Be Afraid...Very Afraid

From the classics such as Frankenstein to current offerings like Paranormal Activity, there is no shortage of films in the horror genre.  Suffice it to say, the movie Young Frankenstein is not one that typically comes to mind…because, of course, it’s a comedy.  Nevertheless, nestled within its jocular treatment of its namesake classic, the film shocks the viewer with something really, truly frightening and disturbing.

Okay, by this time, those of you old enough to remember this 1974 flick starring Gene Wilder as the title character, are surely scoffing, “This movie was nothing more than a silly spoof!  What can possibly have been scary about THAT movie?  Surely not the scene in the laboratory with the brains labeled ‘good’ or ‘bad’!”  No, no, no, of course not.  Unlike films that startle the senses via supernatural themes, gore, or some such obvious terror, Young Frankenstein hits us with something much more rattling; something we are assaulted with every day; something from which we can run but never hide-----HUMAN NATURE!  

What am I talking about?  Something real, as usual.  I’m talking about the scene where Wilder presents to the townspeople a monster that he has, after extensive research and effort (supposedly, since this is a comedy after all), imbued with life.  Not only does the monster demonstrate the ability to walk and talk, but he can manage a rudimentary song and dance performance of Puttin’ on the Ritz.  Within the few minutes from the time the monster is initially presented to the time it becomes apparent that he does not have the coordination or musical skills to entertain the audience like a non-monster professional singer/dancer, the audience goes literally from being stunned and amazed to being angry and appalled at the terrible performance!  They yell and hurl rotten tomatoes at the creature, completely forgetting the entire purpose of the presentation. 

I see this fickle, demanding, perspective-poor behavior all too often.  Here are a few examples from my own limited existence:

1.  After a lifetime of delicate health, pursuing goals of a more sedentary nature, I now play tennis, of a sort.  My husband has been an athlete his entire life, while I am thrilled at the fact that I can actually play a sport without giving up in physical frustration.  Yet my husband fails to appreciate that fact and focuses mainly on all my technical deficiencies.  “Why didn’t you hit those overheads harder?  Just do a drop shot when the opponent is behind the baseline.  I want you to hit that forehand with more zip!  You’re running around like a chicken with your head cut off out there!  Are you even thinking about what you’re doing?”  And this is after I win.  After decades of marriage, I still have to remind him, “You do know I never successfully played a sport in all my youth?” or, “You do know I’m just coming off a bout of bronchitis (or bubonic plague, swine flu, bird flu, SARS, dengue fever, or whatever infectious illness is currently in vogue).”   I can just picture it now:  I’ll be recovering from a stroke at some point in the future, I’ll pass the test of making a few feeble shots over the net and by the third session out, he’ll be yelling, “Don’t hit those overheads straight back!  God, it’s not that difficult!”

2. I, along with some others, went on a trip to Europe and like many Americans, unfortunately, none of us have much capacity for languages other than English.  I wish I had a euro for every time someone in our group complained about people not being able to speak English.  Good grief.  I was the only one who tried to use words in the native language or consult a phrase book.  I was extremely grateful to the local people who took their time and efforts to communicate with us in English.  Sometimes the English was very fluent, other times it was quite limited.  I found it delightful that someone would extend himself in a foreign language to help us, a bunch of strangers.  But apparently there are some people (who speak no Spanish, French, German, Italian, etc., etc.) who see fit to comment, “Well that guy’s English sucked.”

3.  Lastly, there is the issue of modern technology and how it has simply ruined people in terms of their expectations and hence, demands.  Airplanes, computers, fast food, even (as my husband likes to say) microwave ovens, have all contributed to making us a spoiled, impatient lot.  True, expectations rise as technology becomes ingrained in a culture.  For instance, you’re not going to row a boat across an ocean when you can easily take a flight and arrive at your destination in a few hours. 

One famous comic of late addresses this issue best when he suggests the air-travel whiners consider how difficult travel was in the 1800s, saying something to the effect of:  “When people decided to travel West, it took 30 years!  During the trip, people died, others were born. By the time people arrived at the final destination, they weren’t even the same people who started the journey!”

So you see, the impatience and lack of perspective of human nature is a far more frightening entity than anything Stephen King can cook up.  It’s illogical; it’s off-kilter; not to mention off-putting.  My advice to you:  Be afraid, be very afraid.