A Shiny New Year

I'm soon to be running out to party at Fritz's, but I've been feeling a bit off, so right now I'm hanging out with the best Gottdamned bartender from Timbuktu to Portland, Maine... or even Portland, Oregon. Yep, Lloyd. Lloyd and his words of wisdom...

You may not realize this, but "The Shining" is actually a great holiday movie for me. I didn't include it on my list of Christmas movies, but it does take place in December, around the middle of the month. However, I consider it a New Year's movie. Oh, I know... Jack's gone by then (or is he), and Wendy and Redrum are back to safety, but it still says "New Year's" to me.

WTF, you ask? The trigger is the picture and music at the end. "But the picture says 'July 4th Ball / 1921,' and the tune is 'Midnight, The Stars, And You.' How do you get 'New Year's' from that?" Bear with me, as I take you on a road less travelled. It might make all the difference...

First, the pic. It's black and white. This says "old." It's a picture of a ball, alongside pics of other galas. As I look at the pic, and hear the tune (which is a recording from 1932...), I think of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, as well as other stars of the black and white films. Most of the movies that we watched as I was growing up, had a holiday theme. For the better part of 8 years, we watched little television or movies, except around this time of year. So... I look at the picture, and see, in the background, Fred and Ginger, singing along to "Auld Lang Syne." The scene that seals the deal is when Jack is stalking through the halls, and follows the sounds of music towards the Gold Room... he comes to a hallway filled with balloons and strewn with confetti. New Years. I'm telling you, New Years...

Now, whenever I hear "Auld Lang Syne," I kinda chuckle to myself as I can hear Jack say, "Darling. Light, of my life. I'm not gonna hurt ya.... You didn't let me finish my sentence. I said, I'm not gonna hurt ya. I'm just gonna bash your brains in. I'm gonna bash 'em right the f#%k in. Ha, ha." Again, I'm aware that the closing music is Midnight, The Stars and You... "Auld Lang Syne" is the tune that should have been in there. I think it fits... Mr. Grady, Lloyd... Jack knows them. Even though he has forgotten, he hasn't forgotten.

In case you were wondering, I haven't forgotten, either. I've gotta get down to Fritz's.

Happy New Year to you all!

Posted by That 1 Guy at December 31, 2005 11:10 PM