Sunday, May 15, 2005

All Mod Cons

I chose that title just for the 80’s title brigade. Name that album! Triple point if you can explain the meaning of the phrase.

Okay, so I’m watching Con Air. I really do love this premise—one airplane transporting a super troop of criminals. It’s like an Amway convention of twisted baddies. Diamonds, Emeralds, Rubies of badness. (Of one guy it is said, “Makes the Manson Family look like the Partridge Family.”) But you know, did all these people really belong grouped together? If I were the convention organizer I would have suspected that one-at-a-time transport would have been best. Why, after all, did we need to create the Lollapalooza of crime?

Early on as the plane takes off, an agent ponders the wisdom of their plan and putting such a too-live-crew together. “All these monsters? All on one plane?” she voices uncertainly.

Good question there, marshals. We have by my estimation at least two dozen prisoners, including three criminals in individual cages. So what, these are like Hannibal Lechter? Three on one airplane? Wouldn’t they have thought to separate this cabal of air terror? I mean, they could have sent each on their merry way with an air marshall, and in a worst possible scenario they’d have landed on a desert island like Kate in Lost.

Of course in a post 9/11 world the idea of criminals taking over a plane—while executing people on board—just doesn’t play the same way as it once would have. But perhaps it's watching it knowing that the movie was made a good seven years ago that allows me to set aside that thought. I can watch this as just Hollywood, and as the criminals seize the plane, and we watch much of the action play out through the eyes of Cameron Poe (Nicholas Cage, showing up in fine drawling form) I can enjoy the ride. Plus the early career appearance of Dave Chapelle is pretty satisfying. But does Nicholas Cage think we buy that Alabama accent? Love the attitude, Nickie, but the accent’s gotta go.

So they land and there’s a sand storm in Carson City. Okay, is this Iraq? Or am I missing something about Nevada. Maybe we’ll even get a sand storm out in Reno this summer. That would certainly stir things up for RWA. Bring on the sheik romances!

And can I just say that I still love John Cusack after all these years. When he finds the schematics of the plane layout in one of the prison’s cell he’s like the welcomed voice of reason. Plus he’s cute!

D (who, having written 14 pages today, felt she could eat lunch and watch CON AIR.)

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Con Air is one of my favorite guilty pleasures. I remember seeing it when it came out, and I bought the VHS not long after. The whole premise is so completely over the top that I can go with it, and there are marvelous images, such as the scene with Steve Buscemi in the empty, decaying swimming pool with the little girl playing Barbie. His comment "Define irony: a bunch of idiots dancing around on a plane to a song made famous by a band that died in a plane crash" is one of my favs.

Being a SoCal gal I couldn't tell about Cage's accent, but I had a similar problem with him in Adaptation.

Back to the Blank Page and battling the evil insidious Distraction Man...

Anonymous said...

LOVE that movie, and am a big fan of John Cusack too!

Kristen Painter said...

Congrats on your 14 pages - that's great.

Jeanne Damoff said...

If you aimed for seven pages and accomplished fourteen, you dealt Distraction Man and Blank Page--that most despised of all villains--a staggering blow today, Deidre. Good job! You earned a leisurely lunch.

And a little John Cusack for dessert never hurt anyone.

Secret Narration Girl

Jaci Burton said...

I love John Cusak. Give me Grosse Point Blank any day of the week and I'm happy. A contract killer as hero...and it works, too!

Congrats on the 14 pages! The only thing I managed today was contributing the local economy by dropping a bundle at the mall *g*

Jaci

Anonymous said...

A 14-page writer and a fan of LOST. Is this woman perfect or what?

Natalie, who only wrote 2000 words and fell hard to the demon Distraction

Anonymous said...

That album is All Mod Cons, by the Jam. A truly awesome one, though I prefer The Gift.

The meaning? Why, "All Modern Conveniences," as in kitchen appliances, etc, of course!

Came to your blog by way of your agency blog. Hope to see you in Reno this summer! All the appointments are booked up, so maybe a giant sandstorm will appear, and we'll be blown away to South Africa, were we'll bump into Dave Chapelle. I'll ask him how the whole "mental health" thing is going, and you can wax rhapsodic over the good old crazy-free days of "Con Air."

Free Rick James!

Love your blog, BTW......

Kristen Painter said...

Pssst...Deidre - the link to Cathy Spangler's blog needs to be fixed. Somehow it's linked with your blog URL and not opening properly.