I know I’ve been quiet for an unusually long time, but two days after my last post on October 24, I was run over by an airport shuttle van while crossing the street at the intersection of 94th & Amsterdam Avenue here in NYC, so I think I’ve got a pretty good excuse for the inactivity. Recovery from the accident has been progressing pretty well, but it will take awhile longer before I’m back to “normal” (so to speak). Apparently getting flattened in the street wasn’t enough to pay off whatever karmic debt I’ve accrued, because two weeks ago I also came down with a case of shingles to boot. Man, what next?
One thing this little episode made me realize was that most violence in movies is unrealistic (duh). When the protagonist, while chasing someone on foot, runs into the street and gets hit by a car, tossed onto the hood and bounced off the windshield, then gets up and continues the chase, well, I don’t think so. The same for scenes of people crashing through plate glass windows or skylights. You don’t just walk away from this stuff so easily. At least, I didn’t.
But I’m feeling better now (in spite of the shingles, which are very distracting, believe me), and plan to start putting up posts again. I saw 236 films in 2013, and I’ve got plenty of stuff to write about. For starters, I’ll be posting my “Best of” picks for films and TV within the next week or two. In the meantime, to take us out of 2013 and into 2014, here’s the Johnny Burnett version of one of my favorite rock songs of all time, “The Train Kept A Rollin’.” A version of this song was performed by the Yardbirds in Michelangeo Antonioni’s classic Blow Up in 1966. This is followed by the opening credits sequence of Richard Lester’s great Beatles movie, A Hard Day’s Night (1964).
And finally, just because it perfectly captures a kind of pre-punk attitude, here is a key moment I love from one of Marlon Brando’s definitive films, The Wild One (1954).
Happy New Year! See you at the movies in 2014. – Ted Hicks
Films etc. 
Helluva story! Welcome back to the fiction free real world! Here’s to a pain free 2014!
Glad you’re back in the saddle Ted. I look forward to your 2013 picks. Donna
Good blog, I too llook forward to the best of 2013 David
“Whaddya got?” may not be the best line ever but it could have been a contender.
Oh no! Sorry to hear about your accident and the bout with shingles.
Here’s hoping 2014 will be MUCH better than 2013.
Hello, Ted –
And Happy New Year! Not long ago I was wondering what had happened to your reviews, and I am sorry to read of your close encounter with the shuttle van – sounds both painful and terrifying. I hope your recuperation continues at a good pace. I imagine you are familiar with Stephen King’s memorable piece about his being struck by a careening pick-up truck while he was walking along a rural road in Maine some years back: it is an unforgettable account of one man’s experience of the randomness of life-changing events, and of the vulnerability of our bodies and psyches. I hope for your complete recovery.
I had some health scares myself this past year: incidents of slurred speech diagnosed as myasthenia gravis in June; a kidney stone in September; and blood clots in the lung and leg in October. Things have settled down now, and meds are keeping everything working well. I’ll be interested to read your movie posts – stay well!
Fr. Tim Shugrue Cranford, NJ
Sent from my iPhone
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Bloody hell man. As far as excuses for unexplained blogging hiatuses go, getting run over is up there with the best. Glad to hear you are slowly on the mend and looking forward to seeing some new content from you. All the best.