Thoughts On Why I Rarely Remember What A Movie Was About Until I’ve Seen It Two or Three Times: A List Poem

Crime Story: Oh, Geez! I hope Jackie Chan didn’t get hurt when he was caught between those two cars! It looks like they ran over his legs!

The Whale. Wow! I wonder how long it took to transform Brendan Fraser into that big, old fat man. What did he do during the time they were putting that stuff on? Listen to audio books? Chat with the make-up artists? How long did it take to get him out of all that?

It’s A Wonderful Life. Ouch! That looked like Mr. Gower really did slap George. I wonder if that blood was real.

(And through my own tears during the crying scene in Martini’s bar): Those tears must be real. They wouldn’t think of the detail of covering his entire face. I wonder how he cried so easily. Did he remember a tragedy? Did he train himself to cry?

The Princess Bride. Those are obviously stunt doubles rolling down the hill. They don’t even look like the actors.

And: How long did Mandy Patinkin and Carey Elwes practice that sword fight before it was good enough to film? (In later viewings I watched for Carey Elwes to flinch due to his broken foot.)

Three Fugitives. How did Nick Nolte keep a straight face when he looked at Martin Short in that messed up wig. How many times did they have to redo that scene?

Oh, I’ve been there! (The last scene, in Canada.)

Titanic: Oh come on, there’s room for him on that big piece of wood!

Naida Lavon

3/27/2026

Response to an exercise in the book:

Ordinary Genius A Guide for the Poet Within by Kim Addonizio

Start with a long title that gives specific information of what the poem is about.