FINALLY! I'd go into detail, but I'm too pooped. So instead I'll reintroduce you to an old friend. Yes, it's time for the return of...
Cosmic Pop Culture Coincidence of the Day!
So last night as I was working, the TV was on E!, and they were showing one of those Top 100 shows. This one was new: Hollywood's best-kept secrets. One of the secrets was about
Back To The Future, the movie that launched Michael J. Fox's big screen career. Except it almost didn't, because the role of Marty McFly was originally offered to Eric Stoltz, but they dumped him because they felt he was too intense to deliver a comedic performance.
The reason I zeroed in on this particular tidbit is because of what the movie means to me. One of the first movies I ever saw in the cinema, one of the last movies I saw before the family moved from London to Jeddah, and a franchise that stuck around for my first few years in Jeddah, as Hanief (my big brother) seemed obsessed by it. And you know how the sibling trickle-down effect is. After not giving the movie any thought of late, that E! show suddenly sent all the memories flooding back.
And now for the coincidence: guess what movie was just on Trans TV a few hours ago? Unfortunately I switched on about three quarters in, namely the climactic high school dance thing where Marty has to fix his parents up, otherwise he disappears. If you've seen the movie, you'll know what I'm talking about. If you haven't, go check it out, it's a classic. I've recently realised that, whenever movies I've seen years ago come on the TV, I check 'em out anyway. In most cases, I watched those movies when loads of subtle things went way over my young head. So with the benefit of wisdom gained over the years, I can finally appreciate the subtleties. Example: at the high school scene, the band takes a between-set break. In the parking lot, Marty gets accosted and thrown into a car's trunk - the car turns out to be the band's, who were spending their between-set break inside it getting high (which accounts for the smoke that rises up after the get out). Tonight was the first time I'd realised that; pot references aren't usually intended consumption for six year olds. Maybe one day I'll rent or buy the movie and see what else I've missed.
