Reds

I realized that the new job would cut down on my writing and my movie viewing. When I get home from work I usually don't feel like watching a movie. I become tired and sleepy really quick. So my movie watching will probably be limited to Saturday afternoon. So I decided to watch special movies those days. Especially movies on DVD that come with a lot of extras. I love to watch a film and learn everything about it.

My first Saturday movie is "Reds". An epic movie that is remarkable for many things. It was one of the last of the intelligent epic movies. It marked the end of an era in which mainstream movies were aimed at adults. And on a personal level, it is the last movie I remember seeing at the old Cinerama theater in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Imagine telling a studio right now that you want to make a three hour movie about a Communist. You would be laughed off the phase of the earth. But Warren Beatty had enough clout at that time to pull it off. The movie is part romance, part history. And it works well on both levels. Maybe it works better on the historical side, because the romance seemed a bit cliche ridden.

The movie is also the last one I can recall that had an Intermission. This was a practice common to long movies in which the public was given a chance to take a 15 minute break, go to the bathroom, get something to eat or simply stretch the legs. I miss those wonderful Intermissions. And I love the fact that the DVD features such a break. It is a really nostalgic thing to experience.

All in all, a nice movie to watch again.