Peter Wilson's Blog, page 3

Book Review: The Rum Diary

The Rum Diary by Hunter S. Thompson


My rating: 5 of 5 stars

‘What passed for society was a loud, giddy whirl of thieves and pretentious hustlers, a dull sideshow full of quacks and clowns and philistines with gimp mentalities.’ Wow. The Rum Diary, at least to me, is a coming of age story. The loss of a certain innocence. There is no denying that Paul Kemp is a semi-autobiographical portrait of a 22 year old Hunter S. The reader can tell that Hunter S. Thompson, only a young adult when he wrote the story, was extensively afraid of falling out of touch in his later years. If you are a confused young adult searching for some company this story is for you. The narrator, Paul Kemp, is critical of society only in a way that youth can be. He hasn’t bought in and he’s not sure that he ever will. The fact that this novel was initially rejected by several publishers just adds to the applicability of its theme. The younger generation trying to make sense of the dark points of society while still maintaining enthusiasm and spirit. If you are currently ‘stuck’ in a job that you don’t like be wary of The Rum Diary you may find yourself quoting it in your letter of resignation. Please check out my first published work








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Greenwood College “Defenseless” Write-Up

Full Write Up Here

The Next Great Sports Movie: A Look at “42”

At the heart of every great movie is a great script, meet writer/director Brian Helgeland. With a writing resume that contains L.A. Confidential, and a directing resume that contains A Knight’s Tale hope should be high for 42 to deliver.

In the film industry timing is vitally important. 42 will be released when baseball will be back from the off-season . Obama will hopefully be thriving in his second term. Spring will be in the air. Not to mention, the embarrassments that were the NHL lockout and NFL replacement refs won’t be frustrating sports fans.

The best sports movie of the last decade in my opinion would have to be either Miracle or The Fighter (does The Wrestler count?). 42 has the opportunity to trump them all.

Chadwick Boseman knows about playing a black American sports icon, he played Ernie Davis in The Express, but there seems to be more at stake with this role. It is important to distinguish between the theatrical portrayal of individuals and their actual achievements. Both Jackie Robinson and Ernie Davis are sports legends.  Their stories are incredible but doing their legend justice on screen is a completely different ball game. As for Boseman, this could be his big break. If the trailer is any indication, he is going all in. The rest of the cast is very strong and with the veteran Harrison Ford supporting it, acting shouldn’t be an issue. I won’t break down the trailer because the quality of it speaks for itself.

All of this is speculation and it could very well be that I am just ready for another great sports movie. But to me this legendary story is long overdue to be translated to film.

Full Book Cover

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Here is the full cover of my first published work Defenseless. Coming Soon!

The New Radicals & Gregg Alexander

GREGG ALEXANDER INTERVIEW

The New Radicals was Gregg Alexander. Gregg Alexander was the New Radicals. He wrote and produced all of their songs. He is the distinct and sometimes haunting vocals heard on all their songs. In 1999 the New Radicals and Alexander were on a straight shot to musical stardom with songs like “Mother We Just Can’t Get Enough”, “Someday We’ll Know” and of course “You Get What You Give”. A big tour was booked everyone was seeing dollar signs. But something happened. Alexander pulled the plug. I remember my tenth birthday was the exact day when Alexander announced that the group was done. What happened? No one can know for sure but it is easy to guess that Alexander saw himself becoming part of the machine that he despised and tried to speak out against in his youth through music. The New Radicals were branded a one-hit wonder and faded to black. But like with most great art Alexander’s music still lives on in some recess.

Note: Bad/Good- The advertisement before the video/the lyric “Did the captain of the Titanic cry?”

Audience Intrigue

It is tough to capture in words the genius of Alfred Hitchcock and his strategy to ‘sell’ Psycho. By requiring complete focus and attention to the rules about how Psycho should be properly experienced he had established intrigue even before one frame was projected. Gimmick? Maybe. Effective? Definitely. That level of engagement is completely voluntary and cannot be purchased. In fact, it is the contrary, you are paying Paramount Pictures for that level of attention to detail.

Hitchcock also knew that his film would get people talking and by politely asking people not to discuss the ‘horrors’ of Psycho after seeing it he again, couldn’t lose. Critics have spoken to the indescribable ‘mood’ of Psycho over the plot. Hitchcock knew that audience members would have difficulty articulating just what they experienced. Whether people told their friends all about it or allowed them to experience it for themselves both only benefited the exposure of the film.

This, to me, proves once again that despite careful film marketing and strategy the movie needs to have substance. I wonder in this age of abundant ‘communication’ could an audience be requested to keep quiet in a way similar to that of the early screenings of Psycho. The film may have been called Psycho but the selling strategy should have been called Psychology.

Creativity Prevails

The kid featured in the video is a very talented guitar player although he does not showcase his skill in the video (see other videos). However, he does showcase incredible emotional restraint. There was an article published in the Arts section of The Globe and Mail about this video which will no doubt give it more attention. I find the video motivating, inspiring and shocking. Motivating, because even despite attacks from his mother the kid will not stop his pursuit of being a guitar hero (forgive the reference). Inspiring, because art and creativity seem to prevail over any circumstance. Shocking, because my parents have supported my dream to write and publish my first novel almost from the completion of its first chapter. Of course, I am a little older than the kid in the video and have more autonomy… but that doesn’t stop me from feeling lucky and admiring the resilience of this young man.  And as only social media can, people from all over the world are connecting and identifying with individuals they don’t even ‘know’.

Entertainment

“I believe entertainment can aspire to be art, and can become art, but if you set out to make art you’re an idiot.” – Steve Martin

Inspiration

Everlast wrote the song while recovering from a major heart attack that he had suffered in February 1998. He has referred to it as “one of the most personal songs I ever wrote”, stating that the song was “kind of all about hope, but it’s coming from a really dark place you know, so… and really questioning a lot of your beliefs, and affirming, you know, stuff in your soul.”