If you like Batman, you’ve probably already seen the new longer trailer for The Dark Knight. The marketing wizards have done an awesome job building hype. Fanboys and nerds are pleased and can’t wait. The trailer so far has had enormous impact, following the platinum rule to always leave them wanting MORE.
Fast forward to May ’08. You go to the theater a week after the movie finally opens. Everyone who’s seen it loves it. Burger King has the soft drink cups (collect all eight) and the toys (collect all eighteen, now or a week later on ebay). You try not to overhear people talking about it, though at your age there are few surprises. You know the story, you’ve seen it thousands of times. There will be a lone hero or heroes and villains galore, victims and extras caught between warring sides. There will be explosions and grand special effects, thanks to the Computer. The hero will confront an inner obstacle as dangerous and daunting as the crazed villain roaming around. A damsel will be in distress, though in these politically correct times she will also be falsely depicted as a tough, kick-ass fighter who even gets a few shots in but the villain is simply too strong. Near the end, justice and maybe happiness rarely seen in real life will appear on the screen. Nerds will endlessly debate every aspect of the experience, right down to the cupholders in the seats. Serious nerds will be furious at minor details not mirroring the historical accuracy and realism of the comic book. Six months later, in time for Xmas ’08, the people who LOVED the movie will buy the DVD while the nerds who HATED the movie will buy the DVD.
I’m telling you all this which you already know because what you’re going to have to learn on your own is, the only Moment you really have is NOW. It’s a pompous, Zen-sounding statement, but it’s true. You don’t have tomorrow and you certainly don’t have the past. All you have is this Moment.
You can’t simply read these words and understand…I’m barely understanding it Now (ha ha). You have to die millions of times before it starts to really sink in: the more you live in the moment, the more of you exists in that moment. The past and future will rob you less and less, and you won’t fear the next Moment.
You’ll simply Be.
Translated from the dojo:
Every moment has the potential for the Enlightenment we seek.
You’re probably wondering what the hell Batman has to do with any of this. Long ago I decided to hold off on suicide before seeing the huge summer event that was the first Batman movie (1989).
I saw it and it sucked. You saw it and said it was, “really good”. You now have my permission to admit it’s boring as hell. Keaton was a lame duck, the batsuit was stiff and Nicholson couldn’t be in every scene (merciful when you realize how gay he was).
“Weird” director Tim “Beetlejuice” Burton had no sense of timing or pace. The whole world had to sit through his artsy-fartsy navel-gazing and showing off Gotham sets instead of seeing more ass-kicking adventure. Who the fuck pays to see Robert Wuhl go on and on in a newsroom?
I liked Batman Returns much better, though it’s also a grand mess.
Oh, so anyway, since ’89 I’ve always used upcoming movies as excuses to keep me from suicide. As I learn with glacial slowness to live “in the Now”, it might be possible to wean myself off of Hollywood Hope. It really won’t matter if I do or not. I have to go on living at least until May ’08. Breathe easier, friends. Breathe easier.
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