recreational literacy

"Umm... were you aware that this movie has subtitles?"

That's what was spoken unto me by the young lady at the theater, to whom I had just handed my ticket to Pan's Labyrinth.

So this is what I said to her - verbatim: "Do you really think that I would be here, in the afternoon, by myself, on the opening day of a foreign film, for which I have just handed you an internet ticket, which I would have had to purchase in advance, if I didn't know enough about the movie in question to know that it has subtitles?"

Yes, that's exactly what I said. Word for word. I would never exaggerate that, or anything else on this blog. And yes, I did see it by myself. Which I am fully aware is unforgivably loserish, but it was either that or not see it. You might say, "Hoov, surely you could find someone to go to the movie with you". Yeah, I can just see that conversation panning out:

"Hey, you wanna go to a movie?"

"What are you going to see?"

"Pan's Labyrinth."

"I haven't heard of it - what's it about?"

"Well, this little girl has to complete three tasks assigned to her by a magic faun so that she can reclaim her birthright."

"..."

"Because she's, um. A princess."

"A princess?"

"Yeah."

"And there's a faun."

"Yeah."

"And he's... magic?"

"Well... yeah."

"So it's like, a kid's movie?"

"Well, no. It's actually rated R."

"Hmm... An R-rated movie about little girls and fauns..."

"Yeah... It's Spanish."

"It doesn't have subtitles does it?"

Anyway, it's a great film. Be sure to check it out if it comes your way.


"Donde esta David Bowie?"