It isn’t very often that I have an entire weekend, at home, alone. Thus, this weekend, I planned just that. Being that my cell phone is once again acting up and my cable package only includes Comedy Central and local stations, I decided to disregard ‘modern technology,’ and went back to that which I know and love, the two Vs: vinyls and VHS.
My first movie pick of the day was Tune In Tomorrow. This is one of my favorite flicks and, in my opinion, one of Keanu Reeves’ best movies. I realize Johnny Utah (not the one in Point Break) may dispute this, but I really liked Keanu as Martin Loader. As Martin Loader, he falls in love with his aunt (sister of his dad’s brother’s wife), who is several years older than him. At one point, he tells her about Paris, “All American writers go to Paris and stay in a little hotel on the left banks.” Later in the movie, he brings Paris up, yet again, “In Paris, all the women are older than the men.” I may have to go to Paris, again.
Once this movie ended and while it was rewinding, I went downstairs to select another great flick. While doing so, I listened to some vinyl that I recently acquired at a secondhand store. I selected KCPX 24 superstar hits, Record 2, however, when I pulled the vinyl out of the sleeve I found Elvis’ Christmas Album. Slightly different choice when you were hoping to hear How Do You Do? by Mouth & McNeal. So, not that I don’t like Elvis – its just a little early for Christmas music, I opted instead for Chicago and one of their most popular albums, Chicago IX.
While listening to 25 to 6 to 4, I found my next VHS hit, Two Moon Junction. If you haven’t seen Two Moon Junction, then you haven’t seen Sherilyn Fenn naked or, maybe, you have. In this fine flick, which I would describe as extra soft porn, Richard Tyson plays Perry, a sexy, shirtless, semi-driving drifter. I think one of the reasons I like this movie is because Perry rarely, if ever, wears his shirt. In fact, in one scene he is washing dishes in a kitchen restaurant and is wearing jeans and an apron. Once his shift ended, he walked out to his semi, with his shirt on. He would have been an easy character for wardrobe because he wore (or didn’t wear) this shirt and jeans the entire movie. At one point, he told April (Sherilyn), “The lady’s got a secret, don’t you? I ain’t got no secrets. I ain’t got nothing. Except a bike, a truck, and a post office box in Clearwater, Florida.” He forgot to mention his jeans and occasionally worn shirt.
After this film, I moved right on to Final Analysis. Not exactly sure why I own this film, however, as I watched I realized it might have been because of the great defense tactic that Heather’s (Kim Basinger) attorney used when she was charged with killing her husband. Pathological Intoxication or, in Latin, ‘mania a potu,’ is an exaggerated response to alcohol that often results in excessive sexual activity and violent behavior. I know a few people with this diagnosis. Heather’s husband had a horrible temper (one reason she killed him) and a good sense of fashion. In one scene, he saw his wife’s lover (unbeknownst to him) and made a reference to him being in the Justice Department. Later, the lover (Richard Gere) recounts the exchange with Heather, “He thought I was in the Justice Department. Do I dress that bad?” Funny and true.
My vinyling and VHSing didn’t stop with these fine flashbacks. I continued on with Raising Arizona, The Best of Roger Whitaker, 9 to 5, Vicki Carr and, when I felt I’d laid around long enough, a little Chicken Fat followed by Aerobic Celebration: Aerobic Exercise to Contemporary Christian Music. While arm stretching toward the sky to the beat of Until He Comes, I thought to myself, “If this doesn’t make him come, I don’t know what will.” Then, I stretched out my legs in an upside down V, as outlined in the ‘Instruction Manual Complete With Photographs,’ and soaked in the beauty of all my Vs. With this many Vs, I don’t need modern technology or cable TV.