Leaving Las Vegas (too)

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In the days following my viewing the movie Leaving Las Vegas and the writing of the article post for this blog, the movie continues to stir my mind. I see Las Vegas as a place that actually condones and even supports those who might wish to throw themselves into the vortex of human self-plunder. I don’t know for sure; I have never been there and have never wished to go. It seems a place I might lose control. Sure I would love to see all the wonderful entertainment, yet I know that Vegas is designed to entice one into what can easily become a black hole for some.

Somethings have peaked my interest in this movie. Almost daily I hear of those tragic human situations where someone is out of control. I hear talk about those dark notions that seem to lurk in us all and surface in some manifesting in disturbing behaviour. Only yesterday was a discussion on the radio about a woman who mutilated and dismembered pets and is now out of jail living somewhere in the community. It is known that her treatment has not worked and that she will likely re-offend. She was banned from using the Internet, yet managed to post some remarks on social media sparking alarming replies from others who have dark fantasies that they would love to experience, but are also afraid of acting on those desires.

I just watched a portion of a news magazine segment about a boy who simply could not control himself or be controlled. There seemed to be no way to keep him from some dangerous behaviour.

What is it about some people that drives them to destruction? Why do some people seem to be incurable and must live with certain conditions somehow contained, but never eliminated?

What seldom seems to be considered as a primary way out is to treat the human spirit—the only place within a human where true hope may be found. In 1934, two desperate alcoholics met, found recovery and discovered: a) That we were alcoholic and could not manage our lives; b) That probably no human power could have relieved our alcoholism; c) That God could and would if He were sought. —From Alcoholics Anonymous (Third Edition) (The Big Book) page 60.

Alcoholism has devastated lives throughout human history and still does. It is an example of a human condition to which there seems no cure. Even alcoholics in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) refer to themselves as ‘recovering.’ There are other human conditions that seem to evade the human cure.

What the founders of AA discovered is that, where human efforts and science fail, God can prevail. For Ben in Leaving Las Vegas, the desire to live and the willingness to step onto a spiritual road were completely lacking. How could this be? Isn’t it a basic instinct for any life form to survive? It seems that it would be very difficult for any living being to endure a self-inflicted slow death and not have some sort of survival response. How does a human lose all hope and become dedicated to a path of self-destruction?

The seed of human life is corrupted. There is a part of each and every one of us that has the capacity to lead us into self-destruction, whether we realize it or not. Examine your life and you will spot instances of actions that might be less than the best choice. How many people go on a diet and never cheat? Who can claim to have never said anything harsh or in anger? It is impossible. For some people the fight for the soul where one makes the decisions about their actions is a struggle that can sometimes overwhelm. All it take is a certain situation that can trigger an uncontrollable response. For one person, it might bring a harsh word; for another, it might cause them to pick up a drink. If they are an alcoholic, this could kill them.

Obviously, Ben snapped when he lost his family. He snapped and lost control. His mind changed direction 180 degrees. When he was let go from his job, he was told that they sure liked having him around. Instead of involving some sort of reconsideration response and a subsequent change in his behaviour; this only poured gas on the fire. In one of the next scenes, he has cleaned out his house and is pouring gas on garbage bags of personal belongings, reminders of his family. It is then that he heads to Las Vegas—down the road of destruction. Where was the hope he could continue to live without his family?

It is said that love conquers all. 1 Corinthians 13 states, “Love never fails.” So what happened to Ben? Sera loved him and he loved her. He called her his angel. His body, soul and spirit were so damaged that there was little left to save him. Death and a way of drinking, as Ben called his mission, must have been difficult and painful. The body becomes very sick. That he accomplished his mission in weeks probably means, rather than a slow deterioration of his body, mind and soul, that he poisoned himself and his relatively healthy body with the alcohol numbing him.

Where were those who might intervene? Would it even be possible to intervene? These are tough questions for a situation such as Ben’s. Whether short-termed or long-termed alcoholism is baffling. Still one never knows when a spiritual awakening might occur, so one must always be there for those who struggle and never give up. That the one there for Ben was Sera who was also in a struggle should not have mattered. Often two who are suffering can paradoxically help each other. Bill W. and Dr. Bob are perfect examples and the result not only saved themselves, but countless others through AA.—a true spiritual awakening.

Leaving Las Vegas

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Leaving Las Vegas is a powerful, yet tasteful portrayal of alcoholism and love. Nicholas Cage plays a businessman who, through the overuse of alcohol, loses his family and his job. As a self-confessing drunk, he becomes brash and obnoxious. With no friends he heads off to hurl himself into the grandest human-made pit in the world—Las Vegas.

Amide the splendour of bright lights and a soundtrack of music including Sting and including My One and Only Love, we travel with Ben as he discovers a world where he can let go and fall into the pit of gambling, prostitution, drugs and, of course, alcohol. He takes a room in a seedy hotel and wanders his way into a stupor.

Elizabeth Shue plays a prostitute who befriends Ben and she eventually takes him in. Sera and Ben have an unexplainable bond and an unlikely non-sexual relationship. She is beautiful, yet showing wear from her life in prostitution; he is middle-aged with thinning wiry hair and gaining a growing gaunt look from not caring for himself and too much alcohol. Drawn closer by love, Sera spends her nights working the streets while Ben travels down his road of destruction. During the day they enjoy short bursts of being together.

While Ben is entirely out of control throughout the movie, Sera is also trapped by her life of prostitution. They accept each other, yet seem to long for each to find their own way out. Ben had instructed Sera, “You can never, ever, ask me to stop drinking.” She replies in agreement “I know.” Yet later she says, “I want you to see a doctor.” “No, no doctor,” replies Ben.

It is difficult to identify what takes a person down particular destructive roads. Ben can’t understand why Sera can care for him and calls her his angel. Someone tells him that drinking is a way of killing himself, to which he with a smile replies to the man, “Killing myself is a way of drinking.”

I found the movie to be tasteful in showing the deep extensive darkness of a world where most of our society thankfully never venture. In a scene, where Sera is tragically beaten and raped by some young college men out for a thrill in Vegas, we see only enough to understand the painfulness of such an experience. Yet it is not enough pain for Sera to get away from her slavery to that world.

In depicting alcoholism, there are no stops. Cage plays the battle with stark and shocking realism. I awoke in the morning realizing that, as we came to believe and understand, ‘there but for the grace of God go I.’

We all live trapped lives to some extent and the deeper pits are always waiting just around the corner for us to fall into. It happens to so many in our society and world. On the merry-go-round and downward spiral, it is difficult to get off. We may reach the point where we think, ‘Stop the world, I want to get off.’

Speaking of pits, my favourite jazz musician is cornet player Bix Beiderbecke who lived in the 1920s amide the early days of jazz and bathtub gin. His life was one of spiralling into the pit of alcoholism from which he never returned. His music is always clear, inspired, full of energy and life. It stands in striking contrast to his life, never hinting to the true pain he lived with.

Yesterday, I played my cornet in church with the choir. I had never done this before and never played that type of music. It was a challenge and exhausting both physically, mentally and musically. It was exhausting musically because of the key signatures and the variety of sheet music, or lack of for some songs, ranging from choral arrangements to lyrics and chords, from the seventeenth century to the present.

I think it was physically and mentally challenging because I have not really played much since I was young as a kid. I was a record collector of vintage jazz and swing from the 20s, 30s and 40s. I spent a lot of my time buying records and hanging around jazz.

While living in the US going to college, I met many musicians; some in the pits of human existence. I once took in a fellow who I found in a jazz joint; he had been kicked out of his house and with no place to go. As a child prodigy trumpet player, he had ended up playing in Las Vegas. Because of dentures, he had switched to flugelhorn. As a regular sitting-in with the band he then became a bartender there. When I would walk in, a drink would immediately land in my hand. Sadly he died before his time.

I bought my cornet from a fellow whom I was listening to regularly. He was leaving town for a new opportunity and sold it to me for $100, including a new hard case. It was the top professional cornet from the manufacturer. Thankfully he is still alive and playing today. He informed me that the other owners I also knew well. Two of them have passed before their time.

The history of human existence is littered with the stories of those who fell into a pit and were unable to crawl out. They struggle, become numb, lose traction in life and succumb. They become lost; there is only one way out for them. I fell into that pit. Over thirty years ago, I was lifted out. I know with all surety that the pit is just one step away. The movie Leaving Las Vegas is a realistic and shocking reminder.

 

Special Note:

After writing this, I did some reading about the movie. Some remarks from reviewers indicated the movie had far more explicit content than what I had seen on TV. Perhaps I was so taken by Cage’s incredible performance that I simply missed it. However, my wife would have insisted it be turned off. One remark stated that the DVD version had scenes not in the theatre cut of the film. Someone confirmed this by obtaining a copy from the library.

The movie was very compelling to me and when I discovered that there is some very explicit content absent from the version I saw, I was somewhat creeped-out and felt cheated and betrayed. I had said here that the movie was tasteful, yet it seems to have an explicit twin that is so much more like the trashy sex obsessed material that Hollywood puts out minus the happy ending. I had thought that Hollywood had finally been able to deal with some very disturbing subject matter, take it to the edge and yet not cross the line into having to show the filth.

The movie was disturbing enough in the way it portrayed alcoholism and the death wish driven addiction that goes to the heart of humanity. I want to point out and state to Hollywood that a movie can be amazingly compelling without going over the edge. I feel it is a far greater accomplishment to get the message across, be entirely artful, without crossing the line. Please Hollywood, think about this. The human mind is powerful and can get the message without being bombed.

 

See Leaving Las Vegas (too)

A monumental statement of humanity for hundreds of years

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Part One—The first visit

What can you think of that is made today and could last for hundreds of years? What sort of endeavour is there that combines and employs modern technology with ancient craftsmanship? From the stone age to the computer age, here is a look at how technology and craftsmanship work together in the monumental task of producing a headstone for a grave and how it can be a deeply humanizing experience.

Meet Dan Bellan

Meet Dan Bellan. Dan is a Monument Maker. If you don’t know what that is, you are probably not alone. Most people these days don’t have much interaction with the person who makes the marker for a grave.

This is the story my wife and I visiting Dan the monument maker, the process of producing a marker for the grave of my wife’s parents and finding an amazing combination of technology and age old craftsmanship in a beautifully humanizing process.

My wife had arranged for the stone with the cemetery and we headed out early one Saturday morning to arrange for the inscription. Arriving in East Vancouver, notorious for drug infested areas along with various industries, shops and studios. We arrived at 8 am to meet Dan. We walked into the rustic studio and into the back where numerous stones were either in production or complete, ready to be shipped. A few were obviously being kept as examples and there were several photographs and work samples on the walls.

Samples on the wall.

Looking back into the shop.

I, being a curious one, began to poke around and ask a few questions. Dan didn’t seem to mind and jumped effortlessly back and forth fulfilling my wife’s needs to get the design done and being quite pleased that somebody was not only curious about his work, but also had some reasonable questions. We quickly established some common interests and he seemed interested in my ideas that stem from my work toward the book I am writing about technological change and dehumanization. I could even say that we were building on each other’s ideas. This is not only creative, but synergistic.

The process of producing a marker for the ages begins by examining the roughly shaped stone, selecting a side for the text, then discussing things like whether to polish and taking some measurements. “Here, I can show you what it will look like and we dashed to the front office where there was a computer connected to a Gerber plotter. Working quickly, after some consultation about typestyle, Dan dove into a program I noticed, by peering over his shoulder, was called Composer. I asked if it was like Adobe Illustrator and he explained that it is a combination of something like Illustrator and CAD (computer aided design).

The plotter that cut the rubber.

Setting the type

Having done typesetting during my days in the printing industry—an aspect of my background that helped Dan and I to connect—I have an affinity toward the delicateness of typography. I watched Dan quickly take full control over the composing, not letting the computer have so much as a single kern (space between characters). I saw a keen eye to detail employing a humanizing approach that I could clearly see was coming from years of setting type in stone. I realized that the very imperfections of stone dictate a need for a sensibility that no computer could produce. The computer typesetting had to be humanized. After all, it is to last for hundreds of years.

Working with the type and the design.

Now, I must explain that this was not a straight-forward process. We were jumping around looking through books, checking samples, trying ornaments and in the midst of it all, I noticed an old Marantz receiver/amplifier in the corner. “I like the warm sound,” Dan stated. “I remember that amp,” I replied and told him about my days as a jazz record collector, my JVC and our family’s Sansui quadraphonic amps, all from the same era.

The Marantz.

Soon Dan had printed the text out on a laser printer and was cutting a rough, roundish shape around it. We headed to the stone and he taped it on for us to see. We all stood back to admire and critique. At first, there was an idea for a cross in the upper left corner of the stone. After perusing some books, my wife asked about an angel. “My mother liked angels,” she explained. Within moments, Dan had a very cute bronze angel that was just the right size. “There are lots of great grandchildren who will like this angel,” my wife said. Dan held it in place, experimenting with the angle a bit.

Checking to see how it fits.

Sure it is paper, but it is starting to look good.

The face of the stone is going to get hand polished. The text that has been typeset on a computer and manipulated through the eye of a craftsman, will be cut into a rubber material with an adhesive back (called buttermilk, as I recall from years ago) by a computer driven Gerber plotter. The material will be placed on the stone and sandblasted. The rubber withstands the force of the blasting sand while the rock gives way leaving a de-bossed image of text. This same process is often used in making wooden signs that look hand carved. Around twenty-five years ago, I investigated setting up a sign business around a Gerber plotter.

If one would care to spend considerably more money, Dan can produce hand chiseled work. I told him that he needs an apprentice. He explained that nobody wants to do this sort of work. He has tried a few fellows, but their dedication to the craft was lacking. We talked quite a bit about things these days having a disposable nature to them—even music. Dan listens to FM radio stations of quality music on his Marantz.

Step back and have a look.

Recently my journey into discovering ways to humanize our appropriation of technology into our lives has led me to investigating how jazz music might teach us about a more human approach to life. I explained that I felt the process we experienced around the design of the marker stone was very much a jazz-like experience. Dan got it right away. Nothing we did was in any particular order. We had been driven by inspiration and creativity. Everyone had participated. We had explored and invented, jumping from idea to idea, in a very democratic way bringing about a monumental statement of humanity for hundreds of years.

Testing the placement of the angel ornament.

Time for reflection.

Getting some paperwork done.

 

 

Part Two—The second visit

A jazz inspired lifestyle is not easy to find these days with people driven by their gadgets. It can be an inhumanly automated world we live in. Seeing life done another way is refreshing. Not necessarily a life devoid of technology; a life where technology is appropriated into other human activities.

It’s done!

It was another early Saturday morning visit to see the finished stone. It turned out just as Dan had described. I felt it looked cute. Small, but not so small it would get lost and not big, or too bold. We spent some time talking about how it would sit on the ground. We looked at a stone that could be a footing. We also talked about flowers. As usual, Dan had to field some of my questions of curiosity about his shop and processes.

Looking forward in the shop.

Have a blast. This is where the sand blasting happens.

We headed to the front office to do the paperwork. I noticed a guitar case siting on the table behind the plotter. “You play guitar?” I asked. “Yes,” he replied. “What do you like to play?” “I like to fingerpick a little jazz.” If you have been reading some of my other blog posts, you will understand what happened next. Yup, we diverged into conversations about jazz music, more about my ideas of a jazz lifestyle and my recent fixations on the music of Roger McGuinn and The Byrds (see my recent article).

Dan’s Gibsons electric.

A closer look.

Dan’s jazz interests lie in the more modern styles of jazz. Mine, of course in the 20s to 40s. I mentioned how often I find people influenced by John Coltrane, even Roger McGuinn. Moments later, he had Coltrane CDs in front of me.

I asked Dan about his style of guitar playing. He doesn’t play any particular style, he just likes to play. I mentioned that jazz usually just takes a melody, chords and a beat, however, Ornette Coleman worked on moving away from even those bare elements. Out popped a CD boxed set of Ornette Coleman. If we had more time it would have been a listening session and an exchange of ideas and musical interests.

I hope to see Dan again someday. We have much more to discuss. I see him as having some aspects of a jazz lifestyle. His work is unique and some of it may not get passed on unless he gets an apprentice. Living in a technological society and working to make crafted items for people who have suffered the loss of a loved one: this seems to me to be important work. Dan brings the stone age and the computer age together and touches it all with a jazz feel.

So this is Christmas

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So this is Christmas, the late, ex-Beatle, John Lennon wrote in Happy Christmas (war is over) and it is clear that Lennon was not only troubled about the Vietnam War, but, Christmas as well. He was right. Most people do miss the point of Christmas, choosing to consider it a time of goodwill and joy, peace, and simply some sort of warm fuzzy activities and feelings. This has become known as the spirit of Christmas. Unless you hibernate during the winter, you are well aware of the commercial side of Christmas and the general stress this time of year brings to most people, nevertheless, most do agree that it is a time for exceptions to the flow of life.

During World War I, the fighting stopped and both sides met for good cheer and stories. The next day, “I enjoyed your story yesterday, now enjoy my bayonet.” Perhaps it happened. Today, we have a day of the warm fuzzies and then it is back to the war in the malls. It is hard to park during the days and even weeks before Christmas, then one day off, and the panic resumes. Even though Christmas shopping seems to begin shortly after summer. Imagine, several months of shopping and a few days, or maybe hours, of goodwill.

Ever since Santa became obsolete, or should I say redundant, in my life, I have been troubled too. I often find myself sitting up late Christmas Eve staring at the tree and pondering. Or, this Christmas, I am writing this blog entry. Even with a full understanding of what Christmas is about, I can not shake the disconcerting feelings around the way we as a society approach Christmas. Perhaps it is because I do not do much at Christmas anymore. It did seem to make a bit more sense when I was involved in something, like playing music. I just seem to be too busy for Christmas as society does it and find it is simply a bit too stressful.

Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about? This question, asked by Charlie Brown, brings the eternal response from Linus:

Sure, Charlie Brown, I can tell you what Christmas is all about.
Lights, please.
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, ‘Fear not: for behold, I bring unto you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.

Linus replies to the question with a quote directly from the Holy Bible. Linus is almost right. Although the observance of, and the name Christmas, has an origin by Christians in the second century. they did appropriate it from the Romans who celebrated a winter harvest festival marking the winter solstice, called Saturnalia. It was a rowdy festival worshipping Saturn, the God of Sowing. The winter solstice recognized the return of the sun. Christians felt it should be a time to worship the Son (of God).

Over the centuries, Christmas has had it’s ups and downs such as over indulgence and partying. Linus’ quote sums up a magnificent story, a story that people have taken parts of, just as they pick and choose from the Bible. If you ask anyone on the street what Christmas means, they will probably respond with something that includes some form of good tidings, joy, peace on Earth and good will toward men, from the announcement in the Bible.

Every Christmas, people sing Christmas carols. Most carols relate some form of the Christmas story. They sing about Jesus, Christ, angels and God. I never really thought about it all until I discovered the real meaning of Christmas. Then, what hypocrisy, I thought. How can people sing about Jesus without embracing Him and all that he stands for? Moreover, they mix it with all the other notions of Christmas, including the commercial ones. I was confused.

The Christmas story, in fact the Bible in whole, is so fantastic that it takes a huge leap of faith to believe. Yet, it is so full of wisdom and historical accuracy it is accepted as a great source of value for society. Jesus is considered to have been a great teacher and good person. But wait! Jesus taught that he and God are one. That he is the way to everlasting life. He has become the most important figure in history, changed and influenced millions of lives and yet was poor, never owning anything. From his birth in a manger to his death as a criminal and burial in a borrowed tomb, Jesus stands unique in comparison to any other historical person. The birth of Jesus fulfilled over 150 prophesies from the Old Testament of the Bible.

What most people know about Jesus and the Bible, they have gathered from other people. Few have made their own exploration of what the Bible states. Many have been turned off by experiences in a church or by religious people, or by others who have turned away from the church. But, for most people, they are too interested in self-indulgence and they are afraid to face their sin. The Christmas story is about love and forgiveness.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. – John 3:16 (KJV).

To me, Christmas seems to have a split personality. On one side is the Christian version, the celebration of the birth of the Son of God. However, nobody knows when that really was. Some calculations have placed it sometime around the month of September. Images and beliefs about the Christmas story have become distorted and are now full of inaccuracies. Look around, try the Internet, and you can find a manger image that contains trees with snow. Or, the one above with Santa visiting the baby Jesus. If you had never heard of Christmas and look around to learn what it was about, I think it would be hard to determine the actual meaning of Christmas.

Actually, there is no record in the Bible or in the traditions of the very early church, prior to the second century, of any sort of celebration of the birth of Jesus. Instead, Christians have always looked to and celebrated Jesus’ sacrificial death and resurrection.

On the other side, is the non-religious, non-Christian approach to a warm fuzzy time of year. Is it time to split Christmas, or is it fine the way it is? I wonder what Jesus would say. During his life on Earth, Jesus owned nothing himself and shared everything he received. In his resurrected life, everything belongs to him, he is the ‘King of Kings and Lord of Lords.’ Jesus is coming back for His church.

So, this is Christmas…
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