The Heat Is On in NY
May 25, 2007 by igme
It was spring when my parents and I arrived here in New York ten days ago, the time when the transition between spring and summer was at its numbing ‘chilliest’. Just when I was about to enjoy wearing jackets during the day, summer came all too sudden yesterday (Friday). I feel that I never left Manila after all.
My writing has become limited lately because of three main factors: one, the fatigue that comes with daily treks to tourist spots (I have seen barely 20 min of tv for 10 days, even missing out on the last 5 shows of American Idol), because I usually arrive late at night and be up early the next day; two, we stay at a relative’s house and it’s a bit of a hiya (shame) if I act like I own the pc; and lastly, my rolls of film have not yet developed and what I want is to create a "travelogue" where I could write and pictures are seen altogether.
What I’m excited to tell you is that I saw my first film at Walter Reade Theater at NY’s Lincoln Center (the Philippine’s counterpart of the CCP) –John Schlesinger’s "Midnight Cowboy" where a mini-retro on Schlesinger’s works was featured. The film was somber and heavy for most parts, disturbing in a few scenes, eerily chilling in a couple of scenes, most esp the "wackos’ party scene." It beautifully depicted what an unusual friendship can happen between an emotionally distraught and ‘lonesome’ hustler (played by John Voight) and a crippled tramp (Dustin Hoffman) amid the chaotic world in where-else — New York.
The bonus of the night was when Sylvia Miles (never-heard of her before), an Academy Supporting Actress nominee of the said film, was there during the forum. A bit of the trivia she shared was that the film was "rehearsed like a play for about two weeks." Not bad for its psychologically grotesque appeal.
After the last name of the film credits rolled up, a few moments of hush were in the air, and then an involuntary applause came aftewards. That’s how tugging and relevant it still is today after 37 years it was made.
