I finished making the screencaps from "Gorky Park". I'm going to miss it. Not the scene with Brian Dennehy and the tree though. That one upsets me.

"Gorky Park" is actually one of the first memories I have with William Hurt. My family ran a video store. We'd rent out VHS tapes from our actual kitchen. You know. Those clunky things that were in boxes. Well when my sister and I were young we'd help to put the tapes back in the empty boxes. There were always these tapes that no matter how hard we looked for them we could not find the boxes to. One of these mysteries was a film called "Gorky Park". It was like the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. It was elusive and an obsession.

Well one day I was on the ground. Don't ask me why. I have no memory. I was about 7 or 8. All I remember is being on the ground and looking under a shelf. Lost amid the bird seed and budgie feathers (my family had budgies up on the top video shelf that would occassionally poop on our customers heads) there was a tape case. I pulled it out. It was the long lost "Gorky Park". I remember being happy about finding it. I can't remember what I thought of William Hurt. I think I thought he was handsome. I remember the photos on the case because I was curious about the film after it having been MIA for so long. Also, despite what people say, and how deceptive it can be, people usually do judge a book by the cover and you usually will judge if you want to give a movie a chance by the case.

Years later a neighbour would give me the book to "Gorky Park". I never got around to reading it. Maybe I will someday.

This has little to do with William Hurt but I wanted to say that today is Shine a Light on Slavery Day. Slavery is not a thing of the past just because laws were passed. It still occurs. Where there is darkness in the human heart there is always the chance for great evil and the rejection of law. When there is ignorance this darkness is allowed to exist. The horror of child exploitation is still real. The injustice of every man and woman not being viewed as equal is still present. We need to stop this. The best way to stop this is by shining a light on it, exposing it, and letting it no longer hide in our ignorance.

Draw a large red X on your hand. When asked about it tell the asker about the movement.

Please visit this page, share it and pledge:

http://enditmovement.com/#Pledge

Watch and share this video too.

There's a fairy tale about a girl with 11 brothers who turn into swans. In order for them to return to human form the girl has to knit nettle sweaters and remain silent for many years. In one of the variations of this tale, when the girl is very upset, she digs a hole and screams into it. For some reason this doesn't break the vow she made, not too sure why not, and it makes her feel much better. This image has always stayed with me.

I feel extremely silly doing this because I know that you'll never read it but because it will make me feel better:

Happy Easter William Hurt! I hope you and your family have a very peaceful and loving time.

I added some more "Gorky Park" screencaps.

I watched that film for the second time last night and I'm wondering, Mr. Hurt, if you tried the trust excercise on Brian Dennehy because I'm thinking that may be a bad idea.

I'm almost done making screencaps from "Kiss of the Spider Woman". This is my favorite film of William Hurt's. I'm really upset actually that I finished the Molina and Valentin scenes. I love that couple. I also know what is about to happen to my poor Molina. I know part of him wanted it but it still breaks my heart.

On a more lighter note. I love the rips in Molina's prison suit and how they are sewn up with different thread or cloth. A detail like that excites me. You feel like the movie isn't confined to what you've seen. It has existed before.

I'm not sure I'll be online tomorrow but I wanted to wish William Hurt a happy Birthday. Happy Birthday William Hurt.

Here is another new interview with Mr. Hurt.

http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2013-03-18/william-hurt-on-space-shuttle-drama-the-challenger-its-about-an-individual-versus-the-group

I've got to be honest. I don't like the use of the word "hiding" in this sentence: "even though he wasn’t hiding behind a notion of God that you’d find in the Bible,”

You cannot hide behind a notion of God found in the Bible. I know you've read the Bible, Mr. Hurt. I've read it too. There is nothing there to hide behind. The God of the Bible is not as simple as everyone makes Him out to be. You know that. You hate generalities so why are you being so general here? The God of the Bible is no simple Creator. God is very plain on the fact that you will never understand Him. We are Moses peeking through the crack in a cliff because to understand God and to see Him would be death to us. Scientists are just as simple in their notions of God and life as someone who goes to church each Sunday. They are more foolish in a way because they believe He would allow them to find Him under a microscope. They underestimate Him just as much as the uneducated believers that so many of them look down on. Believers like myself.  And maybe that is one of the true pains of God: That while He understands us in such a fashion that his son can predict Peter's three denials He will never be understood in the way that He deserves. And isn't that one of the true desires we each have: to be understood? And weren't we made in His image?
 
And I hate that so many people say that the stories of the Bible are primitive. They act like the people in that book are mentally handicapped. They act like they never felt or thought about things when the truth of the matter is that they probably were better off than we are. We have far too many distractions for us to focus. Those people didn't. Reread Ecclesiastes. Was that man simple? The words he spoke of were pain and truth. The Bible and its people understood life; both its miseries and its joys. Those who say that they are primitive are failing to give those souls the respect and understanding that they deserve. It's offensive.

I am offended. I do not hide behind anything. I know God as much as any human can and I love Him and accept Him. He is harsh but His harshness is more kind than any human's. He is love. And love is never simple.

You linked to an article about the Holocaust. Remember that while that event made many people lose their faith it also made others hold tightly onto their own. They saw what was going on around them but they did not hide behind the notion of their God from the Bible. They embraced Him even when the life He had given them was about to be stolen and it gave them strength. I'm sorry if that's being too sentimental but it is the truth.

I'm sorry if this sounds like a sermon. You like seeing one better than hearing one but you're not exactly here right now and words are all I have. Please before you cast the first stone remember that there are quite a few people who may accuse you of giving a speech now and then too.

Three new interviews with William Hurt. This time they are in regards to "The Challenger" that airs tonight. For those who aren't aware the film is about the 1986 tragic crash of the Challenger space shuttle.

They are good interviews if a little short. Mr. Hurt talks about areas he is passionate in. And I was happy to read him say "Hope springs eternal."

He also talks excitedly about space exploration. I'm afraid to put this incase I offend you, Mr. Hurt, but can I be completely honest? I really abhor the amount of money spent on sending people into space. I don't like that so much concentration is put into this area. I've talked with my sister about it for years. Is this planet so perfect that we need to look to others? Is this planet so far gone that we need to look there also? As long as there is pain here I don't think that it is right to waste money on going to a place where there is nothing that truly affects us. It seems held so highly and just seems incredibly foolish to me. There are people suffering here. Shouldn't that money be spent on them? Isn't a human soul more vastly important and interesting than a very large ball hanging in space? Aren't they worth more than something that just exists but doesn't laugh or cry and can't make you laugh or cry either. Mars can't move you with a simple touch and you can never move it in the same way. How are we to prove to God that we are truly made in His image when what we call important is not what is important in His sight?

If there was a race being held by two people and if the first runner fell but the second runner did not stop his running and turn back to help the fallen I would not respect the second runner. It wouldn't matter to me at all if he won. I would not respect the race. It would seem pointless and vain. The real beauty wasn't there but in the opportunity for the love in the second runner to be born and go where he was truly needed which wasn't the finish line at all.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/9927176/William-Hurt-I-want-to-do-whats-least-expected-of-me.html
http://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/tv-radio/384767/The-tragic-story-of-the-Challenger-Space-Shuttle-is-told-in-a-gripping-drama
http://www.whatsontv.co.uk/article/tv-news/william-hurt-reveals-his-challenging-new-role

There is a new interview with Mr. Hurt for "The Host" at Hoy Cinema. Click on the picture to be brought to the page.

He is in Jeb attire. I must confess, I have never read "The Host". I'm looking forward to seeing it with little opinion about it. I've also got to say I love Mr. Hurt laughing at the end of the interview. What he is laughing about is so true.

Mr. Hurt, I know you'll never read this but I wanted to say something to you. It saddens me when I read that you had/have a bumper sticker that reads "I feel so much better since I gave up hope." If you mean hope as in the desire for pleasant things that would make life easier then that is fine. I can deal with that. But then again I would find that being general which I know you hate. I would wish for larger bumpers so the sticker could be more specific. And I don't mean to be like those people who tell you you are too despairing. Maybe your life has been full of despair and that is what you believe that it has taught you. But hope seems an involuntary thing sometimes.  I know I've felt it when it will only end up hurting me because what it wants seems impossible. Still it is there and for all my occasional anger with it I would never wish it to leave me. I also know you mention it other times so you can't have completely given up on it either, sticker or not.

The reason why I'm posting this is because I just read Charles Péguy's "The Portal of the Mystery of Hope" for the first time and it reminded me of what a beautiful and neglected feeling it is. Of course, you are lucky and can read the original french version.  Knowing you somewhat, you probably already have. Thinking of hope reminded me of someone who supposedly had no hope and that would be you. I'm not as well educated as you are. I don't have the ability with words that you do but if I did I wish I could say something to you that could convey what the poem made me feel and how hope should never be completely abandoned. I hope you have hope, William Hurt. I hope you see the beauty of it even if it seems foolish. That is a source of its strength, in a way.