Not having told anyone what I have published on my website over the last two days, I thought about writing it off as a bad idea. I have lots of creative and crazy ideas most days I’m alive, but none that I actively pursue and then prepare for, for weeks and months.
I’ve accumulated over the last 6 months 90% of the films I need to make this an achievable goal. My reaction to viewing The General – which was not negative but left me deflated – certainly made me question the whole enterprise. Today, I created and wrote another section of my website which I’ve called The Rationale. I feel like I need to explain to anyone who reads my thoughts over the next 362 days, where I’m coming from. I’ve seen a lot of films and read a lot of books and heard lots of music. The choice of films, books and music was very intentional.
Already I am bracing for a negative reaction, so writing a defence of the deliberation I’ve given the choice of films, and the purpose of the venture:
I’ve been very deliberate in the way I have prepared for this. Life doesn’t wash over me like some vast wave which constantly surprises me and unwittingly provides me with a daily blast of information, some of which I want and some that I don’t. I’ve really thought about this and planned things.
There are four more days to view the other two Buster Keaton films before I move on to the next batch. What I’ve decided today is that I will watch The General again. What I also decided today is that I’m going to change yesterday’s decision, and watch Sherlock Jr. and Our Hospitality next, before I revisit, The General.
