I thought my heart would break and I was crying uncontrollably watching BAND OF BROTHERS, a viewing long overdue (it was made in 2001 for heavens sake)…. this was the episode where men from Easy Company (the Band of Brothers) stumble upon a concentration camp at the end of World War II. They dont know what they are seeing and cannot comprehend the horror. Brilliant Stephen Speilberg and Tom Hanks created this wonderful series, which magnificently and most movingly recreates a small piece of one of the most disgraceful periods in human history. We were supposed to be somewhat civilised by then and what men did to men (women included) is unbelievable. I think FINDING PRIVATE RYAN is one of the best war films ever made. And I believe that we should watch this work from time to time, while we casually kill each other vis..Charleston!, without understanding our actions and destroy our humanity piecemeal. No wonder we get young men returning from recent wars, so damaged that they are unable to function properly any more. We need to remind ourselves of what real horrors mankind has wrought and is still doing, so we stop doing it. My English Uncle Lee Morgan was a Commando, one of the first SAS paratroopers in that War and although he was lucky enough and tough enough to come out without allowing the experience to ruin the rest of his life (and you have to be really made of steel, to accomplish that,) he told me a few stories, which chilled my blood. That’s why I find shows like GAME OF THRONES so irritatingly trite, real life has more horror in it, than anything than the George Martins of this world can dream up. And my German Aunt Dr Lisa-Marie Meirowsky was one of those who was murdered in Auschwitz.
Anyway I have decided to continue doing a bit more work of my own, inspired by the good work that the more talented and serious people in our industry have done. Needless to say, it wont be on the same scale as any majorly financed production, but I have met some good and talented people here in Idaho, who want to create a bit more than crass horror films, commercials and video games and so I am launching into a couple more projects. I am very lucky to have been a working actor in this business for as long as I have and also been incredibly lucky to have done some of the work I have done and worked with the people I have worked with, so will carry on a bit longer. I am still hoping to make one more New Chilling Tale (a reminder of some of our better writers) and then string all four/five films together as feature for an easier release into the commercial market…..actively fund raising for that and other work I want to do.
I do believe that those of us who have been fortunate to succeed in this challenging business, have a responsibility to remind the audiences and the Investors, that the Media has enormous influence in our lives and we should not treat it so lightly, that people are influenced in a bad direction and we end up with tragedies like Charleston and Sandy Hook on our hands. And there is no doubt in my mind that the media had some part to play in these disasters. Anyway friends just talking and doing…more anon.
