Monday, December 20, 2010

I sometimes wish I was living in New York City again

I'm going to try to not knock on Tulsa or Oklahoma on this post as I'm happy to be living in the area where I was born, raised, have most of my family, went to school, have friends I've known for 30+ years and feel both comfortable and inspired most of the time. But, sometimes I read about cultural events happening in other cities and dig deep into that area of my heart populated by wanderlust. It gives me serious pause. I ask myself: why am I not living in New York City, the absolute mecca for all the cultural things that I love?

For example, MoMA just opened this massive exhibit related to German films called Weimar Cinema, 1919-1933: Daydreams and Nightmares. It absolutely sickens me that I can't go experience the most comprehensive exhibit on German cinema in American history. There's posters, film stills, material and more than anything--films. 75 feature length movies from this vibrant period including such legends as Fritz Lang, F.W. Murnau and G.W. Pabst. Many films will have their first screening in decades or are restored film prints that were "discovered" post-German reunification. It makes my heart ache in longing!

But, I'll stay with Tulsa with sadness in my bones when I read about events such as this. It's not so bad, right? I have my Netflix queue with nearly 200 films ready to be shipped to me. I have my beloved Circle Cinema, where it takes a while for films to get here, but at least they get here.  It could be a lot worse for me film wise, I could be living in the godforsaken movie town of Oklahoma City after all. Now that would be truly depressing.

Image from 1925 film Variety.

5 comments:

Guy Gadbois said...

Did you mean "It absolutely sickens me that I can't go experience the most comprehensive exhibit on German cinema in American history?"

Joshua Blevins Peck said...

Yes...thank you for copy editing help Guy!

Eva said...

I know what you mean! But yes, isn't it great that we can have things such as netflix where we can get even exotic, non-mainstream, foreign films, little-seen documentaries etc. As few years ago we could not! Now we could have that even in the middle of nowhere. I was quite sick a whole year and think I would have died without netflix; it literally kept my mind awake and alive.

In terms of movie events, there is a whole lot I'd like to experience. I have never seen an old movie big-screen yet. I am a huge Gable and Astaire fan and am looking forwards to the thrill of seeing them at a cinema some time! (I'll need to check where and travel there) Perhaps this way these events remain an occasional thrill and we don't become too jaded having them taking place around us all the time?

Joshua Blevins Peck said...

I remember renting VHS tapes by mail when I was younger because I was that desperate to see a foreign movie whilst living in rural Oklahoma. It was a long, troublesome and expensive process to rent VHS by mail.

You get Netflix in Germany Eva? Didn't know they were worldwide.

Eva said...

yeah - they had a netflix like setup in Germany, too - though you got fewer movies for more money - still a lifesaver, though.

I'm back in the States now, enjoying full netflix :)