Alright, Canadian Thanksgiving. Whoopee. I'm NOT spending the day alone today, which, given my state of mind, is likely a good thing. Being home, my mind turns over events and situations probably best left unanalysed - why is [name withheld] acting like this? Is he/she mad at me? I thought we were friends? What did I do? - the usual paranoid delusions. What else are hoildays for?

Speaking of paranoid delusions, I saw N. Roeg's Don't Look Back last night. Creepy little film that builds to an intense climax. Aside from one rather graphic sex scene (and much more of Donald Sutherland than I ever wanted to see), I'm not sure about the tag "erotic thriller." Indeed, the sex scene seems a little out of place. While it certainly symbolsizes Julie Chirstie's character's imporved state of mind, and is interestingly shot (cutting between sex and getting dressed afterwards), the scene frankly goes a little long. Which, I fear, might be the typical viewers respoonse to the film as a whole. While talk of psychic powers and warnings from beyond the grave are mentioned, they don't drive the plot forward. In fact, the figure in the red coat is sparingly seen. This might be disappointing. I, on the otherhand, felt that by turning down the intensity early on in the film, the climax becomes more chilling because it truly sneaks up on you. I can say with some certainty that when Donald Sutherland approaches the figure in the red coat I was as scared as I have ever been - truly frightening.

I also continued my ongoing Preston Sturges fest with Hail the Conquering Hero. With many faces and some similiar elements from Miracle of Morgan's Creek (Eddie Bracken as a hapless boob whose major anxiety is his inability to enlist for WW2), HCH is an excellent companion film, but not equl to, MMC. I found this films paricularly interesting after haivng studied the war poetry of Rosenberg, Sassoon, and Owen. With so many men being killed and killing, how can one be sinlged out as a hero - for, truly what is "heroic" about modern warfare? Sturges' film acts as a mild criticism of the American hero-wroshiping tendencies, to incapsulate an event in a few human faces. As I said, this criticism is mild, nevering at the expense of the comedy, but runs throughout the picture.

I have a few more films waiting to be watched over the next several days (I'm taking full advantage of having the place to myself), but turkey calls. A fine, wonderful family has invited me over. I must make myself presentable.