Movies

Visiting Mom in California is no longer the trip it used to be. Mom is doing her best to stay healthy, but her body is beginning to betray her. Still, she wants to get out and enjoy the world. Now, however, instead of trips to Napa or into the city for dinner, a quick trip to the movies suits her best. As a result, I have thoroughly caught up on my movie watching in the past week, seeing Stardust (actually with the BF back home, pretty good), Becoming Jane (loved it, but I'm a sucker for a costume drama), The Simpsons Movie (not quite up to the hype), and Death at a Funeral (good, British humor). In addition, I saw the silent classic, Metropolis, with a friend at the beautiful Castro Theater. Finally, I saw Hairspray.

I had seen Hairspray on Broadway when it first came out and loved it. Seriously, I came away feeling like it was exactly what a Broadway musical should be. I hesitated to see the musical as a movie because I didn't want my memories to be spoiled. I realize that I had the same hesitation about seeing the original transformed into a musical, but this time it was serious. After all, it has John Travolta, who does his best to ruin every movie he's in. Still, Mom was interested so we went. I loved the music, again, and thought that the performances were fine. I was pleased that it wasn't bad, but it didn't quite measure up to the experience of seeing it live.

A question occurred to me as I was sitting there watching Hairspray and getting its message delivered as subtly as if it were on the end of a 2x4 to my forehead: what is it about race relations or other issues of prejudice that makes us more comfortable with discussing them in the context of history? Hairspray, like a number of other movies I can think of, Far From Heaven, Corrina, Corrina, or even I'll Fly Away on the small screen, all deal with prejudice, but from the safe distance of time. When watching these movies, it's like we can look at the issues they explored, (racism, persecution of interracial couples, homophobia), and say, "Oh, yes. It was awful back then!" and comfort ourselves with the belief that things have changed. Those of us who live on the coasts perhaps enjoy more liberal surroundings, but hate crimes still occur, races still don't mix all that much, homophobia still exists... there's plenty of reason to place these films in the immediate present. These movies only allow us to stick our heads in the sand and pretend that our problems are over.