SHORT TAKE: INGLORIOUS BASTERDS

A SPEECH LESSON TO BE LEARNED FROM THSI FILM...IN THE NEXT POST!

OK, I SAW A LATE SHOW, BUT I DIDNT EXPECT THAT MANY DRUNKS AND PUNK KIDS TRYING TO PROVE THEIR MACHISMO TO THEIR DATES. AND I BET THEY DIDN'T EXPECT A FILM ABOUT THE NAZIS. 

THAT SAID, I ENJOYED TARANTINO'S FILM. HERE'S WHY. FIRST, I WENT IN WITH THE MINDSET THAT THIS IS A QT FILM. SO, EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED. ANTICIPATE THE MUSIC UNDERMINING EACH SCENE, YET WORK IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS. GROW QUICKLY ACCUSTOMED TO BIPOLAR MOOD SWITCHES BTWEEN SCENES AND WITH IN THEM. KNOW THAT THE HERO WILL BE AS ANTIHEROIC AS POSSIBLE. AND LAUGH AT THE CLOSE-UP GORE WHICH IS A PLENTY.

A YOUNG GAL WITNESSES HER PARENTS KILLED BY A SWEETLY SADISTIC SS MAN. SHE SWEARS REVENGE. THEN SHE GROWS UP TO RUN A MOVIE THEATRE THAT IS CHOSEN TO HOST THE NAZI ELITE, INCLUDING ADOLPH HIMSELF. SHE WILL BLOW THEM TO SMITHEREENS.

BRAD PITT, TENNESSEE HICK NAZI HUNTER AND HIS BAND OF KNIFE WIELDING, BAT CLUBBING NOT SO MERRY MEN, PLAN, WITH THE HELP OF A SECRET AGENT ACTRESS SPY, TO TORCH THE SAME GROUP OF NAZIS AT THE SAME TIME. WHAT A CO-INKY-DINK.

IT'S A BIG BANG OF AN ENDING.

THAT'S INTENSE: SPEAKING INTENSITY

THAT'S INTENSE: SPEAKING INTENSITY

While watching the film THE HURT LOCKER, I felt the intensity of each scene. Wow. What it must be like to disarm bombs; what it must be like to look for men on nearby cell phones, cell phones which when used can ignite a bomb which can blow up half of a block.

This film was very intense throughout.

When we speak, we want to have intense moments--times when we feel very passionately about our topic or when the examples we are using to illustrate a point are crucially significant and emotional; but we want to make sure that these moments are followed by "chill" ones.

Let's create a scale.

Let's say a 1-intensity moment would be one where nothing at all is at stake: you have to lick one stamp in one hour's time, with nothing else to do.

Let's say a 10-intensity moment would be one where life itself is at stake: you see your child on the window sill of your apartment and the window is open; or you yell at a friend,  who is not paying attention while crossing the street,  to look out, as you reach  for him, quickly pulling him out of harm's way and death's door.

Decide what parts in your speech are at the lower end of intensity, in the middle range of intensity, and at the higher end. Assign a number. And rev up the passion to match the number.

Intense? Maybe--but definitely useful, especially if you are too low keyed of a speaker or too high-maintenance of a presenter. 

SHORT TAKE: THE HURT LOCKER

FILM REVIEW--LEADING TO A SPEAKING POINT IN MY NEXT ENTRY

I felt so claustrophobic when i saw PLATOON, that when i left the theatre I had to walk in the open air for a long time.

I had a similar feeling watching this amazing film--actually, the feeling was much worse.

The unsteady camerawork brings you right into the danger as bomb experts tread lightly to find and deactivate hidden killers. At first we are riding on the nose of a bot; then we become voyeur as the men themselves view potential triggermen in the landscape.

My blood pressure rose and did not let down. In fact, when I got home I took a little more of my BP meds than I am accustomed to.

I was fascinated by just about everything: the close up horror of war itself; the horrifically fascinating detail of snipping live bomb wires; what it means, close up, to be a human bomb, and to see its effects once detonated; the contrast of those who follow protocol to the film's hero who doesn't; the fact that the adrenaline rush becomes habit, making those who do return home either unable to stay or unable to cope.

Wow.

ACTING LIKE AN ORPHAN

ACT LIKE AN ORPHAN

Last night, I caught a midnight showing of ORPHAN, about an adopted little girl who is scarier than The Exorcist's Linda Blair floating on her mattress, spewing forth execrations--and sometimes green pea soup!

What was cool was how the demon gal ACTED so demure and mature and polly-pure-bread pristine. Even the shrink believed her charade, and Daddy ate it up.

Well, I'm not suggesting that you should be a phony. But what I am saying is that when you speak, you can pretend to be whoever you want, doing whatever you like, and seeing whoever you would want to be listening.

As I have said in previous posts, you can ACT your way to the best presentation, by pretending to be the hero or even the villain, if it takes that pose to give you the chutzpah you need to win over your audience.

SPEAK LIKE JULIA CHILD

SPEAK LIKE JULIA CHILD

I JUST SAW  "JULIE AND JULIA" AND HEARING MERYL STREEP SPEAK THE WAY JULIA DID BROUGHT A SMILE.

IT ALSO BRINGS ME TO A TEACHING POINT.

JULIA CHILD HAD GREAT EXPRESSION. HER VOICE WAS AIR-INFUSED. 

GUESS WHAT? THERE IS A JULIA CHILD IN YOU. 

LAY DOWN ON THE FLOOR AND FACE THE CEILING.

YAWN. YAWN MORE. 

NOW , C'MON, YAWN AS IF THERE IS NOE TOMORROW.

NOW SAY A FEW WORDS WHILE YOU ARE YAWNING. NOW SAY THE BEGINNING OF YOUR SPEECH WHILE YOU ARE YAWNING AND STRETCHING.

SPEAKING WHILE YAWNING INFUSES YOUR WORDS WITH SUCH SYLLABLE- STRETCHING AIR, THAT YOUR WORDS BOUNCE, FLOAT, SORE. YOU BEGIN TO USE NOTES THAT YOU MIGHT NEVER CONSCIOUSLY USE. 

TRY IT.

AND AS JULIA WOULD SAY: BON APERITIF! 

TF SHORT TAKE: JULIE AND JULIA

IF YOU ARE EXPECTING A MEATY DISH, YOU'LL LEAVE HUNGRY. BUT IF YOU GO FOR A FUN APPETIZER OR A FRILLY-FAB DESSERT, THEN YOU WILL BE CONTENT, BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT THIS FILM SERVES UP.

I WANTED TO KNOW SO MUCH MORE, BUT THE DUAL STORY, AND HOW THEY CROSS, DID TAKE UP TIME--ALL 2 HOURS AND THREE MINUTES.

BUT I DID ENJOY JJ A LOT. WHO WOULDN'T? MERYL STREEP AS THE INIMITABLE JULIA CHILD (I KNOW, THIS IS A CONTRADICTION THAT ONLY MS STREEP'S TALENT COULD MAKE SENSE OUT OF!) . AMY ADAMS AS THE BLOGESS--COOKSTRESS WHOSE YEAR-LONG GOAL IS TO DO UP JULIA'S RECIPES.

THESE TWO HAMMERED IT OUT SO WELL IN DOUBT. HERE, THEY CREATE A SAVORY STEW.

I SMILED. A LOT. AND I HAD A LATE NIGHT DINNER--AT 210AM--AFTER THE SHOW!