You can tell a lot about a person by asking them about their favorite movies of all time. Are they romantic, adventurous, intellectual, mysterious, or athletic? To an extent, their movie preferences will tell you. For instance, Im a big fan of The Natural, the baseball movie starring Robert Redford. Get me talking about this film, and youll hear how I played ball, how I find the idea of a guy making a huge comeback inspiring, and how Im one degree of separation away from one of the supporting leads in the film. So, youll probably know more than you might ever want, and I havent even gotten to Fahrenheit 451, the film made from the book of the same title, by Ray Bradbury. The theme about books being banned in a society that is hypnotized by and addicted to tiny and large viewing screens, is even more pertinent today than it was a few decades ago, when the book and film were released. Ill tell you how I always wanted to know what Ray Bradbury thought of the film, and I got my chance to ask him, one summer night, as we were standing at the corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Beverly Drive, in Beverly Hills. It brought me to tears, he responded, and me, too. Look at all the fun were having and I havent even mentioned the great Frank Capra movies or Heaven Can Wait, with Julie Christie and Warren Beatty. When you need a great icebreaker, just ask about the movies, and youll get an earful! |