Sunday, 11 February 2007
ElderMovies and an Elder Nascar Driver
You may wonder what ElderMovies and Nascar have in common. The answer, at least as regards Time Goes By, is nothing. They are just two items I want to mention in the same post.
THE TGB ELDERMOVIES LIST
Three readers have recently submitted excellent new items for the growing TGB ElderMovies List. On Friday, I had lunch with fellow Maine blogger ML of Full Fathom Five. She was excited about a 2005 documentary, Ballets Russes, which concerns, of course, Sergei Diaghilev’s Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo.
ML says doesn’t even much care about ballet, but she loved the movie and the interviews with the former dancers who, now in their 80s and 90s, are as strong and vibrant as when they danced with the company in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. I’ve added the film to our documentary list on ML’s recommendation, and also added it to my personal DVD rental queue.
Claude of Blogging in Paris sent an email recommending three movies for the list. Here is what she told me with links to what she’s written about them on her blog:
“I always meant to tell you about two movies that include some wonderful old characters. First one is The Holiday, with Eli Wallach, in a wonderful role. A very pleasant movie, in which elders and young exchange knowledge.“Also, The History Boys, with Richard Griffiths, just great. Thought those two movies could be added to your database.
“Also, but I'm not sure you want to add a French movie, but just in case, called in French Les Petites Vacances, and in English Stolen Holidays, a very interesting movie, with Bernadette Lafont, born in 1938, one of the muses of the Nouvelle Vague, who hasn't done anything like Botox or surgery to her face and is just great.”
There is a new section now below the Documentaries titled Non-English Language Films. Although Les Petites Vacances is listed at the Internet Movie Database, no DVD is available yet. When it is and if there are English subtitles (there usually are), I’ll move the film up to the main list.
Jill Fallon of Legacy Matters recommends four films that rightly belonged on the TGB ElderMovies List from day one, but you will need to wait for Jill’s guest blog here next Wednesday to find out what they are.
ELDER NASCAR DRIVER
Retirement Living TV, which has featured several elderbloggers on their network in recent months [full disclosure: including me], is sponsoring 72-year-old James Hylton in his bid, this weekend, to qualify for the Daytona 500.
"’James' spirit is everything that Retirement Television stands for,’" said Ed Beimfohr, vice president of marketing for Retirement Living TV. ‘We believe that you are never too old to go out and accomplish goals. James' quest to qualify for the Daytona 500, with the help of his friend JC Weaver, showcases that age is not an obstacle. We fully support his efforts beginning this weekend and into the Daytona 500. Achievement is ageless.’"
- Nascar.com, 7 February 2007
I am not a race fan (except for horses) and I know next to nothing about Nascar or any other kind of auto racing. But I like that Mr. Hylton is driving and that Retirement Living TV is a sponsor. You can read more about James Hylton, who last drove at Daytona 20 years ago, here.
Retirement Living TV will produce a documentary special of Mr. Hylton's efforts for their The Art of Living program.
Posted by Ronni Bennett at 05:40 AM | Permalink | Email this post
Comments
Thanks for the heads up on James Hylton. I had planned on dropping in on the qualifying from time to time this afternoon so I will be watching for him. I was not aware of his bid to qualify this year.
I am not a fanatical NASCAR fan but have been a casual fan for a number of years now. In fact, my favorite driver Tony Stewart won one of the prelim races last night that they run at Daytona.
Posted by: Alan G on Feb 11, 2007 7:19:58 AM
Well in case you aren't aware, James didn't qualify yesterday for the Daytona 500. The top qualifying speed was 186.3 mph while James topped out at 179.6 mph finishing 58th out of a little over sixty drivers.
But to your point....it certainly is not every 72 year old who zips about at those speeds testing both his physical and mental skills. Its a daunting sport, even for the young guns.
Posted by: Alan G on Feb 12, 2007 6:56:01 AM
Thank you for the update, Alan.
What I liked about this story is that although few people of any age can or are willing to take such risks as in auto racing, Hylton's try at qualifying reinforces the idea that age should not necessarily slow down anyone.
The effects of aging vary dramatically from person to person, so we should resist being lumped into one category at a certain age. Some others may be not be able to, but Hylton clearly can still race autos and I'm glad he made the trials.
Posted by: Ronni Bennett on Feb 12, 2007 8:09:17 AM
Ballet Russes is an excellent movie; saw it last year. very much wanted to sit center front in a theatre and listen to all of the participants more. remember the delight of watching the company when growing up in st. louis--and so many of us attempted to be ballerinas.
Posted by: Naomi Dagen Bloom on Feb 12, 2007 2:58:03 PM
As a matter of fact, James Hylton's bid to qualify is still very much alive! He will be racing in the 2 p.m. race on Thursday and only has to best 8 other racers in order to qualify for the Daytona 500. It's looking pretty good! Go James!
Posted by: Barbara Burri on Feb 12, 2007 5:05:42 PM
Another movie that delights that falls under the category of "sub titles" is After Life, a Japanese film after what happens when you die. You spend a week in a government-like office deciding what memory you want to live over and over again in "heaven". I love the characters; they are very identifiable in our culture even though they are Japanese. My favorite is the lady who is so into the here and now, she really doesn't need a day to relive.
I am curious if the Art of Living show you mentioned is related to the Art of Living Foundation??
Posted by: Heather Flanagan on Feb 12, 2007 9:26:24 PM
Oooops! Now see....that is what happens from being only a "casual" NASCAR fan!!
Barbara...
Thanks for the additional information. Completely forgot the fact that "all" the drivers were in the additional Thursday qualifying races.
Go James!
PS: What's the world coming to when women know more about car racing than men! It's all because of global warming...I know that's what it is!!
Posted by: Alan G on Feb 13, 2007 7:56:16 AM
