According to Sandy

Don’t let the name turn you off – “A History of Violence” is a movie that is as much about blood as it is about a family that stays together despite outrageous mayhem.

It opens as 2 men go to great lengths to avoid paying a motel bill and the plot escalates from there.

We meet an owner of a small diner, played by Viggo Mortensen, who comes to the aid of his employees when they are threatened by the 2 motel thugs and becomes something of a hero. His violent response is so quick, so natural and so effective, like second nature?

He becomes a local celebrity and his extreme action in self defense gains interest even outside of his small community. Some guys from out of town pop up to look him over, the accomplished actor Ed Harris is great as the leader, and insist on calling our hero by another name, which he denies, but, he gets this haunted look in his eyes. (Whenever I get to these “UhOh!” moments in any movie, the theme from “Jaws” starts to play softly in my head for a few seconds.)

So, who is he really? These sinister men, former “friends”, refuse to go home. Are they threatening him, are they threatening his wife, played by Maria Bello, and kids? What becomes clear is that our small town diner guy does not want to be found and does not want his family to know how he got his skills.

The family rallies around their dad, or rather they rally against those that want to take him away even though they’re not quite sure why – they want him to remain the man he is in their lives, not go back to whoever he was. As a father, he also wants to protect his family and the nice quiet life he has invented for himself.

He closes the diner and takes a trip. He drives back East into his old life to erase it however he can. It’s easier said than done. Who is tracking him down and why? We are introduced to his evil, vengeful brother, played with much fun by William Hurt – and the battle is on.

After much chasing, fighting, and shooting, the father returns home to have breakfast with his family. No one asks where he’s been or why he looks like he’s been put thru a meat grinder. They just pass the eggs.

Written by Josh Olsen and directed by David Cronenberg, the cast is terrific.  I enjoyed “A History of Violence”, 2005 (now on DVD) – good movie!

Are you still lucky enough to live in a 2 + newspaper town?  Local papers are folding, pun intended, all over the country. My S.F. Chronicle is supposed to be on its last legs (but, true, this is being reported by T.V. news anchors). Many papers are choosing other options to daily publishing, like becoming internet only or like the New York Times, charging for internet access.

This sad scenario is being repeated everywhere. Has the daily become obsolete due to technology?  Is it because of short attention spans, due to video games, to all day cable news talking heads, to just plain lack of interest?

Well, if newspapers go the way of the 8 track, we still have movies that show “newspapering” as not only necessary and vital, but sometimes a very noble profession. I’m sure there are tons more, but I’ve seen and liked the films below (Thank goodness for DVDs).

”His Girl Friday”, 1940 – Editor tries to keep ace reporter from leaving (film adaptation of 1930’s comedy by MacArthur & Hecht)

”The Front Page”, 1974 – same plot, but this time with Jack Lemmon & Walter Mathau, directed by  Billy Wilder

”Call Northside 777”, 1948 – .James Stewart and Richard Conte in a true story, told in documentary style, about a newsman racing to save an innocent man on death row.

“Deadline – USA”, 1952 – Humprey Bogart as a crusading editor, of a closing newspaper, on a mission to expose a local gangster

“All The President’s Men”, 1976 – Robert Redford & Dustin Hoffman (Watergate and the Washington Post reporters Woodward & Bernstein)

Progress is terrific, but, I still like newspapers – I like turning pages and getting ink smudges on the tips of my fingers.