BYBS: Cyrano De Bergerac

copyright (c) Caméra One, D.D. Productions, Films Antenne 2*

If you haven't seen this movie (1990, directed by Jean-Paul Rappeneau), then beg/borrow/steal a copy. A warning: the original dialog is French with English subtitles. I don't speak or understand French (at all), so no idea what the English dialog may be like.

It is a superb and very entertaining movie. To my untrained eye, the sets are very much in keeping with the period, the characters appropriately foppish or serious as the situation requires, Roxanne is beautiful and Cyrano's nose truly epic.

The movie has the themes of love, desire, longing and regret, but it also has heroism and redemption. Furthermore it has the theme of compassion, especially in the way that Cyrano deals with situations in which he is put. For example, a mortally wounded Christian (the man that Roxanne thinks is writing all those wonderful letters) believes that Roxanne does not love her because he did not write the letters. As he is passing, Cyrano tells him "I have told her all and it is you she loves."

Be warned that it is a tragedy (I guess the bit above sort of gives it away), so no Hollywood-esque ending for this movie, but I find it much more satisfying than what another movie from around the same time. I'm referring to "Roxanne" with Steve Martin. Roxanne is a comedy/romance that takes the same plot and brings it into a more contemporary setting. Roxanne is not so much "bad" as just seeing it next to Cyrano highlights how "good" the French version is.

Anyhow, movies like that, to which my blackened and cynical spirit respond, are truly blessings to me. It reminds me that yes there is love, even if it is an ideal.

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* = Finding the copyright holder for the poster was ridiculously difficult. Even sites that displayed it did not indicate who said holder is. What I listed is my best guess, but if anyone actually knows, please drop me a line.

BYBS: Loss

I was reading through some other people's blogs and I was struck by the sadness that I saw expressed there over loss. I was trying to think of how loss could be a blessing, and I had a hard time coming up with anything.

So my thoughts naturally turned to something that people everywhere think about at this time of year.

Taxes

OK, so only the people in the USA associate taxes with this time of the year. These other people can contemplate how their lack of taxes is a blessing.

Personally, I'm counting my lack of having to deal with any more forms, publications, instructions, statements, more forms, designations, specifications, and all the stuff in between.

Yes, it is a great loss, having to see all these fiends go…er…I meant friends, yes, that's what I meant to say. At any rate, such things are a great loss. To know that all those people who might have been thinking of me, will now turn to other things.

But then I know that, when this time of year comes around again, that my friends will once again think of me.

And once again, I will look forwards to my loss.

BYBS: Glorfindel

After reading CyberCelt's BYBS posting, I felt inspired enough to write up my BYBS for the week. Here is my friend, Glorfindel:

I wish I could claim credit for the pic, but it was taken by a friend named Jim.

At any rate, this was taken when Glor was still alive. Unfortunately, he passed away quite a few years ago (sharp eyed people may notice the World Trade Center in the background).

He was a very good friend in times both good and bad. He also had some strange habits like putting his cat food in his water, bounding up to scratching posts from across the room and sleeping in my underwear drawer.

Like most cats, he showed a great deal of latitude towards humans, and was willing to deal with them on either his terms, or what he wanted. He also had quite sharp claws, so it paid to be flexible when working with him as well :-)

I miss him a great deal, but as a previous post pointed out, one cannot keep tomorrow from coming by trying to hang onto today. Instead I'm just glad he was willing to accept my company for a time.