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October 10, 2009

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I have long wanted to visit Egypt. I cannot imagine being so stupid, and I am married to a computer guy from Oklahoma.

When I was in college, my roommate found herself adored and pursued by a Middle Eastern boy. He was supposedly a prince of some country I had never heard of before, and unfortunately, do not remember anymore. Demanding is not a strong enough word to describe him. However, he was surrounded by lovely, friendly, well-mannered young men from his country that had come to school with him. He seemed the exception, not the rule. I always wondered what in the world someone like that was doing at a small, private university in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Oy.

That sounds pretty bad.

But don't forget that almost all films use stereo types to some extent. And because audiences often get their information from other movies and television series they come to *expect* the stereotypes. Example: mental institutions. If you ever had the pleasure visiting one you soon find out that they are not the least like they are depicted on screen. But if you show a real mental institution your movie will be extremely boring and nobody would come to see it. So the director/screenwriter/producer/art-director spice it up so the audience knows in a few moments: oh, this takes place in a mental institution.

I've never been to Egypt, and since I'm now more than twice as far away from it, probably never can afford to get there. But I do know how other countries (including my own) are depicted in movies and it is often extremely far from reality. This is true for Hollywood films, but also for indie movies.

I often watch films for the backdrop rather than the plot
Especially foreign films whose language I don't speak
I cover the sub-titles and sit back to look at the scenery and listen to words I don't understand

I've just watched two amazing BBC programmes and now have a strong desire to visit Iran
Doesn't Persian sound beautiful?

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Who was Cassandra?


  • In the Iliad, she is described as the loveliest of the daughters of Priam (King of Troy), and gifted with prophecy. The god Apollo loved her, but she spurned him. As a punishment, he decreed that no one would ever believe her. So when she told her fellow Trojans that the Greeks were hiding inside the wooden horse...well, you know what happened.

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