Again another great review. This Episode falls in my to half of TZ episodes that I like. My over all view of Barbara is sadness. I have watched this episode multiple times since the late 70s as a kid from L.A. and I always felt sorry for her. As I got older I still felt sad for her but in a different way. In my 30s I looked at her as a person stuck on her glorious past as a drug and she was alway looking for her next fix that matched her best high (biggest role/Movie) but could never get it. Like a person strung out she sits in darkness, does not take care of herself and is only thinking of how she can get back to her point of nirvana. Finally only getting to nirvana with death just like a lot of junkies do that dont find or take help. Q1. Can I see myself getting trapped in the past like Barbara, No. I do think about how my life would have been different if I made different choice then I did. Did not move to Phx to go back to school. Did marry Elsa in 93 instead of saying no then meeting my wife of 27 years in 97. Did not serve in the USCG during DS1 and many other key points in my life. Then I think if I had made different calls then I would not have the 3 great kids I have, I may own a house in Dallas, I may not even be alive, so the thoughts of "What If" can of scare me and I am thankful for what I have. Q2. Absolutely there is a Nostalgia Push and with a few exceptions it has fallen flat on its face. Like you I am a Gen Xer and I have found memories and terrible ones of my childhood. Good ones like Playing sports outside and riding skateboards/bikes and surfing in SoCal beaches with friends but, I also have memories of Mom and Step dad never being home, of me having to cook dinner at 14 for my 7 yr old sister review her homework and bathe and put her to bed. Fears of getting the news that my stepdad the LAPD cop being killed on duty then one day when I was 17, two of his partners showed up right as my Sister and I were leaving for school. Spent the whole day knowing there was bad news. Come to find out he was shot but alive and we were taken the hospital after school. Back to your question, Hollywood is void of original thought and or talent. Mills and Gen Zers dont know how to take risks. I lived in risk everyday growing up in the cold war, Crip & Bloods gang wars, and the "Big One" hitting LA anyday. The worst Hollywood Nostalgia call backs are/were "Land of the Lost", "The Crow" "Red Dawn" "Nightmare on Elm St" there are others like Transformers, and Smurfs but in my opinion these are the worse. Q3. Moment of awe for me was when her Co-Star comes to see her and he is old and bald. His look really expanded the timeline of her living in denial. What I 1st thought was 5 or so yrs now made it look like 50. Now I was a 8 yr old and another one over 35 looked like grandparents to me but, even when I got older the difference in looks is still striking from Movie to Food Market Owner really drove the point that she was trying to go not just back but way back and that is even more unhealthy. Sidenote - If I were to have a chance to "Go Back" to any point in my life with some magic machine, where I could change my life but keep all of my current knowledge, I would go back to 1974 and 48 hours before my Mother re-kidnapped me from my Father. In 1973 after a bad divorce my dad got tired of the Courts always siding with my mom every time he tried to involve himself in my life so He kidnapped me from LA and moved to PHX. We lived together for almost 18 months but my Mom found out where he was and drove to Phx and took me back. I would go back to about 48 hours before that happened and tell my Father pack up and leave Phx NOW and go to Seattle and try to find Bill Gates and go to work for him. I mean if I am going to change my life I might has well change the whole thing and go for the Gusto.
This is a really underappreciated episode. It doesn't routinely show up on best-of lists, but it is a beautifully constructed episode with excellent writing, performances, cinematography, and directing. Plus, it's cool to see Ida Lupino go from acting in this episode to directing another of my favorites: "The Masks." Thanks for taking the time to comment.
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Brilliant! Excellent thoughtful writing.
Thank you. I appreciate the kind words.
Again another great review. This Episode falls in my to half of TZ episodes that I like. My over all view of Barbara is sadness. I have watched this episode multiple times since the late 70s as a kid from L.A. and I always felt sorry for her. As I got older I still felt sad for her but in a different way. In my 30s I looked at her as a person stuck on her glorious past as a drug and she was alway looking for her next fix that matched her best high (biggest role/Movie) but could never get it. Like a person strung out she sits in darkness, does not take care of herself and is only thinking of how she can get back to her point of nirvana. Finally only getting to nirvana with death just like a lot of junkies do that dont find or take help.
Q1. Can I see myself getting trapped in the past like Barbara, No. I do think about how my life would have been different if I made different choice then I did. Did not move to Phx to go back to school. Did marry Elsa in 93 instead of saying no then meeting my wife of 27 years in 97. Did not serve in the USCG during DS1 and many other key points in my life. Then I think if I had made different calls then I would not have the 3 great kids I have, I may own a house in Dallas, I may not even be alive, so the thoughts of "What If" can of scare me and I am thankful for what I have.
Q2. Absolutely there is a Nostalgia Push and with a few exceptions it has fallen flat on its face. Like you I am a Gen Xer and I have found memories and terrible ones of my childhood. Good ones like Playing sports outside and riding skateboards/bikes and surfing in SoCal beaches with friends but, I also have memories of Mom and Step dad never being home, of me having to cook dinner at 14 for my 7 yr old sister review her homework and bathe and put her to bed. Fears of getting the news that my stepdad the LAPD cop being killed on duty then one day when I was 17, two of his partners showed up right as my Sister and I were leaving for school. Spent the whole day knowing there was bad news. Come to find out he was shot but alive and we were taken the hospital after school. Back to your question, Hollywood is void of original thought and or talent. Mills and Gen Zers dont know how to take risks. I lived in risk everyday growing up in the cold war, Crip & Bloods gang wars, and the "Big One" hitting LA anyday. The worst Hollywood Nostalgia call backs are/were "Land of the Lost", "The Crow" "Red Dawn" "Nightmare on Elm St" there are others like Transformers, and Smurfs but in my opinion these are the worse.
Q3. Moment of awe for me was when her Co-Star comes to see her and he is old and bald. His look really expanded the timeline of her living in denial. What I 1st thought was 5 or so yrs now made it look like 50. Now I was a 8 yr old and another one over 35 looked like grandparents to me but, even when I got older the difference in looks is still striking from Movie to Food Market Owner really drove the point that she was trying to go not just back but way back and that is even more unhealthy.
Sidenote - If I were to have a chance to "Go Back" to any point in my life with some magic machine, where I could change my life but keep all of my current knowledge, I would go back to 1974 and 48 hours before my Mother re-kidnapped me from my Father. In 1973 after a bad divorce my dad got tired of the Courts always siding with my mom every time he tried to involve himself in my life so He kidnapped me from LA and moved to PHX. We lived together for almost 18 months but my Mom found out where he was and drove to Phx and took me back. I would go back to about 48 hours before that happened and tell my Father pack up and leave Phx NOW and go to Seattle and try to find Bill Gates and go to work for him. I mean if I am going to change my life I might has well change the whole thing and go for the Gusto.
My fav episode
This is a really underappreciated episode. It doesn't routinely show up on best-of lists, but it is a beautifully constructed episode with excellent writing, performances, cinematography, and directing. Plus, it's cool to see Ida Lupino go from acting in this episode to directing another of my favorites: "The Masks." Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Hollywood is stuck in nostalgia with all the reboots and sequels it pushes.