Tag: Tim Robbins

Posted in Books, Movies, Music, Televison, Uncategorized

The Shawshank Redemption

Posted on by D. Parker

For those that have read the novella by Stephen King I will alternately title this Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption.

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For me, both have been irreparably damaged by the Family Guy version, oh great, now I’m humming Hollaback Girl.

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This book and movie hold many messages, the most obvious one, hope.

I used to think, many years ago when I was young that no matter what anyone did to you, no matter what they took from you, you’d always have hope.

But then I began to slowly realize that hope itself could be dangerous.

When nothing or no one can hurt you.
When nothing or no one can take anything more from you.
When nothing or no one can break your heart.
Hope can.

Hope unfulfilled.
Hope crushed.
Hope ignored.
Hope betrayed.
Hope denied.
Am I cheering anyone up yet?

This is the moment shaw2when people have to choose, to take a chance that hope is a gift. Just because you’re in a hopeless position doesn’t mean you’re hopeless.

For people with chronic illness we cling to hope like it’s the side of giant mountain and we never want to look down.

That’s the power of hope. And the danger. It depends how you use it.

It’s been 20 years since we were given Frank Darabont’s (The Walking Dead) vision of Shawshank. Hey, it starred: Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman, William Sadler, James Whitmore, and Clancy Brown, how could it be anything but coshaw6ol?

I recommend you also read King’s story and if so inclined, destroy both by watching the Family Guy take on this brilliant celebration of how you can be free or imprisoned wherever you are, it’s all about perspective.

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“My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world.”~Jack Layton

Posted in Movies, Televison, Uncategorized

TAPEHEADS

Posted on by D. Parker

I guess most would duImageb this 1988 comedy a cult classic as it never enjoyed mainstream recognition. I saw Tapeheads at one of those movie houses that showed cool films, ones you couldn’t see in mainstream theaters; before the internet let you see anything and everything.

Directed by Bill Fishman, and starring:

John Cusack,

Tim Robbins,

Sam Moore and Junior Walker,

Mary Crosby (Dallas);

Doug McClure (when I hear his name I think, I’m Troy McClure, you may know me from PSAs such as…);

Connie Stevens; Don Cornelius; Courtney Love; Doug E. Fresh; Bob Goldthwait (credited as Jack Cheese);

Fishbone  (also performs the incidental score);

Lords of the New Church singer Stiv Bators;

Ted Nugent;  Xander Berkeley;

King Cotton;

“Weird Al” Yankovic;

and Dead Kennedys singer Jello Biafra, in a cameo as an FBI agent.

You can see producer, Michael Nesmith briefly as a bottled water delivery man (don’t blink).

Need I say more?

Two best friends turn their hard luck story and others misfortunes into a better life with lots of bizarre hijinks and weird fun. ImageA must watch, at least once.

Soundtrack includes: Devo, Fishbone, Bo Diddley, King Cotton, Swanky Modes (Sam Moore and Junior Walker) and “Repave America” written and performed by Tim Robbins, credited as Bob Roberts (another awesome and underenjoyed film) 4 years before that movie was released (not on the soundtrack). “Repave America” was altered to “Retake America” on the Bob Roberts soundtrack.

And once you’ve heard the Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffle song, it will be in your head, lurking, waiting to be hummed.