This started on a post long ago in a galaxy far, far away…its most recent incarnation was in the form of 5 questions from Emily to Mysfit. As per the rules (explained below) I requested an interview and here are the 5 grueling questions that were posed to me and my insightful, earth-shattering answers:
1) What is your favorite movie of all time?
I like to bend the rules and will have to with this question. Amelie is my overall favorite. Jeunet was a favorite director before this came out and he really topped his previous work with this movie. I loved everything about it: the quirky dialogue, rich colors, magical music, the fantasy elements, the way it was filmed. The entire cast was terrific, most especially Audrey Tautou and Mathieu Kassovitz. It is a blissful romantic movie and it gets me every time.
The Lord of the Rings trilogy is such a close second that it has to be a favorite as well. Every time I watch it I’m profoundly affected by it. The love for the story and the love of the craft of movie-making is so evident in every frame…this trilogy is just so incredible.
Lastly, the original Star Wars trilogy. These movies and the early novels are such a large part of who I am in regards to my love of space and science fiction. I remember the first time I saw the Millenium Falcon and how blown away that I was. The companionship of Han and Chewie also made a big impression on me as a child. (sorry for cheating Mysfit!)
2) Where did you get the title of your blog from?
The first non-Star Wars science fiction novel I remember reading was a book called The Adventures of the Stainless Steel Rat, a loaner from my sci-fi loving uncle Dean . This trilogy chronicled the adventures of master-criminal-turned-reluctant-hero Slippery Jim DiGriz. It was funny and fast moving, filled with interstellar swash-buckling, chivalry and romance. It solidified my love of science fiction and is a series that I’ve returned to again and again. I signed up for a blog initially because I mistakingly thought I had to in order to comment on my friend Mosker‘s site. I had to pick a name and I thought that anything I could do to promote this wonderful classic science fiction series would be fun. I also figured that anything I wrote would have about the same innate value as a steaming pile of rat poop and thus Stainless Steel Droppings was born.
3) Should you always wait an hour after eating before going swimming? Why or why not?
Immediate swimming after dining is okay in all but one instance: if you’ve eaten Godiva chocolate truffles. If you’ve been lucky enough to consume even one of these delicacies then you must wait exactly 73.2 minutes before entering any container of water in which swimming could occur. If you do not wait you have a 97.352% chance of encountering the rare and terrifying Swinicus Trufflacticus, a trans-dimensional swine who can materialize instantly in any body of water considered a “swimming hole”. This “Chocolate Pig” enters the body of the truffle-eater through the left nostril and can reach truffle depth within a matter of seconds. Truffle-addicted swimmers enjoyed a brief respite from these attacks when they started wearing nose plugs into the pool, however these cunning porcine acquanauts soon learned that simply stuffing a hoof in the swimmer’s mouth would result in the rapid removal of the offending nose plugs. You’ve been warned!
4) How many fingers am I holding up?
6……..Six! My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die…..
5) What moment in your life do you remember being most at peace with yourself?
There have been several peaceful, “life is good” moments but the one I recall in thinking about this question occurred on June 1st, 1992 when my daughter was born. We had not asked the sex of our child as we wanted to be surprised but more than anything I wanted a little girl. Several familial prognosticators bet the farm that we were having a boy and when the baby arrived and was pronounced a girl I swelled to near bursting! That night, knowing that I had a perfectly healthy baby girl and knowing that I was married to my absolute best friend, was about as close to nirvana as I’ve ever been.
Okay, here they are, The Official Interview Game Rules:
1. If you want to participate, leave a comment below saying “interview me.”
2. I will respond by asking you five questions – each person’s will be different.
3. You will update your journal/blog with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview others in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.
If you don’t have a blog I will still ask you 5 unique questions and you can post your answers here.
Amelie is a beautiful movie, great choice!
i’ve never seen Amelie… is that another indie flick?
Interview Me
Amelie is a foreign film by Jean-Pierre Jeunet. His only “American” film is the fourth movie in the Aliens franchise. Amelie is a very quirky, fun, romantic comedy but I’ll warn you that as it is a French film it does have a few brief ‘adult’ scenes…funny ones, but not the kind of thing I would recommend watching with someone you aren’t comfortable with.
I’ll think of some questions soon Abby and throw them on this post.
We’ll have to try to watch it again. I guess we weren’t in the right mood for it. I think I remember turning it off during the sex scene. We are kinda picky about that even though we are very comfortable with each other! Is it sub-titled? I am not much into reading movies! I can’t fall asleep while reading! We’ll have to borrow it sometime! I can’t see what I am typing so you may have to edit me.
Oh, I enjoyed your answers!!!
Thanks…the sex scene is actually a silly montage of scenes that doesn’t last very long. Mary and I watched it with Joyce so its not that its a big deal except I hate recommending movies to people with “adult” scenes without telling them as I’d hate to be blamed for shocking anyone. It really is an incredible movie, however, which is why we invited Joyce over to watch it one night. You can borrow it anytime.
And thanks, I had fun coming up with them.
I can’t remember the scene at all. James told me we turned it off. I have no memory!! Maybe if we watched it again we wouldn’t be so gooberish!!!
As tired as you guys are after getting your brood to bed its no wonder you can’t remember movies! I’ve been getting really sleepy when watching movies later in the evening and its making me mad…I feel like I’m turning into my parents much too soon!!!
You really think Amelie topped City of the Lost Children?
Carl, Carl……..I do believe we have reached our first impasse ;~)
Don’t get me wrong, I love ALL of Jeunet’s movies. Delicatessin, City of Lost Children, and A Very Long Engagement are all very, very close seconds to Amelie in my book but I’m a big sucker for romance…I prefer all the genres of movies, books, etc. that I like to have a romantic element to them and thus Amelie tops City for me. I also have a huge emotional connection to the movie as the day I saw it at the theatre was one of my most special memories with my wife as we just had an incredible date that night. That movie, dining out at a fantastic restaurant, and then dancing at my work Christmas party. It was a very magical evening and that background adds a great deal to my connection with Amelie.
Don’t fret Forgotten, we’ll get past this… 😉
With those new insights, and to ensure peace remains in our kingdoms, I shall acquiesce……..but just this once…….
City made me a huge Perlman fan and I really enjoyed him as Hellboy. City is a movie that I have pushed, forced, and cajoled many people into watching and although many thought it was weird they all enjoyed it.
Have you seen Delicatessin or Engagement?
Yes indeedy, and though poles apart they are both brilliant. I too was converted to Perlmanism after watching City and can empathise with your struggle to remove the smoke from the eyes of others, although seemingly I’ve had less success than you. People just think I’m weird now……..
really really meaning to check out Long Engagement.
excellent responses carl; mysfit can be a tricky one to answer.
interview me if you like. i figure i’ll get a couple going & answer them all at once.
I’d love to Jenn See. In my pre-Star Wars fog I may wait until later to ask the questions but I’ll see if I can knock some out in the next few days.
Forgotton….you’re not alone, people KNOW I’m weird! 🙂
carl, good answers, i was particularly curious about the title thing – i must look it up…
Bonus question: Jedi or Sith?
i loved amelie, but i think i’d have to go with forgotten on this one, City tops it in my book – (yay used dvd’s – i finally got my hands on the City dvd!!!)
Have you seen Delicatessin or Engagement?
what are these two movies of which i have never heard?
Delicatessen is Jeunet’s first movie. Inexplicably it is only available on VHS but I usually manage to find it in the occasional Blockbuster or other movie rental store. I keep wishing it would come out on DVD but I may have to break down and buy the used video off of ebay. Delicatessen is a black comedy…very bizarre…and has a very nice love story woven into it. Here’s a link.
A Very Long Engagement is Jeunet’s latest, again starring Audrey Tautou, and is a WWI love story with Juenet’s usual oddities. Here’s a link for this one and it comes out July 12th.
They are both wonderful, wonderful movies.
Although I have a ‘dark side’ and I like many dark, gothic things I would have to say that I prefer the Jedi. Any side that Han Solo is on is my side. And that blue jedi chick….. 😉 I do really like Boba Fett but he is really more of a pawn at this point than a person on the Sith side of things.
Great pick for favorite movie–Amelie is one of mine too. I found your site linked at Slaughterhouse Studios and wanted to say that I’ve enjoyed reading your posts.
Thanks….isn’t Lisa Snellings-Clark’s work incredible!!!