of the thing would be to put together a film that uses NO special effects. Instead, the emphasis would be on the power of human endeavor. The audience would ooo and ahh at the flexing of creative brain muscles on the screen instead of computerized gimmickry. In turn the human spirit of the spectators would be aroused and inspired.
If such an event would ever be staged, then Independence Day would be disqualified for over dosing on steroids, but Phenomenon might qualify. As John Travolta says in the movie "The human spirit, that's the voyage, that's the challenge, that's the expedition". And that's the movie I want to see. Phenomenon may not change the way you perceive life, but its a refreshing breath of humanistic air, that rather reminded me of Aesychlus's Prometheus Bound.
A 4th century philosopher said that we humans have everything that we need within us, Phenomenon is further reassurance that we do.