Oscar and the Movies

I'm watching the Academy Awards and reminiscing about some of the great movie experiences I've had ...

Another thought occurs to me: I don't understand how anyone can watch a film on an IPod!

Back in the seventies, I saw Star Wars in the movie theater and sharing that experience with my fellow movie- goers is one that I'll always remember. (We were booing Darth Vader and cheering on Han Solo!) I will also never forget the collective gasp of the audience near the end of The Sixth Sense.

Technology has its place, but how can you appreciate the artistry of film- making by watching it on a tiny screen?

I feel the same way about reading books. I won't be buying a Kindle. I have to hold the book.

I'm also thinking of the handful of films that I've seen that were as good as the book: Gone With The Wind, The Maltese Falcon, To Kill A Mockingbird, The Exorcist, The Outsiders, and The Godfather. I'm always telling my students that the book is almost always better than the movie ... They don't believe me!

I hear that a film version will be made of The Tale of Despereaux. I loved that book ... very Zen ... and heartbreakingly beautiful ... But the movie? We'll have to see.

Also, I read somewhere that Scorcese bought the rights to The Invention of Hugo Cabret, my favorite book of this past year. The book is a natural for the movies!