Not only with respect and awe, but with love

The other night, we saw the bizarrest little movie called Colossus: The Forbin Project. The F-word found it, I think because he'd read something about Eric Braeden in the Guarniad, and we're both fascinated with Eric Braeden, aka Hans Jörg Gudegast, better known as Victor in the Young and the Restless. In university I'd watch General Hospital whilst studying - these sort of rhythmic, predictable shows helped me store information in my brain; Dukes of Hazzard repeats on TNT were another such, and the Dukes of Hazzard had John Schneider's ass in it too, which was an awesome, lovely, big Michaelangelo-type ass. But never have I watched an episode of the Young and the Restless. It should be completely off my radar. And yet I know exactly who Victor from Young and the Restless is. He's that guy, that classy guy with the moustache and the slut eyes. I think most New World Anglos know exactly who he is. And I have no idea how that's even possible. Eric Braeden is magic.

So Eric Braeden had the lead role in Colossus, which was made in 1970, when people were more worried about nuclear disasters, I'd imagine, though personally I think we should be worrying about it more than they did back then. But I suppose back then, there was the surreal, nonsense element to nuclear doom that fixed on the imagination easily. Two massively nuclear powers aiming their thingies at each other and both incapable of aiming them away - both incapable of the initiative that would have ended the possibility of their own utter destruction - in fact, both dependant on the strategic idea of mutual assured destruction. Which, I suppose, is why Colossus is such an interesting movie.

I don't know if I can reccommend that you actually watch it. We're not talking The Conformist, a must-see movie that came out in the same year and in a very roundabout way - very roundabout way - very - covered a little of the same ground. The major difference though (besides, basically, everything - I'm stretching like a Chinese acrobat in the morning when I link the two movies at all) is that Colussus is geeky. The central character, even more than Eric Braeden, is the titular machine. I don't have the time or seemingly the will to get into it this morning, so I think I do reccommend that you watch it - it's watchable, for sure - and though it isn't Moravia or anything it is lingering on my brain and being thought-provoking, mostly in terms of provoking thoughts about the government people want or need - which is probably what's tying it, in my head, to the Conformist. Besides them coming out in the same year.

Anyhoo, Eric Braeden was so suave in this film, and it was weird to see him young and without a moustache. And still speaking with a German accent, what's more. I've always known exactly who Victor from the Young and the Restless was, but fuck me, I was suprised to hear he was German. Just like John Schneider, except more so. You see, it's all a complex tapestry.