freakboy on film: A NEW HOPE (1977)

Not so long ago, in posts not too far away… 

I blogged about the Sequel Trilogy and the Prequel Trilogy of the STAR WARS franchise.  Now, here we are with the first film in the coveted Original Trilogy. 

I was extremely young when STAR WARS exploded onto the pop culture landscape and going to the theater with my sister Margaret may be one of my earliest memories.  I wish I could say it was a thrilling experience that forever altered my life, but we both fell asleep during it.  I remember the opening scroll and the Imperial Star Destroyer gunning for Princess Leia’s ship.  I also remember C-3PO and R2-D2 escaping in an escape pod.  Then I remember waking up to see the planet Alderaan being obliterated by the Death Star, or it could have been (SPOILER ALERT) the Death Star being obliterated by Luke Skywalker.  I can’t say for certain.  Then I remember the medal ceremony for the heroes and waking up my sister to tell her it was over.  If I’m brutally honest, I caught the important stuff during that first go around.  I would later see it at the local drive-in without falling asleep, but it’s that first viewing, or lack thereof,  that sticks in my memory. 

Ultimately, STAR WARS Episode IV: A NEW HOPE and the other two episodes of the Original Trilogy became a gigantic part of my childhood.  I thrilled as Luke Skywalker is swept away from his desert planet farm boy life and hurled into the middle of a war between the all-powerful Empire and a scrappy, ragtag rebellion.  You know the story.  If you don’t, what rock have you been living under for the last several decades?  

Princess Leia Organa, a badass rebel and fashion icon, trusts the unlikeliest of duos with some super important information that could put an end to the tyrannical reign of the Empire.  Either through the power of the Force or a plot filled with happenstance, droid soulmates C-3PO and R2-D2 become friends with Luke Skywalker, a moisture farm boy from Tatooine.  Thanks to the droids being hunted by the Empire, Luke loses his family and his home.  Instead of crying around about it, Luke takes off on a space adventure with desert hermit/former Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi.  Together they hope to deliver the super important information to the Rebel Alliance.  To accomplish this mission, they need a spaceship, which they find in a droid-phobic dive bar.  Han Solo, a roguish egotist pilot and his walking carpet sidekick Chewbacca offer passage on board the exceptionally cool Millennium Falcon.  Everyone gets more than they bargained for when they have to also rescue Leia, shut off a tractor beam, and deal with Grand Moff Tarkin and his seemingly second in command/walking fashion statement Darth Vader.  Oh, they also need to take care of that pesky Death Star, a planet destroying battle station.  Will our intrepid heroes save the far, far away galaxy?  If you honestly don’t know, then you’ve been skimming this post.😏 

Trying to race through my ramblings.

The last time I watched A NEW HOPE was a long time ago.  I’m talking before my 2016 chunk of vision loss and before THE FORCE AWAKENS hit theaters.  (My 2023 plan to watch all 3 Trilogies in chronological order stopped after the prequels.)  How did A NEW HOPE hold up after all this time?  I still love writer/director George Lucas’ sci-fi epic, but I wonder if the Prequel and Sequel Trilogies have tarnished the hardcore geek fanboy zeal I used to experience with each viewing.  Don’t get me wrong, I still felt a serious foreshadowing thrill when Obi-Wan (SPOILER ALERT) is obviously fudging the truth about Darth Vader betraying and murdering Luke’s father!  I also can’t help but geek out over the totally super-cool awesomeness of the Millennium Falcon and yes. I may still experience a filmgasm the first time it jumps into hyperspace!  Oh, and there is the lightsaber duel between Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader!  Forget everything that happens after their confrontation, the film was really just building to that singular moment between frenemies!  Last, but far from least, Princess Leia rocks! 

One thing I found myself appreciating more than I ever did before was the acting.  Obviously, Alec Guinness as Obi-Wan Kenobi, Peter Cushing as Grand Moff Tarkin and James Earl Jones as the voice of Darth Vader shine brighter than the twin suns of Tatooine.  However, I was struck by the 1970’s naturalness of Mark Hamil as Luke Skywalker, Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia Organa and Harrison Ford as Han Solo.  The way they deliver their lines make them seem like ordinary people caught up in extraordinary events.  Of course, Anthony Daniels as C-3PO, Kenny Baker as R2-D2 and Peter Mayhew as Chewbacca create lovably memorable characters without being seen, while David Prowse intimidates as the man behind the Darth Vader mask.   

Space fashionistas work the Galactic runway!

All that being said, the Dark Side of the Force compels me to mention a couple of things that bothered me this time around…

1… Is C-3PO lying to Luke when he claims he doesn’t really know who Princess Leia is as R2-D2 projects her holographic message to Obi-Wan or did the escape pod scramble his golden circuits?  Earlier in the film, while Leia’s ship is under attack by the Empire, C-3PO turns to R2 and grimly states, “There’ll be no escape for the princess this time.”  C-3PO obviously knows Leia, so why was he feigning ignorance with Luke? 

2… Is Luke Skywalker being an overly judgy Good Jedi Bitch when, after being laughed at by Han Solo over a lightsaber training failure, he turns to the roguish pilot and inquires, “You don’t believe in the Force, do you?”  It’s like, get off your high self-righteous Bantha, farm boy!  You just learned about the Force, like, 10 minutes ago, so just leave a “The Force Is Inside You” pamphlet and move on! 

In conclusion…
Has time or the inferior entries in the franchise diminished my intense love of this film ?  Perhaps the psychosexual rabbit hole Andy Milligan shoved me down has forever transformed my filmic tastes.  Whatever the case, I may no longer be the full-tilt, frenzied STAR WARS geek I once was, but A NEW HOPE is still a thrilling sci-fi adventure worth going on.  Just put away critical thinking and let the Force guide you through one of the best popcorn-infused blockbusters of its kind! 🍿 If possible, skip the not-so “Special Edition” and seek out the original version.   
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This post is for ADVENTURE-A-THON, hosted by Cinematic Catharsis & Realweegiemidget Reviews!  

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Freak Out, 
JLH 

P.S.  My sister Margaret often “played STAR WARS” with me and my action figures.  We rarely followed the plot of A NEW HOPE, and even accidentally predicted a couple of plot twists that would later be revealed in Episodes V and VI.   However, on one occasion, we radically altered the STAR WARS universe when Luke Skywalker literally lost his head during an aggressive lightsaber duel with Darth Vader.  I was very young at the time, but I remember us both laughing at this unexpected event. 

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Click an episode for more…
Episode I 
Episode II 
Episode III 
Episode Vii
Episode VIII 
Episode IX

booking freakboy: GOSPEL FOR SUCKERS by Will E. Graham (1971)

“Jesus Freaks were everywhere…” 

Have you been touched by Jimmy Love?  

Jimmy Love can heal you of your maladies by placing his miraculous hands upon you!  You will feel the power of his Divine love blowing through your soul!  Yes, this 23-year old, 6-foot-tall traveling blond Adonis evangelist will fill the deep hole inside you with Glory! 

Surely you’ve read the newspaper articles about how, at a young age, Jimmy’s parents died in an automobile accident and how he was adopted by Brandon Parker, a friend and army buddy of his late father.  Undoubtedly you were captivated in learning how Jimmy became an overnight Prophet after seeing Jesus in a barn in Indiana!  It was a sign from Heaven above!  A sign to guide Jimmy and his adopted father onto the path of spreading the Gospel from town to town!  A sign to milk every last penny from the willfully ignorant congregation!  Hallelujah! 

Now the unthinkable has happened!  After healing the inflicted two nights in a row, Jimmy Love has disappeared, bringing the religious community to its knees in prayer for his safe return!  Where is their Anointed One and will they ever feel the massive power of his love again?  Good things come to those who wait, for prophecy tells us the blessed answer will be delivered in seven days.  Well, at least I can tell you since I read the book.

 
Either through Divine intervention or a coordinated publicity stunt, the missing evangelist has resurfaced in Los Angeles!  Praise Jimmy Love, oh, and Jesus for his safe return to the fold, but what happened to the precious preacher during those seven days?  According to the newspapers, Jimmy Love was lost in the Arizona desert, on the brink of death, when four men descended upon him from above.  The four 5’ 11”, brown-haired studs blew life back into Jimmy Love and now they are his Apostles! 

In reality, Jimmy Love has grown tired of being in the Holy spotlight.  With the help of his adopted father, Jimmy Love has concocted one last revival to blow the minds and bank accounts of his faithful followers.  On a clear pedestal, backed by a screen of swirling clouds and surrounded by streaming fog, Jimmy Love will take to the stage.  At either of his sides will be his four Apostles, clad only in color coordinated posing straps to match the various tints of light shining on them.  Will the spectacle be a raging success?  Will the congregation work itself into a frenzy of religious fervor and sexual arousal? 

SPOILER ALERT! 
The reader will never know!  Just as the four Apostles are literally revealed, Brandon Parker dies of a heart attack backstage and suddenly finds himself in WWII with Jimmy Love’s father.  The man offers his hand to shake in gratitude for Brandon taking such good care of his son.  

Yup, that’s how GOSPEL FOR SUCKERS ends, making me think the terrific double entendre title actually has three meanings, including the reader being a sucker for reading this book.  The ending is wildly anticlimactic, especially because it is made perfectly clear that Brandon had been in love with Jimmy’s father.  Couldn’t the two men have at least experienced a more satisfying afterlife happy ending?  

Now don’t get me wrong, there are some ridiculously entertaining aspects to the book.  The way the religious crowds fall for Jimmy Love’s schtick is amusingly spot on when comparing it with televangelists of the 1980’s and the preachers of modern day mega-churches.  The names of the first three Apostles (Dallas Slaughter, Tony Wolfe and Dale Ducommun) are made even funnier by the fourth one’s more ordinary name (Keith Anderson).  Oh, and I appreciate there are only seven chapters, which I think is a sly wink at the seven days of Creation.
I just wish author Will E. Graham, whose obvious pen-name is brilliant in more ways than one, would have had even more fun putting the satirical screws to religion and fanatical believers.  It’s not quite as blasphemously funny as it should’ve been, but maybe all the queer sex mingled with Christianity heightens the humor.  Plus, it’s frustrating when intriguing plot elements are introduced and then abandoned.  Something scandalous, which is not fully explained, happened in Florida with Jimmy Love and when you think it’s coming back to haunt him, the subplot fizzles out.  I guess I’m used to this style of storytelling thanks to Andy Milligan.  Another thing is Jimmy Love’s too close for comfort relationship with his adopted father.  Yes, they are both adults and not blood related, but it added an ick factor for me.  I know I shouldn’t be so judgy considering some of the incestuous overtones in the films of, once again, Andy Milligan.  Ugh, I hate it when my favorite filmmakers make me feel like a hypocrite! 

“Turn around if you want to and blow your love on the person behind you!” -Jimmy Love 

In conclusion…
GOSPEL FOR SUCKERS isn’t the best piece of Vintage Gay Pulp Fiction I’ve read, but it’s not the worst either.  It is somehow entertaining and disappointing at the same time.  So, if you’re in the mood for a low-key satirical look at religiosity with a queer twist, then GOSPEL FOR SUCKERS by Will E. Graham may be the book for you!  Just don’t forget to say your nightly prayer after reading.🙏
Amen! 
 😏 

Freak be with you, 
JLH 

P.S.  Be a sucker for my queer books… 

Available from an Amazon near you!

freakboy on film: CARNAGE (1984)

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This post is part of The Seventh So Bad It's Good Blogathon, hosted by Rebecca of Taking Up Room from February 21-23, 2025. 

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This haunted house flick starts with a bang!  Two in fact!  A seemingly happy couple, dressed in their wedding attire, are dancing to an old record of the Wedding March.  In a romantic moment, the husband reaches for a gun and murders his wife before taking his own life.  

Home Sweet murder home.

Flash forward to three years later.  

Is that a ghost in your pants or are you just happy to see me?

Carol and Johnathan Henderson have just bought the murder house, which shares a resemblance to Norman Bates’ home sweet home, and they couldn’t be happier.  Well, that is until strange occurrences begin to occur.  Tea cups left on the counter are suddenly in the sink.  Notepads and candlesticks move on their own.  A dead telephone rings and the record player turns on, playing the Wedding March.  Then there is the night Carol and Johnathan are nearly gassed to death when their stove is switched on.  Oh, and a maid they hired is tormented with cobwebs or ectoplasm or maybe Silly String by the ghostly bride, who then forces the poor woman to slit her own throat.  So, of course, this is the perfect time to throw a housewarming party!  

Toasting the death of fashion.

The guest list includes two couples.  There is Tony and Margaret, who we don’t learn too much about.  Thankfully, there is also Ann and Walter, who we get to know through a couple of terrific scenes with Ann’s enjoyably bitchy mother.  (“Oh god, I’m too young to be a mother.  Now I’m going to be a grandmother!  What ever will I tell my boyfriend?”)  These scenes reveal that Ann is pregnant and plans to surprise Walter with the news at the housewarming party.  However, the surprise is on everyone when Margaret is injured at the party and has to be taken to the hospital and then Walter dies when a radio supernaturally makes a splash in his bath. 

Just say no to housewarming parties!

After the party and Walter‘s funeral, Johnathan goes back to work and Carol digs into the history of the house.  Meanwhile, unbeknownst to them, anyone who drops by or breaks into the house is quickly dispatched by the ghostly bride and dragged off to wherever ghosts store bodies.  What are Carol and Johnathan going to do?  Call in a priest?  Leave the haunted house?  Sit down for a chat with the ghostly bride?  They choose all three options and it all leads to an ending that still doesn’t quite make sense to me, even after multiple viewings. 

The ghostly bride won’t tell, but I will!

SPOILER ALERT!
The priest dies, which finally convinces Johnathan and Carol to get the hell out of there!  While Johnathan is loading the car, Carol starts chatting with the ghostly bride.  Carol says she doesn’t want to leave and the ghostly bride tells her she and Johnathan can stay if they don’t renovate the house.  However, when Johnathan enters, he finds Carol with a crazed look in her eyes, holding hands with both the ghostly bride and the ghostly groom.  Cut to the ghosts joyously watching Johnathan and Carol reenacting their murder-suicide and then cut to a For Sale sign outside of the now presumably double haunted house. 

Just another Milligan happy ending!

CARNAGE was written and directed by Andy Milligan and it’s neither his best (NIGHTBIRDS) nor his worst (SURGIKILL).  Deep down I know CARNAGE is a bad film.  The direction is lackadaisical, along with the pacing.  The writing is generally generic and sometimes confusing, but the scenes with Ann and her enjoyably bitchy mother are sharp and funny.  
(Ann: “I can’t even get any love from my own mother.”
Mother: “You got plenty of that nasty stuff when you were in pigtails.”) 

A mother‘s work is never done.

In Milligan’s defense, CARNAGE was his last East Coast film and it was produced by Lew Mishkin, the son of the legendary grindhouse producer William Mishkin.  Lew and Andy did not get along, so Andy might not have put his full manic energy into it.  The actors in CARNAGE lack the frantic vibe of some of his past performers, which adds to the lack of urgency in the story.  Chris Baker as Ann and Che Moody as Ann’s enjoyably bitchy mother (“Oh god, I feel uncomfortable.”) easily give the best performances but cant quite touch the brilliance of former Milligan staples, such as Neil Flanagan and Hope Stansbury.

However, despite or maybe because of the deficiencies, I enjoy CARNAGE.  The squeaky sound effects whenever an object moves is endearingly goofy.  There is unintentional humor in the maid’s less than scared reaction as the ghost bride torments her.  Some of the ultra-low budget gore effects are surprisingly somewhat effective.  Plus, we are treated to the Milligan staple of a pitchfork to the neck!  Oh, and obviously there is also Ann and her enjoyably bitchy mother, who may not be as crazy abusive as other Milligan mommies, but their often less than loving interaction brings a much needed bit of edge to the film.  
(Ann: “Oh, mother…” 
Mother: “Stop that right now!  The last thing I want is to play mother to a crying brat.”) 

“Now shut up and drink your breakfast!”

In conclusion…
CARNAGE is the least “Andy Milligan” Milligan film.  Even my sister said it felt different than his other films I’ve subjected her to.  Still, I always find myself enjoying the nonsense when I pop in the disc from THE DUNGEON OF ANDY MILLIGAN box set.  So, if you’re in a low-budget ghostly mood, pour yourself a cup of tea and call a priest because CARNAGE may be the so bad it’s good haunted house flick for you! 

May the filmic gods have mercy on your soul!

Freak Out, 
JLH 

P.S. Speaking of ghostly moods, click the pic ⤵️ for a post where I stalk the ghost of Andy Milligan… 

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Drive through the seemingly tranquil streets of Sturgeons, but just know the secluded summit of Stickler Hill is waiting for you! 
🏡 

freakboy on film: THE MEATRACK / STICKS AND STONES (a Something Weird 1970 double feature)

This is not the first time an audio commentary pushed me deeper into the underground filmic rabbit hole.  BLONDE AMBITION is a prime example, but unlike that rollicking sex and dance farce, THE MEATRACK and STICKS AND STONES are not pornos.  They would probably fall under the category of Sexploitation, with maybe a hint of Roughie. 

THE MEATRACK (1970) 

written by Joel Ensana/directed by Richard Stockton 

Picking up this hitchhiker may cost you 10 bucks

J.C. is a wandering bisexual hustler, hitching rides and using what he’s got to get money.  After a few tricks, including a bored housewife, a cynical transvestite with sailor boy dreams, and a nice guy named Ken, J.C. rescues a young woman from a lecherous photographer.  Jean is also a wanderer, so they seem to be a perfect match, even though she is not an ally to “the gays.”  Will their relationship survive after two drag queens force J.C and Jean at knifepoint to have sex with each other on film so the intruders can sell it as a porno?  What will happen if Jean catches J.C. with a male client?  All I will say is the ending shares a vibe with Andy Milligan’s FLESHPOT ON 42ND STREET. 

Should we shoot from the top or bottom?

The Andy Milligan vibe is one of the reasons I enjoyed THE MEATRACK.  J.C. has been damaged by a domineering mother and a flaky father, which is a Milligan staple.  The cynical transvestite, who laments the tragedy of getting old in the gay community, could be a close cousin to Cherry Lane in FLESHPOT.  Hmmm…maybe Milligan was inspired by THE MEATRACK.  Anyhoo, the two drag queen pornographers, who are darkly amusing, seem to have escaped from a Gregg Araki film.  So it’s no wonder I enjoyed THE MEATRACK, especially with its overall downbeat tone.  SIDE NOTE: I had assumed “the gays” was a 21st century turn of phrase, so I was surprised to hear it spoken in a film from 1970. 

Trick-or-treat?

STICKS AND STONES (1970) 

directed by Stan Lopresto (there doesn’t appear to be a writing credit)  

Your hosts for the evening

Buddy enjoys staying out all hours of the night and Peter prefers to stay at home.  What is a couple supposed to do as their relationship spirals down in flames?  Throw a 4th of July party on Fire Island, of course.  Inviting a leather queen, a stereotypical flamer and a new age guru should keep the party poppin’ but the couple’s tension is a total buzzkill.  An impromptu striptease supposedly livens up the festivities and causes more friction between Buddy and Peter.  What will happen when the party is over?  Will Peter and Buddy fight it out or love it out?  Maybe both?  I’m not really sure, so please suffer through this film and tell me what you think. 

How many stereotypes does it take to change a car tire?

To be honest, I was hoping STICKS AND STONES would be better.  The pacing suffers from a lack of momentum and the plot is meandering around there somewhere.  The acting is forgettable, with the exception of the stereotypical flamer, but even his schtick grows tired real quick.  I mean, do we really need to experience him full-throttle flaming out while changing a car tire in real time?  No, I think not!  Then there is the monstrous story Peter tells about a puppy he found which was supposed to show how deeply the character loves, I guess.  It just makes him seem like a psychopath.  STICKS AND STONES feels like it wants to be THE BOYS IN THE BAND (1970) but fails to have a cohesive story or intriguing characters. 

He is judging their party attire

In conclusion…It’s pretty obvious which one I prefer, but I feel both films should be experienced at least once.  They are early examples of openly queer cinema, which is important, now more than ever.  So, if you’re in the mood for a 1970’s style of Something Weird, then stick out your thumb and hitch a ride with THE MEATRACK and then RSVP to the never-ending party of STICKS AND STONES! 

SIDE NOTE: The bonus features on this Something Weird DVD includes an “8mm-Mail-Order Specialty” short titled JOHNNY GIANT, which stars John Holmes, who is not a stranger to this blog. (see WIDOW BLUE)  Guess this legendary hetero-centric adult film actor was either “gay for pay” or there was way more to Mr. Holmes than met the eye! 

Freak Out, 

JLH 

P.S. click a pic ⤵️ for more queer cinema… 🏳️‍🌈🍿

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Plunge into the pleasures of lust, the pains of love and the problems of death within the tangled web of desire and deceit sequestered behind the icy gates of the Van Der Van mansion! 🩸 (Free with Kindle Unlimited) 

freakboy on film: TITANIC (1997)

I have seen TITANIC five times in the theater. 

Sorry. 
I should’ve told you to sit down and swallow whatever you’re eating or drinking, but it’s true.  I saw it three times during its initial release.  Once with a co-worker, once on a date and once with my sister.  Then I saw it with a cousin at a second-run theater, it was only a dollar admission for that one.  Lastly, my sister and I experienced the 2012 3-D re-release.  Tragically, that ticket stub is lost to history.. 

In other words, this Andy Milligan obsessed, Ed Wood watching, John Waters fanboy loves TITANIC!  Why?  Maybe it’s the characters.  Maybe it’s the historic aspect.  Maybe it’s the grandiose spectacle of the whole thing.  Maybe it’s even the romance.  Wait!  What?  Did I just type that?!?!  I did, but only after a recent Sunday afternoon viewing with my sister. 

You surely know the plot.  Upper class Rose (a glowing Kate Winslet) is engaged to the incredibly wealthy and hot Cal (an always memorable Billy Zane) but is unhappy, for good reason.  Rose feels the suffocating walls closing in because her controlling fiancé, her hoity-toity mother (a cold stone Frances Fisher) and 1912 society in general demands her to know her limited place.  Things are about to turn fatalistic until Rose encounters starving artist Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio at his most natural) in a meet-cute suicide attempt.  Now Rose and Jack must love like there’s no tomorrow because they’re passengers on the RMS Titanic!  

Several years had gone by since my sister and I last experienced TITANIC, so this recent viewing felt fresh.  We both agree the 3 hours and 14 minutes zip by because the plot plunges viewers into another time and place and doesn’t let go until the end credits roll under Celine Dion’s My Heart Will Go On.  Composer James Horner assists in this transportation with a hauntingly beautiful score which often evokes an ethereal quality.  It also helps the cast is rounded out by familiar talented faces such as Kathy Bates (feisty as the unsinkable Molly Brown), Gloria Stuart (delightful as old Rose), David Warner (imposing as Cal’s henchman), Victor Garber (calming as ship designer Mr. Andrews) and Bernard Fox (amusing as Col. Archibald Gracie).  I only mention the latter because i knew I knew the actor during my very first two theatrical viewings of TITANIC, but couldn’t place him.  Not knowing was driving me crazy and this was before I could just pop onto IMDb, so I’m sure I made an audible gasp of knowledge when my sister leaned over during my third theatrical viewing and whispered the bewitching words, “Dr. Bombay.”  (IYKYK) 

As for the romance between Rose and Jack, I used to believe this was a tolerable secondary plot to the main event of man made hubris resulting in human tragedy.  Now I feel differently since seeing TITANIC with older and allegedly wiser half-blind eyes.  I believe, and my sister agrees, that the romance was ahead of its time.  First, their romance isn’t one-sided.  They both seem to be learning from each other on an emotional level.  Second, after Cal has Jack arrested for a false crime, it’s Rose who risks her life to save him from the unstoppable flooding below deck.  Rarely has a reversal of the damsel in distress trope been so refreshingly done in such an unobvious way.  Rose’s inner strength surfaces naturally through character development as she dislodges herself from the shackles of societal oppression.  Lastly, in the afterglow of Rose and Jack consummating their love in the back of a fancy-shmancy vehicle in the cargo hold, Jack is the one shivering with emotion.  Then, in a most singular cinematic event, Rose wraps her arms around Jack, providing him with comfort and security.  A big deal is never made of this reversal of traditional emotional gender roles within the film.  The moment just simply happens and it makes sense with the characters. 

I suppose before I conclude this post, I should say a little something about writer/director James Cameron.  I wouldn’t call myself a fan.  I mean, I enjoy THE TERMINATOR, ALIENS and THE ABYSS, but I think TERMINATOR 2 is a bloated mess and I don’t give a crap about AVATAR.  Yet, I must give James Cameron’s swollen ego props for TITANIC.  He created a piece of cinematic art that moves like a juggernaut, explores a wide range of emotions and transports the viewer into a fully realized moment in time.  Oh, and I’m relieved he didn’t go with the extremely painful alternate ending.  Seriously,  don’t seek it out! 

In conclusion…
I unapologetically love TITANIC!  This filmic microcosm of the best and worst of humanity is a beautifully crafted motion picture that is best experienced on the silver screen.  Perhaps there will be a theatrical re-release for its 30th anniversary in 2027, but until then, grab a life-vest and board TITANIC on whatever screen is available! 

FULL DISCLOSURE: I wrote this post under the influence of the soundtrack albums… 💿 

Freak Out, 

JLH

P.S.  Are you shocked by my love of TITANIC?   
Click the pic ⤵️ for another startling freakboy confession… 😱

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In case you need more romance in your life…