Penny Lane asked what BC readers thought Garia would bring back from Earth. In response, I created a list of ten (10) movies that I would bring back if I were Garia. One of these movies was the Agony and the Esctacy (1965 staring Charlton Heston and Rex Harrison).
This movie was shown tonight (07 Mar 16) on TCM (Turner Classic Movies). After watching this movie tonight, I feel that I was correct in including this movie among the ten (10) movies that I would bring back if I were Garia.
In selecting my list of ten (10) movies, I was guided by my conclusion that what Garia needed to bring back was not just technological information, but more importantly to bring back things that would inspire creativity in the people of Anmar. My interpretation of SEE was that Garia was dropped into a pre-renaissance (AND TECHNOLOGICALLY STAGNANT) society where she acted as a catalyst who inspired a technological (and cultural) revolution.
Two (2) of the things that I felt was necessary to inspire creativity in the people of Anmar (and avoid technological stagnation or society collapse) were ART and MUSIC. The first ten minutes of the movie showed the major sculptural works created by Michelangelo (including David and several versions of the Pieta). Following that, the movie showed the (surviving renaissance) architecture of Italy (during this part of the movie, several cars and a train were shown in the foreground or background of the architecture) along with a voiceover setting up the background of the story of Michelangelo's painting of the Sistene Chapel before the actual movie ("story") started. The (main part of the) movie is about the (Agony and the Ecstacy of) Michelangelo's struggle to complete the painting of the Sistene Chapel. The finale of the movie is the awe inspiring unveiling of (and first mass in) the Sistene Chapel.
I can imagine in my mind Robanar, the Queen, Keren, Milsy, and Duke Gilbanar gathered around watching the movie for the first time while Garia translates...
One (potentially bad from Garia's perspective) event shown in the movie is the use of primitive artillery (capable of being produced with the existing tech already provided to Anmar). One (potentially bad from Penny's perspective) thing is the cute little kitten who makes a brief appearance early in the movie [Sigh!]...
It is unfortunate that Penny did not choose to add a chapter where we are told what Garia brought back. I don't suppose this would make a good Big Closet writing contest???
Comments
Robanar
After watching The Agony and the Ecstacy tonight; remembering (1) Rex Harrison's interaction with Cleopatra (Elizabeth Taylor) in the movie Cleopatra; and (2) Rex Harrison's interaction with Audrey Hepburn in the movie version of My Fair Lady, I feel that Rex Harrison is whom I envision as Robanar!
I can imagine Audrey Hepburn as Garia, but she is too tall (however, her signature short hair screams "Garia").
My Ten (10) Movies List
(1) America the Beautiful (Disneyland Attraction - "Circular-Vision" Movie tour of the U.S. 1960-1997)
(2) Sound of Music (1965)
(3) Olympia (1936 Olympics 1938)
(4) Union Pacific (1939)
(5) Spirit of Saint Louis (1957)
(6) The Agony and the Ecstacy (1965)
(7) Titanic (1997)
(8) Apollo 13 (1995)
(9) Plymouth Adventure (1952)
10) Christopher Columbus (1949)
At the bottom of SSE 139, I posted a series of comments describing each of the first eight (8) movies and the reason for selecting each movie.
Penny asked for input on which movies Garia should bring on her blog "Taking Movies to Palarand". Several people posted comments on that blog suggesting movies (I thought my list was "head and shoulders above the rest").
In selecting the ten (10) movies I would bring back if I was Garia, I looked for movies that I thought would inspire creativity in the people of Anmar. I selected movies that were inspiring as well as showing culture in addition to technology. Even the movies I selected that you would call demonstrations of technology (Union Pacific (railroads) Spirit of Saint Louis (airplanes), Titanic (Ocean going Steamships), Apollo 13 (Spacecraft))were selected because they are inspiring movies, show creativity, and demonstrate culture IN ADDITION to technology. I feel that unless what Garia brings back advances the culture of Anmar and instills creativity in the population of Anmar, either the technological advancement will stall (without CREATIVITY) as soon as all the technology brought back by Garia is put into production or the society will collapse (unless the technology Garia brings back) improves the lives of the population. Industrialization brings a change (very scary) and hardship (to a portion of the population). People will resist unless the see a benefit to themselves.
What three (3) books would you take?
In the 1960 movie version of the time machine the movie ended (different from the book and the 2002 movie) with one of the characters asking which three (3) books would you take [back to the future when books and the knowledge they contain are lost]?
Penny left us with a similar unanswered question. What would Garia bring back?
Wouldn't the answer to the unanswered question Penny left make a really good Big Closet Writing Contest [shameless plug by a very curious reader who unfortunately doesn't have nine lives!]?
SERIOUSLY, two (2) shameless plugs in a single paragraph! Are you sure you don't have n...[THREE (3) SHAMELESS PLUGS IN ONE COMMENT! - Go directly to jail. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200]
JOB (What Garia Found)
Maybe Julina (not Julia Phillips the author) can answer the question in her normal style relaying one of her conversations where what Garia brought back is discussed or maybe Julina finds Garia???