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Monday, June 19, 2006

MacKenna's Gold on Surround Sound

Bought, after much persuasion from son Ronnie, a surround sound system. Now I have near orchestral sound within the house, good to relax with when I want to watch a movie or listen to my favorite music. I am the type of person who goes with the times and do like the latest teenage sensations except for some rap singers who, methinks, are c(rap)py. I like Michael Jackson, whatever anyone says, of whom my son is a great fan.

Yesterday, I watched my favorite movie of all times – MacKenna’s Gold – on the surround sound system. And my, what sound effects, the sound of the bullet shot ricocheting around the hills, and the most cinematic moment I will cherish all my life, i.e., MacKenna (played by Gregory Peck) appearing from the diagonal slope of a rock and surveying the deserted landscape, eyes narrowed, just a bit cynically. How we all imitated him in the seventies, long shirtsleeves, broad belt, ramrod straight back, slow walk! Alas, Gregory Peck is dead, now!

The goodness of MacKenna, the badness of Colorado (played enigmatically by Omar Sharif – oh, Omar Sharif – how much I craved to be like him in those days, despite his badness, saying he looked more Indian than Egyptian, darkly handsome and all that!) were all stuff of schoolboy enthusiasm in those days. His dialogue, "I make the jokes, compadre," was a favorite. So also was the eye of the eagle that filled the entire 70 mm screen at Basant Talkies in Chembur (now seen in the small screen in the privacy of home, half reclining on the sofa!), the rock on the cliff that, um, just rocked, and rocked, and rocked, before it fell in the climactic scene!

This is one movie I can never forget. It was and still is, a giant of a movie. Go here if you would like to buy it on Amazon. Disclosure: I am not an Amazonian, I only buy books from them, sometimes.
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