in the details

  I'm not a big movie buff, although I enjoy a good film every now and again. I'm always amazed at those folks that can remember what actor played what part and who the director was or the producer. I think of those people in the same way I think of car collectors that can tell what color wire went to the radio, for each model car! Those folks are really paying attention to the details. In my view they are all a bit obsessive. Others call them experts and admire them for that. I'd say I admire their knowledge, but they are a bit obsessive. 

 I was thinking about that after reading a small article about the movie Top Gun. The first one that was made. This person was pointing out all the errors in the military insignia. Being a retired Navy man myself I had noticed a few things that were wrong but thought nothing more about that. The person writing the critique didn't mention if they had military experience or not. Whatever the case, it just struck me how closely to details that person was paying attention too. I've never watched any film that closely. I've read plenty of meme's on Facebook where someone is pointing out the littlest details in movies or photographs. I'm always amazed that anyone would even notice. Well, I have to say I am more amused than amazed most of the time. 

 Movies are just stories to me. Stories to entertain. I'm not talking about documentaries based in historical facts, not that sort of thing. No, I'm just talking about fiction movies. I know that in the old west they used six-shooters, but they rarely run out of bullets. I ignore that detail and don't give it any thought. In all the westerns I've watched I don't recall anyone using the restroom but surely, they did on a three-month trail drive. As I said, it's just a story. I guess I'm not really paying that close attention to this stuff. I wonder just how many times someone has to watch those films to collect all those details. I guess it is like finding Waldo to some, a challenge to discover all the inaccuracies. 

 I think what amuses me even more is when these film buffs get together and begin to argue about the film. It's all make believe people. That's my first thought. Could Superman defeat Batman? No one can defeat Superman unless they have Kryptonite! LOL and Batman is really just your average guy with a lot of money that fights super criminals in his spare time. I've read arguments about Star Wars, Barbie, The Quiet Man and everything in-between. People quoting lines from the movie to prove their points. It all just seems so silly to me. 

 Just sit back and enjoy the show. That's what those films are made for. Doesn't have to be accurate, make any sense at all or be anywhere near close to the truth. Fiction generally remains in the realm of possibility. It isn't intended to be the truth but what could be the truth, maybe, might happen. A sub-genre of fiction is fantasy, Fantasy involves those ideas or concepts that are beyond the realm of possibility, like a man flying through the sky, faster than time and is invulnerable except for one mineral in the universe that weakens him.

 How close are you paying attention? Apparently, I have an issue with that. Even when I was in school the teacher was saying to me, pay attention. I usually paid just enough attention to pass the course and not much more. I've always been interested in a lot of things but never one thing enough to become an expert on that. I guess I'm just a general knowledge sort of person. Not a: I'm on Jeopardy, general knowledge person, not that good, but generally I have an answer. I've even been called a know it all, definitely a misnomer as I can assure you, I don't know it all. Fact is that some things I'd rather not know! I've discovered you are better off that way sometimes. 

 I have been paying attention though. I'm an expert in one field. I'm expert in me. That doesn't mean I'm going to share that expertise with everyone. As an example, you won't hear me telling how I messed something up really bad and bragging about that. No, I was raised to believe that mistakes were meant to learn from, not teach from. I like it best when others don't know about my failures. My hope is you are not paying attention. Well, not paying attention when I am wrong, but paying attention when I'm right. The goal is to have you believe I'm always right. But then we are back to fiction, aren't we? Some would even call it a fantasy. It's all in the details I suppose.