I grew up watching a lot of Tarzan. Whether it was the 90s TV show or one of the old movies that were shown late at night, I used to love the Tarzan stories. Of course, I am a big fan of the Disney film of the same name. It is a great mix of action, adventure, comedy and heart. Not to mention that the Phil Collins music is crazy awesome (screw what Matt Stone and Trey Parker say :p ).
Just recently, I accidentally recorded an episode of the old TV show, The Legend of Tarzan. Since I missed it when it first aired I decided to watch it, and much to my surprise, I like it! It's nothing like the actual film (as it is expected out of a Disney TV series), but it gets me nostalgic for the old Tarzan TV shows and movies. I even like it more than the old Aladdin TV show!
I just love how Tarzan has grown a lot since we last saw him on the movie, but retains his charming "wild" side. The rest of the characters are fun, though some of the voice casting is rather odd. Terk sounds more like a man than a woman, even if the original Rosie O'Donnell voice was deeper than the typical female voice.
The stories are really good. My favorite episode is the one where they meet US President Teddy Roosevelt and they go on a safari, where he is kidnapped and held for ransom. I also liked the episode where three of Jane's friends come to visit her under the idea that she is held there against her will. It was really fun seeing elemens of the Porter's old London make its way to the jungle. There was a follow up episode where the girls bring along a cultured, geeky man, and Tarzan begins to feel incomplete.
One thing I find interesting about the show is how in the movie, it looked as if the jungle Tarzan and the apes lived in was desolate save for the Porter camp site, yet in the show there are several tribes, trading posts and several places that make the jungle more lively. I think this feels more convincing than the movie, and it also gives the show more story opportunities beyond the animals in the jungle.
Great show, awesome movie, incredible literary character. I wish to read the original stories and see how they differ from all the adaptations ever created.
-Pedro
Friday, September 30, 2011
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Saying Hello
Today, I had a rather horrific experience.
Last night, I didn't sleep at all. It was 9:00 AM and I was still wide awake. My mind really wanted the sleep but my body refused to cooperate, so I just kept tossing and turning into I found a few minutes of sleep. Well, until that happened I decided to do some chores around the house, including picking up the mail. This is when an event where I was completely uncharacteristic happened. As I kept walking to the post office, a man drives by and says hello. I have no idea who he is, and actually didn't care. When I return home from the post office, that same man walked by me again, this time wondering if I remembered him. He was short of telling me his life story, but even if I realized who he was in the end, I still didn't care, so I stayed quiet and gave a "I don't give a crap who you are" look that he eventually took notice of and just walked away.
This isn't me. Even if I don't remember the person saying hi I always make sure I wave back and smile, regardless if I feel good or bad. I am a firm believer that sometimes even the simplest comment like a "hello" can make a whole difference in a person's life. Plus, it is corteous to always respond in a friendly manner. This might be one of the first times I actually disregarded this and acted apathetically towards a person.
It could be many things. It could have been the fatigue making me act differently, as in I didn't have the energy to be social. It could have been that I didn't remember the guy enough to be openly friendly. Or could be that I was so down in the dumps that I couldn't even muster a simple hello due to how miserable I was feeling.
Now, all I do is replay that scene in my head, and wonder, "Did he think I was a jerk for ignoring him? Did I ruin his day so early in the morning? Why didn't I just smile and wave hello? Was I that out of it?". He isn't a friend of mine or even a close relative so why worry about it? Well, my belief that you should always be the better person, regardless of who you are, how you feel and who you face in life, and in this moment in time, I wasn't the better person.
This is a lesson well learned, and something I might end up regretting.
-Pedro
Last night, I didn't sleep at all. It was 9:00 AM and I was still wide awake. My mind really wanted the sleep but my body refused to cooperate, so I just kept tossing and turning into I found a few minutes of sleep. Well, until that happened I decided to do some chores around the house, including picking up the mail. This is when an event where I was completely uncharacteristic happened. As I kept walking to the post office, a man drives by and says hello. I have no idea who he is, and actually didn't care. When I return home from the post office, that same man walked by me again, this time wondering if I remembered him. He was short of telling me his life story, but even if I realized who he was in the end, I still didn't care, so I stayed quiet and gave a "I don't give a crap who you are" look that he eventually took notice of and just walked away.
This isn't me. Even if I don't remember the person saying hi I always make sure I wave back and smile, regardless if I feel good or bad. I am a firm believer that sometimes even the simplest comment like a "hello" can make a whole difference in a person's life. Plus, it is corteous to always respond in a friendly manner. This might be one of the first times I actually disregarded this and acted apathetically towards a person.
It could be many things. It could have been the fatigue making me act differently, as in I didn't have the energy to be social. It could have been that I didn't remember the guy enough to be openly friendly. Or could be that I was so down in the dumps that I couldn't even muster a simple hello due to how miserable I was feeling.
Now, all I do is replay that scene in my head, and wonder, "Did he think I was a jerk for ignoring him? Did I ruin his day so early in the morning? Why didn't I just smile and wave hello? Was I that out of it?". He isn't a friend of mine or even a close relative so why worry about it? Well, my belief that you should always be the better person, regardless of who you are, how you feel and who you face in life, and in this moment in time, I wasn't the better person.
This is a lesson well learned, and something I might end up regretting.
-Pedro
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)