Song of the Day: Born To Be Wild by Steppenwolf


My Dad passed away last night.  Today’s song of the day is dedicated to him.

My Dad was many things.  He was a fighter.  He was a trucker.  He was a biker.  He was a rebel.  He loved action movies.  He loved his country and distrusted his government.  He was the most honest man I ever knew, always telling the truth even when it would have been easier to lie.  He was someone who stood up for himself and never backed down from a challenge.  I remember, when I was a kid, he would frequently get pulled over for speeding and he would always give the cop the finger while accepting the ticket.  My mom would get mad at him for that and my other sisters would admonish him with, “Dad, you’re going to get another ticket!” but deep down, we all knew that was what he had to do.  That was just who he was.  He lived his life his way and I’m thankful that we reconnected and we were able to fix our own relationship before he passed.

My Dad was ten years sober when he passed and I know he took a lot of pride in that.  A lot of people didn’t think he was serious when he said he had given up drinking but I knew he was and I knew he’d stick with it.  I was proud of him and I still am.

Today’s song of the day could have been written about him.

4 Shots From 4 Films: R.I.P., Max von Sydow


Steppenwolf (1974, directed by Fred Haines)

I woke up to the sad news that Max von Sydow, one of the greatest actors of all time, died yesterday.  He was 90 years old and he leaves behind a truly amazing filmography.  He played saints, sinners, assassins, exorcists, generals, poets, doctors, and even ordinary men who were just trying to make it day-to-day.  That he was nominated for only two Academy Awards over a career that lasted 71 years was a major oversight on the Academy’s part.  He was an actor who was as capable in arthouse films as he was in the latest installment of a legendary sci-fi franchise.

It’s hard to take a career as long and productive as von Sydow’s and narrow it down to just four shots from four films so I’m not going to try.  The shots are below are some of my favorite von Sydow performances but they’re hardly definitive.  Max von Sydow gave so many good and memorable performances that it’s hard to know where to start.  Below are 4 shots from 4 films from a truly remarkable career.

Max von Sydow, R.I.P.

4 Shots From 4 Films

The Virgin Spring (1960, directed by Ingmar Bergman)

Flash Gordon (1980, directed by Mike Hodges)

Needful Things (1993, directed by Fraser C. Heston)

Shutter Island (2010, directed by Martin Scorsese)