Donald and Hillary or Mrs Clinton and Mr. Trump......or WTF and OMG.

Even though I think there will be some form of sanity adjustment during the GOP convention I have to start actually believing that  on November 8, 2016 there will be a ballot that gives you the choice of selecting the first female President of the United States or the first celebrity.

(Ronnie was a celeb....but before running for the highest office in the land he was President of the Screen Actors Guild and served two terms as Governor  of the California....Donald is trying to go from celebrity to President with no POLITICAL experience and apparently millions of people think that's a good thing)

There is also a possibility that if the GOP throws Donald under the bus he might just form the Trump Party.  And it's not impossible that Bernie also might form the Rooseveltsolutism Party and we could have four choices.

PROBABLY NOT but this is one of those elections where people keep saying things like............
...."I can't believe, what is going on, how is this possible, there's no way and WTF?

One of the side notes from a Donald Trump candidacy is the awareness that certain celebrities, who are politically involved and aware, or not, are now realizing that maybe ANYONE can actually be President....as long as they have a large Twitter, Facebook, Tumbler, Linkedin or Instagram following.

That makes someone like Bruno Mars or Taylor Swift rethink what they might want to do in the future.

Bruno's 30 so he could be looking at 2020 when he turns 35 in October of that year.  (35 is the age requirement)  Taylor would have to wait until the 2028 election but by then she'll probably be married to Prince Harry and who wants to be President when you can eventually be Queen.

Is there any chance that celebrity worshiping will peak any time in the near future?  It seems to be getting stronger and stronger and the odd element involved is that you don't necessarily need to be gifted with incredible talent.

Prince deserves every form of praise that can possibly be bestowed on his memory because he was a seriously gifted musician and, as we are now learning, a very caring humanitarian.

Donald Trump is wealthy and he hosted a TV show which are apparently  good enough reasons to have 40 million people support anything you might want to do....including RUN THIS COUNTRY.

The celebrity status obtained by certain reality TV show participants makes NO SENSE.

I'm not about to list them because first off I'd misspell their names and second off because I've never watched those shows so I actually have no idea what talent they possess, if indeed they do possess some unique talent.  Do they?   Do the people on Survivor actually know how to do anything except survive?  Do the contestants on The Bachelor know how to do anything except.....date?

Hillary is also a celebrity but it's based on political aspirations from very early in her life....and that form of political celebrity is something we have faced many many times before.

WE HAVE NEVER FACED WHAT WE ARE FACING WITH A DONALD TRUMP CANDIDACY.

And to be honest, I'm not sure the celebrity aspect of this endeavor is the main reason he is so popular.  It's very possible that 40% of the American public is flat out.......uninformed.   Now I wanted to say stupid but that's too easy.  I have to remember that every Presidential election only generates participation from 60% of the eligible voters.

SO 40% IS ALWAYS ON THE SIDELINES.....and maybe that's the Trump base. People who don't vote and only watch TV for their news and entertainment.   It would be interesting to take a poll of Trump supporters and find out what novels they read....or if they actually read anything except for those magazines setting next to the check out stand at their markets.  Maybe they only look at the covers....I'm sorta being sarcastic but then again....I'm sorta not.

IT'S A BAFFLING AGENDA THAT DOMINATES THE CURRENT POLITICAL ARENA AND IN MY HUMBLE OPINION IT ALL STARTED WHEN JOHN McCAIN SELECTED GOVERNOR PALIN FOR HIS RUNNING MATE IN 2008.

THAT OPENED A SPECIAL CAN OF WORMS THAT WAS LABELED.....WTF?

I will say one thing about a Clinton/Trump election....the three debates that would take place might be some of the most entertaining debates in history.  Not necessarily interesting but for sure entertaining.   

DT....."so listen lady.....where do you get your hair done......I have someone that can help you."

HC...." If we weren't on national TV I'd walk over and bitch slap you silly."

DT...."and those pants......do you actually have any legs?

HC...."That's it......Bill....will you please come out here and knock this asshole out?"

BC....."I can't honey, he gave $250,000 to my campaigns and another mil to OUR foundation."

DT...."And...I want it back or I'm going to sue both of you."

The ratings for a Clinton/Trump debate will top everything except The Super Bowl.

Again I'm pretty sure the GOP will somehow curtail the Trump bandwagon but if they don't....August, September and October of 2016 will be off the charts for political weirdness.

Forget the candidates for a second.....think about your family,  friends and neighbors and the type of debates you will be involved in.  Now think about the conversations with people that you don't really like, and are on completely different political sides of the coin, but that you can't avoid.......co-workers, family and friends that you only like when they aren't talking politics or religion.

IT COULD BE  APOCALYPTICALLY  EVENTFUL.

I hope I'm wrong and I hope that everyone keeps calm.....but so far Trump has done nothing to indicate that calm might be part of his persona.

My faith is that the GOP will make the right choice.......

But....when was the last time that happened?

And if you are a Republican your answer is........"EVERY SINGLE TIME."

And there in lies the rub.......and allows me to simply say....

LET THE GAMES BEGIN!

DONALD TRUMP VS HILLARY CLINTON

GOD HELP US!

Michael Timothy McAlevey

EARTH DAY 2016........

written 13 years ago

There's a soul in the life of the land where we live

IT'S CLEAR

IT’S CLEAN

IT’S FRESH

AND IT’S OURS

IT DOESN’T CARE WHERE WE’VE COME FROM

IT DOESN’T ASK WHO WE ARE

JUST

DO WE LOVE

WHERE WE STAND

AT THIS TIME

WE CAN DRINK ALL THE WATER

AND MINE ALL THE COAL

BUT WHEN WE MIX THE TWO TOGETHER

IT TROUBLES HER SOUL

WE CAN TEST ALL THE BOMBS

AND DESTROY EVERY LAST TREE

AND THE ONLY THING IT REALLY DOES

IS ELIMINATE YOU AND ME

THE HARM THAT WE BRING

DOESN’T BOTHER THE LAND

WE ONLY HURT OURSELVES

BY FAILING TO UNDERSTAND

THAT THERE’S A SOUL IN THE LIFE OF THE LAND WHERE WE LIVE

IT’S CLEAR

IT’S CLEAN

IT’S FRESH

AND IT’S OURS

IT DOESN’T CARE WHERE WE’VE COME FROM

IT DOESN’T ASK WHO WE ARE

JUST

DO WE LOVE

WHERE WE STAND

AT THIS TIME

WE ARE GIVEN ALL THE TREASURES

THAT ANYONE COULD USE

BUT IF WE DON’T HAVE VISION

THEN ALL WE DO IS LOSE

WE DUMP OUR PROBLEMS

IN EVERY OCEAN, RIVER AND STREAM

WE LIVE BY A CODE OF COMSUMPTION

THAT DARKENS EVERY DREAM

WE THINK THAT OIL IS OUR GOLD

BECAUSE IT MOVES MACHINES AND MAN

AND ALL IT REALLY DOES

IS REMOVE THE SPRINGS OF LAND

WE NEED THAT SPECIAL CRUDE

BECAUSE WE’VE IGNORED OTHER WAYS

AND ALL WE’VE ENDED UP WITH

IS COUGHING THROUGH A HAZE

OUR CHILDREN’S CHILDREN

WILL REALLY PAY THE PRICE

AND JUST THAT THOUGHT ALONE

DOESN’T MAKE US VERY NICE

AND WHEN THE DUST HAS FINALLY SETTLED

AND ALL THE BILLS HAVE BEEN PAID

IT IS ONLY THE SIMPLE FACT

THAT’S THERE’S ONE MISTAKE WE’VE MADE

WE THOUGHT WE CONTROLLED THE EARTH

BY DOMINATING THE LAND

AND IT SIMPLY COMES DOWN TO ONE THING

THAT WE JUST DIDN’T UNDERSTAND

THAT THERE’S A SOUL IN THE LIFE OF THE LAND WHERE WE LIVE

IT’S CLEAR

IT’S CLEAN

IT’S FRESH

AND IT’S OURS

IT DOESN’T CARE WHERE WE COME FROM

IT DOESN’T ASK WHO WE ARE

JUST

DO WE LOVE

WHERE WE STAND

AT THIS TIME

Have a nice Earth Day

Michael Timothy McAlevey

A rare movie and literary discussion based on adaptation.

I left the Rooseveltsolutionism article up a bit longer because I regarded it as slightly more important than most of my political observations.  The "odd" unfolding of this Presidential race will peak during summer as both conventions take place and I foresee some unprecedented developments but in the meantime.....I would like to discuss books and  movies and  it starts with a question.

WHAT IS THE GREATEST FILM ADAPTATION OF A LITERARY WORK?
I fully realize that  greatest is very subjective word..... but deal with it.

There should be an award show every 20 years just to see how the public's viewpoint changes on this topic.

One of the main prerequisites for GREATEST, and there are numerous parameters, is that there will be NO REMAKE.  Not in 10 years, not in 20 years, not in 50 years and not in 200 years.

So many film adaptations from a literary source are always subject to someone thinking they could do better or something was over looked or someone different could have played a key character.

So basically......character driven novels/films would not be eligible.

That particular prerequisite eliminates any work by  Shakespeare,  Williams,   Hemingway,  Fitzgerald, Melville, Stevenson, Cooper, London or Stephen King.  So many versions and so many possibilities of interpretation, depending on who preforms the work, that remakes are guaranteed.

Keep in mind that some people think The Shining could win that award but even though Jack was wonderful, there were too many eliminations from the book and within a few years it will be remade. The only reason it hasn't been done yet is because of Jack's performance.  Leaving those hedge animals out of the film was a huge Kubrick mistake.

Without you having any idea of how I participate in the Time/Space conundrum I just took a break and called a few friends to get a small sampling of what the prerequisites and parameters might be in establishing how the winner would be chosen and quickly realized that opinions on this matter have already been the subject at numerous dinner parties and other social gatherings.

Number one rule in voting....MUST HAVE READ THE BOOK and SEEN THE MOVIE.

THERE SHOULD PROBABLY BE TWO CATEGORIES

FANTASY (which includes science fiction)
with a separate subcategory for animation and comic book creations. 

and    

REALITY BASED  

with REALITY BASED having it's own subcategories of fiction and non-fiction....as an example, the first nomination my friend Dr. Francis J. Conlan said was.....TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD.  A fictional story based on a very real situation.  His main basis of opinion is centered on the fact that no one could play the role of Atticus Finch better than Gregory Peck.

I think that is a character driven story and someday someone will remake that film in color with a different actor and whereas it might not be as good there is a strong possibility that it could be done.

The NO REMAKING  rule eliminates character based stories and thus To Kill a Mockingbird must be eliminated....or placed in a special category.

EVERYBODY'S A CRITIC

The next friend I called, Dermot Stoker, whose family linage dates back to Bram Stoker, immediately said he knew the two movies.  Lawrence of Arabia and Out of Africa.

I guess there should be another rule......

WHO WOULD WANT TO?

I'm not the biggest fan of L of A and O of A but I guess I understand the sentiment.  Of the two books that spawned those films I would wager large parcels of land, if I had any, on you or anyone else reading this piece to know who the author was on Out of Africa....or what was the title of the book by Mr. Lawrence?

I think Out of Africa could be remade because Meryl Streep and Robert Redford are replaceable by Ryan Goosling and Marion Cotillard.......or ? and ?  

Lawrence of Arabia might be harder just because Peter O'Toole actually looked like the real Lawrence...according to another friend Thomas J. Sullivan.

By the way...the author of Out of Africa.........Baroness Karen von Bixen-Finecke......and T.E. Lawrence's book was called The Seven Pillars of Wisdom.

ANYWAY.....THE WINNER SHALL BE DETERMINED BY VOTING.

I'M JUST TRYING TO ESTABLISH ELIGIBILITY.....and am quickly learning to understand the problem the Academy has when organizing the Oscars.

There are also many films, not from literature, that shouldn't be remade, but probably will be....but of course that's another show.

I'm going to now place in nomination a film in the Fantasy category that I guarantee will never ever ever be remade.

ACTUALLY IT IS 6 FILMS but it's one story....and it starts with..."In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit".........

The Hobbit (3 films) and
Lord of the Rings(3 films) will never be remade because there is no way to improve on the production and nothing was left out of the books...and if you read those works by Mr. Tolkien then you fully know what I'm saying.

I realize that there are many people who don't read fiction, which basically eliminates almost every blockbuster movie ever made from their enjoyment portfolio.  I wonder  if people who don't read fiction even go to the movies?  Probably spend any spare time digesting the History Channel and PBS. A person who doesn't read fiction, but goes to the movies and watches TV most likely thinks Ken Burns is the greatest filmmaker in history......and oddly enough....they might be right.

Other nominations
Movies that will never be remade.

FANTASY

Harry Potter.....now that there's theme parks...Harry has become the new Mickey.
Shoeless Joe.....title changed to Field of Dreams for movie interpretation. Perfect movie.
The Godfather 1....you don't really believe there's a Mafia, do you?
Dr. Zhivago.......oh yeah....someone who looks like Julie Christe lives in Siberia
Shindler's List....a German who was helping the Jews.....seriously?  And did anyone read Keneally's book except for Speilberg?
Wizard of Oz..................variations don't count......nice try Michael Jackson.
                   
REALITY BASED

GONE WITH THE WIND......maybe could be redone by someone who really wants to show the worst time period in American history.  I mean 600,00 Americans lost their lives and Rhett says...."Frankly Scarlet, I don't give a damn."

AVATAR.......That book sold really well on the planet Zicron and Cameron announced the other day that five more sequels are coming.

LITTLE MERMAID............20 years ago USA did a nationwide survey and 30% of the people said the actress who played the Little Mermaid was their favorite actress.  (True story)


And on that note I'm going to sign off and get back to the political arena.....I'll work on the category breakdown and determine what year the award show will be introduced.

In the mean time....would love your nomination.....or click the waste of time box below.

Movies from Books that will never be remade.

OUT.

Michael Timothy McAlevey