we could do it again sometime

-

Watching another episode of Tru Calling (episode 12 - "Valentine") and it's shaping up to be the most like Groundhog Day yet; a blocked road, an isolated location (even no cell service--which was not an issue for Phil in the movie but was an issue in Ramis' drafts; Phil drove up in his own car and had a car phone which cuts out at one point.). But, it's Tru Calling so there's a murder.

(For the record, I called which guest star was the murderer, but then he showed up dead... but with what looked like scratches on his neck like maybe he tried to kill again and got scratched. I'm not ruling out the possibility that I am wrong.)

Something occurred to me while watching Groundhog Day today. Ned is not interested in getting reacquainted with Phil. At least not in the film version. In Ramis' drafts, Ned is excited just to be recognized by Phil. But, in the final product, Ned is just trying to take advantage of their past relationship to make a sale. Consider the way the conversation goes:

Ned: No, I sell insurance.

Phil: What a shock.

Ned: Do you have life insurance? Cause, if you do, you could always use a little more. Am I right or am I right or am I right? Right? Right? Right?

Phil: Ned, I would love to stand here and talk with you, but I’m not going to. See you.

Ned: Hey, that’s all right. I’ll walk with you. You know, whenever I see an opportunity now, I charge it like a bull. Ned the Bull, that’s me now. You know, I’ve got friends of mine who live and die by the actuarial tables. And, I say, hey, it’s all one big crapshoot anyhoo. Tell me, have you ever heard of single premium life? Because, I think that really could be the ticket for you. God! It is so good to see you! What are you doing for dinner?

Well, maybe there's a little bit of trying to reconnect personally there at the end. Or maybe dinner is just how Ned finalizes all his sales. Make a personal connection to the customer and they will be more likely to buy.

(And, I was right about the murderer.)

So, Luc doesn't like that Tru keeps stuff from him. And, he just has some awesomely on-the-nose dialogue:

Because we’re going in circles here Tru, we’re running into the same problem over and over again, I just… I just don’t think one more chance is gonna change that.

Tru should just tell him what's going on already.

Another episode - "Drop Dead Gorgeous."

A third of the way in and this one doesn't have much worth commenting on. Tru's up against a hell-god, which doesn't bode well.

I watched Groundhog Day a few hours ago today, by the way. That's when I was thinking about Ned's approach to selling insurance. On the one hand, I totally think he's just looking for the sale. On the other hand, unlike a lot of people watching Groundhog Day, I don't find Ned objectionable just because he's an insurance salesman. Hell, I almost took a job in insurance sales a couple years back.

Minor note: reporter just said to Davis: "You must be a very strong person." You know, the same thing Phil says to Rita on date night.

Another episode - "Daddy's Girl." Opening credits give away the introduction of what I know is a major character, even though I never really watched this show when I was on--Jason Priestly is listed an I know he plays the "Evil Leaper" to Tru's Samuel Beckett.

A lot of dealing with Tru's mother's death in this one.

Today's reason to repeat a day forever: to be my own evil leaper, and then me and I can hang out and play some games....wait, time loop not alternate realities. Sorry for the mixup.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

la fille que j'aimera sera comme bon vin

-
Image
Phil Connors doesn’t speak French. While it might be reasonable to assume Phil does learn to play piano beyond the two songs we hear him play since this is at the point he is actually trying to better himself and affect the world around him in a positive way, the French bit is much earlier. It also comes from a bit in Rubin’s original screenplay, not with Rita but with “Tess Harper—Jefferson County Poetry Society.” Basically, it’s a clear example of Phil doing the same thing he does with Nancy in the movie; he makes stuff up to get what he wants. This is only Day 10 . He hasn’t gotten to the depression that arguably makes him realize he’s an actual human being like everyone else around him… I just realized, this also means he’s probably lying when he says, “Small town people are more real, more down-to-earth.” Later, he might actually believe it. But, at this point, each line is just a move to win over Rita. Anyway, in the original screenplay, Phil meets Tess like he meets Mary in ...
Read more

i've seen it over a hundred times

-
Image
As I write this, it’s Day 2 for Phil Connors on the DVD and my daughters are in the kitchen making a cake to celebrate Day 100 for me... photo should be below. The movie Phil had seen over 100 times (or so he tells Laraine) was Heidi II . It’s a “family classic” according to the Alpine Theater’s marquee. But, as I’ve mentioned before, it doesn’t exist. Originally, the movie that Phil could see every day if he wanted to do so was It’s a Wonderful Life . Danny Rubin’s ego—and this is his suggestion, not mine—made him believe Groundhog Day “a timeless quality and had the potential to become a film that could work for audiences for a very long time.” So, he put another such film on the marquee. But, “even believing that Groundhog Day was a potential classic, [Rubin] never was thinking of comparing it to It’s a Wonderful Life “— (I’d say putting that title on the marquee was Rubin deliberately comparing the two, but maybe that’s just me.) . Rubin continues: “But the similarities bet...
Read more

the wretch, concentred all in self

-
So, Rita thinks Phil’s defining characteristic is his egocentrism. At the point in the story that she quotes Sir Walter Scott, it’s Day 4 for Phil (See the previous entry for a list of Phil’s days) and I wouldn’t argue that he isn’t egocentric. He’s still a jerk, taking advantage of his situation for fun. He’s manipulated Nancy for sex, has gone out on his costumed date to see Heidi II with the woman in the French maid costume. He’s just figured out the whole lack-of-consequences side of things with the help of Ralph and Gus. And, he’s sitting around loading up on, well, probably every dessert the Tip Top Café offers. His focus at this point is very much himself. But, a closer look at the lines Rita quotes got me to thinking, is Phil the man unsung by minstrels because he’s too self-centered? What Rita quotes is some lines from Canto VI of Sir Walter Scott’s “The Lay of the Last Minstrel.” The larger poem involves some clans at war with one another, but this particular section invol...
Read more